Lady Rochford's, where the Duke is to be and 1757. Prince Edward, by his grandfather's orders*, who says he shall see the world to learn something, for he can learn nothing at home. GENERAL WOLFE TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD. My Lord, Cirencester, February 19. 1757. The honour your Grace has done me, and the particular obligations you have conferred upon me, leave me no choice how to act; that which is most agreeable to your Grace must determine me, and I should be extremely pleased to have it in my power to convince your Grace, by an exact obedience to your commands, that I wish to make myself more worthy of your protection. I am very sensible that there are many gentlemen upon the list whose pretensions are a check to mine, and some of such distinguished merit that I neither desire, nor could hope, to be preferred before them. The only circumstance that can at all lessen my satisfaction on this occasion, is to be in some measure distinguished from the officers who have held this employment "Prince Edward's pleasures continue to furnish conversation. He has been rather forbid by the Signora Madre to make himself so common; and he has been rather encouraged by his grand father to disregard the prohibition. 1757. before by a rank inferior to theirs, and which seemed to be annexed to the office. Such services as your Grace may expect from the best inclinations, I venture to assure you of; and as I am to receive and follow your Grace's directions, they will be the best and surest rules for my conduct. The moment the officers of this country and of the regiments will permit (which I hope will be early in the next month), I shall pay my respects to your Grace in town, with all possible acknowledgments, for these marks of your favourable opinion. I have the honour to be, &c. JAMES WOLFE. MR. RIGBY TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD. Bedford House, quarter past ten, Thursday evening, Nobody is yet returned from the play; and being alone, I think I cannot do better than inform your Grace that to-day has been productive of no events, except that I hear from all hands of those who were at court, that the King appears much easier and happier than he has done for some time past. One circumstance with relation to this tranquillity I have heard from very good authority. I cannot forbear telling you Lord Temple pressed him some days ago very strongly for a pardon for Mr. Byng: his Majesty persevered, and told his lordship flatly he thought him guilty of cowardice in the action, and therefore could not break his word they had forced him to give to his people,-to pardon no delinquents. His lordship walked up to his nose, and, sans autre cérémonie, said, What shall you think if he dies courageously? His Majesty stifled his anger, and made him no reply. I think I never heard of such insolence.* The House of Lords did not sit to-day, so your printers and publishers are not yet disposed of; but I heard it so strongly suspected as almost to amount to a proof, that Augustus Hervey sent to the newspapers the paragraph complained of. I shall not be sorry to have that proved upon him. one. In the House of Commons, we divided upon the Wiltshire turnpike, and Baynton carried it three to There was no public business; a rumour of the budget being to be opened to-morrow, but I hear it since contradicted. My Lord Mayor told me there never was any thing in the City like the unpopularity of the House of Commons and Mr. Pitt upon this bill. He is not apt to be warm in his expressions, but he was so to-day. The Tories had all got a notion in their heads, and Mr. Dickinson told me that it also had reached "On the affair of Mr. Byng, he (Lord Temple) had even gone so far as to sketch out some parallel between the monarch himself and the admiral, in which the advantage did not lie on the 1757. 1757. the Royal Exchange, that Mr. Fox meant to take further notice of the King's message to-day. I asked Fox about it; he told me, without knowing your Grace's and the Duke of Devonshire's sentiments of a matter of that moment, he never should, and therefore never had such an intention. The delightful Countess of Coventry is coming into the room. I am sure you will think that an excuse for only adding that I am eternally, &c. &c. MR. RIGBY TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD. Leicester Fields, March 21. 1757. The Duke kept his bed all day yesterday, and was not up when I called to-day at his apartments to inquire after him at two o'clock. It is his old disorder in his leg; but they say the sore is not broke out, and this is all precaution. I think, notwithstanding the seeming impossibility of his taking so much care, that it may be true: for Fox tells me he goes very shortly abroad. There is nothing, therefore, alarming in this account. I told Mr. Fox last night of the report that was propagated with so much industry, of Pitt's refusing to carry a message to the House for four thousand British troops to be sent to Westphalia, and that it was your Grace's opinion it should be contradicted in parliament. He told me he would manage it to-day; and if Pitt was not there, he would make Legge disavow it. Accordingly he called upon the latter as a cabinet councillor to make the world easy upon such a scandalous report, and he in his place said neither the King or his ministers had ever had such a measure in their thoughts. Fox then added, that upon hearing such a report had been propagated (which Legge allowed he had heard much talked of in the world), he had yesterday had an audience of the Duke, who had desired him to say to the House, that for his own part it was the farthest from his thoughts to take so unreasonable or improper a step. Nothing material besides passed in the House of Commons. Miss Shepheard's Bill went through the committee in your House without opposition. Admiral Smith has been prevailed on, though nominated by the King for Rochester, to refuse the election; but his Majesty is sturdy, and rightly says it shall nevertheless not be Dr. Hay, and old Isaac Townshend or Knowles will be the man; but I rather believe the former.* I dined with the Board of Trade and Sir Thomas Robinson at Tommy Pelham's. Halifax told me he had been to Bedford House this morning to see you, and was sorry he had not. He seems, by his conversation to me in a whisper, to be repining for the Admiralty. There is an Irish mail come in, The King's reason for objecting to Dr. Hay was, that he thought the Board of Admiralty, to which Dr. Hay belonged, had thrown the odium of Byng's exe- 1757. |