letters to his son, 1766-71-第6部分

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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　was　with　him　yesterday。　　He　inquired　after　you　with
great　affection；　and　was　in　the　utmost　concern　when　I　showed　him　your
letter。

My　own　health　is　as　it　has　been　ever　since　I　was　here　last　year。　　I　am
neither　well　nor　ill；　but　UNWELL。　　I　have　in　a　manner　lost　the　use　of　my
legs；　for　though　I　can　make　a　shift　to　crawl　upon　even　ground　for　a
quarter　of　an　hour；　I　cannot　go　up　or　down　stairs；　unless　supported　by　a
servant。　　God　bless　you　and　grant　you　a　speedy　recovery！


　　　　　NOTE。This　is　the　last　of　the　letters　of　Lord　Chesterfield　to　his
　　　　　son；　Mr。　Philip　Stanhope；　who　died　in　November；　1768。　　The
　　　　　unexpected　and　distressing　intelligence　was　announced　by　the　lady　to
　　　　　whom　Mr。　Stanhope　had　been　married　for　several　years；　unknown　to　his
　　　　　father。　　On　learning　that　the　widow　had　two　sons；　the　issue　of　this
　　　　　marriage；　Lord　Chesterfield　took　upon　himself　the　maintenance　of　his
　　　　　grandchildren。　　The　letters　which　follow　show　how　happily　the　writer
　　　　　adapted　himself　to　the　trying　situation。




LETTER　CCCXI

TO　MRS。　STANHOPE；　THEN　AT　PARIS

LONDON；　March　16；　1769。

MADAM：　　A　troublesome　and　painful　inflammation　in　my　eyes　obliges　me　to
use　another　hand　than　my　own　to　acknowledge　the　receipt　of　your　letter
from　Avignon；　of　the　27th　past。

I　am　extremely　surprised　that　Mrs。　du　Bouchet　should　have　any　objection
to　the　manner　in　which　your　late　husband　desired　to　be　buried；　and　which
you；　very　properly；　complied　with。　　All　I　desire　for　my　own　burial　is　not
to　be　buried　alive；　but　how　or　where；　I　think　must　be　entirely
indifferent　to　every　rational　creature。

I　have　no　commission　to　trouble　you　with；　during　your　stay　at　Paris；　from
whence；　I　wish　you　and　the　boys　a　good　journey　home；　where　I　shall　be
very　glad　to　see　you　all；　and　assure　you　of　my　being；　with　great　truth；
your　faithful；　humble　servant；

CHESTERFIELD。




LETTER　CCCXII

TO　THE　SAME；　AT　LONDON

MADAM：　　The　last　time　that　I　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you；　I　was　so
taken　up　in　playing　with　the　boys　that　I　forgot　their　more　important
affairs。　　How　soon　would　you　have　them　placed　at　school？　　When　I　know
your　pleasure　as　to　that；　I　will　send　to　Monsieur　Perny；　to　prepare
everything　for　their　reception。　　In　the　meantime；　I　beg　that　you　will
equip　them　thoroughly　with　clothes；　linen；　etc。；　all　good；　but　plain；　and
give　me　the　account；　which　I　will　pay；　for　I　do　not　intend　that；　from；
this　time　forward　the　two　boys　should　cost　you　one　shilling。　　I　am；　with
great　truth；　Madam；　your　faithful；　humble　servant；

CHESTERFIELD。




LETTER　CCCXIII

MADAM：　As　some　day　must　be　fixed　for　sending　the　boys　to　school；　do　you
approve　of　the　8th　of　next　month？　　By　which　time　the　weather　will
probably　be　warm　and　settled；　and　you　will　be　able　to　equip　them
completely。

I　will　upon　that　day　send　my　coach　to　you；　to　carry　you　and　the　boys　to
Loughborough　House；　with　all　their　immense　baggage。　　I　must　recommend　to
you；　when　you　leave　them　there；　to　suppress；　as　well　as　you　can；　the
overgrowings　of　maternal　tenderness；　which　would　grieve　the　poor　boys　the
more；　and　give　them　a　terror　of　their　new　establishment。　　I　am；　with
great　truth；　Madam；　your　faithful；　humble　servant；

CHESTERFIELD。




LETTER　CCCXIV

BATH；　October　11；　1769。

MADAM：　　Nobody　can　be　more　willing　and　ready　to　obey　orders　than　I　am；
but　then　I　must　like　the　orders　and　the　orderer。　　Your　orders　and
yourself　come　under　this　description；　and　therefore　I　must　give　you　an
account　of　my　arrival　and　existence；　such　as　it　is；　here。　　I　got　hither
last　Sunday；　the　day　after　I　left　London；　less　fatigued　than　I　expected
to　have　been；　and　now　crawl　about　this　place　upon　my　three　legs；　but　am
kept　in　countenance　by　many　of　my　fellow…crawlers；　the　last　part　of　the
Sphinx's　riddle　approaches；　and　I　shall　soon　end；　as　I　began；　upon　all
fours。

When　you　happen　to　see　either　Monsieur　or　Madame　Perny；　I　beg　you　will
give　them　this　melancholic　proof　of　my　caducity；　and　t