YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Bought with the income
ofthe
ALFRED E. PERKINS FUND

MEMORIALS

CORRESPONDENCE

CHARLES JAMES FOX.

fjj" The Author of this work gives notice that he reserves to
himself the right of translating it.

MEMORIALS

CORRESPONDENCE

CHARLES JAMES FOX.

BY LOED JOHN EUSSELL.

VOLUME IV.

LONDON :
EICHAED BENTLBT,
^lublisJjn; in ©rSinarg ia ?ger IHajtstg.
MUCOOLVn.

LONDON:
BRADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS.

COERESPONDENCE OF
CHARLES JAMES FOX.

BOOK THE SEVENTH.

I HAVE now arrived at the last period of the cor
respondence of Mr. Eox, and I shall preface it by a
very few remarks.
Some letters of 1803, and ofthe early part of 1804,
which had been omitted, are here inserted.
Erom the time when Mr. Fox returned to active
politics in 1804 till the period of his coming into
office in 1806, his correspondence Avith Lord Grey,
Lord Lauderdale, Lord Holland, and General Eitz-
patrick is very full. The period is one of so much
interest, and the conduct of such a man is of so much
importance, that I have retrenched little of this
correspondence. Some repetitions I have, however,
omitted. Mr. Fox explains so clearly, and so openly, as his
manner was, his views to his friends, that I shall not
here attempt any further explanation of them.

2 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 54.
Lord Holland, in his memoirs of the Whig party,
after relating the circumstances of Mr. Fox's death,
adds, " His character could be best delineated by a
narrative of the leading events of his political life,
by a reference to his speeches and writings, by a
publication of many of his private letters, a descrip
tion of his domestic life, and such fragments of his
conversation as the memory of his friends might
supply. Such a work I have long meditated." At
a later period Lord HoUand, busy with pohtics, and
immersed in society, limited his hopes to the plan of
forming a collection of materials for the hfe of Mr. Fox.
He was not stoguine with respect to the completion of
even so much of his task, and he said to me one
day, "I suppose I shall not be able to finish my
book : I shall leave it to you to complete." Unfortu
nately his labours carried him only to the period
when his own recollections of Mr. Fox's conversation
became distinct, and his own interest in politics lively
and intelligent. The present Lord HoUand says in
a note, " My father abandoned this work at a later
period of his life. The late Mr. Allen commenced it,
but also gave it up. The ample materials left by my
father are now in Lord John RusseU's hands for that
purpose." Political employments stih more absorbing than
those of the late Lord Holland have hitherto pre
vented my doing more than publishing the collections
made by Lord Holland and Mr. Allen, with such
comments as I thought essential, and with the assist
ance of some valuable notes furnished me by a friend, in

1808.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 3
illustration of the letters to Lord Holland published
in the third volume. I shall endeavour, in a separate
form, to place in a connected narrative the relation
of Mr. Fox's political career, and an account of his
times. In that manner the great events of his life
will be prominently set forth, and his public policy
fully discussed.

TO R. ADAIR, ESQ. "January, 1803.
"Dear, Adair,
" I send you back your newspaper, which,
I confess, I do not admire so much as you do. I
certainly think it too anti-Gallican, as it seems to look
to hopes from time which, at present, there is no
ground to form. I look upon Europe as much lost
to us as America, and all notions of recovering it,
unless some unexpected alterations happen, as
visionary. However, if Perry * had been so strong on
the other side that a circuitous route was necessary
to come round, I think the papers (for he has sent
me the preceding one) very judicious in that view.
" I am more afraid for peace than ever ; Bona
parte's insolence to us in his speech to the Swiss
Delegates is not only grating in itself, but is a
symptom that the nonsense talked here has produced
a strong effect upon his mind. I still hope, how
ever, that his interest will determine him to be in no
* Mr. Perry, the honest and able editor of the " Morning Chronicle,"
which seems to be the newspaper referred to. B 2

4 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 54.
degree the aggressor, and that our government will
not be quite foohsh enough to put him in the right
by any violent act on their part. The business of
sending Moore does appear to have been very absurd
indeed, and one cannot wonder that Bonaparte
should consider it as more seriously meant than in
fact it probably was.* The Ministers, instead of
avoiding, ought to have sought an opportunity of
explaining themselves upon this point ; but one of
their grand errors was that they spoke entirely with a
view to the Opposition, and not at aU to the Consul.
A few civil words would have done all.
" Yours ever, "C.J. FOX."
" St. Ann's Hn.!, Tmsday.''

TO SAME. "1803.
" Dear Adair,
" I have just received your letter and the
Duchess's,! and can only say that if the P. of W.
wants to see me it will of course be my duty to wait
upon him, either in London, or wherever else he
chooses to appoint : but that as to attending Par
liament at present, it appears to me impossible that
any good can come of it. It is, as the P. very
properly says, respecting the war, both too soon and
too late ; too soon for anything like a junction and
strength, and too late for opposing the Defence Bill,
* Thia alludes probably to the mission of a confidential agent of the
British government to the borders of Switzerland. See " Alison's History
of Em-ope," vol. vi. p. 171. t Probably the Duchess of Devonshire.

1803.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 5
&c. &c. At the same time you may teU his R. H.
that I am very happy to find that my general
opinions are nearly the same as his. To add the
conscripts to the regulars would be far the best plan,
but whether his mode of raising recruits be at all
right, even for the purpose which I best like of a
regular army, is another question. If the conduct of
Ministers respecting Hanover be as blameable as
H. R. H. supposes, (and I have little doubt but he is
right,) a motion of inquiry may certainly be made on
that subject ; and indeed this is the only thing like a
parliamentary measure that can be now taken ; and
remark how very unfavourable for such a motion the
time of the session and other circumstances are. It
ought not to be made without a perfect concert
between persons who are not in the habit of
concerting, and this alone would take some time.
" The part of the P.'s opinions in which I most
heartily concur is that which relates to the propriety he
thinks there would have been in waiting for some cause
of war in which other nations would have concurred.
Now as to men, you know I have no objection to any
set, and to some of those mentioned I have something
like partiality ; but you know the strong impressions
which many of my friends entertain against Wind
ham, and everything of the name of Grenville. That
these prejudices must, if there is occasion, be resisted,
I am most ready to admit ; but until there seems some
opportunity of doing good, there is no use in doing
violence to the feelings of friends. Lord Spencer's
influence with the K. I suspect to exist only in the

6 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 64.
P.'s imagination, nor do I conceive that any influence
can turn him against a ministry made in a manner so
agreeable to him. What then is to be done ? Alas !
I know not ; but I think the best chance is to wait for
the effect which these violent measures and outward
events will produce, and then if much discontent
should arise, a junction, such as the P. seems to wish,
may be produced, and the exertion of his R. H.'s
influence may very much contribute to give strength
— ay, and cordiahty too, — to such a junction.
" One thing, however, it may be necessary to pre
mise, viz. : that I cannot be one of any party who do not
see both the possibility and the eligibility of being
at peace with Bonaparte upon certain conditions. The
only question with me at aU doubtful is, whether in the
expectation of the propriety of such a junction as has
been hinted at, hereafter, it might not be advisable
soon to have some concert provisionaUy, if I may so
express myself, between the P. and some at least of
the Grenvflles, Lord Spencer, &c., in order that our
respective modes of conduct might be such as at least
not to create new diificulties, if not to facUitate a
union next session. One good consequence of such
an understanding might be to put a stop to Moira's
rhodomontades, and other things of the kind. I am
sensible aU this is a proceeding far too slow for the
Prince's impetuosity, an impetuosity which upon this
occasion, however, is much to his credit. If he and
those most immediately connected with him can
suggest any plan of more rapid operation, I am sm-e
I have no unwillingness to listen to it with all

