for hours, and in a court whence he had been cast Ignominiously?  I believe I have more pride than most men alive:  I could be flattered by honours acquired by merit, or by some singular action of `eclat; but for titles, ribands, offices of no business, which any body can fill, and must be given to many, I should just as soon be proud of being the top squire in a country village.(851) It is only worse to have waded to distinction through dirt, like Lord Auckland.(852) All this shifting of scenes may, as you say, be food to the Fronde —­Sed defendit numerus.  It is perfectly ridiculous to use any distinction of parties but the ins and the outs.  Many years ago I thought that the wisest appellations for contending factions ever assumed, were those in the Roman empire, who called themselves the greens and the blues:  it was so easy, when they changed sides, to slide from one colour to the other; and then a blue might plead that he had never been true blue, but always a greenish blue; and vice versa.  I allow that the steadiest party-man may be staggered by novel and unforeseen circumstances.  The outrageous proceedings of the French republicans have wounded the cause of liberty, and will, I fear, have shaken it for centuries; for Condorcet and such fiends are worse than the imperial and royal dividers of Poland.  But I do not see why detestation of anarchy and assassination must immediately make one fall in love with garters and seals.

I am sitting by the fire, as I have done ever since I came hither; and since I do not expect warm weather in June, I am wishing for rain, or I shall not have a mouthful of hay, nor a noseful of roses.  Indeed, as I have seen several fields of hay cut, I wonder it has not brought rain, as usual.  My creed is, that rain is good for hay, as I conclude every climate and its productions are suited to each other.  Providence did not trouble itself about its being more expensive to us to make our hay over and over; it only took care it should not want water enough.  Adieu!

(851) On the 29th of this month, the Earl of Hertford was created a Marquis.  He died on the 14th of June, in the following year, at the age of seventy-five.-E.

(852) On the 23d of May, William Eden, Lord Auckland, had been created an English peer.-E.

Letter 403 To The Hon. H. S. Conway.  Strawberry Hill, Wednesday night, late, July 17, 1793. (page 541)

I am just come from dining with the Bishop of London at Fulham, where I found Lord and Lady Frederick Campbell, who told me of the alarm you had from hearing some screams that you thought Lady Ailesbury’s, and the disorder brought upon you by flying to assist her.  I do not at all wonder at your panic, and rejoice it was not founded, and that you recovered so soon.  I am not going to preach against your acting so naturally:  but as you have some complaint on your breast, I must hope you will remember this accident, and be upon Your guard against both sudden and rapid exertions, when you have not a tantamount call.  I conclude the excessive heat we have had for twelve complete days contributed to overpower you.