letters to his son, 1756-58-第5部分

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　afterward。　I　turn　my　eyes　away；　as　much　as　I　can；　from　this　miserable　prospect；　but；　as　a　citizen　and　member　of　society；　it　recurs　to　my　imagination；　notwithstanding　all　my　endeavors　to　banish　it　from　my　thoughts。　　I　can　do　myself　nor　my　country　no　good；　but　I　feel　the　wretched　situation　of　both；　the　state　of　the　latter　makes　me　better　bear　that　of　the　former；　and；　when　I　am　called　away　from　my　station　here；　I　shall　think　it　rather　（as　Cicero　says　of　Crassus）　'mors　donata　quam　vita　erepta'。

I　have　often　desired；　but　in　vain；　the　favor　of　being　admitted　into　your　private　apartment　at；　Hamburg；　and　of　being　informed　of　your　private　life　there。　　Your　mornings；　I　hope　and　believe；　are　employed　in　business；　but　give　me　an　account　of　the　remainder　of　the　day；　which　I　suppose　is；　and　ought　to　be；　appropriated　to　amusements　and　pleasures。　　In　what　houses　are　you　domestic？　　Who　are　so　in　yours？　　In　short；　let　me　in；　and　do　not　be　denied　to　me。

Here　I　am；　as　usual；　seeing　few　people；　and　hearing　fewer；　drinking　the　waters　regularly　to　a　minute；　and　am　something　the　better　for　them。　I　read　a　great　deal；　and　vary　occasionally　my　dead　company。　　I　converse　with　grave　folios　in　the　morning；　while　my　head　is　clearest　and　my　attention　strongest：　I　take　up　less　severe　quartos　after　dinner；　and　at　night　I　choose　the　mixed　company　and　amusing　chit…chat　of　octavos　and　duodecimos。　　'Ye　tire　parti　de　tout　ce　gue　je　puis'；　that　is　my　philosophy；　and　I　mitigate；　as　much　as　I　can；　my　physical　ills　by　diverting　my　attention　to　other　objects。

Here　is　a　report　that　Admiral　Holborne's　fleet　is　destroyed；　in　a　manner；　by　a　storm：　I　hope　it　is　not　true；　in　the　full　extent　of　the　report；　but　I　believe　it　has　suffered。　　This　would　fill　up　the　measure　of　our　misfortunes。　　Adieu。




LETTER　CCXIII

BATH；　November　20；　1757

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　I　write　to　you　now；　because　I　love　to　write　to　you；　and　hope　that　my　letters　are　welcome　to　you；　for　otherwise　I　have　very　little　to　inform　you　of。　　The　King　of　Prussia's　late　victory　you　are　better　informed；　of　than　we　are　here。　　It　has　given　infinite　joy　to　the　unthinking　public；　who　are　not　aware　that　it　comes　too　late　in　the　year　and　too　late　in　the　war；　to　be　attended　with　any　very　great　consequences。　There　are　six　or　seven　thousand　of　the　human　species　less　than　there　were　a　month　ago；　and　that　seems　to　me　to　be　all。　　However；　I　am　glad　of　it；　upon　account　of　the　pleasure　and　the　glory　which　it　gives　the　King　of　Prussia；　to　whom　I　wish　well　as　a　man；　more　than　as　a　king。　　And　surely　he　is　so　great　a　man；　that　had　he　lived　seventeen　or　eighteen　hundred　years　ago；　and　his　life　been　transmitted　to　us　in　a　language　that　we　could　not　very　well　understandI　mean　either　Greek　or　Latinwe　should　have　talked　of　him　as　we　do　now　of　your　Alexanders；　your　Caesars；　and　others；　with　whom；　I　believe；　we　have　but　a　very　slight　acquaintance。　'Au　reste'；　I　do　not　see　that　his　affairs　are　much　mended　by　this　victory。　　The　same　combination　of　the　great　Powers　of　Europe　against　him　still　subsists；　and　must　at　last　prevail。　　I　believe　the　French　army　will　melt　away；　as　is　usual；　in　Germany；　but　this　army　is　extremely　diminished　by　battles；　fatigues；　and　desertion：　and　he　will　find　great　difficulties　in　recruiting　it　from　his　own　already　exhausted　dominions。　　He　must　therefore；　and　to　be　sure　will；　negotiate　privately　with　the　French；　and　get　better　terms　that　way　than　he　could　any　other。

