MY DEAR FRIEND: I have this moment received your letter of the 18th, with
the inclosed papers. I cannot help observing that, till then, you never
acknowledged the receipt of any one of my letters.
I can easily conceive that party spirit, among your brother ministers at
Hamburg, runs as high as you represent it, because I can easily believe
the errors of the human mind; but at the same time I must observe, that
such a spirit is the spirit of little minds and subaltern ministers, who
think to atone by zeal for their want of merit and importance. The
political differences of the several courts should never influence the
personal behavior of their several ministers toward one another. There is
a certain ‘procede noble et galant’, which should always be observed
among the ministers of powers even at war with each other, which will
always turn out to the advantage of the ablest, who will in those
conversations find, or make, opportunities of throwing out, or of
receiving useful hints. When I was last at The Hague, we were at war with
both France and Spain; so that I could neither visit, nor be visited by,
the Ministers of those two Crowns; but we met every day, or dined at
third places, where we embraced as personal friends, and trifled, at the
same time, upon our being political enemies; and by this sort of badinage
I discovered some things which I wanted to know. There is not a more
prudent maxim than to live with one’s enemies as if they may one day
become one’s friends; as it commonly happens, sooner or later, in the
vicissitudes of political affairs.
To your question, which is a rational and prudent one, Whether I was
authorized to give you the hints concerning Russia by any people in power
here, I will tell you that I was not: but, as I had pressed them to try
what might be done with Russia, and got Mr. Keith to be dispatched there
some months sooner than otherwise, I dare say he would, with the proper
instructions for that purpose. I wished that, by the hints I gave you,
you might have got the start of him, and the merit, at least, of having
‘entame’ that matter with Soltikow. What you have to do with him now,
when you meet with him at any third place, or at his own house (where you
are at liberty to go, while Russia has a Minister in London, and we a
Minister at Petersburg), is, in my opinion, to say to him, in an easy
cheerful manner, ‘He bien, Monsieur, je me flatte que nous serons bientot
amis publics, aussi bien qu’amis personels’. To which he will probably
ask, Why, or how? You will reply, Because you know that Mr. Keith is gone
to his Court with instructions, which you think must necessarily be
agreeable there. And throw out to him that nothing but a change of their
present system can save Livonia to Russia; for that he cannot suppose
that, when the Swedes shall have recovered Pomerania they will long leave
Russia in quiet possession of Livonia.
If he is so much a Frenchman as you say, he will make you some weak
answers to this; but, as you will have the better of the argument on your
side, you may remind him of the old and almost uninterrupted connection
between France and Sweden, the inveterate enemy of Russia. Many other
arguments will naturally occur to you in such a conversation, if you have
it. In this case, there is a piece of ministerial art, which is sometimes
of use; and that is, to sow jealousies among one’s enemies, by a seeming
preference shown to some one of them. Monsieur Hecht’s reveries are
reveries indeed. How should his Master have made the GOLDEN ARRANGEMENTS
which he talks of, and which are to be forged into shackles for General
Fermor? The Prussian finances are not in a condition now to make such
expensive arrangements. But I think you may tell Monsieur Hecht, in
confidence, that you hope the instructions with which you know that Mr.
Keith is gone to Petersburg, may have some effect upon the measures of
that Court.
I would advise you to live with that same Monsieur Hecht in all the
confidence, familiarity, and connection, which prudence will allow. I
mean it with regard to the King of Prussia himself, by whom I could wish
you to be known and esteemed as much as possible. It may be of use to you
some day or other. If man, courage, conduct, constancy, can get the
better of all the difficulties which the King of Prussia has to struggle
with, he will rise superior to them. But still, while his alliance
subsists against him, I dread ‘les gros escadrons’. His last victory, of
the 5th, was certainly the completest that has been heard of these many
years. I heartily wish the Prince of Brunswick just such a one over
Monsieur de Richelieu’s army; and that he may take my old acquaintance
the Marechal, and send him over here to polish and perfume us.
I heartily wish you, in the plain, home-spun style, a great number of
happy new years, well employed in forming both your mind and your
manners, to be useful and agreeable to yourself, your country, and your
friends! That these wishes are sincere, your secretary’s brother will, by
the time of your receiving this, have remitted you a proof, from Yours.