1803.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 7
imaginable deference. In the meantime pray say
everything from me to his R. H. that is respectful
and affectionate, and if I might venture one piece of
advice, it would be to take great care not to say or do
anything that can tend to declare a personal enmity
between him and Bonaparte. I am sure this advice
is unnecessary, but the foUies of  and 
make one feel an inclination to give it.
" Let me repeat, that with respect to men, I have
no objection. With Lord Moira, however I may
disapprove of his late speeches, I always have lived,
and wish still to live, in friendship. Tom Grenville
and Windham I like, and Lord Grenville and Lord
Spencer are persons to me quite unexceptionable ; of
the abilities of the former I have also a very high
opinion. I have, I think, explained to you all my
feelings and opinions, and you will communicate as
much of them as you think proper. " Yours ever, "C. J. FOX.
"St. Ann's Httt, Monday,
" P.S. I observe I have said nothing of the blockade
of the Elbe. Upon the face of it, it appears a very
injudicious measure ; but the secret history tnay,
though I hardly think it teill, make some difference.
" If I must go to the P., remember that to-morrow,
Friday, and Monday, would be the most inconvenient
days to me ; but surely there is no reason for my
going at all."

CORRESPONDENCE OF [iEiAT. 54.

MR. FOX TO MR. O'BRIEN.*
"St. Ann's Hill, Jime ^th, 1803.
" I SHALL hardly have time to answer your
two letters to-day, and, therefore, very briefly. I
still think as I did about the attack upon the
Grenvilles, and especially upon Lord GrenvOle. To
prove how impolitic it is, it is only necessary to
observe that we are exactly doing the work of the
Court: Are not they abusing the GrenviUes every day?
have they not had even the impudence to call them
bloodhounds ? and that too when they were about to
make a more unnecessary, if not a more odious, war
than the last ? Even the milk-and-water Addington
gets to something like invective when he speaks of
them. And why are we to attack them ? as warriors?
are not they the true warriors who make a wicked
war, rather than those who talk absurdly against
peace? Besides, has not Lord G. said distinctly,
1st, that bad as the Peace of Amiens was, your sole
object ought to have been to keep the Consul to it ;
2ndly, that the Ministers, however blameable for what
he calls former submissions, are stiU more so for
bringing on war at this time, and upon this question ?
You will not suspect me of denying that we have
sufficient cause of complaint against the GrenviUes ;
but, alas, against whom have we not ? and is this the
moment — when the Court is in direct and bitter
• Dennis O'Brien, Esq., a gentleman connected with the press. He was
a warm adherent of Mr. Fos., but much distrusted by many of his friends.

1803.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 9
hostility to them, and when, moreover, Pitt and they
seem to I)e every day getting further distant from
each other, — is this the moment for us to attack them ?
At the beginning of the session the case was far
different ; there were then hopes with regard to the
conduct of the present Ministers which have now
vanished, and I cannot help thinking that, among the
different corps of the enemy, these Grenvilles are
those that have preserved most of something like a
trifle of reputation, and that, for that very reason,
they are most run down by the Court. Now ought
we to assist the Court in this ? I think not. On
the contrary, I think we ought to contend that there
is not the smallest reason for distinguishing any one
of these gangs as at all more set upon war than
another. Pitt is as bad in that respect as Windham,
and Addington as either of them ; with this differ
ence, that the latter by his folly has contrived to lay
bare the injustice of our cause, more perhaps than
the others would have done in his place 
" You are quite right in your system of doing
nothing. It is as wise as it is agreeable. I am very far
from wishing to make any coalition at this" time, but
neither would I throw unnecessary impediments in
•the way of any future one with any persons who are
capable of acting in real opposition. Pitt has shown
decidedly that he is not. " Yours ever, " C. J. FOX."

10 CORRESPONDENCE OP [iEiAi. 54.

TO SAME. " July 6th, 180S.
" I AM glad you agree to what I say concerning the
Grenvilles, &c., but shaU be sorry if it makes you
whoUy abandon your ifl-fated book.* My reasons
are rather strengthened by the insolent manner with
which I hear Addington, now he thinks he is safe
from Pitt, attacks Windham in the House of Commons.
As to our difference concerning invasion and its con
sequences, I stiU think they cannot venture it, but I
own the language of the French towns, &c., which I
suppose to be approved by Bonaparte, has a face the
other way, and if they do come, the extreme folly of
our Ministers and their measures makes me tremble
for London. However, I am one of those who think
that it is not true, that London lost, all is lost.
My main dependence is still upon the difiBculty of
escaping our fleet so as to land in numbers, — a
difficulty which must, I think, deter Bonaparte
from the undertaking, and the rather because it is of
a nature not to be surmounted by exertion, but by
chance only. If it does not deter him, it wiU make
me think him not bold but rash, and I think the
probabilities are ten to one against his succeeding
even so far as to land."
* Probably some pamphlet that Mr. O'Brien was writing.

1803.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 11

TO SAME.
"St. Ann's Hill, August 12th, 1803.
" I WILL not say anything of pubhc affau's, but
Sheridan has outdone his usual outdoings. Folly
beyond all the past; but what degree of folly will
not extreme levity and vanity be capable of pro
ducing ? The P.'s offer, and the refusal of it, ought,
I repeat, to be noticed more than it is. Cannot
you, without troubling yourself, give a hint to some
friend that it should be done ? "

TO SAME.
" St. Anm's Hill, December SOth, 1803.
" Many thanks for your letter, and pray write what
you hear of the intended invasion. I still think they
will find it very difficult to get out of their ports, and
still more so to reach England and land in safety; and
upon these difficulties my boldness rests. You do not
argue so logically as you usually do. Bonaparte is not
a fool, and would not, say you, attempt such an enter
prise without reasonable hopes of success ; but in the
very next sentence, you say he has no other means of
making war but by invasion ; if this is so, it accounts
for his taking a mode by no means eligible in itself,
and where the chances are much against him ; for a
wise man will take bad means if he has no better.
This blowing weather, if it blows off our ships from his
coast, will also, in all probability, disperse his ships,
and still more his boats and floats, &c., if they put to

12 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 54.
sea. In short, I am bold, very bold, as long as they
are on the other side of the water or on the seas. If
they land, I am not in the same state of confidence ;
but even then, and supposing the enemy were to be
victorious, I hope — nay, I think — he Avill grievously
feel his want of communication with the Continent.
Remember, that in your favourite instance, Carthage
was not conquered till Rome had obtained a supe
riority by sea as well as by land."*
TO MR. ADAIR. " December 2Sth, 1803.
" Dear Adair,
" I had a letter by the same post from the
Duchess of D., relating merely to some general wish
of communication. I told her that if I had intended
to bring on the Irish business, I should have com
municated ; but now there was nothing to commu
nicate. Letters from Grattan and Ponsonby have
dissuaded me (though I remain wholly unconvinced)
from bringing on that business now, but I stfll
think, as I did before, that it is desirable that such
of our friends as are /or, should make their opinions
known, at least to me."
* In these opinions about the chances of invasion, Mr. Fox came on one
side to nearly the same conclusions which Napoleon did on the other.
Napoleon's combinations, in order to become master of the sea, were
exceedingly able, and had it not been for two circumstances might have
succeeded. These two circumstances were, that operations by sea, to be
performed by sailing vessels, cannot be reduced to the same certainty as
marches by land ; and secondly, that Villeneuve, and uot Napoleon, was
to direct them. Had the French landed, they might have caused a good
deal of confusion, but would easily have been cut off by sea, and must, in
all probability, have surrendered.— See Thiers, and Napoleon's conversation
with Lord Whitworth in the " Parliamentary Papera."

