I cannot help thinking that the King of Poland, the Empress of Russia, and the King of Prussia, ‘s’entendent comme larrons en foire’, though the former must not appear in it upon account of the stupidity, ignorance, and bigotry of his Poles.  I have a great opinion of the cogency of the controversial arguments of the Russian troops, in favor of the Dissidents:  I am sure I wish them success; for I would have all intoleration intolerated in its turn.  We shall soon see more clearly into this matter; for I do not think that the Autocratrice of all the Russias will be trifled with by the Sarmatians.

What do you think of the late extraordinary event in Spain?  Could you have ever imagined that those ignorant Goths would have dared to banish the Jesuits?  There must have been some very grave and important reasons for so extraordinary a measure:  but what they were I do not pretend to guess; and perhaps I shall never know, though all the coffeehouses here do.

Things are here in exactly the same situation, in which they were when I wrote to you last.  Lord Chatham is still ill, and only goes abroad for an hour in a day, to take the air, in his coach.  The King has, to my certain knowledge, sent him repeated messages, desiring him not to be concerned at his confinement, for that he is resolved to support him, ’pour et contre tous’.  God bless you!

LETTER CCXCIX

London, June 1, 1767.

My Dear friend:  I received yesterday your letter of the 20th past, from Dresden, where I am glad to find that you are arrived safe and sound.  This has been everywhere an ‘annus mirabilis’ for bad weather, and it continues here still.  Everybody has fires, and their winter clothes, as at Christmas.  The town is extremely sickly; and sudden deaths have been very frequent.

I do not know what to say to you upon public matters; things remain in ‘statu quo’, and nothing is done.  Great changes are talked of, and, I believe, will happen soon, perhaps next week; but who is to be changed, for whom, I do not know, though everybody else does.  I am apt to think that it will be a mosaic Ministry, made up ‘de pieces rapportees’ from different connections.

Last Friday I sent your subsidy to Mr. Larpent, who, I suppose, has given you notice of it.  I believe it will come very seasonably, as all places, both foreign and domestic, are so far in arrears.  They talk of paying you all up to Christmas.  The King’s inferior servants are almost starving.

I suppose you have already heard, at Dresden, that Count Bruhl is either actually married, or very soon to be so, to Lady Egremont.  She has, together with her salary as Lady of the Bed-chamber, L2,500 a year, besides ten thousand pounds in money left her, at her own disposal, by Lord Egremont.  All this will sound great ‘en ecus d’Allemagne’.  I am glad of it, for he is a very pretty man.  God bless you!