has hitherto but an indifferent set of aides…decamp； and where he will
find better； I do not know。 Charles Townshend and he are already upon
ill terms。 'Enfin je n'y vois goutte'； and so God bless you！
LETTER CCXCIII
BATH； November 15； 1766。
MY DEAR FRIEND： I have this moment received your letter of the 5th
instant from Basle。 I am very glad to find that your breast is relieved；
though perhaps at the expense of your legs： for； if the humor be either
gouty or rheumatic； it had better be in your legs than anywhere else。
I have consulted Moisy； the great physician of this place； upon it； who
says； that at this distance he dares not prescribe anything； as there may
be such different causes for your complaint； which must be well weighed
by a physician upon the spot； that is； in short； that he knows nothing of
the matter。 I will therefore tell you my own case； in 1732； which may be
something parallel to yours。 I had that year been dangerously ill of a
fever in Holland； and when I was recovered of it； the febrific humor fell
into my legs； and swelled them to that degree； and chiefly in the
evening； that it was as painful to me as it was shocking to others。
I came to England with them in this condition； and consulted Mead；
Broxholme； and Arbuthnot； who none of them did me the least good； but；
on the contrary； increased the swelling； by applying poultices and
emollients。 In this condition I remained near six months； till finding
that the doctors could do me no good； I resolved to consult Palmer； the
most eminent surgeon of St。 Thomas's Hospital。 He immediately told me
that the physicians had pursued a very wrong method； as the swelling of
my legs proceeded only from a relaxation and weakness of the cutaneous
vessels； and he must apply strengtheners instead of emollients。
Accordingly； he ordered me to put my legs up to the knees every morning
in brine from the salters； as hot as I could bear it； the brine must have
had meat salted in it。 I did so； and after having thus pickled my legs
for about three weeks； the complaint absolutely ceased； and I have never
had the least swelling in them since。 After what I have said； I must
caution you not to use the same remedy rashly； and without the most
skillful advice you can find； where you are； for if your swelling
proceeds from a gouty； or rheumatic humor； there may be great danger in
applying so powerful an astringent； and perhaps REPELLANT as brine。 So
go piano； and not without the best advice； upon a view of the parts。
I shall direct all my letters to you 'Chez Monsieur Sarraxin'； who by his
trade is； I suppose； 'sedentaire' at Basle； while it is not sure that you
will be at any one place in the south of France。 Do you know that he is
a descendant of the French poet Sarrazin？
Poor Harte； whom I frequently go to see here； out of compassion； is in a
most miserable way； he has had a stroke of the palsy； which has deprived
him of the use of his right leg； affected his speech a good deal； and
perhaps his head a little。 Such are the intermediate tributes that we
are forced to pay； in some shape or other； to our wretched nature； till
we pay the last great one of all。 May you pay this very late； and as few
intermediate tributes as possible； and so 'jubeo te bene valere'。 God
bless you！
LETTER CCXCIV
BATH； December 9； 1766。
MY DEAR FRIEND： I received； two days ago； your letter of the 26th past。
I am very glad that you begin to feel the good effects of the climate
where you are； I know it saved my life； in 1741； when both the skillful
and the unskillful gave me over。 In that ramble I stayed three or four
days at Nimes； where there are more remains of antiquity； I believe； than
in any town in Europe； Italy excepted。 What is falsely called 'la maison
quarree'； is； in my mind； the finest piece of architecture that I ever
saw； and the amphitheater the clumsiest and the ugliest： if it were in
England； everybody would swear it had been built by Sir John Vanbrugh。
This place is now； just what you have seen it formerly； here is a great
crowd of trifling and unknown people； whom I seldom frequent； in the
public rooms； so that I may pass my time 'tres uniment'； in taking the
air in my post…chaise every morning； and in reading of evenings。
And 'a propos' of the latter； I shall point out a book； which I believe
will give you some pleasure； at least it gave me a great deal。 I never
read it before。 It is 'Reflexions sur la Poesie et la Peinture； par
l'Abbee de Bos'； in two octavo volumes； and is； I suppose； to be had at
every great town in France。 The criticisms and the reflections are just
and lively。
It may be you expect some political news from me： but I can tell you that
you will have none； for no mortal can comprehend the present state of
affairs。 Eight or nine people of some consequence have resigned their
employments； upon which Lord C… made overtures to the Duke of B…
and his people； but they could by no means agree； and his Grace went；
the next day； full of wrath； to Woburn； so that negotiation is entirely
