EARL TEMPLE TO MR. WILKES.

Tuesday night (September 14, 1762).

I WAITED with infinite impatience, my dear Mr. Wilkes, to hear from Mr. Gascoyne, whom I expected here in the course of the day, the result of the Friday business. I hope and trust, though as he is not come I have not the satisfaction of knowing it, that it has ended there.

It appeared, I think, by your letter, that Saturday had passed peaceably; I long much for the post of to

morrow.

I am very sorry my old friend and schoolfellow' should take the unfortunate North Briton so heinously: in your situation, whether you had any hand in it or not, I think you could act no otherwise than you have done, like a man and a gentleman in every part of it. I am ever, most sincerely, your affectionate and devoted Servant, TEMPLE.

1 William, second Baron, and first Earl Talbot, at this time Lord Steward of the Household. He died in 1782. The subject of Lord Talbot's complaint against Wilkes was contained in a very silly paragraph in the North Briton, published on the 21st of August. His conduct upon the occasion of the duel, and the cause of it, are equally and supremely ridiculous and contemptible. In these days, it is inconceivable how a nobleman, with only an ordinary share of common sense, should have considered it necessary to take such serious notice of a joke so inoffensively stupid. It is impossible not to admire, by contrast, the manner in which Wilkes conducted the correspondence and final issue of this transaction. His letter to Lord Temple, written on the same evening, two hours after the duel, and describing all the circumstances of it, is an admirable composition:-it places the whole scene so forcibly before the imagination. It has been already printed in Almon's Memoirs and Correspondence of Wilkes, in the Political Register, &c., and therefore it is unnecessary to repeat it here.

MR. WILKES TO EARL TEMPLE.

Winchester, September 19, 1762.

MY LORD,—I am infinitely obliged by your Lordship's letter of Tuesday, and can never receive any approbation of my conduct, which I shall value equally with Lord Temple's.

I enclosed from hence three letters, which have passed since; five in all.

As I did not hear from Lord T. on the Saturday, I returned here, as I told Mr. Secker I should. I chose the letters should tell the little history, and therefore refer everything which passed between Mr. Secker and me 'till I have the honour of paying my personal respects to your Lordship.

Lord T. had talked much of my not answering his letter, which made the affair very public; a circumstance I avoid, because I feel it so much to my honour. Lord Effingham', Colonel Harvey, &c., had the whole, and I have their warmest approbation.

I have drawn the whole into a very narrow point, and Lord T. must at last stand forth, which he ought to have done on the Saturday, as your Lordship foresaw.

The first letter seemed a mandate from the Lord Steward, signed Talbot, no humble servant. We are more civil in a second letter.

All the new recruits are arrived here, except from Newport. The regiment is far more complete than

1 Thomas Howard, second Earl of Effingham, Deputy Earl Marshal. He died in 1763. At this time he was in command of the troops at Winchester, where Wilkes was on duty as Lieut.-Colonel of the Bucks Militia, his regiment being appointed to guard the French prisoners confined there.

ever, and the front rank beats almost any front rank of the whole Militia.

We already perform the army exercise entire. The utmost harmony prevails among us, and we have healed the unhappy breach between the common men of Lancashire and our own.

I hold the toast constantly at our mess, which I never desert, but have a tolerable number of visitors with us there.

one.

I approve fully all your Lordship's corrections but George cannot come in there as it were by the bye; because he is to have a separate piece to himself. My Lord, you have been much abused; but you forgive all, and so do I, excepting only those few words, that he is in every light the most respectable of his family. Good God! what a family! In my turn I will call for fine, pillory, and imprisonment, and hope your Lordship will take notice only of this one truth, for the sake of the English Peerage.

I shall suffer no small uneasiness on your Lordship's account 'till I hear that you have recovered the fatiguing ceremonies of Wednesday', which I am very apprehensive may, without the utmost care, be followed by the ugly slow fever which so often alarms all your friends. I am, my Lord, your Lordship's most devoted Servant, JOHN WILKES.

1 The Installation at Windsor, upon the occasion of Prince William and the Earl of Bute receiving the Order of the Garter, on Wednesday, the 22nd instant.

EARL TEMPLE TO MR. WILKES.

Wednesday night, September 22, 1762.

MY DEAR SIR,-I have but just time to acknowledge the receipt of both your letters. Very little company here except what the Court itself brings, and the aspect of things not very triumphant. I wish most sincerely I could see any daylight towards terminating the unhappy affair betwixt you and Lord T. in an amicable manner : to such an object I shall lend myself with infinite pleasure, for I need not repeat to you that I am most sincerely, your ever faithfully affectionate TEMPLE.

His Majesty did not condescend to notice me.

The insertion of George before Grenville was only a joke, and to show how time changes compliment into satire.

I wish you would burn those of the latter kind.

THE EARL OF EGREMONT TO MR. GRENVILLE.

(September 24, 1762) Windsor, Friday evening. DEAR SIR,-No news yet from the Duke of Bedford. M. Nivernois has sent me a projet de Préliminaires upon his own ideas, just as if I had not disputed every alteration he had proposed. He seems to insist upon the neutral garrisons being put into Cleves, Wesel, Gueldres, &c. in sending the packet to the King, I desire him to postpone answering 'till he hears from our Plenipo: I hope he does not defer writing 'till an answer shall come to Nivernois' projet. The latter has received two couriers from Versailles : our minister tacet. Pray come to town soon; I fear you will be much wanted.

I

hope you got well to your journey's end, and that you

found all well at Wotton.

comes back from the Castle.

Adieu, dear Sir, till Cox

I have been sent for to the King, who took Nivernois' paper as I could have wished him, and agrees we must wait for the Duke of Bedford's letters. I send you the French Ambassador's projet, which I beg you will return me by express as soon as you have perused it. Ever your, &c. EGREMONT.

THE EARL OF EGREMONT TO MR. GRENVILLE.

Sunday afternoon (September 26, 1762). DEAR SIR,-I received yours, by Jackson, this morning; very sorry to draw you from your retreat into so horrid a scene as I fear you will find here. I conclude you lie at Missenden to-night, and therefore send you the Duke of Bedford's despatches, that you may be fully informed before you come to town: you will see that that headstrong silly wretch has already given up two or three points in his conversation with Choiseul, and that his design was to have signed without any communication here. I have been with Lord Bute this morning, and had much talk with him, some I did not like, but I have not given way in anything; nor shall in the attack I expect from the superior, who I am to see after the Drawing-room. I am to meet M. de Nivernois tomorrow morning at Thomond's, at ten, so suppose our conference will be over time enough for me to call upon you before you go to Court. Viry almost gives it up, and says Nivernois is quite ill-intentioned, so we seem to be in a strange condition. Ever yours, &c. EGREMONT.