Miss Holroyd who arrived here yesterday informed me that you were
certain that I could not be at S. P. as you had not received any
letter from me. This throws me under some difficulty, since I must
either set aside your authority or distrust the evidence of my
senses, which seems to tell me that I am actually at the seat of
J. B. Holroyd, Major of the Sussex Militia. The aforesaid Major
returned last night from his first sally, which had lasted a whole
week, during which time he left me Governor of the Castle and
Guardian of his fair Spouse. I acquitted myself of this great
office in so satisfactory a manner, that I am again invested with
the same dignity, as the doughty Champion moves forward to-morrow
morng. on a second Expedition. The Regiment is divided between Lewes
and Brighthelmstone, and the Duke of Richmond, &c., works like a
Serjeant, a clerk, and a pack-horse. Their motions are irregular
and uncertain, and if the Major's quarters should be fixed at
Brighthelmstone, My Lady and Sarah will immediately march, and I
shall follow the Camp, as it is a place where I can enjoy studious
leisure in the midst of dissipation. If they are ordered to any other
place I shall return to my retirement in Bentinck Street, as at all
events the 'decline and fall' must proceed, which it does at present
with tolerable vigour.
Mr. Eliot, whom I saw in London as frequently as I could, wished
(if Plymouth and Port Eliot were not burnt down) to receive me in
September to meet Lord and Lady Ely. I expressed gratitude but
declined a promise. I should think the journey a very proper one; but
I must own that I neither like the expence nor the loss of time. Yet
those would sound like paltry excuses after a six months' expedition
to Paris.
The Major with our three Ladies, Abigail Holroyd, Sarah Holroyd, and
Catherine Porten, present their compliments to you. We often talk you
over, and this morning at Breakfast his honour scolded sister for not
bringing you with her; though on calmer reflection we all thought it
better that your second visit to S. P. should be deferred to a more
peaceable and settled time, such as it may be hoped next year will
prove. Sarah looks well; several passages yesterday of the House,
&c., affected her a good deal, but I think she will grow easy and
cheerful.
I am, dear Madam,
Most entirely yours,
E. GIBBON.
355.
_To J. B. Holroyd, Esq._
Wednesday morn, Brighton, 1778.
You feed me royally and almost superabundantly.--Though Brighton is
truly the most agreeable place in the World, I am desirous to spend
three or four days at S. P., and am not unwilling to meet Lord
M[ansfield]. But are you sure of a visit from that venerable Sage?
You have a formidable Rival, Gerard Hamilton,[409] who has invited
me to dinner for Sunday to meet the Chief Justice whom I wish to
conciliate, which your instructions will enable me to do; but at
all events if you miss the Judge you will have the Historian the
beginning of next week. Adieu.
[409] William Gerard Hamilton ("Single-Speech"), at this time
M.P. for Wareham, lived in Upper Brook Street. He was a brilliant
talker. If Dr. Johnson was unwilling to part with a friend,
he accompanied him down the first pair of stairs in hope of
his return. With Hamilton he went as far as the street door.
"Single-Speech Hamilton has been giving suppers to all the fine
ladies," writes Storer to George Selwyn, April, 1779.
356.
_To J. B. Holroyd, Esq._
Brighthelmstone, 1778, Wednesday morning, ten o'clock.
I have carefully perused the Report, and think you have considerably
improved both the matter and arrangement. The remarks were as clear
to my conception as they could be made without the help of maps,
and the general language is easy and spirited: to render the style
minutely elegant and correct would be a tedious and at the same time
a very useless task. As it now stands the work must do credit to the
author and may do service to the country. Adieu. We meet at Lord G.'s.
Friday morning; I suspect that my Lady will decline the party.
[Sidenote: FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR FRENCH FLEET.]
357.
_To J. B. Holroyd, Esq._
Tuesday evening, Sept. 20th, 1778.
The French fleet is stole back into Brest without meeting
Keppel;[410] the Fox frigate taken same day, the Captain (Windsor,
Lord Plymouth's brother) killed; others add, but doubtful, that we
have lost a fleet of twelve merchantmen. There is good reason to
believe that we have taken the Iphigenie, a French frigate. You were
hardly aware of the depth of ditch you tumbled into, and I have sent
you the enclosed that you may see Hugonin's despair and reproaches.
The money must be found by Saturday sen-night; and the only step I
could think of was a fair polite letter to Clive, who came to town
yesterday, stating the business, representing the probable near
conclusion of the New River sale, and begging leave to draw upon him.
I know his good nature, but if he hesitates you must intercede, or
help me some way or other. Adieu. How do you advance in les Travaux
de Mars? The advertisements have been inserted; Hugonin has received
one application from a Mr. Butler, Camberwell, Surry, to make
enquiries.
[410] After a fruitless search for the French fleet, Admiral
Keppel returned to Portsmouth. "Admiral Keppel is very unlucky in
having missed them, for they had not above twenty-five ships" (H.
Walpole, October 8, 1778).
358.
_To J. B. Holroyd, Esq._
Saturday night, September 25th, 1778.
*No news from the fleets; we are so tired of waiting, that
our impatience seems gradually to subside into a careless and
supine indifference. We sometimes yawn, and ask, just by way of
conversation, Whether Spain will joyn?[411] I believe you may depend
on the truth, not the sincerity, of an answer from their Court,
that they will not support or acknowledge the independence of the
Americans. But on the other hand, Magazines are forming, troops
marching, in a style which threatens Gibraltar. Gib. is, however, a
hard morsel; 5000 effectives, and every article of defence in the
most compleat state. We are certainly courting Russia. So much for
the Republic.*
I am strangely amazed and frightened about Buriton: as I had not the
least suspicion of the approaching, nay impending demand of so large
a sum. How could it amount to so much, and why did Hug. stipulate so
near a day? I have desired him to gain time or borrow money. They
bite in the New River, and I am offered 7½, but Newton encourages
me to hold out, and thinks I may get ¼ more, which is not to be
despised in certain situations----
I have seen several servants, and like one who has lived with Mr.
Milbank (Sir Ralph's eldest son), who desired his brother to give
him a very good character. On a quarrel between him and the Swiss
Valet de Chambre, both were dismissed, the one with honour, the
other with ignominy. Something more in the Italian than the Swiss
style had been designed by the Valet de Chambre, but rejected by
your Candidate; yet, as he was discharged, there is something not
perfectly clear. If you chuse it, you may write to Milbank, who is
with his Militia in the North: but send me the letter and I will
forward it. If without any farther ceremony you have a mind to try
him (I mean no harm), I can order him to quarters. I am satisfied
with his appearance, and he professes to understand what you require.
Adieu.
[411] War was declared in June, 1779, between Great Britain and
Spain.
359.
_To his Stepmother._
Bentinck Street, Sept. 29, 1778.