I am going to Lord Waldegrave’s for a few days, and, when your Countess returns from Goodwood, am to meet her at Churchill’s.  Lord Strafford, who has been terribly alarmed about my lady, mentions, with great pleasure, the letters he receives from you.  His neighbour and cousin, Lord Rockingham, I hear, is one of the warmest declaimers at Arthur’s against the present system.  Abuse continues in much plenty, but I have seen none that I thought had wit enough to bear the sea.  Good night.  There are satiric prints enough to tapestry Westminster-hall.

Stay a moment:  I recollect telling you a lie in my last, which, though of no consequence, I must correct.  The right reverend midwife, Thomas Secker, archbishop, did christen the babe, and not the Bishop of London, as I had been told by matron authority.  Apropos to babes:  have you read Rousseau on Education?  I almost got through a volume at Park-place, though impatiently; it has mor(-tautology than any of his works, and less eloquence.  Sure he has writ more sense and more nonsense than ever any man did of both!  All I have yet learned from this work is, that one should have a tutor for one’s son to teach him to have no ideas, in order that he may begin to learn his alphabet as he loses his maidenhead.

Thursday noon, 30th.

lo Havannah!  Lo Albemarle!  I had sealed my letter, and given it to Harry for the post, when my Lady Suffolk sent me a short note from Charles Townshend, to say the Havannah surrendered on the 12th of August, and that we have taken twelve ships of the line in the harbour.  The news came late last night.  I do not know a particular more.  God grant no more blood be shed!  I have hopes again of the peace.  My dearest Harry, now we have preserved you to the last moment, do take care of yourself.  When one has a whole war to wade through, it is not worth while to be careful in any one battle; but it is silly to fling one’s self away in the last.  Your character is established; Prince Ferdinand’s letters are full of encomiums on you; but what will weigh more with you, save yourself for another war, which I doubt you will live to see, and in which you may be superior commander, and have space to display your talents.  A second in service is never remembered, whether the honour of the victory be owing to him -. or be killed.  Turenne would have a very short paragraph, if the Prince of Cond`e had been general when he fell.  Adieu!

(242) The Duke of Bedford, then ambassador at Paris.

(243) Colonel, afterwards General Burgoyne, with the Compte de Lippe, commanded the British troops sent to the relief of Portugal.

(244) Only son of William Pulteney, Earl of Bath.  He died before his father.

(245) Edward, only son of sir Edward Walpole.  He died in 1771.

(246) ,Henry Seymour Conway, second son of Francis, Earl and afterwards Marquis of Hertford.

Letter 137 To The Rev. Mr. Cole.  Strawberry Hill, Sept. 30, 1762. (page 195)