expect that they will be restored to their original strength and
activity； after so many rheumatic attacks as you have had。 I know that
my limbs； besides the natural debility of old age； have never recovered
the severe attack of rheumatism that plagued me five or six years ago。
I cannot now walk above half an hour at a time and even that in a
hobbling kind of way。
I can give you no account of our political world； which is in a situation
that I never saw in my whole life。 Lord Chatham has been so ill； these
last two months； that he has not been able （some say not willing） to do
or hear of any business； and for his 'sous Ministres'； they either
cannot； or dare not； do any； without his directions； so everything is now
at a stand。 This situation； I think； cannot last much longer； and if
Lord Chatham should either quit his post； or the world； neither of which
is very improbable； I conjecture； that which is called the Rockingham
Connection stands the fairest for the Ministry。 But this is merely my
conjecture； for I have neither 'data' nor 'postulata' enough to reason
upon。
When you get to Dresden； which I hope you will not do till next month；
our correspondence will be more regular。 God bless you！
LETTER CCXCVIII
LONDON； May 5； 1767；
MY DEAR FRIEND： By your letter of the 25th past； from Basle； I presume
this will find you at Dresden； and accordingly I direct to you there。
When you write me word that you are at Dresden； I will return you an
answer； with something better than the answer itself。
If you complain of the weather； north of Besancon； what would you say to
the weather that we have had here for these last two months；
uninterruptedly？ Snow often； northeast wind constantly； and extreme
cold。 I write this by the side of a good fire； and at this moment it
snows very hard。 All my promised fruit at Blackheath is quite destroyed；
and； what is worse； many of my trees。
I cannot help thinking that the King of Poland； the Empress of Russia；
and the King of Prussia； 's'entendent comme larrons en foire'； though the
former must not appear in it upon account of the stupidity； ignorance；
and bigotry of his Poles。 I have a great opinion of the cogency of the
controversial arguments of the Russian troops； in favor of the
Dissidents： I am sure I wish them success； for I would have all
intoleration intolerated in its turn。 We shall soon see more clearly
into this matter； for I do not think that the Autocratrice of all the
Russias will be trifled with by the Sarmatians。
What do you think of the late extraordinary event in Spain？ Could you
have ever imagined that those ignorant Goths would have dared to banish
the Jesuits？ There must have been some very grave and important reasons
for so extraordinary a measure： but what they were I do not pretend to
guess； and perhaps I shall never know； though all the coffeehouses here
do。
Things are here in exactly the same situation； in which they were when I
wrote to you last。 Lord Chatham is still ill； and only goes abroad for
an hour in a day； to take the air； in his coach。 The King has； to my
certain knowledge； sent him repeated messages； desiring him not to be
concerned at his confinement； for that he is resolved to support him；
'pour et contre tous'。 God bless you！
LETTER CCXCIX
LONDON； June 1； 1767。
MY DEAR FRIEND： I received yesterday your letter of the 20th past； from
Dresden； where I am glad to find that you are arrived safe and sound。
This has been everywhere an 'annus mirabilis' for bad weather； and it
continues here still。 Everybody has fires； and their winter clothes；
as at Christmas。 The town is extremely sickly； and sudden deaths have
been very frequent。
I do not know what to say to you upon public matters； things remain in
'statu quo'； and nothing is done。 Great changes are talked of； and；
I believe； will happen soon； perhaps next week； but who is to be changed；
for whom； I do not know； though everybody else does。 I am apt to think
that it will be a mosaic Ministry； made up 'de pieces rapportees' from
different connections。
Last Friday I sent your subsidy to Mr。 Larpent； who； I suppose； has given
you notice of it。 I believe it will come very seasonably； as all places；
both foreign and domestic； are so far in arrears。 They talk of paying
you all up to Christmas。 The King's inferior servants are almost
starving。
I suppose you have already heard； at Dresden； that Count Bruhl is either
actually married； or very soon to be so； to Lady Egremont。 She has；
together with her salary as Lady of the Bed…chamber； L2；500 a year；
besides ten thousand pounds in money left her； at her own disposal； by
Lord Egremont。 All this will sound great 'en ecus d'Allemagne'。 I am
glad of it； for he is a very pretty man。 God bless you！
I easily conceive why Orloff influences the Empress of all the Russias；
but I cannot see why the King of Prussia should be influenced by that
motive。
LETTER CCC
BLACKHEATH； JULY 2； 1767。
MY DEAR FRIEND： Though I have had no letter from you since my last； and