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. , 13

TO GENERAL FITZPATRICK. "January \st, 1804.
" Yesterday, and not before, died James, Duke of
Monmouth, &c. It will be well if the historian has
not made as bungling a piece of work with him as
the hangman.
"The accounts from London all are that an
attempt is to be expected immediately : if the troops
in Holland are Teally (as is said) embarked, it looks
serious ; but I hope, and believe, too, that between
s.iiling and landing -noXKa ixeTa^-u. I find the Dublin
papers are open-mouthed against my brother.* I
have not heard from him, but I understand by a
letter from Admiral Berkeley, there was something
going on to make him easy. He either had seen, or
was to see, Addington ; but Berkeley did not think
matters could be amicably settled. I rather wish
they could, if it can be done properly, and that
somebody should bring on the affair of the 23rd of
July, which is in no shape connected with him."-f
" St. Ann's Hill, Sunday."
* General Fox. He was replaced by Lord Cathcart. See Life of Lord
Sidmouth. "It may be considered as settled, that your present com
mander-in-chief is -to have a command in the Mediterranean, for which he
is better calculated than for his present situation, being certainly an
excellent officer, and a most valuable man ; and that Lord Cathcart is to
succeed him in Ireland." Mr. Addington to Lord Hardwicke, August 25,
1803. t The 23rd of July was the day of the murder of Lord Kilwarden by
a savage mob at Dublin.

14 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 55.

TO SAME. "Janum-y 6th, 1804.
" I DO not yet give up the bringing on of the Irish
question: the Duke of Bedford has written me a
letter strongly in favour of it, and something is said
of the Enghsh Catholics wishing me to bring on their
claims ; with respect to this last circumstance, I shall
know more in a few days. If the thing is to be
done. Grey wifl come to move it. I have heard
nothing more since I wrote to you, except that the
invasion is to be this week or the next. Did you see
the Moniteur's observations on the King's Speech?
They were in the Morning Chronicle about ten
days or a fortnight ago, and are excellent."
" St. Ann's Hill, Friday."

TO MR. O'BRIEN.
" St. Ann's Hill, January 22nd, 1804.
" Depend on it, there is no truth in any treaty at
present — (I mean these last nine months) — with Pitt
or for Pitt.* I suspect there is foundation for what
Cobbett says of his concealment; indeed, I always
thought the confidence among the resigners was
partial ; certainly neither Lord Spencer or Windham
were completely trusted, stiU less Lord Cornwallis or
Lord Castlereagh : I think it equally certain that
Dundas was; with respect to Lord Grenville, I should
* Mr. Fox was quite mistaken. See Life of Lord Sidmouth.

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 15
think it most doubtful. I suspect there were shades
and degrees, and that hp was less trusted than
Dundas, and more than the others ; but of all this
raore when we meet. At present, I can only guess
at these things ; I may by-and-by know more, but
it is raore matter of curiosity than of interest."

TO GENERAL FITZPATRICK. "January 21th, 1804,,
"Dear Dick,
" I thought to have heard from you before
now, but should nevertheless have written if I had
come to any determination concerning the Irish
business. I hear George Ponsonby says to others
that it is only delay which he recommends, but I have
not yet had his promised letter, nor have I yet had
what I shortly expect, an account of Lord Fingal's
wishes upon the occasion; so I should naturally
remain upon this point in the same irresolution as
when I wrote last. But in the meantime a proposition
has been made to me, concerning which it is expected
I should give an answer, and indeed the fairness and
openness with which it has been made entitles the
makers of it to explicitness on my part. I have a
message by our old friend T. G.,* from his family and
friends, stating their wish to co-operate with me (and
friends, of course) in a systematic opposition for the
purpose of destroying the Doctor's Administration, and
* Mr. Thomas Grenville.

16 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 55.
of substituting in its place one upon the most com
prehensive basis possible. The first object (first in
point of time) is to oppose the biU which Ministers
are to bring in on the Volunteer business, and ^o
propose a general system of arming the people upon
the principles I approve, reducing the Militia to its
old quantmn, putting an end to bidding for substitutes
&c., with many details which I am to see. When I
say this is the first in point of time, I ought to observe
that so it appears to me, for they stated a doubt
whether some inquiry relative to the 23rd of July, to
be moved by some friend of ours, might not precede
everything. I mention this to show that there is no
point of precedence as to which wing should begin
the attacks; but to return, some inquiry into the
management of foreign politics is also suggested, and
more particularly if the war with Spain takes place, of
which I much doubt. Ireland and the Catholics are
left to my judgment. Upon their connection with
Pitt, I understand them to be quite explicit ; that it
is over, and that his opinions are no further to be
considered or looked to, than in a prudential view
with respect to the questions in which he might or
not join us. P. and Lord G. have had full expla
nations ; the same proposal was made to him as is now
made to me. His answer was, that the present
Ministry is weak and inadequate to the crisis ; that
their dismission will be a benefit to the country ; that
in case of such an event an Administration should be
formed upon the broadest possible basis; that if
His Majesty were on such an occasion to send for him.

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 17
he should think it right to endeavour to comprehend
in the arrangement all parties, and even those who
had been most hostile to him ; (N.B. This tallies exactly
with what we heard before ;) that in many points he
would support the new Opposition if it took place, but
that he was determined not to engage either with
Ministers or their opponents systematically. In short
he could not be what is called in Opposition. He
hinted too that these men might probably die of their
own weakness, an opinion too absurd I think for him
to entertain seriously. The truth seems to be that he
cannot give up the hope of being in some way
acceptable at Court ;* like Sancho he cannot quite give
up his hopes of the island, in which however he has
no faith whatever. As to measures he seems, as I am
told, not averse to the measure of new modelling
Volunteers', Military Defence, &c., but is against
inquiry into the 23rd of July, as that is a retrospec
tive measure. And this I think will be the rule of his
conduct. lie will oppose Ministers in cases where
there is a pretence to say, we are suggesting better
measures to he pursued, but oppose inquiries as their
object is to censure the past, rather than to provide
for the future. Censures lead to removals, removal is
the King s prerogative : mind, however, this reasoning
is what I impute to him, not what he avowed. If the
report is true, that Ministers are to bring in a
Declaratory Bill, justifying the Attorney- General's
opinion, and of course condemning Ersldne's, it would
* This remark resembles one which Burke made on Lord Chatham : —
" A peep into that closet intoxicates him."
VOL. IV. °

18 CORRESPONDENCE OP [.^tat. 66.
be the best possible opportunity of commencing
operations. Erskine would not only be safe with
us, but furious, and the more so as he says the whole
bar or nearly is with him ; and even Sheridan will
not like to take a part which will be generally con
sidered as hostile to the liberty of the volunteers ; of
course Tiemey and the Southwark volunteers entreront
enjeu. In short, it would be a better question for us
than any we could devise, if we had a friend to advise
the Doctor for us. But though this report is
universally credited, and though it is difficult for
anything to be too foolish for the Doctor, I confess I
doubt it very much, and the more so because I see in
to day's paper, that Erskine has got a certiorari by
which means the question will shortly come before the
King's Bench. However, if they do not bring a
Declaratory Bill, they wiU certainly bring in some bill,
which will be distasteful to a great number of the
volunteers, relative to the election of o^cexs, Jines for
absence, 8fc.
" My answer was that, I thought with them upon
all the subjects discussed, and that I felt no re
pugnance to agree to the proposal, at least in some
degree, but that I must have some days before I could
answer. Now what is your advice ? If Grey would
come to town to stay and engage heartily, (of which,
if he would come, I have no doubt,) perhaps it would
be right to say yes, perhaps it is right even now. But
the inconvenience is terrible, for to do the thing
thoroughly without a stay in London is impossible,
and then expense, interruption to history, &c. &c.j

