letters to his son, 1756-58-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


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　Mt；　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。

I　can　easily　conceive　that　party　spirit；　among　your　brother　ministers　at　Hamburg；　runs　as　high　as　you　represent　it；　because　I　can　easily　believe　the　errors　of　the　human　mind；　but　at　the　same　time　I　must　observe；　that　such　a　spirit　is　the　spirit　of　little　minds　and　subaltern　ministers；　who　think　to　atone　by　zeal　for　their　want　of　merit　and　importance。　　The　political　differences　of　the　several　courts　should　never　influence　the　personal　behavior　of　their　several　ministers　toward　one　another。　　There　is　a　certain　'procede　noble　et　galant'；　which　should　always　be　observed　among　the　ministers　of　powers　even　at　war　with　each　other；　which　will　always　turn　out　to　the　advantage　of　the　ablest；　who　will　in　those　conversations　find；　or　make；　opportunities　of　throwing　out；　or　of　receiving　useful　hints。　　When　I　was　last　at　The　Hague；　we　were　at　war　with　both　France　and　Spain；　so　that　I　could　neither　visit；　nor　be　visited　by；　the　Ministers　of　those　two　Crowns；　but　we　met　every　day；　or　dined　at　third　places；　where　we　embraced　as　personal　friends；　and　trifled；　at　the　same　time；　upon　our　being　political　enemies；　and　by　this　sort　of　badinage　I　discovered　some　things　which　I　wanted　to　know。　　There　is　not　a　more　prudent　maxim　than　to　live　with　one's　enemies　as　if　they　may　one　day　become　one's　friends；　as　it　commonly　happens；　sooner　or　later；　in　the　vicissitudes　of　political　affairs。

To　your　question；　which　is　a　rational　and　prudent　one；　Whether　I　was　authorized　to　give　you　the　hints　concerning　Russia　by　any　people　in　power　here；　I　will　tell　you　that　I　was　not：　but；　as　I　had　pressed　them　to　try　what　might　be　done　with　Russia；　and　got　Mr。　Keith　to　be　dispatched　there　some　months　sooner　than　otherwise；　I　dare　say　he　would；　with　the　proper　instructions　for　that　purpose。　　I　wished　that；　by　the　hints　I　gave　you；　you　might　have　got　the　start　of　him；　and　the　merit；　at　least；　of　having　'entame'　that　matter　with　Soltikow。　　What　you　have　to　do　with　him　now；　when　you　meet　with　him　at　any　third　place；　or　at　his　own　house　（where　you　are　at　liberty　to　go；　while　Russia　has　a　Minister　in　London；　and　we　a　Minister　at　Petersburg）；　is；　in　my　opinion；　to　say　to　him；　in　an　easy　cheerful　manner；　'He　bien；　Monsieur；　je　me　flatte　que　nous　serons　bientot　amis　publics；　aussi　bien　qu'amis　personels'。　　To　which　he　will　probably　ask；　Why；　or　how？　　You　will　reply；　Because　you　know　that　Mr。　Keith　is　gone　to　his　Court　with　instructions；　which　you　think　must　necessarily　be　agreeable　there。　　And　throw　out　to　him　that　nothing　but　a　change　of　their　present　system　can　save　Livonia　to　Russia；　for　that　he　cannot　suppose　that；　when　the　Swedes　shall　have　recovered　Pomerania　they　will　long　leave　Russia　in　quiet　possession　of　Livonia。


If　he　is　so　much　a　Frenchman　as　you　say；　he　will　make　you　some　weak　answers　to　this；　but；　as　you　will　have　the　better　of　the　argument　on　your　side；　you　may　remind　him　of　the　old　and　almost　uninterrupted　connection　between　France　and　Sweden；　the　inveterate　enemy　of　Russia。　　Many　other　arguments　will　naturally　occur　to　you　in　such　a　conversation；　if　you　have　it。　　In　this　case；　there　is　a　piece　of　ministerial　art；　which　is　sometimes　of　use；　and　that　is；　to　sow　jealousies　among　one's　enemies；　by　a　seeming　preference　shown　to　some　one　of　them。　　Monsieur　Hecht's　reveries　are　reveries　indeed。　　How　should　his　Master　have　made　the　GOLDEN　ARRANGEMENTS　which　he　talks　of；　and　which　are　to　be　forged　into　shackles　for　General　Fermor？　　The　Prussian　finances　are　not　in　a　condition　now　to　make　such　expensive　arrangements。　　But　I　think　you　may　tell　Monsieur　Hecht；　in　confidence；　that　you　hope　the　instructions　with　which　you　know　that　Mr。　Keith　is　gone　to　Petersburg；　may　have　some　effect　upon　the　measures　of　that　Court。

I　would　advise　you　to　live　with　that　same　Monsieur　Hecht　in　all　the　confidence；　familiarity；　and　connection；　which　prudence　will　allow。　I　mean　it　with　regard　to　the　King　of　Prussia　himself；　by　whom　I　could　wish　you　to　be　known　and　esteemed　as　much　as　possible。　　It　may　be　of　use　to　you　some　day　or　other。　　If　man；　courage；　conduct；　constancy；　can　get　the　better　of　all　the　difficulties　which　the　King　of　Prussia　has　to　struggle　with；　he　will　rise　superior　to　them。　　But　still；　while　his　alliance　subsists　against　him；　I　dread　'les　gros　escadrons'。　　His　last　victory；　of　the　5th；　was　certainly　the　completest　that　has　been　heard　of　these　many　years。　　I　heartily　wish　the　Prince　of　Brunswick　just　such　a　one　over　Monsieur　de　Richelieu's　army；　and　that　he　may　take　my　old　acquaintance　the　Marechal；　and　send　him　over　here　to　polish　and　perfume　us。

