Walmer Castle, Oct. 11th, 1793.
MY DEAREST BROTHER,
I was just going to write to you when I received your letter. My
present plans are to return to town about Tuesday next, and to get
to Dropmore by dinner on Friday, if possible; but I would not wish
you to let _your_ dinner depend on that. I conclude, from what you
say of your having been reviewed, that you will be able to get away
soon, and it will be a great gratification to us both to see you,
especially if, as I hope, Lady Buckingham comes with you. Lady
Camelford writes to Anne that she much wishes to see you, and if
she knows of the time of your coming will endeavour to contrive to
be with us. I return you Freemantle's letter, for fear of
accidents. You have, perhaps, guessed that it anticipates part of
what I had to say to you, but I hope you have also felt the
singularly embarrassing situation in which the King's Ministers are
placed in this respect, with the cause of Royalty to defend, and
with the great obligations they owe to the extreme liberality and
honour of the King's conduct towards them. They are obliged,
therefore, to say nothing, and to let nothing be said: and indeed I
hardly know what I should wish to be said, so great is the
difficulty in all respects. I know I may reckon upon your
discretion, not only in saying nothing from me, but also in saying
as little as possible from yourself, which would not fail to be
repeated, and to be ascribed to me. We will talk this over fully
when I see you, and I really much wish to know what you think ought
ultimately to be done on the subject. You will have seen that it is
not the camp of Mauberge, but the advanced posts that had been
unsuccessfully attacked. The attack of the camp itself was to take
place somewhere about this time, and yesterday the British troops
marched to Cysoing, where they thought it not improbable they might
be engaged with the French, who are collecting at Bouchain and
Cambray.
George Nugent had written to me twice on the subject of his
proposal, and I sent him Lord Amherst's answer, which is negative,
at least for the present. He seems to have an invincible aversion
to new corps, I fancy, from all the badgering he got upon that
subject last war. He now states only the plea of seniority, that
the number intended to be raised is filled up by older
Lieutenant-Colonels. I fancy Nugent had not received my letter when
he wrote to you.
The language of the Convention looks as if some serious attack
might be expected here; serious at least as they intend it, but
ridiculous, I trust, it will prove. An attempt in force requires
preparations they have not, and a superiority in naval force which
they certainly have not. Buccaneering expeditions I take to be
practicable, with only the certainty of much greater loss to
themselves than to us. They would be unpleasant in their effect
here, but what help.
I have profited of your advice about the manifesto, and now send
you the English translation which I have prepared, with the
transpositions you recommended. I do not think it reads as well in
English as in French, which I am sorry for, as it must be read in
English by John Bull, whose approbation of my writings I should
like to retain. I hardly know how to ask you to correct, as it must
be a translation, and a literal one. But mark what you dislike, and
I will try if, retaining the translation, it can be altered. I have
kept _guerre defensive_ and that _pour cause_: which indeed you may
guess, when you see in the papers that His Prussian Majesty is
returned to Berlin, and when I tell you that we had no previous
notice of his journey.
Ever most affectionately yours,
G.