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 19
where after all there is no chance of success ; it is
very hard to encounter all this. Suppose I were to
answer that I will give them all occasional help in my
power, but that I cannot alter my plan of life so as to
give a regular attendance in Parliament, and that I am
afraid Grey can hardly be induced to come up. I
must finish now, though I have omitted several
circumstances, and among others a very important
one, that our old friend * sees the possibility, nay the
probability, that if we succeed in ousting the Doctor,
P. may return to power, and after having proposed
terms in vain to some of the Opposition, may put
himself at the head of the present Administration, or
one like it, and this is admitted to be an objection to
the plan. I do not feel this so much as he does, but
many others will.f " Yours affectionately, " c. J. F.
" St. Ann's Hill, Friday."

TO SAME.
" January 2Sih, 1804.
" I WAS interrupted in my letter yesterday, and
have an opportunity of sending this to London, so I
will add a little supplement, the most material part of
which is to say, pray come as soon as you can.
Mrs. F. says I should say nothing but come, come,
come, and she would say it down on her knees. You
know she thinks there is no adviser but you. Pray
by return of post say when you come exactly. I
* Mr. Thomas Grenville. + It is exactly what happened. 0 2

20

CORRESPONDENCE OF [iEiAT. 55.

should have mentioned yesterday, that our friend was
very distinct as to the persons who were parties to the
proposal — i.e. all of his own name and family. Lord
Spencer, Windham, &c. He had seen Carlisle, and he
was much for it, and thought he could answer for
Morpeth. Of Fitzwilliam, of course, there could be no
doubt. He knew nothing of Canning or Lord Gran
ville,* but rather guessed that Lord Stafford would
hang off with Pitt ; of Lord Melville he knows no
more than we do. He thinks that if Pitt offered to
stay in without Catholic Emancipation, (and by what I
hear of Charles Long's pamphlet, that if, is now a
certainty,) he concealed the circumstance from all his
colleagues, except Dundas. I hear Cobbett asserts
this positively. You and I, you know, always sus
pected some concealment, but such a circumstance as
this, and concealed from Lord Grenville too ! quel
homme ! adieu, write and come. " Yours affectionately, " C. J. FOX.
" St. Ann's Hill, Saturday."

TO D. O'BRIEN, ESQ. "Januai-y 2%th, 1804.
" I DO think, as Perry does, that Publicus f comes
from some friends of Pitt's, but among the different
sections, which is entitled to the appellation of bosom
I'riends, I know not ; my opinion is, that he is a man
incapable of reposing thorough confidence in any
* Lord Granville Leveson Gower, afterwards Earl Granville.
t A letter in the " Public Advertiser " with that signature.

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 21
friend. I dare say he did not see it himself, but I
have good reason to believe that he would approve
far the greater part of the letter. I rather think if
he had looked it over, he would have erased the
incivility to me, and put the question more upon the
impropriety of his going into Opposition at all, than
upon the associates he was to engage with in such a
business ; but perhaps I am too "candid. Rose and
his creatures are the set of P.'s friends who have, I
believe, most to say to the ' True Briton,' and are,
besides, those from whom such sentiments as those of
Publicus are most likely to come. I have reason to
believe the meeting you heard of between P. and
Lord Grenville was political, but not with the view
you heard.* I suspect it was for the purpose of a final
explanation, before they took their different roads,
and that Lord G. is very much dissatisfied. P. will
not go into Opposition systematically, though he
means to take opportunities of discrediting the Doctor,
while the other, on the contrary, wishes to make and
join in as extensive and systematical an Opposition as
can be formed. It will, therefore, I think, be shortly
understood, that all political connection between them
is over. Mind all this is in confidence, though I hope
and believe it will soon be known. What part will
be taken by Canning and his (friends), I have no
guess, though I know their inclination is for action,
but whether or not they will have leave, remains to be
seen. They say that P. has a notion that these
Ministers must go, and that, in that case, he may
* See " Courts and Cabinets," &o. vol. iii. p. 342.

22 CORRESPONDENCE OP [iEiAT. 65.
return to power, without the odium at Court of
having been in Opposition; I cannot think he
can be weak enough to have such a hope, " but Love
win hope where reason would despair," and Sancho
Panza could never quite give up the idea of his island
after he had discovered the vanity and iUusion of his
master's plan. It is certain that, if he offered to stay
in without Catholic Emancipation, the offer was con
cealed from all his colleagues except Dundas. I say
if, because I am told the pamphlet does not make
that point so clear as you suppose ; I have, however,
no doubt of the fact nor ever had."

TO GENERAL FITZPATRICK. "i?e6r»ffi)-y24(A, 1804.
" I SUPPOSE the system of shding, as you call it,
into a junction must be adopted, but you must
recoUect that one great advantage is lost by that
method, I mean that it puts an end to that decisive
disconnection with Pitt, which the other mode would
nail. Besides, in cases where he joins them (as I
suppose he will in the course of the Volunteer Bill)
they will appear rather following him than us. But
it cannot be helped — whatever prejudices Plumer and
other good men may have, surely they must see that
in case of junction, we have so very decisively the
lead in the House of Commons, that there can be no
doubt upon that point. " Yours, affectionately,
., p., .. "C. J. F.
Pnaay.

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 23

TO SAME.
" Fehrmry 2Uh, 1804.
" Dear Dick,
" I shall be in town Monday, and at the
House, though there will be probably nothing to do
there. I hope I shall see Lord Grenville on Tuesday, and
then I shall be able to tell my friends (pretty unreason
able friends they are) something of the matter. I have
a letter from Whitbread, and it wiU probably be as
he wishes, but do not you see that by this mode, the
objection (which others lay more stress on than I do),
of Pitt's taking advantage, gains tenfold strength ?
He can, in this case, (if the King will let him,) come
in with just as many, or as few, of his old colleagues
as he chooses, and they will have no motive to withhold
them from following him. If a real junction had
taken place, he must be driven to the alternative of
coming in with the present men, or not at aU. That
there should be some divisions and debates previous to
any regular junction may be right, but if it does not
take place no good can be done, " nor if it does " you
may answer, and I cannot easily reply ; but one likes
to have done for the best. I think the style of this
letter will sufficiently inform you that Mrs. F. is quite
well again. " Yours affectionately, " c. J. ,F.
" Saturday morning."