I　heartily　wish　you；　in　the　plain；　home…spun　style；　a　great　number　of　happy　new　years；　well　employed　in　forming　both　your　mind　and　your　manners；　to　be　useful　and　agreeable　to　yourself；　your　country；　and　your　friends！　　That　these　wishes　are　sincere；　your　secretary's　brother　will；　by　the　time　of　your　receiving　this；　have　remitted　you　a　proof；　from　Yours。




LETTERS　TO　HIS　SON

LETTER　CCXVI

LONDON；　February　8；　1758。

MY　DEAR　FRIEND：　I　received　by　the　same　post　your　two　letters　of　the　13th　and　17th　past；　and　yesterday　that　of　the　27th；　with　the　Russian　manifesto　inclosed；　in　which　her　Imperial　Majesty　of　all　the　Russias　has　been　pleased　to　give　every　reason；　except　the　true　one；　for　the　march　of　her　troops　against　the　King　of　Prussia。　　The　true　one；　I　take　it　to　be；　that　she　has　just　received　a　very　great　sum　of　money　from　France；　or　the　Empress　queen；　or　both；　for　that　purpose。　　'Point　d'argent；　point　de　Russe'；　is　now　become　a　maxim。　　Whatever　may　be　the　motive　of　their　march；　the　effects　must　be　bad；　and；　according　to　my　speculations；　those　troops　will　replace　the　French　in　Hanover　and　Lower　Saxony；　and　the　French　will　go　and　join　the　Austrian　army。　　You　ask　me　if　I　still　despond？　　Not　so　much　as　I　did　after　the　battle　of　Colen：　the　battles　of　Rosbach　and　Lissa　were　drams　to　me；　and　gave　me　some　momentary　spirts：　but　though　I　do　not　absolutely　despair；　I　own　I　greatly　distrust。　I　readily　allow　the　King　of　Prussia　to　be　'nec　pluribus　impar'；　but　still；　when　the　'plures'　amount　to　a　certain　degree　of　plurality；　courage　and　abilities　must　yield　at　last。　　Michel　here　assures　me　that　he　does　not　mind　the　Russians；　but；　as　I　have　it　from　the　gentleman's　own　mouth；　I　do　not　believe　him。　　We　shall　very　soon　send　a　squadron　to　the　Baltic　to　entertain　the　Swedes；　which　I　believe　will　put　an　end　to　their　operations　in　Pomerania；　so　that　I　have　no　great　apprehensions　from　that　quarter；　but　Russia；　I　confess；　sticks　in　my　stomach。

Everything　goes　smoothly　in　parliament；　the　King　of　Prussia　has　united　all　our　parties　in　his　support；　and　the　Tories　have　declared　that　they　will　give　Mr。　Pitt　unlimited　credit　for　this　session；　there　has　not　been　one　single　division　yet　upon　public　points；　and　I　believe　will　not。　　Our　American　expedition　is　preparing　to　go　soon；　the　dis　position　of　that　affair　seems　to　me　a　little　extraordinary。　　Abercrombie　is　to　be　the　sedantary；　and　not　the　acting　commander；　Amherst；　Lord　Howe；　and　Wolfe；　are　to　be　the　acting；　and　I　hope　the　active　officers。　　I　wish　they　may　agree。　　Amherst；　who　is　the　oldest　officer；　is　under　the　influence　of　the　same　great　person　who　influenced　Mordaunt；　so　much　to　honor　and　advantage　of　this　country。　　This　is　most　certain；　that　we　have　force　enough　in　America　to　eat　up　the　French　alive　in　Canada；　Quebec；　and　Louisburg；　if　we　have　but　skill　and　spirit　enough　to　exert　it　properly；　but　of　that　I　am　modest　enough　to　doubt。

When　you　come　to　the　egotism；　which　I　have　long　desired　you　to　come　to　with　me；　you　need　make　no　excuses　for　it。　　The　egotism　is　as　proper　and　as　satisfactory　to　one's　friends；　as　it　is　impertinent　and　misplaced　with　strangers。　　I　desire　to　see　you　in　your　every…day　clothes；　by　your　fireside；　in　your　pleasures；　in　short；　in　your　private　life；　but　I　have　not　yet　been　able　to　obtain　this。　　Whenever　you　condescend　to　do　it；　as　you　promise；　stick　to　truth；　for　I　am　not　so　uninformed　of　Hamburg　as　perhaps　you　may　think。

As　for　myself；　I　am　very　UNWELL；　and　very　weary　of　being　so；　and　with　little　hopes；　at　my　age；　of　ever　being　otherwise。　　I　often　wish　for　the　end　of　the　wretched　remnant　of　my　life；　and　that　wish　is　a　rational　one；　but　then　the　innate　principle　of　self…preservation；　wisely　implanted　in　our　natures　for　obvious　purposes；　opposes　that　wish；　and　makes　us　endeavor　to　spin　out　our　thread　as　long　as　we　can；　however　decayed　and　rotten　it　may　be；　and；　in　defiance　of　common　sense；　we　seek　on　for　that　chymic　gold；　which　beggars　us　when　old。

Whatever　your　amusements；　or　pleasures；　may　be　at　Hamburg；　I　dare　say　you　taste　them　more　sensibly　than　ever　you　did　in　your　life；　now　that　you　have　business　enough　to　whet　your　appetite　to　them。　　Business；　one…half　of　the　day；　is　the　best　preparation　for　the　pleasures　of　the　other　half。　I　hope；　and　believe；　that　it　will　be　with　you　as　it　was　with　an　apothecary　whom　I　knew　at　Twickenham。　　A　considerable　estate　fell　to　him　by　an　unexpected　accident；　upon　which　he　thought　i