The parliament is prorogued by a most gracious speech neither by nor from his Majesty, who was too ill to go to the House; the Lords and Gentlemen are, consequently, most of them, gone to their several counties, to do (to be sure) all the good that is recommended to them in the speech.  London, I am told, is now very empty, for I cannot say so from knowledge.  I vegetate wholly here.  I walk and read a great deal, ride and scribble a little, according as my lead allows, or my spirits prompt; to write anything tolerable, the mind must be in a natural, proper disposition; provocatives, in that case, as well as in another, will only produce miserable, abortive performances.

Now that you have (as I suppose) full leisure enough, I wish you would give yourself the trouble, or rather pleasure, to do what I hinted to you some time ago; that is, to write short memoirs of those affairs which have either gone through your hands, or that have come to your certain knowledge, from the inglorious battle of Hastenbeck, to the still more scandalous Treaty of Neutrality.  Connect, at least, if it be by ever so short notes, the pieces and letters which you must necessarily have in your hands, and throw in the authentic anecdotes that you have probably heard.  You will be glad when you have done it:  and the reviving past ideas, in some order and method, will be an infinite comfort to you hereafter.  I have a thousand times regretted not having done so; it is at present too late for me to begin; this is the right time for you, and your life is likely to be a busy one.  Would young men avail themselves of the advice and experience of their old friends, they would find the utility in their youth, and the comfort of it in their more advanced age; but they seldom consider that, and you, less than anybody I ever knew.  May you soon grow wiser!  Adieu.

LETTER CCXXV

Blackheath, June 30, 1758.

My dear friend:  This letter follows my last very close; but I received yours of the 15th in the short interval.  You did very well not to buy any Rhenish, at the exorbitant price you mention, without further directions; for both my brother and I think the money better than the wine, be the wine ever so good.  We will content our selves with our stock in hand of humble Rhenish, of about three shillings a-bottle.  However, ’pour la rarity du fait, I will lay out twelve ducats’, for twelve bottles of the wine of 1665, by way of an eventual cordial, if you can obtain a ’senatus consultum’ for it.  I am in no hurry for it, so send it me only when you can conveniently; well packed up ‘s’entend’.

You will, I dare say, have leave to go to Cassel; and if you do go, you will perhaps think it reasonable, that I, who was the adviser of the journey, should pay the expense of it.  I think so too; and therefore, if you go, I will remit the L100 which you have calculated it at.  You will find the House of Cassel the house of gladness; for Hanau is already, or must be soon, delivered of its French guests.