though I have no political news to inform you of； I write this to
acquaint you with a piece of Greenwich news； which I believe you will be
very glad of； I am sure I am。 Know then that your friend Miss … was
happily married； three days ago； to Mr。 …； an Irish gentleman；
and a member of that parliament； with an estate of above L2；000 a…year。
He settles upon her L600 jointure； and in case they have no children；
L1；500。 He happened to be by chance in her company one day here； and was
at once shot dead by her charms； but as dead men sometimes walk； he
walked to her the next morning； and tendered her his person and his
fortune； both which； taking the one with the other； she very prudently
accepted； for his person is sixty years old。
Ministerial affairs are still in the same ridiculous and doubtful
situation as when I wrote to you last。 Lord Chatham will neither hear
of； nor do any business； but lives at Hampstead； and rides about the
heath。 His gout is said to be fallen upon his nerves。 Your provincial
secretary； Conway； quits this week； and returns to the army； for which he
languished。 Two Lords are talked of to succeed him； Lord Egmont and Lord
Hillsborough： I rather hope the latter。 Lord Northington certainly quits
this week； but nobody guesses who is to succeed him as President。 A
thousand other changes are talked of； which I neither believe nor reject。
Poor Harte is in a most miserable condition： He has lost one side of
himself； and in a great measure his speech； notwithstanding which； he is
going to publish his DIVINE POEMS； as he calls them。 I am sorry for it；
as he had not time to correct them before this stroke； nor abilities to
do it since。 God bless you！
LETTER CCCI
BLACKHEATH； July 9； 1767。
MY DEAR FRIEND： I have received yours of the 21st past； with the inclosed
proposal from the French 'refugies； for a subscription toward building
them 'un temple'。 I have shown it to the very few people I see； but
without the least success。 They told me （and with too much truth） that
while such numbers of poor were literally starving here from the dearness
of all provisions； they could not think of sending their money into
another country； for a building which they reckoned useless。 In truth；
I never knew such misery as is here now； and it affects both the hearts
and the purses of those who have either； for my own part； I never gave to
a building in my life； which I reckon is only giving to masons and
carpenters； and the treasurer of the undertaking。
Contrary to the expectations of all mankind here； everything still
continues in 'statu quo'。 General Conway has been desired by the King
to keep the seals till he has found a successor for him； and the Lord
President the same。 Lord Chatham is relapsed； and worse than ever： he
sees nobody； and nobody sees him： it is said that a bungling physician
has checked his gout； and thrown it upon his nerves； which is the worst
distemper that a minister or a lover can have； as it debilitates the mind
of the former and the body of the latter。 Here is at present an
interregnum。 We must soon see what order will be produced from this
chaos。
The Electorate； I believe； will find the want of Comte Flemming； for he
certainly had abilities； and was as sturdy and inexorable as a Minister
at the head of the finances ought always to be。 When you see Comtesse
Flemming； which I suppose cannot be for some time； pray make her Lady
Chesterfield's and my compliments of condolence。
You say that Dresden is very sickly； I am sure London is at least as
sickly now； for there reigns an epidemical distemper； called by the
genteel name of 'l'influenza'。 It is a little fever； of which scarcely
anybody dies； and it generally goes off with a little looseness。 I have
escaped it； I believe； by being here。 God keep you from all distempers；
and bless you！
LETTER CCCII
LONDON； October 30； 1767。
MY DEAR FRIEND： I have now left Blackheath； till the next summer； if I
live till then； and am just able to write； which is all I can say； for I
am extremely weak； and have in a great measure lost the use of my legs；
I hope they will recover both flesh and strength； for at present they
have neither。 I go to the Bath next week； in hopes of half repairs at
most； for those waters； I am sure； will not prove Medea's kettle； nor
'les eaux de Jouvence' to me； however； I shall do as good courtiers do；
and get what I can； if I cannot get what I will。 I send you no politics；
for here are neither politics nor ministers； Lord Chatham is quiet at
Pynsent； in Somersetshire； and his former subalterns do nothing； so that
nothing is done。 Whatever places or preferments are disposed of； come
evidently from Lord …； who affects to be invisible； and who； like a
woodcock； thinks that if his head is but hid； he is not seen at all。
General Pulteney is at last dead； last week； worth above thirteen hundred
thousand pounds。 He has left all his landed estate； which is eight and
twenty thousand pounds a…year； including the Bradford estate； which his
brother had from that ancient family； to a cousin…g