LETTER CCII

Bath, November 27, 1754

My dear friend:  I heartily congratulate you upon the loss of your political maidenhead, of which I have received from others a very good account.  I hear that you were stopped for some time in your career; but recovered breath, and finished it very well.  I am not surprised, nor indeed concerned, at your accident; for I remember the dreadful feeling of that situation in myself; and as it must require a most uncommon share of impudence to be unconcerned upon such an occasion, I am not sure that I am not rather glad you stopped.  You must therefore now think of hardening yourself by degrees, by using yourself insensibly to the sound of your own voice, and to the act (trifling as it seems) of rising up and sitting down.  Nothing will contribute so much to this as committee work of elections at night, and of private bills in the morning.  There, asking short questions, moving for witnesses to be called in, and all that kind of small ware, will soon fit you to set up for yourself.  I am told that you are much mortified at your accident, but without reason; pray, let it rather be a spur than a curb to you.  Persevere, and, depend upon it, it will do well at last.  When I say persevere, I do not mean that you should speak every day, nor in every debate.  Moreover, I would not advise you to speak again upon public matters for some time, perhaps a month or two; but I mean, never lose view of that great object; pursue it with discretion, but pursue it always.  ‘Pelotez en attendant partie’.  You know I have always told you that speaking in public was but a knack, which those who apply to the most will succeed in the best.  Two old members, very good judges, have sent me compliments upon this occasion; and have assured me that they plainly find it will do; though they perceived, from that natural confusion you were in, that you neither said all, nor perhaps what you intended.  Upon the whole, you have set out very well, and have sufficient encouragement to go on.  Attend; therefore, assiduously, and observe carefully all that passes in the House; for it is only knowledge and experience that can make a debater.  But if you still want comfort, Mrs.-------I hope, will administer it to you; for, in my opinion she may, if she will, be very comfortable; and with women, as with speaking in parliament, perseverance will most certainly prevail sooner or later.

What little I have played for here, I have won; but that is very far from the considerable sum which you heard of.  I play every evening, from seven till ten, at a crown whist party, merely to save my eyes from reading or writing for three hours by candle-light.  I propose being in town the week after next, and hope to carry back with me much more health than I brought down here.  Good-night.

[Mr. Stanhope being returned to England, and seeing his father almost every day, is the occasion of an interruption of two years in their correspondence.]