The　report　of　the　three　general　officers；　the　Duke　of　Marlborough；　Lord　George　Sackville；　and　General　Waldegrave；　was　laid　before　the　King　last　Saturday；　after　their　having　sat　four　days　upon　Mt's　affair：　nobody　yet　knows　what　it　is；　but　it　is　generally　believed　that　Mt　will　be　brought　to　a　court…martial。　　That　you　may　not　mistake　this　matter；　as　MOST　people　here　do；　I　must　explain　to　you；　that　this　examination　before　the　three　above…mentioned　general　officers；　was　by　no　means　a　trial；　but　only　a　previous　inquiry　into　his　conduct；　to　see　whether　there　was；　or　was　not；　cause　to　bring　him　to　a　regular　trial　before　a　court…martial。　The　case　is　exactly　parallel　to　that　of　a　grand　jury；　who；　upon　a　previous　and　general　examination；　find；　or　do　not　find；　a　bill　to　bring　the　matter　before　the　petty　jury；　where　the　fact　is　finally　tried。　　For　my　own　part；　my　opinion　is　fixed　upon　that　affair：　I　am　convinced　that　the　expedition　was　to　be　defeated；　and　nothing　that　can　appear　before　a　court…martial　can　make　me　alter　that　opinion。　　I　have　been　too　long　acquainted　with　human　nature　to　have　great　regard　for　human　testimony；　and　a　very　great　degree　of　probability；　supported　by　various　concurrent　circumstances；　conspiring　in　one　point；　will　have　much　greater　weight　with　me；　than　human　testimony　upon　oath；　or　even　upon　honor；　both　which　I　have　frequently　seen　considerably　warped　by　private　views。

The　parliament；　which　now　stands　prorogued　to　the　first　of　next　month；　it　is　thought　will　be　put　off　for　some　time　longer；　till　we　know　in　what　light　to　lay　before　it　the　state　of　our　alliance　with　Prussia；　since　the　conclusion　of　the　Hanover　neutrality；　which；　if　it　did　not　quite　break　it；　made　at　least　a　great　flaw　in　it。

The　birth…day　was　neither　fine　nor　crowded；　and　no　wonder；　since　the　King　was　that　day　seventy…five。　　The　old　Court　and　the　young　one　are　much　better　together　since　the　Duke's　retirement；　and　the　King　has　presented　the　Prince　of　Wales　with　a　service　of　plate。

I　am　still　UNWELL；　though　I　drink　these　waters　very　regularly。　　I　will　stay　here　at　least　six　weeks　longer；　where　I　am　much　quieter　than　I　should　be　allowed　to　be　in　town。　　When　things　are　in　such　a　miserable　situation　as　they　are　at　present；　I　desire　neither　to　be　concerned　nor　consulted；　still　less　quoted。　　Adieu！




