If the date of the place from whence this letter is written surprises
you, let me refer you to my public despatch for all the wholesale
reasons, and desire you to wait for the more detailed one till
to-morrow evening, or probably Wednesday morning, when I hope we
shall meet. Your private letter to me by Herslet, although on an
uncomfortable subject, afforded me very great consolation; since I
not only perceive you are prepared for my return, but prepared for it
in a way which totally disperses the few apprehensions I had, lest my
conduct, under the present circumstances, might not in every respect
have met every approbation.
From what you say, I am now certain it will; and it gives me the more
pleasure, from a consciousness that I never in my life acted more
rightly.
I am too fatigued to go on to-night with the messengers, but we sail
to-morrow at nine a.m.; and on the whole, I had rather you should read
my story than hear it told by me. I have much to say to you, and to
some others, but I should not like to hold forth before a Cabinet.
I am infinitely obliged to you (in the strict sense of the word) for
your very friendly and attentive goodness in endeavouring to replace
all that I lost by the cruel accident which has happened to poor
Brooks. Your principal does not partake of this sort of feeling; and he
has as few of this species of human _imperfections_ as any being called
_human_ can pretend to.
Let us hear from you on our arrival. I shall drive at once to my own
house, and if possible, before twelve o’clock on Wednesday.
I am, &c.
(Signed) MALMESBURY.
_Extract of a Despatch from Lord Malmesbury to Lord Grenville, Calais,
19th Sept., 1797._
There can be little doubt, from the language and manner of the French
Plenipotentiaries, that there is a fixed determination on the part of
the French Government to continue war with England; and that if in
any part of their behaviour or conversation with me there appeared a
contrary intention, it was solely with a view to avoid, if possible,
that the odium of breaking off the Negotiation should be imputed
entirely to them. They, however, have managed this with so very little
ability--what they have done has been so positive, and what they have
said so vague--that it is difficult even for the most prejudiced minds
to entertain a doubt on this subject.
The whole of my official Correspondence since the event of the 4th of
September will, I trust, have so far prepared your Lordship for what
has now happened, that, although it may very justly cause concern,
it will not create surprise. Disposed as I was to pay attention to
whatever I heard from the late members of the French Legation, as
well from their knowledge of their own country, as from my having, on
every important point, always found their information correct, I could
never allow my opinion to go with them on this particular point;
and although the satisfaction of having judged rightly cannot, on an
occasion like this, be very great, yet the not having misled your
Lordship diminishes, to a certain degree, the regret I feel on having
failed in the great end of my Mission.
It would be vain to search for any rational motive for such a conduct
as the Directory have thought proper to adopt, or to endeavour to
explain on what grounds they can prefer a hazardous and unpromising
continuation of a war, become extremely unpopular, to an advantageous
and honourable peace, and one which, I am confident, would have had the
approbation of the whole French nation. The solution of this difficulty
cannot be found either in the internal situation of France, or in its
present relative position to other powers, but must be sought for in
the daring and inconsiderate character of the two governing members of
the Directory, Barras and Rewbell. The success which has attended their
late very bold undertaking appears to have given them the most implicit
confidence in their own abilities, and in the strength of their party;
and they never at any time appeared to have any fixed system, or to
look forward beyond the circumstances of the moment.