letters to his son, 1756-58-第9部分

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　about　sixteen　of　their　own；　and　about　as　many　taken　from　us。　237

Now　for　Africa；　where　we　have　had　great　success。　　The　French　have　been　driven　out　of　all　their　forts　and　settlements　upon　the　Gum　coast；　and　upon　the　river　Senegal。　　They　had　been　many　years　in　possession　of　them；　and　by　them　annoyed　our　African　trade　exceedingly；　which；　by　the　way；　'toute　proportion　gardee'；　is　the　most　lucrative　trade　we　have。　　The　present　booty　is　likewise　very　considerable；　in　gold　dust；　and　gum　Seneca；　which　is　very　valuable；　by　being　a　very　necessary　commodity；　for　all　our　stained　and　printed　linens。

Now　for　America。　　The　least　sanguine　people　here　expect；　the　latter　end　of　this　month　or　the　beginning　of　the　next；　to　have　the　account　of　the　taking　of　Cape　Breton；　and　of　all　the　forts　with　hard　names　in　North　America。

Captain　Clive　has　long　since　settled　Asia　to　our　satisfaction；　so　that　three　parts　of　the　world　look　very　favorable　for　us。　　Europe；　I　submit　to　the　care　of　the　King　of　Prussia　and　Prince　Ferdinand　of　Brunswick；　and　I　think　they　will　give　a　good　account　of　it。　　France　is　out　of　luck；　and　out　of　courage；　and　will；　I　hope；　be　enough　out　of　spirits　to　submit　to　a　reasonable　peace。　　By　reasonable；　I　mean　what　all　people　call　reasonable　in　their　own　case；　an　advantageous　one　for　us。

I　have　set　all　right　with　Munchausen；　who　would　not　own　that　he　was　at　all　offended；　and　said；　as　you　do；　that　his　daughter　did　not　stay　long　enough；　nor　appear　enough　at　Hamburg；　for　you　possibly　to　know　that　she　was　there。　　But　people　are　always　ashamed　to　own　the　little　weaknesses　of　self…love；　which；　however；　all　people　feel　more　or　less。　　The　excuse；　I　saw；　pleased。

I　will　send　you　your　quadrille　tables　by　the　first　opportunity；　consigned　to　the　care　of　Mr。　Mathias　here。　　'Felices　faustaeque　sint！　　May　you　win　upon　them；　when　you　play　with　men；　and　when　you　play　with　women；　either　win　or　know　why　you　lose。

Miss　　marries　Mr。…　next　week。　　WHO　PROFFERS　LOVE；　PROFFERS　DEATH；　says　Weller　to　a　dwarf：　in　my　opinion；　the　conclusion　must　instantly　choak　the　little　lady。　　Admiral　marries　Lady；　there　the　danger；　if　danger　is；　will　be　on　the　other　side。　　The　lady　has　wanted　a　man　so　long；　that　she　now　compounds　for　half　a　one。　　Half　a　loaf

I　have　been　worse　since　my　last　letter；　but　am　now；　I　think；　recovering；　'tant　va　la　cruche　a　l'eau'；　and　I　have　been　there　very　often。

Good…night。　　I　am　faithfully　and　truly　yours。




LETTER　CCXXIV

BLACKHEATH；　June　27；　1758。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　You　either　have　received　already；　or　will　very　soon　receive；　a　little　case　from　Amsterdam；　directed　to　you　at　Hamburg。　　It　is　for　Princess　Ameba；　the　King　of　Prussia's　sister；　and　contains　some　books　which　she　desired　Sir　Charles　Hotham　to　procure　her　from　England；　so　long　ago　as　when　he　was　at　Berlin：　he　sent　for　them　immediately；　but；　by　I　do　not　know　what　puzzle；　they　were　recommended　to　the　care　of　Mr。　Selwyn；　at　Paris；　who　took　such　care　of　them；　that　he　kept　them　near　three　years　in　his　warehouse；　and　has　at　last　sent　them　to　Amsterdam；　from　whence　they　are　sent　to　you。　　If　the　books　are　good　for　anything；　they　must　be　considerably　improved；　by　having　seen　so　much　of　the　world；　but；　as　I　believe　they　are　English　books；　perhaps　they　may；　like　English　travelers；　have　seen　nobody；　but　the　several　bankers　to　whom　they　were　consigned：　be　that　as　it　will；　I　think　you　had　best　deliver　them　to　Monsieur　Hecht；　the　Prussian　Minister　at　Hamburg；　to　forward　to　her　Royal　Highness；　with　a　respectful　compliment　from　you；　which　you　will；　no　doubt；　turn　in　the　best　manner；　and　'selon　le　bon　ton　de　la　parfaitement　bonne　compagnie'。

