of late; and 'tis much to be questioned whether they will not be enabled to wait upon him sooner, by being freed from long levees of their own, and applications which will in all likelihood be transferred from them directly to himself, the present system being to remove that phalanx of great people which stood betwixt the throne and the subjects, and suffer them to have immediate access without the intervention of a cabal (this is the language of others): however, the King gives everything himself, knows everything, and weighs everything maturely, and then is inflexible. This puts old stagers off their game. How it will end, we are all in the dark.

'Tis feared the war is quite over in Germany. Never was known such havoc amongst troops. I was told yesterday by a Colonel from Germany, that out of two battalions of nine hundred men, to which he belonged, but seventy-one are left! Prince Ferdinand has sent word, 'tis said, that he must have forty thousand men directly to take the field, and with provisions for them too; for he can but subsist them for a fortnight. I hope this will find you all got to York. I beg my compliments to the amiable Mrs. Croft, &c. &c.

Though I purposed going first to Golden Square, yet Fate has thus long disposed of me, so I have never been able to set a foot towards that quarter.

I am, dear Sir, yours affectionately,

LETTER XIII

To the Same.

L. STERNE.

[About Jan. 1, 1761.j

MY DEAR DEAR SIR:

I HAVE just time to acknowledge the favor of yours; but not to get the two prints you mention, which shall be sent you by the next post. I have bought them, and lent them to Miss Gilbert, but will assuredly send for them, and inclose them to you. I will take care to get your pictures well copied, and at a moderate price: and if I can be of further use, I beseech you to employ me; and, from time to time, will send you an account of whatever may be worth trans mitting. The stream now sets in strong against the German war.

making a trade of the war, &c.

Loud complaints of --much expected from Ld. Granby's evidence to these matters, who is expected every hour. The king wins every day upon the people, shows himself much at the play (but at no opera); rides out with his brothers every morning, half an hour after seven till nine; returns with them; spends an hour with them at breakfast and chat, and then sits down to business. I never dined at home once since I arrived and fourteen dinners deep engaged just now; and fear matters will be worse with me in that point than better. As to the main points in view, at which you hint, all I can say is, that I see my way, and, unless Old Nick throws the dice, shall, in due time, come off winner. Tristram will be out the 20th. There is a great rout made about him before he enters the stage: whether this will be of use or no, I can't say. Some wits of the first magnitude here, both as to wit and station, engage me success; time will show. Adieu.

DEAR SIR:

LETTER XIV.

To the Same.

March, 1761.

SINCE I had the favor of your obliging letter, nothing has happened, or been said one day, which has not been contradicted the next: so having little certain to write, I have forborne writing at all, in hopes every day of something worth filling up a letter. We had the greatest expectations yesterday that ever were raised, of a pitched battle in the House of Commons; wherein Mr. Pitt was to have entered and thrown down the gauntlet, in defence of the German There never was so full a house: the gallery full to the top; I was there all the day, when lo! a political fit of the gout seized the great combatant: he entered not the lists. Beckford got up, and begged the House, as he saw not his Right Honorable friend there, to put off the debate. It could not be done: so Beckford rose up, and made a most long, passionate, incoherent speech, in defence of the Germanic war, but very severe upon the unfrugal manner it was carried on; in which he addressed himself principally to the Chancellor

war.

of the Exchequer; and laid on him terribly. It seems the chancery of Hanover had laid out 350,000 pounds on account, and brought in our Treasury debtor; and the grand debate was, for an honest examination of the particulars of this extravagant account, and for vouchers to authenticate it. Legge answered Beckford very rationally and coolly. Lord N. spoke long. Sir F. Dashwood maintained, the German war was most pernicious. Mr. C-, of Surrey, spoke well against the account, with some others. L. Barrington at last got up, and spoke half an hour with great plainness and temper, explained a great many hidden springs relating to these accounts, in favor of the late King, and told two or three conversations relative to these expenses; which cast great honor upon the King's character. This was with regard to the money the King had secretly furnished out of his pocket, to lessen the account of the Hanover-score brought us to discharge.

Beckford and Barrington abused all who sought for peace, and joined in the cry for it; and Beckford added, that the reasons of wishing a peace now were the same as the peace of Utrecht; that the people behind the curtain could not both maintain the war and their places too; so were for making another sacrifice of the nation to their own interests. After all, the cry for a peace is so general, that it will certainly end in one. Now for myself.