LETTER　CCXIV

BATH；　November　26；　1757

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　I　received　by　the　last　mail　your　short　account　of　the　King　of　Prussia's　victory；　which　victory；　contrary　to　custom；　turns　out　more　complete　than　it　was　at　first　reported　to　be。　　This　appears　by　an　intercepted　letter　from　Monsieur　de　St。　Germain　to　Monsieur　d'Affry；　at　The　Hague；　in　which　he　tells　him；　'Cette　arme　est　entierement　fondue'；　and　lays　the　blame；　very　strongly；　upon　Monsieur　de　Soubize。　　But；　be　it　greater　or　be　it　less；　I　am　glad　of　it；　because　the　King　of　Prussia　（whom　I　honor　and　almost　adore）　I　am　sure　is。　　Though　'd'ailleurs'；　between　you　and　me；　'ou　est…ce　que　cela　mene'？　　To　nothing；　while　that　formidable　union　of　three　great　Powers　of　Europe　subsists　against　him；　could　that　be　any　way　broken；　something　might　be　done；　without　which　nothing　can。　　I　take　it　for　granted　that　the　King　of　Prussia　will　do　all　he　can　to　detach　France。　　Why　should　not　we；　on　our　part；　try　to　detach　Russia？　　At　least；　in　our　present　distress；　'omnia　tentanda'；　and　sometimes　a　lucky　and　unexpected　hit　turns　up。　　This　thought　came　into　my　head　this　morning；　and　I　give　it　to　you；　not　as　a　very　probable　scheme；　but　as　a　possible　one；　and　consequently　worth　trying。　　The　year　of　the　Russian　subsidies　（nominally　paid　by　the　Court　of　Vienna；　but　really　by　France）　is　near　expired。　　The　former　probably　cannot；　and　perhaps　the　latter　will　not；　renew　them。　　The　Court　of　Petersburg　is　beggarly；　profuse；　greedy；　and　by　no　means　scrupulous。　　Why　should　not　we　step　in　there；　and　out…bid　them？　If　we　could；　we　buy　a　great　army　at　once；　which　would　give　an　entire　new　turn　to　the　affairs　of　that　part　of　the　world　at　least。　　And　if　we　bid　handsomely；　I　do　not　believe　the　'bonne　foi'　of　that　Court　would　stand　in　the　way。　　Both　our　Court　and　our　parliament　would；　I　am　very　sure；　give　a　very　great　sum；　and　very　cheerfully；　for　this　purpose。　　In　the　next　place；　Why　should　not　you　wriggle　yourself；　if　possible；　into　so　great　a　scheme？　　You　are；　no　doubt；　much　acquainted　with　the　Russian　Resident；　Soltikow；　Why　should　you　not　sound　him；　as　entirely　from　yourself；　upon　this　subject？　　You　may　ask　him；　What；　does　your　Court　intend　to　go　on　next　year　in　the　pay　of　France；　to　destroy　the　liberties　of　all　Europe；　and　throw　universal　monarchy　into　the　hands　of　that　already　great　and　always　ambitious　Power？　　I　know　you　think；　or　at　least　call　yourselves；　the　allies　of　the　Empress　Queen；　but　is　it　not　plain　that　she　will　be；　in　the　first　place；　and　you　in　the　next；　the　dupes　of　France？　　At　this　very　time　you　are　doing　the　work　of　France　and　Sweden：　and　that　for　some　miserable　subsidies；　much　inferior　to　those　which　I　am　sure　you　might　have；　in　a　better　cause；　and　more　consistent　with　the　true　interest　of　Russia。　　Though　not　empowered；　I　know　the　manner　of　thinking　of　my　own　Court　so　well　upon　this　subject；　that　I　will　venture　to　promise　you　much　better　terms　than　those　you　have　now；　without　the　least　apprehensions　of　being　disavowed。　　Should　he　listen　to　this；　and　what　more　may　occur　to　you　to　say　upon　this　subject；　and　ask　you；　'En　ecrirai　je　d　ma　cour？　Answer　him；　'Ecrivez；　ecrivex；　Monsieur　hardiment'。　　Je　prendrai　tout　cela　sur　moi'。　　Should　this　happen；　as　perhaps；　and　as　I　heartily　wish　it　may；　then　write　an　exact　relation　of　it　to　your　own　Court。　　Tell　them　that　you　thought　the　measure　of　such　great　importance；　that　you　could　not　help　taking　this　little　step　toward　bringing　it　about；　but　that　you　mentioned　it　only　as　from　yourself；　and　that　you　have　not　in　the　least　committed　them　by　it。　　If　Soltikow　lends　himself　in　any　degree　to　this；　insinuate　that；　in　the　present　situation　of　affairs；　and　particularly　of　the　King's　Electoral　dominions；　you　are　very　sure　that　his　Majesty　would　have　'une　reconnoissance　sans　bornes'　for　ALL　those　by　whose　means　so　desirable　a　revival　of　an　old　and　long　friendship　should　be　brought　about。　　You　will　perhaps　tell　me　that；　without　doubt；　Mr。　Keith's　instructions　are　to　the　same　effect：　but　I　will　answer　you；　that　you　can；　IF　YOU　PLEASE；　do　it　better　than　Mr。　Keith；　and　in　the　next　place　that；　be　all　that　as　it　will；　it　must　be　very　advantageous　to　you　at　home；　to　show　that　you　have　at　least　a　contriving　head；　and　an　alertness　in　business。


I　had　a　letter　by　the　last　post；　from　the　Duke　of　Newcastle；　in　which　he　congratulates　me；　in　his　own　name　and　in　Lord　Hardwicke's；　upon　the　approbation　which　your　dispatches　give；　not　only　to　them　two；　but　to　OTHERS。　　This　success；　so　early；　should　encourage　your　diligence　and　rouse