<p><SPAN name="link2H_4_0176" id="link2H_4_0176"></SPAN></p>
<h2> LETTER CLXXIV </h2>
<h3> LONDON, August 4, O. S. 1752 </h3>
<p>MY DEAR FRIEND: I am extremely concerned at the return of your old
asthmatic complaint, of which your letter from Cassel of the 28th July, N.
S., in forms me. I believe it is chiefly owing to your own negligence;
for, notwithstanding the season of the year, and the heat and agitation of
traveling, I dare swear you have not taken one single dose of gentle,
cooling physic, since that which I made you take at Bath. I hope you are
now better, and in better hands. I mean in Dr. Hugo's at Hanover: he is
certainly a very skillful physician, and therefore I desire that you will
inform him most minutely of your own case, from your first attack in
Carniola, to this last at Marpurgh; and not only follow his prescriptions
exactly at present, but take his directions, with regard to the regimen
that he would have you observe to prevent the returns of this complaint;
and, in case of any returns, the immediate applications, whether external
or internal, that he would have you make use of. Consider, it is very
worth your while to submit at present to any course of medicine or diet,
to any restraint or confinement, for a time, in order to get rid, once for
all, of so troublesome and painful a distemper; the returns of which would
equally break in upon your business or your pleasures. Notwithstanding all
this, which is plain sense and reason, I much fear that, as soon as ever
you are got out of your present distress, you will take no preventive
care, by a proper course of medicines and regimen; but, like most people
of your age, think it impossible that you ever should be ill again.
However, if you will not be wise for your own sake, I desire you will be
so for mine, and most scrupulously observe Dr. Hugo's present and future
directions.</p>
<p>Hanover, where I take it for granted you are, is at present the seat and
centre of foreign negotiations; there are ministers from almost every
court in Europe; and you have a fine opportunity of displaying with
modesty, in conversation, your knowledge of the matters now in agitation.
The chief I take to be the Election of the King of the Romans, which,
though I despair of, heartily wish were brought about for two reasons. The
first is, that I think it may prevent a war upon the death of the present
Emperor, who, though young and healthy, may possibly die, as young and
healthy people often do. The other is, the very reason that makes some
powers oppose it, and others dislike it, who do not openly oppose it; I
mean, that it may tend to make the imperial dignity hereditary in the
House of Austria; which I heartily wish, together with a very great
increase of power in the empire: till when, Germany will never be anything
near a match for France. Cardinal Richelieu showed his superior abilities
in nothing more, than in thinking no pains or expense too great to break
the power of the House of Austria in the empire. Ferdinand had certainly
made himself absolute, and the empire consequently formidable to France,
if that Cardinal had not piously adopted the Protestant cause, and put the
empire, by the treaty of Westphalia, in pretty much the same disjointed
situation in which France itself was before Lewis the Eleventh; when
princes of the blood, at the head of provinces, and Dukes of Brittany,
etc., always opposed, and often gave laws to the crown. Nothing but making
the empire hereditary in the House of Austria, can give it that strength
and efficiency, which I wish it had, for the sake of the balance of power.
For, while the princes of the empire are so independent of the emperor, so
divided among themselves, and so open to the corruption of the best
bidders, it is ridiculous to expect that Germany ever will, or can act as
a compact and well-united body against France. But as this notion of mine
would as little please SOME OF OUR FRIENDS, as many of our enemies, I
would not advise you, though you should be of the same opinion, to declare
yourself too freely so. Could the Elector Palatine be satisfied, which I
confess will be difficult, considering the nature of his pretensions, the
tenaciousness and haughtiness of the court of Vienna (and our inability to
do, as we have too often done, their work for them); I say, if the Elector
Palatine could be engaged to give his vote, I should think it would be
right to proceed to the election with a clear majority of five votes; and
leave the King of Prussia and the Elector of Cologne, to protest and
remonstrate as much as ever they please. The former is too wise, and the
latter too weak in every respect, to act in consequence of these protests.
The distracted situation of France, with its ecclesiastical and
parliamentary quarrels, not to mention the illness and possibly the death
of the Dauphin, will make the King of Prussia, who is certainly no
Frenchman in his heart, very cautious how he acts as one. The Elector of
Saxony will be influenced by the King of Poland, who must be determined by
Russia, considering his views upon Poland, which, by the by, I hope he
will never obtain; I mean, as to making that crown hereditary in his
family. As for his sons having it by the precarious tenure of election, by
which his father now holds it, 'a la bonne heure'. But, should Poland have
a good government under hereditary kings, there would be a new devil
raised in Europe, that I do not know who could lay. I am sure I would not
raise him, though on my own side for the present.</p>
<p>I do not know how I came to trouble my head so much about politics today,
which has been so very free from them for some years: I suppose it was
because I knew that I was writing to the most consummate politician of
this, and his age. If I err, you will set me right; 'si quid novisti
rectius istis, candidus imperti', etc.</p>
<p>I am excessively impatient for your next letter, which I expect by the
first post from Hanover, to remove my anxiety, as I hope it will, not only
with regard to your health, but likewise to OTHER THINGS; in the meantime
in the language of a pedant, but with the tenderness of a parent, 'jubeo
te bene valere'.</p>
<p>Lady Chesterfield makes you many compliments, and is much concerned at
your indisposition.</p>
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