You　have　already　seen；　in　the　papers；　all　the　particulars　of　our　St。　Malo's　expedition；　so　I　say　no　more　of　that；　only　that　Mr。　Pitt's　friends　exult　in　the　destruction　of　three　French　ships　of　war；　and　one　hundred　and　thirty　privateers　and　trading　ships；　and　affirm　that　it　stopped　the　march　of　threescore　thousand　men；　who　were　going　to　join　the　Comte　de　Clermont's　army。　　On　the　other　hand；　Mr。　Fox　and　company　call　it　breaking　windows　with　guineas；　and　apply　the　fable　of　the　Mountain　and　the　Mouse。　The　next　object　of　our　fleet　was　to　be　the　bombarding　of　Granville；　which　is　the　great　'entrepot'　of　their　Newfoundland　fishery；　and　will　be　a　considerable　loss　to　them　in　that　branch　of　their　trade。　　These；　you　will　perhaps　say；　are　no　great　matters；　and　I　say　so　too；　but；　at　least；　they　are　signs　of　life；　which　we　had　not　given　them　for　many　years　before；　and　will　show　the　French；　by　our　invading　them；　that　we　do　not　fear　their　invading　us。　　Were　those　invasions；　in　fishing…boats　from　Dunkirk；　so　terrible　as　they　were　artfully　represented　to　be；　the　French　would　have　had　an　opportunity　of　executing　them；　while　our　fleet；　and　such　a　considerable　part　of　our　army；　were　employed　upon　their　coast。　　BUT　MY　LORD　LIGONIER　DOES　NOT　WANT　AN　ARMY　AT　HOME。

The　parliament　is　prorogued　by　a　most　gracious　speech　neither　by　nor　from　his　Majesty；　who　was　TOO　ILL　to　go　to　the　House；　the　Lords　and　Gentlemen　are；　consequently；　most　of　them；　gone　to　their　several　counties；　to　do　（to　be　sure）　all　the　good　that　is　recommended　to　them　in　the　speech。　London；　I　am　told；　is　now　very　empty；　for　I　cannot　say　so　from　knowledge。　I　vegetate　wholly　here。　　I　walk　and　read　a　great　deal；　ride　and　scribble　a　little；　according　as　my　lead　allows；　or　my　spirits　prompt；　to　write　anything　tolerable；　the　mind　must　be　in　a　natural；　proper　disposition；　provocatives；　in　that　case；　as　well　as　in　another；　will　only　produce　miserable；　abortive　performances。

Now　that　you　have　（as　I　suppose）　full　leisure　enough；　I　wish　you　would　give　yourself　the　trouble；　or　rather　pleasure；　to　do　what　I　hinted　to　you　some　time　ago；　that　is；　to　write　short　memoirs　of　those　affairs　which　have　either　gone　through　your　hands；　or　that　have　come　to　your　certain　knowledge；　from　the　inglorious　battle　of　Hastenbeck；　to　the　still　more　scandalous　Treaty　of　Neutrality。　　Connect；　at　least；　if　it　be　by　ever　so　short　notes；　the　pieces　and　letters　which　you　must　necessarily　have　in　your　hands；　and　throw　in　the　authentic　anecdotes　that　you　have　probably　heard。　　You　will　be　glad　when　you　have　done　it：　and　the　reviving　past　ideas；　in　some　order　and　method；　will　be　an　infinite　comfort　to　you　hereafter。　　I　have　a　thousand　times　regretted　not　having　done　so；　it　is　at　present　too　late　for　me　to　begin；　this　is　the　right　time　for　you；　and　your　life　is　likely　to　be　a　busy　one。　　Would　young　men　avail　themselves　of　the　advice　and　experience　of　their　old　friends；　they　would　find　the　utility　in　their　youth；　and　the　comfort　of　it　in　their　more　advanced　age；　but　they　seldom　consider　that；　and　you；　less　than　anybody　I　ever　knew。　May　you　soon　grow　wiser！　　Adieu。