24 CORRESPONDENCE OF [iEiAT. 55.

TO THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE. "Mm-ch nth, 1804.
" Dear Lauderdale,
" I write to you as you desire it, though
I have little worth communicating. The K. is, I
believe, recovering, but certainly not recovered as yet.
They go on just as if he was as well as ever, and for
the present this is endured without any very general
impatience. That it wiU be long so endured, I can
hardly believe, because even now, and much more a
fortnight ago, I have perceived what appear to me to
be symptoms of some dissatisfaction upon this head.
That the Ministers will venture everything for their
places, I always believed, and it now seems certain.
Three years ago, after the K. had recovered suffici
ently to invest them in their offices, it is known, and
now scarcely disavowed, that he had a severe relapse,
and was for weeks at Kew, in such a state as neither
to see Ministers or family ; and yet these very men,
from whose timidity so much is expected, ventured to
conceal this relapse, and even to deny it, and went on
just as if nothing had happened ! The K. is now, I
really believe, much better than he has been, as far as
quiet and composure go, but I suspect they are as
much afraid as ever of letting him see his family, or
talking to him of any real business.
" Grey went on Tuesday, and I think I shall go on
Sunday, but to come back for a day if there is any
thing more before Easter. You wiU perceive that the
Doctor is much weaker in numbers than one could

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 25
have imagined, but it looks as if this was not so
much owing to our strength, as to speculations among
their friends concerning the K., and Pitt's ambigu
ous situation. However, it has this good effect, that
it makes him (the Doctor) more and more contemned
every day ; indeed the contempt, both with respect to
the degree and universality of it, is beyond what was
ever known. Not one unpaid defender, unless you
reckon Dallas, who is impatient for the Solicitor-
Generalship. It is not merely old partiality that
makes me say that your brother has been by far his
best man. Sheridan will appear for him to-day in
the Admiralty business, in whicli Ld. St. V. has been
so ill-advised as to refuse papers and thus to force me
and others to vote what will be called against him.
If he had granted the papers, Pitt must have moved
a vote of censure, and the division would have been
in every respect, both with respect to names and
numbers and also to the nature of the question, far
raore honourable and satisfactory to him. I am not
sure that Sheridan is not the cause of this for the
purpose of giving him the opportunity of making a
speech, he has a fancy for making. Ld. Holland s
arm was broken on the 6th of February, and there
are letters from Ly. Holland as late as the 21st,
saying it has been set perfectly well, and that every
thing goes on rightly. As to the Paris news, I know
nothing more than what you see in the papers. It
seems incredible that Moreau should have ventm-ed on
such a bottom, but I am afraid he has. I have great
curiosity to hear more. Now I have despatched the

26

CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 55.

general topics, let me tell you that I have read all you
have sent me of your book, but I am sorry to say
that I am confirmed in my opinion respecting the
science.* Your refutations are almost always satis
factory, but not so to my mind your own theories ;
and after all, on the particular point of paying off
debt, the most you do is making it a question merely
of degree, and what ground is there for fixing the
point beyond which it is mischievous? If Sir R.
Walpole was right, that in his time we could bear the
operation of a million, sm'ely on the face of the thing
six milhons' would not be too much now, but the
Avhole of your reasoning on this point appears to me
to be very uncertain. I should like to argue it with
you in talk, but in vn-iting it is too much trouble ;
yet I am not sure that I shall not try. The part
I agree most with you in, is the statement of the
means by which capital operates in the production and
increase of wealth. I never saw that point so intel
ligibly stated before."

TO SAME. " March 25th, 1804.
"Dear Lauderdale,
" When I said it was a question of degree,
I did not mean that I admitted aU sinking funds to
be evils in a more tolerable, or a more intolerable
degree, but that there might be a degree of sinking
fund which is useful, a greater which is tolerable, and
» Political Economy. This letter aud the next refer to Lord Lauder
dale's work on Pubhc Wealth. See Vol. iii. p. 241.

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 27
possibly a still greater might be mischievous ; mind,
I only ^oy possibly, because you give no proof that as
yet any degree of it has been injurious. You show
indeed, that it had great effect in lowering interest,
but the lowering of interest being attended with
the increase of canals, inclosures, &c., is a strong
presumption the other way. It is impossible with
out writing volumes, to carry on this controversy by
letter ; but I may just observe that your proposition
that parsimony cannot increase national wealth
appears to me wholly unproved. If parsimony can
accumulate capital, and capital is one of the sources
of wealth, surely that which increases the source may
(I do not say necessarily does) increase through that
medium the wealth derived from such source. You
admit that in some cases it has the effect, viz., if you
lessened your consumption for the pm-poses of
furnishing the country with spades, ploughs, &c.,
where implements of this sort are not in sufficient
abundance. Why not, therefore, in increasing other
species of capital ? It may be true that there is a
point beyond whicli accumulation of capital may be
hurtful, though, by the Avay, I know of no instance
where it ever was so. If there is a superabundance
of capital it may be exported, you say, to France ;
but have you shown that this would be an evil ? and
have you not rather meanly mentioned this export to
France ad captandum ? One of my grand objections
to this most nonsensical of aU sciences is that none
of its definitions are to me intelligible. Your notions
(I do not mean yours only, but vous autres,) of value

28 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 55.
seem to me to be stark nonsense. You use that as
a positive term which never can be other than a
relative term. We grammarians are much wiser;
we say a thing is valuable, i. c, capable of being
valued or compared to some other thing. But we
have no substantive to express value ; we say such a
thing is worth a shilling, or a pot of porter, &c., &c.
I am very much in another place for preferring the
French economists, who deduct the subsistence of the
labourer from his produce, nor do I think any of you
have answered them upon that point. I still approve
highly your account of the manner in which capital
operates, but I accept yom* defiance of denying the
consequences you think follow. If capital should be
increased beyond the possibility of applying it to the
supplying the place of labour, what you say might
be true (but even then it might not, as I will some
day dispute with you,) but you must show that such
is the case of the particular country to which you
apply your reasoning. With respect to our own, it
is a common expression, you say, that such a field
has had all done for it that can be done ; but with
respect to how many fields and acres is this true, and
where it is not true, does there not apT^yeav prima facie
at least an unsatisfied demand for capital ? That an
increased produce of the land would increase national
wealth, you are not yet so far gone in paradox as to
deny ; that increase of capital reduces interest is not
denied either. He who borrows money to cultivate
land must take into his calculation the rate of interest
he is to pay, and consequently, the lower the interest

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 29
the better he can afford to borrow for his agricultural
enterprise ; which might answer at three per cent.,
and not at five per cent., and this reasoning is
equally applicable to commercial enterprise. In
short, I have nothing but doubts upon almost all
your propositions, except that which I have men
tioned. I cannot leave this subject without noticing
your constant use of the word supplant where we
should say supply the place of q>y be a substitute for.
I remarked it the more because it occurred to me
how unfortunate it would be, if, in recommending a
Regency, you should have said that your intention
was to supplant the personal exercise of the royal
functions. This leads me to another part of your
letter ; I think of the King's health just as I did ;
and my reason for thinking it possible that some im
patient symptoms will appear is this, that when he
was generally believed to be very ill, impatience did
appear ; that impatience has subsided, because there
is a pretty general opinion that he is nearly well, and
will, in a very short time, be quite so. When these
hopes shall be disappointed, and we recur to the
same state that we were in a month ago, — i. e., that
there is little hope of an efficient K. being to be
soon produced, the same symptoms of impatience
may reappear. However, this is all very uncertain
speculation, and I shall not be surprised to find
myself quite mistaken. I think we were wrong not
to take up the question. My opinion for taking it
up remained unchanged ; but I found the idea that
Pitt would trv, and succeed in making a violent

30 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 65.
cry against us, had so strong an effect on many of
our friends that we could not have done it with any
heart or unanimity. I think the only opinions that
were with me for action were those of Carlisle, Fitz-
wiUiam, and T. Grenville, to some of which I know
you think much weight ought not to be given;
to these I believe (for he was not present) I might
add Lord Spencer ; on the other hand, of our new
friends. Lord GrenviUe and Windliam, and most of
our old ones, particularly Whitbread, were very much
for inaction, and Grey, though stUl of my opinion in
regard to what was right, grew every hour to think
it more inexpedient. The P. wished something to
be done, and Moira would have supported us, but I
am convinced Sheridan would not ; indeed, in order
to avoid being brought to the point, he strongly
dissuaded our moving at that time, though I suspect
he has since represented this matter somewhat
differently at Carlton House.
" As to general politics, my opinion is that things
wUl remain as they are for some time, though
Addington's friends say he means to go out as soon
as the K. is weU enough to appoint a successor. I
utterly disbeheve this; but I do suspect that the
Doctor has said as much, and the lamentable faces of
Tiemey, and some others, seem to give credit to the
report. After Easter I shall bring in some questions
myself, of which I will write at large to Grey in a
few days. My guess is that Pitt wiU support me in
some and not in others, but he does not know
always his own mind, and much less can his friends

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 81
answer for him. His temper makes him more and
more in Opposition, whatever his intentions may be.
I suspect he has treated Castlereagh roughly; but
he (C.) will bear anything. The Doctor has ex
ceeded, if possible, all his former lies in what he said
about the Russian business. It is, I own, an ignoble
chase, but I should have great pleasure in hunting
down this vile fellow."

