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them 'faute de mieux'。 Lord Mountstuart was never thought of for Vienna；
where Lord Stormont returns in three months； the former is going to be
married to one of the Miss Windsors； a great fortune。 To tell you the
speculations； the reasonings； and the conjectures； either of the
uninformed； or even of the best…informed public； upon the present
wonderful situation of affairs； would take up much more time and paper
than either you or I can afford； though we have neither of us a great
deal of business at present。
I am in as good health as I could reasonably expect； at my age； and with
my shattered carcass； that is； from the waist upward； but downward it is
not the same： for my limbs retain that stiffness and debility of my long
rheumatism； I cannot walk half an hour at a time。 As the autumn； and
still more as the winter approaches； take care to keep yourself very
warm； especially your legs and feet。
Lady Chesterfield sends you her compliments； and triumphs in the success
of her plaster。 God bless you！
LETTER CCLXXXVII
BLACKHEATH； July 11； 1766。
MY DEAR FRIEND： You are a happy mortal； to have your time thus employed
between the great and the fair； I hope you do the honors of your country
to the latter。 The Emperor； by your account； seems to be very well for
an emperor； who； by being above the other monarchs in Europe； may justly
be supposed to have had a proportionably worse education。 I find； by
your account of him； that he has been trained up to homicide； the only
science in which princes are ever instructed； and with good reason； as
their greatness and glory singly depend upon the numbers of their fellow…
creatures which their ambition exterminates。 If a sovereign should； by
great accident； deviate into moderation； justice； and clemency； what a
contemptible figure would he make in the catalogue of princes！ I have
always owned a great regard for King Log。 From the interview at Torgaw；
between the two monarchs； they will be either a great deal better or
worse together； but I think rather the latter； for our namesake； Philip
de Co mines； observes； that he never knew any good come from
l'abouchement des Rois。 The King of Prussia will exert all his
perspicacity to analyze his Imperial Majesty； and I would bet upon the
one head of his black eagle； against the two heads of the Austrian eagle；
though two heads are said； proverbially； to be better than one。 I wish I
had the direction of both the monarchs； and they should； together with
some of their allies； take Lorraine and Alsace from France。 You will
call me 'l'Abbe de St。 Pierre'； but I only say what I wish； whereas he
thought everything that he wished practicable。
Now to come home。 Here are great bustles at Court； and a great change of
persons is certainly very near。 You will ask me； perhaps； who is to be
out； and who is to be in？ To which I answer； I do not know。 My
conjecture is that； be the new settlement what it will； Mr。 Pitt will be
at the head of it。 If he is； I presume； 'qu'il aura mis de l'eau dans
son vin par rapport a Mylord B…； when that shall come to be known；
as known it certainly will soon be； he may bid adieu to his popularity。
A minister； as minister； is very apt to be the object of public dislike；
and a favorite； as favorite； still more so。 If any event of this kind
happens； which （if it happens at all） I conjecture will be some time next
week； you shall hear further from me。
I will follow your advice； and be as well as I can next winter； though I
know I shall never be free from my flying rheumatic pains； as long as I
live； but whether that will be more or less； is extremely indifferent to
me； in either case；
God bless you！
LETTER CCLXXXVIII
BLACKHEATH； August 1； 1766。
MY DEAR FRIEND： The curtain was at last drawn up； the day before
yesterday； and discovered the new actors； together with some of the old
ones。 I do not name them to you； because to…morrow's Gazette will do it
full as well as I could。 Mr。 Pitt； who had carte blanche given him；
named everyone of them： but what would you think he named himself for？
Lord Privy Seal； and （what will astonish you； as it does every mortal
here） Earl of Chatham。 The joke here is； that he has had A FALL UP
STAIRS； and has done himself so much hurt； that he will never be able to
stand upon his leg's again。 Everybody is puzzled how to account for this
step ； though it would not be the first time that great abilities have
been duped by low cunning。 But be it what it will； he is now certainly
only Earl of Chatham； and no longer Mr。 Pitt； in any respect whatever。
Such an event； I believe； was never read nor heard of。 To withdraw；
in the fullness of his power and in the utmost gratification of his
ambition； from the House of Commons （which procured him his power； and
which could alone insure it to him）； and to go into that hospital of
incurables； the House of Lords； is a measure so unaccountable； that
nothing but proof positive could have made me believe it： but true it is。
Hans Stanley is to go Ambassador to Russia； and my nephew； Ellis； to
Spain； decorated with the red riband。 Lord Shelburne is your Secretary
of State； which I suppose he has notified to you this post； by a circular
letter。 Charles Townshend has now the sole management of the House of
Commons； but how long he will be content to be only Lord Chatham's
vicegerent there； is a question which I will not pretend to decide。
There is one very bad sign for Lord Chatham； in his new dignity； which
is； that all his enemies； without exception； rejoice at it； and all his
friends are stupefied and dumbfounded。 If I mistake not much； he will；
in the course of a year； enjoy perfect 'otium cum dignitate'。 Enough of
politics。
Is the fair； or at least the fat； Miss C with you still ？ It must be
confessed that she knows the arts of courts； to be so received at
Dresden； and so connived at in Leicester…fields。
There never was so wet a summer as this has been； in the memory of man；
we have not had one single day； since March； without some rain； but most
days a great deal。 I hope that does not affect your health； as great
cold does； for； with all these inundations； it has not been cold。 God
bless you！
LETTER CCLXXXIX
BLACKHEATH； August 14； 1766。
MY DEAR FRIEND： I received yesterday your letter of the 30th past； and I
find by it that it crossed mine upon the road； where they had no time to
take notice of one another。
The newspapers have informed you； before now； of the changes actually
made； more will probably follow； but what； I am sure； I cannot tell you；
and I believe nobody can； not even those who are to make them： they will；
I suppose； be occasional； as people behave themselves。 The causes and
consequences of Mr。 Pitt's quarrel now appear in print； in a pamphlet
published by Lord T； and in a refutation of it； not by Mr。 Pitt
himself； I believe； but by some friend of his； and under his sanction。
The former is very scurrilous and scandalous； and betrays private
conversation。 My Lord says； that in his last conference； he thought he
had as good a right to nominate the new Ministry as Mr。 Pitt； and
consequ