(Vol. v., p 296.)
Your correspondent W. C. begins his letter modestly. "If," he says,
Thomas Lord Lyttleton wrote _The Letters of Junius_, and "if" Junius
wrote the "Letter to the Brigadier-General," then he sees a difficulty.
Why, of course he does: but as nobody but the writer in the _Quarterly_
believes that the said Thomas did write the _Letters of Junius_, and as
it has never been proved that Junius did write the "Letter to a
Brigadier," I must believe that something remains to be done before we
proceed a step farther either in the way of argument or inference.
Unless some such resolution be come to by inquirers, we shall never get
out of the mazes in which this question has been involved, by like
conditional statements, and the conditional arguments founded thereon.
As to the Lyttleton story, I shall dismiss it at once: it is not
entitled to the sort of respectability which attaches to a case put
hypothetically, nor to the honour of an "if;" and I must remind your
correspondent that in a Junius question "general belief" is no evidence.
Every story, however absurd, once asserted, is "generally believed,"
until some one (a rare and exceptional case) proves that it is not
true--probably that it could not be true. The general belief, for
example, that the "Letter to a Brigadier" was written by Junius, is not,
so far as I know, supported by a tittle of evidence. It is all assertion
and assumption, founded on the opinion of A., B., and C., as to "style,"
&c. Now, as some two dozen different persons have been proved, by like
confident opinions, on like evidence, to be the writer of _Junius's
Letters_, I may be excused when I acknowledge that the test is not with
me quite conclusive. In respect, however, to this "Letter to a
Brigadier," Mr. Britton and Sir David Brewster have proceeded somewhat
further. Having, with others, come to the conclusion that Junius was the
writer, Mr. Britton proceeds to show that Barré served in Canada under
Wolfe, and was the very man, from circumstances, position, and feelings,
who could, would, and did write that letter. Sir David endeavours to
show that Macleane was in like circumstance, stimulated by like
feelings, and was the veritable Simon; founding his argument mainly on
the belief that Macleane was also serving there as surgeon of Otway's
regiment. It has been shown in the _Athenæum_ that Macleane never was
surgeon of Otway's regiment, and that in all probability he never was in
Canada: in brief, that the memoir is a mistake from beginning to end. As
all, however, that is urged by Sir David in favour of Macleane, as one
who had served under Wolfe, may be thought to strengthen, to that
extent, the claim of Barré, who certainly did so serve, and was severely
wounded, let us look at the facts.
Barré was wounded at the capture of Quebec; and, under date of Oct.
1759, Knox, in his _Historical Journal_, says, "Colonel Carlton and
Major Barré retired to the southward for the recovery of their wounds."
From his letter to Mr. Pitt (_Chath. Corr._), we find that Barré was at
New York, April 28, 1760. He appears subsequently to have joined Amherst
before Montreal; and on the capture of Montreal, on Sept. 8, 1760, he
was appointed to convey the despatches to England, and arrived in London
on the 5th October. These are facts public and unquestioned--admitted by
Mr. Britton.
Now for a fact out of the "Letter to a Brigadier." I could give you half
a dozen of like character, but space is precious, and one, I think, will
be sufficient. The writer quotes _in extenso_ a letter written by
Townshend, published in _The Daily Advertiser_, and dated "South Audley
Square, 20th June, 1760." Mr. Britton admits that the pamphlet must have
been published "some time before the 5th October, as on that day a
Refutation appeared;" it was, in fact, reviewed, or rather abused, in
the _Critical Review_ for September. We have proof, therefore, that the
"Letter to a Brigadier" was written after 20th June, and founded, in
part, on facts known _in London_ only on the 21st of June at the
earliest: the probabilities are that it was published in August or
September, certainly before the 5th October. How then could it have been
written by a man in America, serving before Montreal?