Charles Street, Nov. 16th, 1798.
MY DEAREST BROTHER,
I had yesterday a long conversation with Lord G., who assured me
that his friend here had continued to the present moment to
express the same wish with respect to my destination, as he had at
first conveyed in the month of June last; but that a strong wish
being expressed on your side of the water for the present shape,
the great man here had thought it necessary to give way to the
great man there. Be this, however, as it may, he continued to state
so strongly the conviction of his own mind, and that of his
colleagues, to be that I could do a service in foreign mission
highly important to do, and with greater probability of success
than any other man, he appealed so directly to that sense of duty
which I had always announced as governing my conduct against even
the course of my own inclinations, that I told him, much as I
thought I had reason to complain, I would still be faithful to the
sense of duty to which he appealed; and upon his assurances, that
his colleagues felt as strongly as himself the importance of my
giving way to their wishes, I agreed to do whatever came within the
description of real or important service.
The general view of that service I cannot better describe to you in
large, than by saying that my local situation must be governed by
the circumstances of the time; but wherever I may be, my business
will be to arrange a better understanding among the powers of the
continent than has hitherto been found in them. It is again upon
this subject that I have more than ever to regret our separation,
because you will easily see how much of a subject like the present
I should anxiously wish to talk confidentially over with you, that
it would yet be impossible for me to put upon paper in the shape of
a letter; but in this short description you will see at once the
importance of the subject, and your readiness in all business will
easily suggest to you the numberless difficulties which are likely
to attach upon this. To those difficulties I am not blind; but it
is because they are felt to be such, that I think it my duty to
engage in them, and in that sentiment I am sure to have your
concurrence.
With respect to Mr. Fisher, you will easily see that for such a
situation I shall want the assistance which I have understood from
you he is well qualified and well disposed to give; I dare say,
therefore, that you will advise and recommend to me, to make this
proposal to him; and yet, till I have again seen Lord Grenville, to
know upon what footing of expense this stands, I do not know what I
can afford to offer to him, nor how far the situation of Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary will, in point of pay,
furnish what Mr. Fisher ought to have; I will write again as soon
as I am better informed, for I apprehend that there will not be
much time to lose.
I think with you, that Tone's business has been awkwardly bothered.
I met Lord G. and Mr. P. this morning in the park; and was glad to
show them your letter, to give them the information, with your own
comments upon this strange jumble so unnecessarily produced. Do not
make any proposal to Fisher till you hear again from me. Can he
cypher? Does he understand German, &c.? I suppose, by your
recommending him, he does. My chief doubt is the insufficiency of
pay, and the impossibility of holding out future expectation
whatever. My route will probably be Berlin in about a fortnight;
but nothing can be more uncertain than my stay.
God bless you, dearest brother.