My dear friend:  I received your letter this morning, with the inclosed preliminaries, which we have had here these three days; and I return them, since you intend to keep them, which is more than I believe the French will.  I am very glad to find that the French are to restore all the conquests they made upon us in the East Indies during this war; and I cannot doubt but they will likewise restore to us all the cod that they shall take within less than three leagues of our coasts in North America (a distance easily measured, especially at sea), according to the spirit, though not the letter of the treaty.  I am informed that the strong opposition to the peace will be in the House of Lords, though I cannot well conceive it; nor can I make out above six or seven, who will be against it upon a division, unless (which I cannot suppose) some of the Bishops should vote on the side of their maker.  God bless you.

LETTER CCLIV

Bath, December 13, 1762.

My dear friend:  Yesterday I received your letter, which gave me a very clear account of the debate in your House.  It is impossible for a human creature to speak well for three hours and a half; I question even if Belial, who, according to Milton, was the orator of the fallen angels, ever spoke so long at a time.

There must have been, a trick in Charles Townshend’s speaking for the Preliminaries; for he is infinitely above having an opinion.  Lord Egremont must be ill, or have thoughts of going into some other place; perhaps into Lord Granville’s, who they say is dying:  when he dies, the ablest head in England dies too, take it for all in all.

I shall be in town, barring accidents, this day sevennight, by dinnertime; when I have ordered a haricot, to which you will be very welcome, about four o’clock.  ’En attendant Dieu vous aye dans sa sainte garde’!

LETTER CCLV

Blackheath, June 14, 1763

My dear friend:  I received, by the last mail, your letter of the 4th, from The Hague; so far so good.

You arrived ‘sonica’ at The Hague, for our Ambassador’s entertainment; I find he has been very civil to you.  You are in the right to stop for two or three days at Hanau, and make your court to the lady of that place. —­[Her Royal Highness Princess Mary of England, Landgravine of Hesse.] —­Your Excellency makes a figure already in the newspapers; and let them, and others, excellency you as much as they please, but pray suffer not your own servants to do it.

Nothing new of any kind has happened here since you went; so I will wish you a good-night, and hope God will bless you.

LETTER CCLVI

Blackheath, July 14, 1763