TO D. O'BRIEN, ESQ.
"St. Ann's Hill, March 21th, 1804.
" The Doctor outdid his usual outdoings in his lie
the other day on the subject of the Russian business.
On the 22nd of November, he told me upon his legs
distinctly, that the objection to the producing of the
negociation consisted in circumstances which he
expected to be of a temporary nature, and when
they were over he shoiUd be happy to give me and
the House the information which it was so natural that
we should desire. He now says that he did indeed
say that there were temporary circumstances which
precluded him from giving the information then, but
that he had added (then, on the 22nd November,) that
even when those circumstances should no longer
exist, it would not be the opinion, or at least it
would be very doubtful whether it would be the
opinion of the K.'s Ministers that the information
should be given. Every person whom I have asked,
is clear that he said no such thing, but nearly the
contrary, as I have stated above : " That he should

32 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^Etat. 55.
be very happy when difficulties were removed," • &c.
Now, how to convict him? I understand there are
coffee-houses where files are kept of aU the principal
newspapers. These I wish to be examined, and to
have extracted out of them the account of the
Doctor's speech. I am not without hope that as
the speech was short, they may all agree in favour of.
my statement of it ; at any rate I should like to see.
The most material papers of course, will be those
most devoted to Ministry, " Times," " Morning Post,"
&c., but the more testimonies can be had, the
better." *

TO R. ADAIR, ESQ. "March, 1804.
" Dear Adair,
" I will be at the house to-morrow, and
will write by post to Windham, to apprise him of
my intention, but I write by the coach to you, in
order that there may be time to settle this future
business, if possible, before I leave the House ; but at
all events before I leave town on Friday morning,
which I shall do as early as I can. I am very
desirous of making some general motion, but my
difficulty is to frame one which will not in some view
be objectionable to Pitt. The state of the nation I
* " Tom asked me, and seemed to expect that I should learn from my
visitor, what the Doctor's mysterious declaration, in answer to Fox's
question, could possibly mean 1 It meant, as usual with the Doctor's
mysteries, nothing at all, and the whole assertion was, as is no less usual
with the Doctor's assertions, a lie." — Lord Grenville to the Marquis of
Buckingham, January 5, 1804. "Courts and Cabinets," vol. iii. p. 343.

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

33

should like best, directing my view to the defence of
the country, to the state of Ireland, to the state of
foreign pohtics, and to the personal exercise of the
royal functions, if the state of the K.'s health should
make that an object. But I have heard it whispered
that Mr. Pitt's repeated opposition to the state of the
nation on former occasions might make that question
unpalatable to him. The defence of the country alone
would not do, the naval defence having been already
taken up, and the land defence so repeatedly touched
upon on the Volunteer Bill, &c. Ireland is an object
fuU large enough to be considered by itself, but of
that subject it is necessary to premise that the Catholic
question makes a principal part. Foreign politicks,
though, God knows, a most important question, are
not at present in that sort of state, as to afford the
ground of any direct motion of importance. The
chief blame with respect to them, except perhaps
some misconduct with regard to Hanover, with which I
am very imperfectly acquainted, is that the war was
unnecessarily made upon such a ground as to exclude
all hopes of assistance. To this I should add at such
a time too, — I mean so early that Austria, whatever
your cause might be, was not sufficiently prepared to
engage with you.
" These things being so, I do not see what general
motion I can bring on, except the state of the nation
or Ireland. I had once thought of an address to
request H. M. to take measures for increasing the
army, and a more general arming of the people ; but
the first of these objects is precluded by the two
VOL. IV. D

34 CORRESPONDENCE OP [Miai. 55.
pending propositions of Mr. Yorke and Mr. Pitt, and
the second alone wiU hardly do, as the fact may be
that there are no arms for the people. The result of
aU this is that my present intention is to move soon
after the hohdays a state of the nation, unless I hear
objections to that motion, and at the same time learn
that the same objections wiU not lie against some
other of the kind, Ireland for instance, or unless
some other be suggested to which I on my part have
no objection. The K.'s health of course is a separate
question, which must depend upon circumstances, and
which according to those circumstances may or may
not be thought necessary to take place of every other.
Now as to the time, I think it must be soon after
Easter, suppose the 12th; certainly I think not later
than Monday the 16th of AprU. The shortest public
notice is the best, but yet I think that public notice
must be given before the hohdays — the very last day
wiU do. If you can find an opportunity of talking
this over with Lord GranviUe Leveson, or Can
ning, pray do, and there is nothing in this letter
which I wish to be kept from them. We shall meet
of course in the House, and it would be desirable that
I should be able to give private notice to as many
friends as I can see to-morrow, either at the House of
Commons or at Brooks's. " Yours, "C. J. F.
" St. Ann's Huj:,, Wednesday."

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

35

TO THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE. " March ZOth, 180i.
" I HEAR that several friends in Scotland are very
violent against what they call my junction with the
Grenvilles, and that they say you have declared you
wiU never more take part in politics. I hope and
believe the account is exaggerated with regard to you.
You are unfortunately not now in a situation to be
called upon to take any very active part in politics,
therefore why determine ? and much more, why
declare for the future ? All I can say is, that if you
were to adhere to this supposed declaration, I must
cut and run too ; for reduced as we have been, you
and Grey are all that, for certain purposes, is left ; I
might perhaps add Whitbread. My only objection
to what has passed is that it was not junction enough.
Can there be less of connection between persons who
agree on particular questions, and in their hostility to
Ministry, than that which consists only in such concert
as is necessary to give their debates and divisions
what strength they can ?
" I hear the K. has been much worse again, but
my accounts are probably exaggerated. I dare say
you agree with. me in thinking the Doctor wiU not go
out spontaneously, but perhaps you wiU not agree
with me when I say there is a chance of his being
forced out. What then ? you'll say. Why then
there is an inroad upon the power of the real enemy,
I mean the Court, happen what may afterwards. Give

36 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 55.
me for once a little credit ; I am sure we are going as
right as in the untoward circumstances of the time is
possible. The worst would have been (and I believe
you apprehended and perhaps stUl apprehend that it
may happen), if the Doctor and P. had been reconciled,
and the latter had come in by favour. I think that is
now hardly possible. We have not heard anything
here of Lord MelviUe's sentiments and language."
TO SAME. "April 2nd, ISOi.
" I HAVE read your fifth chapter, and hke it by far
the best ; perhaps it is partly owing to my being
refreshed by a passage of Xenophon amid all the
scientific gibberish ; but, seriously, I do hke it far
the best of any in the book, and think you have a
complete triumph over A. Smith's division of labour :
but of aU this when I have more leisure.
" I think exactly as you do about the plot and our
guUt, if (which I cannot doubt) we are concerned in
it.* I rather suspect you over refine on the conduct
of the Doctor last year. When we believed he was
inclined to peace we were imposed upon, not by
our informant, but he was deceived by the Doctor.
The truth seems to be, that the moment the Doctor
found that the K.'s madness took the turn of
wishing war agamst Bonaparte, he was determined
to humour that on which his sole existence de
pended, viz., the K.'s madness. Now aU the papers
* The royalist plot of Georges aud his accomplices. Our government
does not appear to have been concerned iu it.