LETTER　CCXXV

BLACKHEATH；　June　30；　1758。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　This　letter　follows　my　last　very　close；　but　I　received　yours　of　the　15th　in　the　short　interval。　　You　did　very　well　not　to　buy　any　Rhenish；　at　the　exorbitant　price　you　mention；　without　further　directions；　for　both　my　brother　and　I　think　the　money　better　than　the　wine；　be　the　wine　ever　so　good。　　We　will　content　our　selves　with　our　stock　in　hand　of　humble　Rhenish；　of　about　three　shillings　a…bottle。　However；　'pour　la　rarity　du　fait；　I　will　lay　out　twelve　ducats'；　for　twelve　bottles　of　the　wine　of　1665；　by　way　of　an　eventual　cordial；　if　you　can　obtain　a　'senatus　consultum'　for　it。　　I　am　in　no　hurry　for　it；　so　send　it　me　only　when　you　can　conveniently；　well　packed　up　's'entend'。

You　will；　I　dare　say；　have　leave　to　go　to　Cassel；　and　if　you　do　go；　you　will　perhaps　think　it　reasonable；　that　I；　who　was　the　adviser　of　the　journey；　should　pay　the　expense　of　it。　　I　think　so　too；　and　therefore；　if　you　go；　I　will　remit　the　L100　which　you　have　calculated　it　at。　　You　will　find　the　House　of　Cassel　the　house　of　gladness；　for　Hanau　is　already；　or　must　be　soon；　delivered　of　its　French　guests。

The　Prince　of　Brunswick's　victory　is；　by　all　the　skillful；　thought　a　'chef　d'oeuvre'；　worthy　of　Turenne；　Conde；　or　the　most　illustrious　human　butchers。　　The　French　behaved　better　than　at　Rosbach；　especially　the　Carabiniers　Royaux；　who　could　not　be　'entames'。　　I　wish　the　siege　of　Olmutz　well　over；　and　a　victory　after　it；　and　that；　with　good　news　from　America；　which　I　think　there　is　no　reason　to　doubt　of；　must　procure　us　a　good　peace　at　the　end　of　the　year。　　The　Prince　of　Prussia's　death　is　no　public　misfortune：　there　was　a　jealousy　and　alienation　between　the　King　and　him；　which　could　never　have　been　made　up　between　the　possessor　of　the　crown　and　the　next　heir　to　it。　　He　will　make　something　of　his　nephew；　's'il　est　du　bois　don't　on　en　fait'。　　He　is　young　enough　to　forgive；　and　to　be　forgiven；　the　possession　and　the　expectative；　at　least　for　some　years。

Adieu！　　I　am　UNWELL；　but　affectionately　yours。




LETTER　CCXXVI

BLACKHEATH；　July　18；　1758。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　Yesterday　I　received　your　letter　of　the　4th；　and　my　last　will　have　informed　you　that　I　had　received　your　former；　concerning　the　Rhenish；　about　which　I　gave　you　instructions。　　If　'vinum　Mosellanum　est　omni　tempore　sanum'；　as　the　Chapter　of　Treves　asserts；　what　must　this　'vinum　Rhenanum'　be；　from　its　superior　strength　and　age？　　It　must　be　the　universal　panacea。

Captain　Howe　is　to　sail　forthwith　somewhere　or　another；　with　about　8；000　land　forces　on　board　him；　and　what　is　much　more；　Edward　the　White　Prince。　It　is　yet　a　secret　where　they　are　going；　but　I　think　it　is　no　secret；　that　what　16；000　men　and　a　great　fleet　could　not　do；　will　not　be　done　by　8；000　men　and　a　much　smaller　fleet。　　About　8；500　horse；　foot；　and　dragoons；　are　embarking；　as　fast　as　they　can；　for　Embden；　to　reinforce　Prince　Ferdinand's　army；　late　and　few；　to　be　sure；　but　still　better　than　never；　and　none。　　The　operations　in　Moravia　go　on　slowly；　and　Olmutz　seems　to　be　a　tough　piece　of　work；　I　own　I　begin　to　be　in　pain　for　the　King　of　Prussia；　for　the　Russians　now　march　in　earnest；　and　Marechal　Dann's　army　is　certainly　superior　in　number　to　his。　　God　send　him　a　good　delivery！

You　have　a　Danish　army　now　in　your　neighborhood；　and　they　say　a　very　fine　one；　I　presume　you　will　go　to　see　it；　and；　if　you　do；　I　would　advise　you　to　go　when　the　Danish　Monarch　comes　to　review　it　himself；　'pour　prendre　langue　de　ce　Seigneur'。