ARLINGTON STREET, _Feb._ 6, 1764.
You have, I hope, long before this, my dear lord, received the immense
letter that I sent you by old Monin. It explained much, and announced
most part of which has already happened; for you will observe that when
I tell you anything very positively, it is on good intelligence. I have
another much bigger secret for you, but that will be delivered to you by
word of mouth. I am not a little impatient for the long letter you
promised me. In the mean time thank you for the account you give me of
the King's extreme civility to you. It is like yourself to dwell on
that, and to say little of M. de Chaulnes's dirtv behaviour; but
Monsieur and Madame de Guerchy have told your brother and me all the
particulars.
I was but too good a prophet when I warned you to expect new
extravagances from the Duc de Chaulnes's son. Some weeks ago he lost
five hundred pounds to one Virette, an equivocal being, that you
remember here. Paolucci, the Modenese minister, who is not in the odour
of honesty, was of the party. The Duc de Pecquigny said to the latter,
"Monsieur, ne jouez plus avec lui, si vous n'êtes pas de moitié." So far
was very well. On Saturday, at the Maccaroni Club (which is composed of
all the travelled young men who wear long curls and spying glasses),
they played again: the Duc lost, but not much. In the passage at the
Opera, the Duc saw Mr. Stuart talking to Virette, and told the former
that Virette was a coquin, a fripon, &c., &c. Virette retired, saying
only, "Voilà un fou." The Duc then desired Lord Tavistock to come and
see him fight Virette, but the Marquis desired to be excused. After the
Opera, Virette went to the Duc's lodgings, but found him gone to make
his complaint to Monsieur de Guerchy, whither he followed him; and
farther this deponent knoweth not. I pity the Count [de Guerchy], who is
one of the best-natured amiable men in the world, for having this absurd
boy upon his hands!
Well! now for a little politics. The Cider Bill has not answered to the
minority, though they ran the ministry hard; but last Friday was
extraordinary. George Grenville was pushed upon some Navy Bills. I don't
understand a syllable, you know, of money and accounts; but whatever
was the matter, he was driven from entrenchment to entrenchment by Baker
and Charles Townshend. After that affair was over, and many gone away,
Sir W. Meredith moved for the depositions on which the warrant against
Wilkes had been granted. The Ministers complained of the motion being
made so late in the day; called it a surprise; and Rigby moved to
adjourn, which was carried but by 73 to 60. Had a surprise been
intended, you may imagine the minority would have been better provided
with numbers; but it certainly had not been concerted: however, a
majority, shrunk to thirteen, frightened them out of the small senses
they possess. Heaven, Earth, and the Treasury, were moved to recover
their ground to-day, when the question was renewed. For about two hours
the debate hobbled on very lamely, when on a sudden your brother rose,
and made such a speech[1]--but I wish anybody was to give you the
account except me, whom you will think partial: but you will hear enough
of it, to confirm anything I can say. Imagine fire, rapidity, argument,
knowledge, wit, ridicule, grace, spirit; all pouring like a torrent, but
without clashing. Imagine the House in a tumult of continued applause,
imagine the Ministers thunderstruck; lawyers abashed and almost
blushing, for it was on their quibbles and evasions he fell most
heavily, at the same time answering a whole session of arguments on the
side of the court. No, it was _unique_; you can neither conceive it, nor
the exclamations it occasioned. Ellis, the Forlorn Hope, Ellis presented
himself in the gap, till the ministers could recover themselves, when on
a sudden Lord George Sackville _led up the Blues_; spoke with as much
warmth as your brother had, and with great force continued the attack
which he had begun. Did not I tell you he would take this part? I was
made privy to it; but this is far from all you are to expect. Lord North
in vain rumbled about his mustard-bowl, and endeavoured alone to outroar
a whole party: him and Forrester, Charles Townshend took up, but less
well than usual. His jealousy of your brother's success, which was very
evident, did not help him to shine. There were several other speeches,
and, upon the whole, it was a capital debate; but Plutus is so much more
persuasive an orator than your brother or Lord George, that we divided
but 122 against 217. Lord Strange, who had agreed to the question, did
not dare to vote for it, and declared off; and George Townshend, who had
actually voted for it on Friday, now voted against us. Well! upon the
whole, I heartily wish this administration may last: both their
characters and abilities are so contemptible, that I am sure we can be
in no danger from prerogative when trusted to such hands!
[Footnote 1: Walpole must have exaggerated the merits of this speech;
for Conway was never remarkable for eloquence. Indeed, Walpole himself,
in his "Memoirs of George II.," quotes Mr. Hutchinson, the Prime
Serjeant in Ireland, contrasting him with Lord G. Sackville, "Lord
George having parts, but no integrity; Conway integrity, but no parts:
and now they were governed by one who had neither." And Walpole's
comment on this comparison is: "There was more wit than truth in this
description. Conway's parts, though not brilliant, were solid" (vol. ii.
p. 246). In his "Life of Pitt" Lord Stanhope describes him as "a man
who, in the course of a long public life, had shown little vigour or
decision, but who was much respected for his honourable character and
moderate counsels" (c. 5).]
Before I have done with Charles Townshend, I must tell you one of his
admirable _bon mots_. Miss Draycote, the great fortune, is grown very
fat; he says her _tonnage_ is become equal to her _poundage_.
_ACCOUNT OF THE DEBATE ON THE GENERAL WARRANT._