The reason, or if You like it better the pretence of my long silence,
was the waiting for an answer from my farmer, to whom I had wrote in
consequence of your permission. It came two or three days ago. He
thanks me for my offer, but has made a purchase in Sussex, and my
farm no longer suits him. This is surely the Season for letting it.
Shall I advertise? in which case an advertisement must be thought
of? or would it be better to impower Hugonin (whose honesty I can
trust as much, and whose knowledge far more than my own) to treat in
conjunction with Mrs. Gibbon, with any _Good_ Men, who may offer?
*I wish you lived nearer, or even that you could pass a week at
Beriton. When shall you be at Richmond, or would there be any _use_
in my going down to Sheffield for a day or two? In thee alone I put
my trust, and without thee I should be perplexed, discouraged, and
frightened; for not a single fish has yet bit at the Lenbourough bait.
I dined the other day with Mr. Way[173] at Boodle's. He told me, that
he was just going down to Sheffield. As he has probably unladen all
the politics, and Mrs. Way all the scandal of the town, I shall for
_the present only_ satisfy myself with the needfull; among which I
shall always reckon my sincere compliments to Madame, and my profound
respects for Mr. Datch.
I am, dear H.,
Truly Yours,
E. G.
It is confidently asserted that the Emperor and K. of P. are to run
for very deep stakes over the Polish Course.[174] If the news is
true, I back Austria against the aged Horse, provided little Laudohn
rides the match. _N.B._--Crossing and jostling allowed.*
[173] Probably Mr. Benjamin Way, the brother of Lady Sheffield.
His wife was a daughter of Dr. Cooke, Provost of King's College,
Cambridge.
[174] In Poland, desultory hostilities had been carried on for
several years between the Roman Catholics, favoured by France,
and the Dissidents (_i.e._ those embracing any other form of
Christian faith), supported by Russia. Taking advantage of the
anarchy which King Stanislaus Poniatowski was powerless to
control, Frederick the Great, the Empress Catherine, and the
Emperor Joseph II. proposed to occupy those provinces which were
respectively most contiguous to their own dominions. The result
was the partition of Poland, August, 1772. Field-Marshal Laudohn
(1716-1790) is said to have been of Scottish origin. During
the Seven Years' War he had proved himself, at the head of the
Austrian forces, a formidable antagonist to Frederick the Great.
138.
_To his Stepmother._
June the 10th, 1772.