letters to his son, 1766-71-第7章
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very little about it。 At my age every man must have his share of
physical ills of one kind or another； and mine； thank God； are not very
painful。 God bless you！
LETTER CCCVII
LONDON； March 12； 1768。
MY DEAR FRIEND： The day after I received your letter of the 21st past；
I wrote to Lord Weymouth； as you desired； and I send you his answer
inclosed； from which （though I have not heard from him since） I take it
for granted； and so may you； that his silence signifies his Majesty's
consent to your request。 Your complicated complaints give me great
uneasiness； and the more； as I am convinced that the Montpellier
physicians have mistaken a material part of your case； as indeed all the
physicians here did； except Dr。 Maty。 In my opinion； you have no gout；
but a very scorbutic and rheumatic habit of body； which should be treated
in a very different manner from the gout； and； as I pretend to be a very
good quack at least； I would prescribe to you a strict milk diet； with
the seeds； such as rice； sago； barley； millet； etc。； for the three summer
months at least； and without ever tasting wine。 If climate signifies
anything （in which； by the way； I have very little faith）； you are； in my
mind； in the finest climate in the world； neither too hot nor too cold；
and always clear； you are with the gayest people living； be gay with
them； and do not wear out your eyes with reading at home。 'L'ennui' is
the English distemper： and a very bad one it is； as I find by every day's
experience； for my deafness deprives me of the only rational pleasure
that I can have at my age； which is society； so that I read my eyes out
every day； that I may not hang myself。
You will not be in this parliament； at least not at the beginning of it。
I relied too much upon Lord C…'s promise above a year ago at Bath。
He desired that I would leave it to him； that he would make it his own
affair； and give it in charge to the Duke of G； whose province it was
to make the parliamentary arrangement。 This I depended upon； and I think
with reason； but； since that； Lord C has neither seen nor spoken to
anybody； and has been in the oddest way in the world。 I have sent to the
D… of G； to know if L… C had either spoken or sent to
him about it； but he assured me that he had done neither； that all was
full； or rather running over； at present； but that； if he could crowd you
in upon a vacancy； he would do it with great pleasure。 I am extremely
sorry for this accident； for I am of a very different opinion from you；
about being in parliament； as no man can be of consequence in this
country； who is not in it； and； though one may not speak like a Lord
Mansfield or a Lord Chatham； one may make a very good figure in a second
rank。 'Locus est et pluribus umbris'。 I do not pretend to give you any
account of the present state of this country； or Ministry； not knowing
nor guessing it myself。
God bless you； and send you health； which is the first and greatest of
all blessings！
LETTER CCCVIII
LONDON； March 15； 1768。
MY DEAR FRIEND： This letter is supplemental to my； last。 This morning
Lord Weymouth very civilly sent Mr。 Wood； his first 'commis'； to tell me
that the King very willingly gave you leave of absence from your post for
a year； for the recovery of your health； but then added； that as the
Court of Vienna was tampering with that of Saxony； which it seems our
Court is desirous to 'contrequarrer'； it might be necessary to have in
the interim a 'Charge d'Affaires' at Dresden； with a defalcation out of
your appointments of forty shillings a…day； till your return； if I would
agree to it。 I told him that I consented to both the proposals； upon
condition that at your return you should have the character and the pay
of Plenipotentiary added to your present character and pay； and that I
would completely make up to you the defalcation of the forty shillings
a…day。 He positively engaged for it： and added； that he knew that it
would be willingly agreed to。 Thus I think I have made a good bargain
for you； though but an indifferent one for myself： but that is what I
never minded in my life。 You may； therefore； depend upon receiving from
me the full of this defalcation； when and how you please； independently
of your usual annual refreshment； which I will pay to Monsieur Larpent；
whenever you desire it。 In the meantime； 'Cura ut valeas'。
The person whom Mr。 Wood intimated to me would be the 'Charge d'Affaires'
during your absence； is one Mr。 Keith； the son of that Mr。 Keith who was
formerly Minister in Russia。
LETTER CCCIX
LONDON； April 12； 1768。
MY DEAR FRIEND： I received； yesterday； your letter of the 1st； in which
you do not mention the state of your health； which I desire you will do
for the future。
I believe you have guessed the true reason of Mr。 Keith's mission； but by
a whisper that I have since heard； Keith is rather inclined to go to
Turin； as 'Charge d'Affaires'。 I forgot to tell you； in my last； that I
was almost positively assured that the instant you return to Dresden；
Keith should decamp。 I am persuaded that they will keep their words with
me； as there is no one reason in the world why they should not。 I will
send your annual to Mr。 Larpent； in a fortnight； and pay the forty
shillings a…day quarterly； if there should be occasion； for； in my own
private opinion； there will be no 'Charge d'Affaires' sent。 I agree with
you； that 'point d'argent； point d'Allemand'； as was used to be said； and
not without more reason； of the Swiss； but； as we have neither the
inclination nor I fear the power to give subsidies； the Court of Vienna
can give good things that cost them nothing； as archbishoprics；
bishoprics； besides corrupting their ministers and favorite with places。
Elections here have been carried to a degree of frenzy hitherto unheard
of； that for the town of Northampton has cost the contending parties at
least thirty thousand pounds a side； and … has sold his
borough of …； to two members； for nine thousand pounds。 As soon
as Wilkes had lost his election for the city； he set up for the county of
Middlesex； and carried it hollow； as the jockeys say。 Here were great
mobs and riots upon that occasion； and most of the windows in town broke；
that had no lights for WILKES AND LIBERTY； who were thought to be
inseparable。 He will appear； the l0th of this month； in the Court of
King's Bench； to receive his sentence； and then great riots are again
expected； and probably will happen。 God bless you！
LETTER CCCX
BATH； October 17； 1768。
MY DEAR FRIEND。 Your last two letters； to myself and Grevenkop； have
alarmed me extremely； but I comfort myself a little； by hoping that you；
like all people who suffer； think yourself worse than you are。 A dropsy
never comes so suddenly； and I flatter myself； that it is only that gouty
or rheumatic humor； which has plagued you so long； that has occasioned
the temporary swelling of your legs。 Above forty years ago； after a
violent fever； my legs swelled as much as you describe yours to be； I
immediately thought that I had a dropsy； but the Faculty assured me； that
my complaint was only the effect of my fever； and would soon be cured；
and they said true。 Pray let your amanuensis； whoever he may be； write
an account regularly once a…week； either to Grevenkop or myself； for that
is the same thing； of the state of your health。
I sent you； in four successive letters； as much of the Duchess of
Somerset's snuff as a letter could well convey to you。 Have you received
all or any of them？ and have they done you any good？ Though； in your
present condition； you cannot go into company； I hope that you have some
acquaintances that come and sit with you； for if originally it was not
good for man to be alone； it is much worse for a sick man to be so； he
thinks too much of his distemper； and magnifies it。 Some men of learning
among the ecclesiastics； I dare say； would be glad to sit with you； and
you could give them as good as they brought。
Poor Harte； who is here still； is in a most miserable condition： he has
entirely lost the use of his left side； and can hardly speak
intelligibly。 I wa
