<p><SPAN name="link2H_4_0236" id="link2H_4_0236"></SPAN></p>
<h2> LETTER CCXXXIV </h2>
<h3> BATH, October 28, 1758. </h3>
<p>MY DEAR FRIEND: Your letter has quieted my alarms; for I find by it, that
you are as well recovered as you could be in so short a time. It is your
business now to keep yourself well by scrupulously following Dr.
Middleton's directions. He seems to be a rational and knowing man. Soap
and steel are, unquestionably, the proper medicines for your case; but as
they are alteratives, you must take them for a very long time, six months
at least; and then drink chalybeate waters. I am fully persuaded, that
this was your original complaint in Carniola, which those ignorant
physicians called, in their jargon, 'Arthritis vaga', and treated as such.
But now that the true cause of your illness is discovered, I flatter
myself that, with time and patience on your part, you will be radically
cured; but, I repeat it again, it must be by a long and uninterrupted
course of those alterative medicines above mentioned. They have no taste;
but if they had a bad one, I will not now suppose you such a child, as to
let the frowardness of your palate interfere in the least with the
recovery or enjoyment of health. The latter deserves the utmost attention
of the most rational man; the former is the only proper object of the care
of a dainty, frivolous woman.</p>
<p>The run of luck, which some time ago we were in, seems now to be turned
against us. Oberg is completely routed; his Prussian Majesty was surprised
(which I am surprised at), and had rather the worst of it. I am in some
pain for Prince Ferdinand, as I take it for granted that the detachment
from Marechal de Contade's army, which enabled Prince Soubize to beat
Oberg, will immediately return to the grand army, and then it will be
infinitely superior.</p>
<p>Nor do I see where Prince Ferdinand can take his winter quarters, unless
he retires to Hanover; and that I do not take to be at present the land of
Canaan. Our second expedition to St. Malo I cannot call so much an
unlucky, as an ill-conducted one; as was also Abercrombie's affair in
America. 'Mais il n'y a pas de petite perte qui revient souvent': and all
these accidents put together make a considerable sum total.</p>
<p>I have found so little good by these waters, that I do not intend to stay
here above a week longer; and then remove my crazy body to London, which
is the most convenient place either to live or die in.</p>
<p>I cannot expect active health anywhere; you may, with common care and
prudence, effect it everywhere; and God grant that you may have it! Adieu.</p>
<p><SPAN name="link2H_4_0237" id="link2H_4_0237"></SPAN></p>
<h2> LETTER CCXXXV </h2>
<h3> LONDON, November 21, 1758. </h3>
<p>MY DEAR FRIEND: You did well to think of Prince Ferdinand's ribband, which
I confess I did not; and I am glad to find you thinking so far beforehand.
It would be a pretty commission, and I will 'accingere me' to procure it
to you. The only competition I fear, is that of General Yorke, in case
Prince Ferdinand should pass any time with his brother at The Hague, which
is not unlikely, since he cannot go to Brunswick to his eldest brother,
upon account of their simulated quarrel.</p>
<p>I fear the piece is at an end with the King of Prussia, and he may say
'ilicet'; I am sure he may personally say 'plaudite'. Warm work is
expected this session of parliament, about continent and no continent;
some think Mr. Pitt too continent, others too little so; but a little
time, as the newspapers most prudently and truly observe, will clear up
these matters.</p>
<p>The King has been ill; but his illness is terminated in a good fit of the
gout, with which he is still confined. It was generally thought that he
would have died, and for a very good reason; for the oldest lion in the
Tower, much about the King's age, died a fortnight ago. This extravagancy,
I can assure you, was believed by many above peuple. So wild and
capricious is the human mind!</p>
<p>Take care of your health as much as you can; for, To BE, or NOT To BE, is
a question of much less importance, in my mind, than to be or not to be
well. Adieu.</p>
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<h2> LETTER CCXXXVI </h2>
<h3> LONDON, December 15, 1758. </h3>
<p>MY DEAR FRIEND: It is a great while since I heard from you, but I hope
that good, not ill health, has been the occasion of this silence: I will
suppose you have been, or are still at Bremen, and engrossed by your
Hessian friends.</p>
<p>Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick is most certainly to have the Garter, and I
think I have secured you the honor of putting it on. When I say SECURED, I
mean it in the sense in which that word should always be understood at
courts, and that is, INSECURELY; I have a promise, but that is not
'caution bourgeoise'. In all events, do not mention it to any mortal,
because there is always a degree of ridicule that attends a
disappointment, though often very unjustly, if the expectation was
reasonably grounded; however, it is certainly most prudent not to
communicate, prematurely, one's hopes or one's fears. I cannot tell you
when Prince Ferdinand will have it; though there are so many candidates
for the other two vacant Garters, that I believe he will have his soon,
and by himself; the others must wait till a third, or rather a fourth
vacancy. Lord Rockingham and Lord Holdernesse are secure. Lord Temple
pushes strongly, but, I believe, is not secure. This commission for
dubbing a knight, and so distinguished a one, will be a very agreeable and
creditable one for you, 'et il faut vous en acquitter galamment'. In the
days of ancient chivalry, people were very nice who they would be knighted
by and, if I do not mistake, Francis the First would only be knighted by
the Chevalier Bayard, 'qui etoit preux Chevalier et sans reproche'; and no
doubt but it will be recorded, 'dans les archives de la Maison de
Brunswick', that Prince Ferdinand received the honor of knighthood from
your hands.</p>
<p>The estimates for the expenses of the year 1759 are made up; I have seen
them; and what do you think they amount to? No less than twelve millions
three hundred thousand pounds: a most incredible sum, and yet already
subscribed, and even more offered! The unanimity in the House of Commons,
in voting such a sum, and such forces, both by sea and land, is not the
less astonishing. This is Mr. Pitt's doing, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR
EYES.</p>
<p>The King of Prussia has nothing more to do this year; and, the next, he
must begin where he has left off. I wish he would employ this winter in
concluding a separate peace with the Elector of Saxony; which would give
him more elbowroom to act against France and the Queen of Hungary, and put
an end at once to the proceedings of the Diet, and the army of the empire;
for then no estate of the empire would be invaded by a co-estate, and
France, the faithful and disinterested guarantee of the Treaty of
Westphalia, would have no pretense to continue its armies there. I should
think that his Polish Majesty, and his Governor, Comte Bruhl, must be
pretty weary of being fugitives in Poland, where they are hated, and of
being ravaged in Saxony. This reverie of mine, I hope will be tried, and I
wish it may succeed. Good-night, and God bless you!</p>
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