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

37

are before the public, you must observe that at
the times when we were fools enough to believe
in his pacific intentions, there never appears to
have been one conciliatory expression, much
less, any instance of conciliatory conduct to the
Consul. The reports are that the K. is much worse,
and I think that question must come on. I shall
always regret that we lost the best opportunity,
which was that of the first exercise of the Royal
function in the state in which he then was. I have
a strong notion these men will act most desperately,
but it will be impossible for us to submit quietly
much longer. I hope to God, Grey will come ; and if
you could without great inconvenience come too, it
would be an exceUent deed. Though out of Parlia
ment you would not be out of Counsel, and in this
case, perhaps, that is the most important place of
the two. I have a great notion that if you had
been with us we should not have acted so pusUlani-
mously as we did." TO SAME. "April 3rd, 1804.
"Dear Lauderdale,
" Since I wrote yesterday I have received
yours, and write a line because I think I did not say
so much about the Paris plot as you would expect,
and as I had intended. You cannot feel more
indignation at it than I do ; and if there comes
out any ground for supposing the Ministers encou
raged it, I am for making a question of it, let who

38 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 55.
wiU support or oppose me. Of the distinction
between seizing forcibly and assassinating, I think
(in this case at least) as contemptibly as you do. I
can CONCEIVE cases where there is a distinction,
possibly, but this is certainly not one of them. I
am very sorry indeed Moira said what he did to you,
but I am inclined to believe he said more than he
knew, not perhaps more than he thought he knew.
I am stUl in hopes (not very weU grounded hopes,
I admit) that Moreau is not so much implicated as
is said; and I learn that this is a very general
opinion at Paris. He I believe once said, speaking of
his own safety, ' Bonaparte est tyran, mais pas
assassin.' One would hardly think that he meant
to say he would show him the difference. Is it not
possible that he may have had that sort of share in
this plot, that Russell, Essex, &c., had in the Rye-
house-Plot, — that is, supposing the Ryehouse-Plot
ever to have had an existence ? I have no time
to dispute with you on your book, but I cannot help
thinking that if a nation having a stock of wine,
instead of drinking it, changes it against ships to
carry on trade, or any other capital of that value,
such nation becomes more wealthy by such an act
of parsimony." TO general FITZPATRICK. •' AprU Zrd, 1804.
"Dear Dick,
" I write now, though I have not positively
fixed the days for my different motions, to teU, you

180i.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

39

that I consider the campaign as opening on the 16th,
and that we are sparing no pains to get aU the
attendance we can. I believe the other parts of the
Opposition are doing the same, and it is very mate
rial, not only that we should be strong as a mass, but
that our part should appear as considerable as
may be.
" The accounts of the King are, I am told, very
bad ; and I think in some shape that business must
come on, perhaps sooner than the 1 6th. I go to
town the 10th, to No. 9, Arlington Street.
"Yours affectionately, «c. J. F.
" St. Ann's Hill, Monday,"
TO THE EAEL of LAUDERDALE. " April Qth, 1804.
" I HAD your letter yesterday. I should have thought
you had lived long enough in the world not to be
much surprised at a false report. One does not hke
to mention one's authors, however innocent we may
think them of the original lie ; but I will say this
much, that what I heard was from Scotland, and not
in London. Your brother is so far from saying any
thing about you that he is often asking me news
about you. I do not deny the truth of the objection
you state to this junction, but it apphes to all junctions
of the kind, and would, if attended to, make all re
sistance to the Crown more impossible even than
as it is. No strong confederacy since the Restoration,
perhaps not before, ever did exist without the acces
sion of obnoxious persons : Shaftesbury, Buckingham,

40 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 53.
&c., in Charles II.'s time ; Danby and many others
at the time of the Revolution ; after the Revolu
tion many more, and even Sunderland himself. In
our times, first the Grenvilles with Lord Rockingham,
and afterwards Lord North with us. I know this last
instance is always quoted against us because we were
ultimately unsuccessful ; but after all that can be said,
it wiU be difficult to show when the power of the
Whigs ever made so strong a struggle against the
Crown, the Crown being thoroughly in earnest and
exerting all its resources. In what you say of the
hardship suffered in Scotland by our supporters I
agree entirely with you, and that neither of us can
come in with honour without obtaining redress for
them. Whether such redress may be obtained by a
partial instead of a thorough overturn of the present
arrangements is a question upon which you can
judge better than I. If we were to come in with
Pitt, a partial overturn is probably aU that could be
obtained, and how far that would do would be for
our consideration before we engaged ; but if without
Pitt, there could be no difficulty in a thorough
overturn, for all the rest of our new alhes are as
adverse to Dundas as we are, or more. By the way,
you have never told me what language he holds, or
what he is at. I do not think Lord DaUceith has
ever voted with us. You think that the Court cannot
now be forced; remember, aU I have said is that
there is a chance that it may ; Pitt's utter incapacity
to act like a man renders that chance much less than
it would other flfise be."

1904.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 41

TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY.
" Ablington Stebet, \1th April, 1804.
"Dear Grey,
" I write on the supposition that you are
not coming. When I think of the extreme incon
venience to you of coming, I cannot be sorry that
you stay ; but I foresee events, which, if they should
happen, will make me more regret your absence than
ever. However, if things take the turn I augur, you
may perhaps bring Mrs. Grey early in the next
month, as I hear Mrs. Ponsonby is coming, and (you)
would wish to meet her in London. The event I
allude to is a speedy discomfiture of the Doctor ; our .
division last night was 107 to 128,* and Zf Pitt plays
fair, we shall run him very hard indeed on my motion,
and in one or two more probably give him his death
blow, unless he runs away first. Now if this happens,
it must of course follow that negotiations and propo
sitions will take place, in which to act quite alone and
without you will be distressing to me in the extreme.
If Lauderdale were here it would be something. You
will say there is Whitbread and Fitzpatrick, and that
is a great deal ; but there are cases where those who
are to take the most active parts in case of arrange
ments are everything. I have not written my IF in
great letters for nothing ; and yet I rather think it
will be right. As you are so far off I may let you
into the secret, that my motion may probably, at
* On the Irish Militia Augmentation Bill, 16th April, 1804. — See Par-
liajnentary Debates.

