Cleveland Row, Feb. 2nd, 1798.
MY DEAREST BROTHER,
I saw yesterday in Pitt's hands your letter to him. The sacrifice
you make is certainly very great, and such as I could not have
thought myself at liberty to advise, though I am glad on the whole
that your determination is such as it is; not that I am very much
attached (but quite the contrary) to the idea of raising public
supplies by voluntary contributions, and still less by
contributions _soi-disant_ voluntary, but in reality extorted by
popular clamour and prejudice. But after that business has been
carried as far as it has, it would have been too invidious for you
to have put yourself in a breach which I think ought never to have
been made. I am much concerned at what you say in your letter to
Pitt respecting the personal inconvenience to which this step will
subject you, and particularly as to the idea of your doing anything
that can look like an avowed intention of suspending your residence
at Stowe. It seems to me that nothing is more natural than that
this state of things should lead to reduction of your
establishments; and I believe in so doing you will only follow a
very general example, though I appear to be selected as a much more
striking instance of it than I have yet been able, with my best
endeavours, to make myself. It will also be very easy for you,
quartered in Essex, to be as much or as little as you please at
Stowe in the course of the year; but any avowal of quitting that
residence would, I think, do you a needless injury.
You will receive in a day or two the circular letter for calling
out the supplementary Militia, with the explanation of the manner
in which this is intended to be executed, so as to make it a
_muster_ of the whole, but an embodying only of a part.
War with America and Portugal seems quite determined on at Paris;
nor do I see how Denmark can keep herself out of the scrape,
though she will most certainly do her best. The general opinion is
that Mulin has established his superiority over Barras and
Buonaparte. There can be no doubt of the intention to invade us
here or in Ireland, or both.
The capture of the packet leaves us still without official or
direct accounts from the West Indies, but all the accounts we get
are favourable.
I enclose you, in confidence, a paper, which I think will be
interesting to you. You will be so good as _not to have seen_ it,
and to return it to me. It is of course to be kept under lock and
key. It is unpublished, and meant to remain so.
Ever most affectionately yours,
G.