P. S. Monsieur Thurot is said to be sailed with his tiny squadron —­but can the lords of America be afraid of half a dozen canoes ?  Mr. Chute is sitting by me, and says, nobody is more obliged to Mr. Pitt than you are:  he has raised you from a very comfortable situation to hold your head above the Capitol.

517 Letter 340 To George Montagu, Esq.  Strawberry Hill, Oct. 21, 1759.

Your pictures shall be sent as soon as any of us go to London, but I think that will not be till the Parliament meets.  Can we easily leave the remains of such a year as this?  It is still all gold.  I have not dined or gone to bed by a fire till the day before yesterday.  Instead of the glorious and ever-memorable year 1759, as the newspapers call it, I call it this ever-warm and victorious year.  We have not had more conquest than fine weather:  one would think we had plundered East and West Indies of sunshine.  Our bells are worn threadbare with ringing for victories.  I believe it will require ten votes of the House of Commons before the people will believe it is the Duke of Newcastle that has done this, and not Mr. Pitt.  One thing is very fatiguing—­all the world is made knights or generals.  Adieu I don’t know a word of news less than the conquest of America.  Adieu! yours ever.

P ’ S. You shall hear from me again if we take Mexico or China before Christmas.

P. S. I had sealed my letter, but break it open again, having forgot to tell you that Mr. Cowslade has the pictures of Lord and Lady Cutts, and is willing to sell them.

518 Letter 341 To The Earl Of Strafford.  Strawberry Hill, October 30th, 1759.

My dear lord, It would be very extraordinary indeed if I was not glad to see one Whose friendship does me so much honour as your lordship’s, and who always expresses so much kindness to me.  I have an additional reason for thanking you now, when you are creating a building after the design of the Strawberry committee.  It will look, I fear, very selfish if I pay it a visit next year; and yet it answers so many selfish purposes that I certainly shall.

My ignorance of all the circumstances relating to Quebec is prodigious; I have contented myself with the rays of’ glory that reached hither, without going to London to bask in them.  I have not even seen the conqueror’s mother(1075) though I hear she has covered herself with more laurel-leaves than were heaped on the children of the wood.

Seriously it is very great; and as I am too inconsiderable to envy Mr. Pitt, I give him all the honour he deserves.

I passed all the last week at Park-place, where one of the bravest men in the world, who is not permitted to contribute to our conquests, was indulged in being the happiest by being with one of the most deserving women—­for Campbell-goodness no more wears out than Campbell-beauty—­all their good qualities are huckaback.(1076) You See the Duchess(1077) has imbibed so much of’ their durableness, that she is good-humoured enough to dine at a tavern at seventy-six.