at an end。 People wait to see who Lord C… will take in； for some he
must have； even HE cannot be alone； 'contra mundum'。 Such a state of
affairs； to be sure； was never seen before； in this or in any other
country。 When this Ministry shall be settled； it will be the sixth
Ministry in six years' time。
Poor Harte is here； and in a most miserable condition； those who wish him
the best； as I do； must wish him dead。 God bless you！
LETTER CCXCV
LONDON； February 13； 1767。
MY DEAR FRIEND： It is so long since I have had a letter from you； that I
am alarmed about your health； and fear that the southern parts of France
have not done so well by you as they did by me in the year 1741； when
they snatched me from the jaws of death。 Let me know； upon the receipt
of this letter； how you are； and where you are。
I have no news to send you from hence； for everything seems suspended；
both in the court and in the parliament； till Lord Chatham's return from
the Bath； where he has been laid up this month； by a severe fit of the
gout； and； at present； he has the sole apparent power。 In what little
business has hitherto been done in the House of Commons； Charles
Townshend has given himself more ministerial airs than Lord Chatham will；
I believe； approve of。 However； since Lord Chatham has thought fit to
withdraw himself from that House； he cannot well do without Charles'
abilities to manage it as his deputy。
I do not send you an account of weddings； births； and burials； as I take
it for granted that you know them all from the English printed papers；
some of which； I presume； are sent after you。 Your old acquaintance；
Lord Essex； is to be married this week to Harriet Bladen； who has L20；000
down； besides the reasonable expectation of as much at the death of her
father。 My kinsman； Lord Strathmore； is to be married in a fortnight；
to Miss Bowes； the greatest heiress perhaps in Europe。 In short； the
matrimonial frenzy seems to rage at present； and is epidemical。 The men
marry for money； and I believe you guess what the women marry for。 God
bless you； and send you health！
LETTER CCXCVI
LONDON； March 3； 1767
MY DEAR FRIEND： Yesterday I received two letters at once from you； both
dated Montpellier； one of the 29th of last December； and the other the
12th of February： but I cannot conceive what became of my letters to you；
for； I assure you； that I answered all yours the next post after I
received them； and； about ten days ago； I wrote you a volunteer； because
you had been so long silent； and I was afraid that you were not well；
but your letter of the 12th of February has removed all my fears upon
that score。 The same climate that has restored your health so far will
probably； in a little more time； restore your strength too； though you
must not expect it to be quite what it was before your late painful
complaints。 At least I find that； since my late great rheumatism；
I cannot walk above half an hour at a time； which I do not place singly
to the account of my years； but chiefly to the great shock given then to
my limbs。 'D'ailleurs' I am pretty well for my age and shattered
constitution。
As I told you in my last； I must tell you again in this； that I have no
news to send。 Lord Chatham； at last； came to town yesterday； full of
gout； and is not able to stir hand or foot。 During his absence； Charles
Townshend has talked of him； and at him； in such a manner； that
henceforward they must be either much worse or much better together than
ever they were in their lives。 On Friday last； Mr。 Dowdeswell and Mr。
Grenville moved to have one shilling in the pound of the land tax taken
off； which was opposed by the Court； but the Court lost it by eighteen。
The Opposition triumph much upon this victory； though； I think； without
reason； for it is plain that all the landed gentlemen bribed themselves
with this shilling in the pound。
The Duke of Buccleugh is very soon to be married to Lady Betty Montague。
Lord Essex was married yesterday； to Harriet Bladen ； and Lord
Strathmore； last week； to Miss Bowes； both couples went directly from the
church to consummation in the country； from an unnecessary fear that they
should not be tired of each other if they stayed in town。 And now
'dixi'； God bless you！
You are in the right to go to see the assembly of the states of；
Languedoc； though they are but the shadow of the original Etats； while
there was some liberty subsisting in France。
LETTER CCXCVII
LONDON； April 6； 1767。
MY DEAR FRIEND： Yesterday I received your letter from Nimes； by which I
find that several of our letters have reciprocally miscarried。 This may
probably have the same fate； however； if it reaches Monsieur Sarrazin； I
presume he will know where to take his aim at you； for I find you are in
motion； and with a polarity to Dresden。 I am very glad to find by it；
that your meridional journey has perfectly recovered you； as to your
general state of health； for as to your legs and thighs； you must never
expect that they will be restored to their original strength and
activity； after so many rheumatic