<p><SPAN name="link2H_4_0284" id="link2H_4_0284"></SPAN></p>
<h2> LETTER CCLXXXIII </h2>
<h3> LONDON, December 27, 1765. </h3>
<p>MY DEAR FRIEND: I arrived here from Bath last Monday, rather, but not much
better, than when I went over there. My rheumatic pains, in my legs and
hips, plague me still, and I must never expect to be quite free from them.</p>
<p>You have, to be sure, had from the office an account of what the
parliament did, or rather did not do, the day of their meeting; and the
same point will be the great object at their next meeting; I mean the
affair of our American Colonies, relatively to the late imposed
Stamp-duty, which our Colonists absolutely refuse to pay. The
Administration are for some indulgence and forbearance to those froward
children of their mother country; the Opposition are for taking vigorous,
as they call them, but I call them violent measures; not less than 'les
dragonnades'; and to have the tax collected by the troops we have there.
For my part, I never saw a froward child mended by whipping; and I would
not have the mother country become a stepmother. Our trade to America
brings in, 'communibus annis', two millions a year; and the Stamp-duty is
estimated at but one hundred thousand pounds a year; which I would by no
means bring into the stock of the Exchequer, at the loss or even the risk
of a million a year to the national stock.</p>
<p>I do not tell you of the Garter given away yesterday, because the
newspapers will; but, I must observe, that the Prince of Brunswick's
riband is a mark of great distinction to that family; which I believe, is
the first (except our own Royal Family) that has ever had two blue ribands
at a time; but it must be owned they deserve them.</p>
<p>One hears of nothing now in town, but the separation of men and their
wives. Will Finch, the Ex-vice Chamberlain, Lord Warwick, and your friend
Lord Bolingbroke. I wonder at none of them for parting; but I wonder at
many for still living together; for in this country it is certain that
marriage is not well understood.</p>
<p>I have this day sent Mr. Larpent two hundred pounds for your
Christmas-box, of which I suppose he will inform you by this post. Make
this Christmas as merry a one as you can; for 'pour le peu du bon tems qui
nous reste, rien nest si funeste, qu'un noir chagrin'. For the new years—God
send you many, and happy ones! Adieu.</p>
<p><SPAN name="link2H_4_0285" id="link2H_4_0285"></SPAN></p>
<h2> 1766-1771 </h2>
<p>LETTER CCLXXXIV</p>
<p>LONDON, February 11, 1766</p>
<p>MY DEAR FRIEND: I received two days ago your letter of the 25th past; and
your former, which you mention in it, but ten days ago; this may easily be
accounted for from the badness of the weather, and consequently of the
roads. I hardly remember so severe a win ter; it has occasioned many
illnesses here. I am sure it pinched my crazy carcass so much that, about
three weeks ago, I was obliged to be let blood twice in four days, which I
found afterward was very necessary, by the relief it gave to my head and
to the rheumatic pains in my limbs; and from the execrable kind of blood
which I lost.</p>
<p>Perhaps you expect from me a particular account of the present state of
affairs here; but if you do you will be disappointed; for no man living
(and I still less than anyone) knows what it is; it varies, not only
daily, but hourly.</p>
<p>Most people think, and I among the rest, that the date of the present
Ministers is pretty near out; but how soon we are to have a new style, God
knows. This, however, is certain, that the Ministers had a contested
election in the House of Commons, and got it but by eleven votes; too
small a majority to carry anything; the next day they lost a question in
the House of Lords, by three. The question in the House of Lords was, to
enforce the execution of the Stamp-act in the colonies 'vi et armis'. What
conclusions you will draw from these premises, I do not know; but I
protest I draw none; but only stare at the present undecipherable state of
affairs, which, in fifty years' experience, I have never seen anything
like. The Stamp-act has proved a most pernicious measure; for, whether it
is repealed or not, which is still very doubtful, it has given such terror
to the Americans, that our trade with them will not be, for some years,
what it used to be; and great numbers of our manufacturers at home will be
turned a starving for want of that employment which our very profitable
trade to America found them: and hunger is always the cause of tumults and
sedition.</p>
<p>As you have escaped a fit of the gout in this severe cold weather, it is
to be hoped you may be entirely free from it, till next winter at least.</p>
<p>P. S. Lord having parted with his wife, now, keeps another w—-e, at
a great expense. I fear he is totally undone.</p>
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