Nothing has given me for a long while more real uneasiness than the
doubt, which I am now obliged to express, whether it will be in my
power to pass my Holydays at Bath. After so long a delay and such
repeated disappointments, I had promised myself much pleasure, I
may say happiness, in spending some few days with you at a time
when every disagreeable circumstance was removed and our domestic
prospect was become more cheerful. But the advantages of office must
be accepted with some inconveniences. You know how much the Irish
business engages our attention and fears at this moment, and you will
see by the papers that Lord North has proposed some very important
alterations with regard to the commerce of that country.[446] The
bills for that purpose will pass in Parliament, but there still
remains a great number of subordinate circumstances, though highly
essential to be regulated, and which in some form will be referred to
the Board of Trade. We shall be forced to sit almost every day during
the Recess, and the absence of a _new Lord_ on the occasion would be
thought peculiarly improper.
There is even another motive which I cannot explain, which will I
hope make my attention to this business of some future benefit to the
public or at least to myself. These reasons will satisfy the delicacy
of your friendship, but I beg you would keep them to yourself, as
I abhor and despise above all things the seeming affectation of
official importance. Only be persuaded that I feel the delay (as I
fear it must prove) of my visit, not less disagreeably than you do
yourself.
I have seen very little of Mrs. Williams, and am sorry, and indeed
surprised to hear so bad an account of a little coquette to whom
I only imputed the venial faults of vanity and affectation. I
understand she is already on the Wing. Mr. Eliot is still in town:
we all try to push him down to Bath; he seems immoveable; but he
appears in somewhat better health and spirits. He deplores the state
of public affairs, past, present and future. With regard to the last,
though from different principles, I am afraid that his apprehensions
are not imaginary, and the impending dangers from war and faction
are most alarming. I never knew anything equal to the violence
of this Session of Parliament, which has not left me a moment of
peace or leisure. Adieu! dear Madam, I do most seriously _intend_
to write again very soon. Your _ordinary_ remittance shall reach
you on Christmas-day, and I hope that I shall be able to add the
_extraordinary_ or rather the new one. But my own supplies, both from
Hampshire and from the Exchequer, come in so very slowly that I may
be obliged to defer the second £100 till the end of January in case
it should not be inconvenient to you.
I am,
Most truly yours,
E. GIBBON.
[446] On December 1, Lord Shelburne in the Lords, and, on
December 6, Lord Ossory in the Commons, moved a vote of censure
on the Government for their conduct in Ireland. The Volunteer
movement spread rapidly; a French invasion was dreaded; the
cry for "free trade" rose higher and higher; a non-importation
agreement was entered into; and the relief of Dissenters from the
sacramental test was demanded. In consequence of this pressure,
Lord North (December 13, 1779) proposed and carried a series of
resolutions granting free export trade to Ireland.
384.
_To his Stepmother._
December 25th, 1779.