and scolded to no purpose, il ne daigna pas m’ecouter un instant:  so the consequence was, what might be expected, he came with all the force imaginable against the turnpike gate, (and) set my chaise upon its head.  Mr. Craufurd was with me, and on the left side, which was uppermost, and we were for a small space of time lying under the horses, at their mercy, and the waggoner’s, who seemed very much inclined to whip them on, and from one or other, that is, either from the going of the waggon over us, or the kicking of the horses, we were both in the most imminent danger.  Lady Harrington was in her coach just behind us, and took me into it, Mr. Craufurd got into Mr. Henry Stanhope’s phaeton, and so we went to Richmond, leaving the chaise, as we thought, all shattered to pieces in the road.  This happened just after I had finished my last letter to you, and which I think had very near been the last that I should ever have wrote to you, as those tell me who saw the position in which we for some time were.

Postscript.  Richmond, Saturday morning.—­I received to-day yours from C(astle) H(oward) of last Monday, the 28th August, and you may be sure that it is no small pleasure to me to find by every letter which I receive, that there is such an attention to your affairs, as is really worthy your understanding and capacity.  You will find your account in it, by preventing ennui in yourself and roguery in others, besides a thousand train (sic) of evils that are inseparable from dissipation and negligence.  I hope that you made my compliments to Mr. Nicolson; il a l’air d’un personnage tres respectable, d’un homme affide et sur.  I cannot afford to wish any period of mine, at ever so little distance, to be arrived, but I am tempted to wish that I was two years older, for this reason, that I am confident your affairs, and the state of your mind, will be pleasanter than it has been in for a great while.  So my wife(123) has made you another agreeable visit for a fortnight, as she called it.  I am sorry for what you tell me of the visit which was not made.  I don’t love excuses, but perhaps there may be some which need not give any jealousy of want of true affection.  I hope you will receive mine as such, or I would set out for C(astle) H(oward) directly.  I have totally laid aside the thoughts of going this year to Matson, or even to Gloucester.  I have no engagement, but to be one day at Luggershall, but that with difficulty can be dispensed with.  Neither Lord N(orth) or his Parliament, or anything else shall prevent me from going to you when you desire it.

But the alteration in the little girl is so visibly for the better, since she has been in this air, and Mrs. Craufurd acts so much like a guardian to her, that I am in hopes by degrees to be the means of placing her where my mind will for the present be easy about her, and that she may be brought up with that education that, with the help of other advantages, may in some measure recompense her for the ill fortune of the first part of her life.  This is, if my heart was kid open, all that you could see in it at present, except the anxiety which is now almost over in regard to you.