One half of the town abuse my book as bitterly as the other half cry it up to the skies: the best is, they abuse it and buy it, and at such a rate, that we are going on with a second edition as fast as possible.

I am going down, for a day or two, with Mr. Spencer, to Wimbledon. On Wednesday there is to be a grand assembly at Lady NI have inquired everywhere about Stephen's affair; and can hear nothing. My friend Mr. Charles Townshend, will be now Secretary of War;* he bid me wish him joy of it, though not in possession. I will ask him; and depend, my most worthy friend, that you shall not be ignorant of what I learn from him. Believe me ever, ever,

Yours,

* He was appointed Secretary at War the 24th of March, 1761

L. S.

LETTER XV.

To the Same.

MY DEAR SIR:

April, 1761.

A STRAIN which I got in my wrist by a terrible fall, prevented my acknowledging the favor of your obliging letter. I went yesterday morning to breakfast with Mr. V-, who is a kind of right-hand man to the Secretary, on purpose to inquire about the propriety, or feasibility, of doing what you wish me; and he has told me an anecdote which, had you been here, would, I think, have made it wiser to have deferred speaking about the affair a month hence than now. It is this: You must know that the numbers of officers who have left their regiments in Germany for the pleasures of the town, have been long a topic of merriment; as you see them in St. James's Coffee-house, and the Park, every hour, inquiring, open mouth, how things go on in Germany, and what news, when they should have been there to have furnished news themselves: but the worst part has been, that many of them have left their brother officers on their duty, and in all the fatigues of it, and have come with no end but to make friends, to be put unfairly over the heads of those who were left risking their lives. In this attempt, there have been some but too successful, which has justly raised ill-blood and complaints from the officers who stayed behind: the upshot has been, that they have every soul been ordered off: and woe be to him ('tis said) who shall be found listening! Now, just to mention our friend's case whilst this cry is on foot, I think, would be doing more hurt than good: but, if you think otherwise, I will go with all my heart, and mention it to Mr. Townshend; for, to do more, I am too inconsiderable a person to pretend to. You made me and my friends here very merry with the accounts current at York, of my being forbid the court; but they do not consider what a considerable person they make of me, when they suppose either my going, or my not going there, is a point that ever enters the King's head; and, for those about him, I have the honor either to stand so personally well known to them, or to be so well represented by those of the first rank, as to fear no accident of that kind.

I thank God (B—. 's expected) I have never yet made a friend or

connexion I have forfeited, or done aught to forfeit; but, on ti & contrary, my true character is better understood; and where I had one friend last year who did me honor, I have three now. If my enemies knew that, by this rage of abuse and ill-will, they were effectually serving the interests both of myself and works, they would be more quiet; but it has been the fate of my betters; who have found. that the way to fame is, like the way to Heaven, through much tribulation; and, till I shall have the honor to be as much maltreated as Rabelais and Swift were, I must continue humble: for I have not filled up the measure of half their persecutions.

The court is turning topsy-turvy. Lord Bute le premier ;* ** Lord Talbot to be Groom of the Chambers,† in room of the D. of R―d; Lord Halifax to Ireland; Sir F. Dashwood in Talbot's place; Pitt seems unmoved; a peace inevitable; stocks rise; the peers this moment kissing hands, &c., &c., (this week may be christened the kisshands week) for a hundred changes will happen in consequence of these. Pray present my compliments to Mrs. C. and all friends, and believe me, with the greatest fidelity,

Your ever obliged,

L. STERNE.

P. S. Is it not strange that Lord Talbot should have power to remove the Duke of R-d?

Pray, when you have read this, send the news to Mrs. Sterne.

DEAR H-:

LETTER XVI.

To JH S

Esq.

COXWOULD, July 28, 1761.

I SYMPATHIZED for, or with you, on the detail you give me of your late agitations, and would willingly have taken my horse, and trotted to the oracle to have inquired into the etymology

* Lord Bute was appointed Secretary of State on the 25th of March, 1761. Lord Talbot was appointed Steward of the Household on the same day.

Lord Halifax was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland on the 20th of March, 1761.