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 your ambition if you have any; you may go a great way, if you desire it, having so much time before you.

I send you here inclosed the copy of the Report of the three general officers, appointed to examine previously into the conduct of General M——­t; it is ill written, and ill spelled, but no matter; you will decipher it.  You will observe, by the tenor of it, that it points strongly to a court-martial; which, no doubt, will soon be held upon him.  I presume there will be no shooting in the final sentence; but I do suppose there will be breaking, etc.

I have had some severe returns of my old complaints last week, and am still unwell; I cannot help it.

A friend of yours arrived here three days ago; she seems to me to be a serviceable strong-bodied bay mare, with black mane and tail; you easily guess who I mean.  She is come with mamma, and without ‘caro sposo’.

Adieu! my head will not let me go on longer.

LETTER CCXV

Bath, December 31, 1757

My dear friend:  I have this moment received your letter of the 18th, with the inclosed papers.  I cannot help observing that, till then, you never acknowledged the receipt of any one of my letters.