Part 16 (1/2)
(165) On June 12th Fox moved that the House should resolve itself into a Committee to consider the American war, at the same time moving a further resolution that Ministers should take every possible measure to conclude peace with the American Colonies. The Motion was rejected by 172 to 99.
(166) Marlborough House was designed by Wren; it reverted to the Crown in 1817.
(167) Bedford House, built in the reign of Charles II., covered the whole of the north side of what is now Bloomsbury Square. It was sold and pulled down in 1800.
(168) Charles first Marquis Cornwallis (1738-1805). In early life Cornwallis was both a soldier and a politician. Though one of the few men opposed to the taxation of the American Colonists, he felt bound as a soldier to serve against them and was undoubtedly the most able of the English generals. In 1786, at the urgent request of Pitt, he became Governor General of India and did not return to England till 1793. In 1798 Cornwallis again entered the public service as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and occupied that position at the time of the Union. At his death he was again Viceroy of India.
(1781,) June 13, Wednesday m(orming).--As I think, after having wrote a long letter to Dr. Ekins, I shall have little to say to you, so I take only this vessel of paper for my purpose. Mrs. Webb and I are going to consummate our unfinished loves at Streatham, and to reside there at times for the next six weeks. I shall make use of this opportunity to fix myself in a country house for next year, and perhaps the Duke of Q(ueensberry) may do the same, for from that distance to about ten miles further we have agreed is the best to answer our purposes. We must necessarily have two houses, that purity and impurity may not occasionally meet. Lady Ossory has negotiated this matter for me, and this morning I shall go to Bedford House to do homage, as a tenant-at-will.
I heard yesterday young Pitt; I came down into the House to judge for myself. He is a young man who will undoubtedly make his way in the world by his abilities. But to give him credit for being very extraordinary, upon what I heard yesterday, would be absurd. If the oration had been p.r.o.nounced equally well by a young man whose name was not of the same renown, and if the matter and expression had come without that prejudice, or wrote down, all which could have been said was, that he was a sensible and promising young man. There is no fairer way of judging.
Lord Cambden's son acquitted himself but very ill; however, Lord Chatham did him the honour to say that he sees he will make a speaker, so we must give him credit for what he may do by what Lord Chatham has said.
If I wanted reputation, and to be puffed, and could afford to pay for such nonsense, I would certainly be in Opposition, and sit in the House in the places where Ossory and Lord Robert and young Greenville sit. But the difficulty would be to extol my speaking when I said nothing.
The guinea a deal is now deemed too much, so Charles has published a new edict, and they have only five guineas an hour, by which Lord Robert cannot earn in a day more than Brooks gets by furnis.h.i.+ng cards and candles. Pigott has found out that punting is not advantageous, and has left it off. The General is not yet of the same opinion. Lord Spencer, Mr. Heneage, Offley, &c., are des culs de plomb, and the bankers' coaches are not ordered till about six in the morning.
Lord Abergavenny's son is certainly to marry Robinson's daughter. He gives her 25,000 pounds down, which does not pay all the young man's debts. Lord A(bergavenny) gives them a thousand a year. He is a weak, good-tempered young man, or, as the King of Prussia called an acquaintance of mine, the Comte de Bohn, une belle bete.
Robinson seems rejoiced that he is to be allied to the Nevills, and that his posterity is to have the bear and ragged staff, red roses, and portcullises for their insignia. Malden, to console himself for the infidelity of Mrs. Robinson, is gone to Bruxelles with his Royal Highness.(169)
(169) The Duke of Gloucester.
(1781, June 13,) Wednesday, 4 o clock.--P.S.--I have been at Bedford House, and performed my homage. I dine at Streatham on Sunday, and in the course of the next week go to settle myself there. I met Admiral Biron in my way back, and had some discourse with him on the subject of his sister.(170) He spoke to me about her with great good nature and reason, but said that the correspondence was between his wife and her, and seemed to hint, if he was himself consulted, he should advise her better. He expects her home, from the tenor of her letters to Mrs. Biron, so perhaps, after all, she may come. If she does, Bory and I shall prepare a reception for her.
Storer is coming here to dinner. He lives now with Mr. Walpole; has his lodging at Strawberry Hill, as an antiquarian. March dines here also. There are to be two more promenades at Bedford House on a Monday, and then she (the d.u.c.h.ess) goes to Ouburn (Woburn) for the rest of the year.
The bank won last night, as Lord Clermont (tells me?), 4,000; that must have been chiefly of the General; but of the bankers, those who deal, punt also; so they may have contributed.
At Streatham I shall be within two miles of Gregg, so we shall have together a great deal of discourse about you. Admiral Biron was the other day at Castle Howard, and saw little Elizabeth, who was very well. I like the Admiral much.
P.M. (sic).--Poor Storer is gone away in great dudgeon. March fell asleep on one side of him, and I on the other, the moment that the cloth was taken away. He was not last night in the Division, or made any bargain. He has been all this day at Charles's auction, to secure for him his books. All his things were upon sale yesterday and to-day. Some of his books are very scarce and valuable.
I wonder that, knowing himself liable to such an attack, he did not keep them at Brooks's, where they would have been for ever unmolested.
Mrs. Elliot is returned from France, and I have seen her in a vis-a-vis with that idiot Lord Cholm(ondeley); so I suppose that is to go on as it did.
My servants tell me that Sir J. Irwin sets out for Ireland to-morrow, but that I believe is not so; I understood him last night that it would be a month before he went. He said that he should go no more this Session to the House of Commons. I believe that Mr.
Robinson will find it very difficult to muster so many of his troops as were a.s.sembled there last night, any more this year. It was insufferably hot and dull.
I wish that Storer would be in humour with them till the Session was over, and say nothing. If then nothing is done, he may begin his grumbling. W. K. and John, I take it for granted, report these things, if they happen to hear of them. He will succeed at last, I do not doubt; in the meantime, le meilleur parti est de se taire.
Lady Julia, as I understand, is to meet Lady B(etty?) in the country, and come up with her to town. What a fracas we shall have when my Lady Dowager arrives; and if she does not, I see no end of her vexations. The Admiral says that she talks of coming. . . .
(170) The Countess Dowager of Carlisle.
(1781,) June 18, Monday night.--I saw this morning Lady Julia, who looks very well, and has no brogue. I sat a great while with her and Lady Betty, and talked over with them our foreign affairs; but no letter is come from Warner, although a mail is, as I see by the papers, arrived both from France and from Flanders. The Jamaica fleet is safe at last, and the Emperor(171) declares Ostende to be a free port. The two Houses will rise yet this month, and this is all that I know of public matters.