42 CORRESPONDENCE OF [.ffiiAT. 55.
Pitt's earnest request (for reasons foolish and fanciful
beyond belief), be put off tiU Monday, so that if you
did think of coming, you would not be too late. It
is impossible not to suspect Pitt from his ways of
proceeding, and yet his interest is so evident, that I
think he wiU do right. I defer the article " Sheridan "
tiU another letter, only he is absurd as ever, to say
no worse. " Yours affectionatejy, "C. J. FOX.
" The GrenviUes seem as steady and honourable as
possible. What I have seen of Lord G. particularly
confirms me in my opinion that he is a very direct
man." TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY,
" Aelington Stkbet, April 18th, 1804.
"Dear Grey,
" P. sends me word that he hears the
Doctor is determined to go in to the King and tell
him he cannot go on, and to advise H. M. to send for
Mr. P. to hear his ideas. P. seems to beheve this,
but agrees that it is no reason against our proceeding
in our parliamentary measures. He likewise says that
if it does happen, the first thing he shaU say is, that
he must communicate H. M.'s intentions to Lord
Grenville and me, for the purpose of forming arrange
ments or consultation with us. I teU you all this just
as his messenger Lord Gr. Leveson told it me an
hour ago. I disbelieve the inteUigence P. has had,
for many reasons : 1st, the Doctor said the same as

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

43

to his resigning, just after the division on the
admiralty business, and so^ I believe, did Tierney too :
2ndly, I doubt very much, whether he would, even in
case of resigning, say anything in favour of P.'s being
sent for, against whom I really believe, he feels all
possible resentment : but 3rdly, and principally, I can
not believe the King to be in a state in which he would
venture to make any proposition of the sort to him.
It is certain that though better he is not weU : that
Doctor S. constantly attends him, and is present at
his interviews with the Queen and his children. I
therefore completely disbelieve the whole story ; and
the more so, because I can easily see reasons which
might induce Lord Castlereagh and others to mislead
P. on this subject. Lord Hawkesbury is said to be
going off from the Doctor, but though this is generally
reported, I know not on what foundation,
" I am afraid I shall be obliged to put off my
motion tiU Monday, and that some of our friends will
dislike the postponement, but it cannot be helped —
and Monday at any rate it shall come on. Every
thing looks as if what I said in my yesterday's letter
was right, and the Doctor vrill soon be. done for,
though for the reasons I have given, I disbelieve in
his immediate resignation. I understand there is
expectation of a great division against him to-morrow
in the House of Lords. I should write my if in rather
smaUer letters to-day, but there is stiU an if upon the
subject of P. " Yours ever most affectionately, " C. J. FOX."

CORRESPONDENCE OF [Mii.li. 55.

TO THE SAME.
"Arlington Street, Thursday, April 19th, 1804.
"Dear Grey,
" I have to-day received yours of the 16th.
As to your coming whUe Mrs. Grey's health is such as
to give you any uneasiness, I am sure you will not
suspect me of such a wish, for I hope I have pretty
well adhered to a rule which I have always prescribed
to myself, of not asking a friend to do what in similar
circumstances I should myself refuse. I write to-day,
chiefly because I have seen Lord Grenville, who gives
me somewhat a different account from that given me
yesterday by Lord G. L. I understood the latter that
it was only intelligence, or at most an intimation that
P. had received. I understand from Lord G. to-day
that it was a message to which Pitt was to give an
answer ; and his answer was that if the K. sent for
him directly, or through a proper person, meaning to
exclude Addington, he would state his notions. With
regard to what those notions are, they were stated to
be pretty much the same as I heard yesterday from
Lord G. L. Only I understood pretty distinctly from
Lord G. to day, that if P. found H. M. impracticable
upon the idea of an extended administration, he (P.)
should feel himself bound to try one by himself
These were not the words, but nearly the substance,
and exactly the same idea that we heard through the
Duchess, of his having expressed to some of his friends
before you left town. However, he (P.) agrees that
our parhamentary measures must go on with the stoe

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 45
vigour as if no such message had been brought him,
and this is aU I care for. Let the event be what it
may, it is good to force the K. to change ; and as to
any arrangement in conjunction with Pitt, I see and
feel the difficulties (amounting nearly to an impos-
sibUity) more and more every day. He is not a man
capable of acting fairly, and on a footing of equality
with his equals. Lord G. confirmed to me the extra
ordinary fact of Pitt never having told him of his
offer to continue without Cathohc Emancipation, in
the year 1801. This subject, by the way, was one on
which Lord G. wished to know my opinion, how far I
thought it possible to make a Government without the
Emancipation. I told him in perfect confidence what
you and I have often agreed upon ; that, if there was
a Ministry cordially united on giving the Catholics
substantial relief, and their full share (as far as the
law win aUow) in the government of the country, I
thought some consideration, as far at least as delay
went, might be had of the King's prejudices, especially
in his present state. After aU this I stUl disbelieve
the intention of the Doctor to resign immediately, and
though the K. is (I beheve) a good deal better this
week, I have no notion of his being weU enough for
the manoeuvre. I began this letter five hours ago, and
shaU. hardly be time enough for the post : but I have
told you I think aU that is material.
" Yours affectionately, "C. J. FOX."

46

CORRESPONDENCE OF [-^iat. 55.

TO LORD GREirVILLE.* " April 20th, ISOi.
"My Dear Lord,
"I wiU endeavour to have five minutes
conversation with you to day at the House of Lords,
but in case I should not have the opportunity, I must
trouble you with a few thoughts on what passed
between us yesterday. What I said, I meant to say
in perfect confidence, and not to go further than us
two. But upon recoUection, I fear you must have
understood that it might be repeated to Mr. Pitt.
What I should wish to have said to him is, that the
inclination of my mind is to think Cathohc Emancipation
absolutely necessary ; but that I am wUhng to consider
of the possibility of temporising, whenever by a full
knowledge of all the circumstances with which such
temporising is proposed to be accompanied, I shaU be
enabled to give that question a fair consideration.
The concomitant circumstances must indeed be very
favourable to induce me to think even delay ad
missible in this business. You wUl observe that
there is nothing in this answer inconsistent with what
I said to you in confidence, but it is something
different, and the difference appears to me to be not
immaterial. Upon the subject itself, the frankness you
have shown, in the short intercourse we have had
together, encourages me to take the liberty of sug
gesting some considerations which more immediately
* See Letter to Lord Grey, in which a copy of this was enclosed.

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 47
concern your Lordship, Lord Spencer, and Mr. Wind
ham. In an administration under a Regent, the delay
of a measm-e, the discussion of which that Regent
might think likely to retard the returning health of his
father, would carry with (it) its own excuse in the
judgment of all reasonable men. But if in the present
circumstances you should consent to yield the very
point on which you resigned three years ago, will it
not be a submission on your part to the K. liable to
the worst construction ? and when by such submission
you may have lost your public ground, how wUl it be
in your power to resist afterwards with success ? The
removal of Lord Redesdale may be stipulated, but,
after that removal, there will be many measures, nay,
a constant succession of measures, necessary to operate
as a substitute for the Emancipation. If you are
thwarted in any of these, shall you not be almost
hopeless ? Will you go out again P WUl you not be
met then everywhere by the observation that so they
did before, and, after having taken their time, returned,
and so they wUl do again ? This reasoning does not
apply in the same manner to me, because, if I were to
go out, in such a case, my conduct, I not having been
concerned in the former resignation, would not be
hable to such observations. If I have made this
statement with some freedom, I am sure you can
attribute my doing it to nothing but to that regard
which I always must feel for the honour and interest
of those with whom I am hkely to be connected,
whether in administration or in opposition. Now, on
the other side, if you were to stand out on the

48 CORRESPONDENCE OP [.^Etat. 55.
Emancipation, in which of course I should join you,
and if Mr. Pitt, without any of us, should form an
administration, giving up the point, is it not evident
that you would stand upon the highest ground
possible ? that you would gain much in character with
all men of right and honourable feehngs, and aU this,
considering the state of the K.'s health and mind, by
a very smaU sacrifice ? If Pitt would think the same
it would be best of all, but of that I have no hope ;
and if I had, I have no degree of intercourse with
him which would justify my speaking to him as I do
to you." to the honourable c. grey.
" Dear Grey,
"Upon thinking on what I had said to
Lord G. yesterday, I was afraid I had appeared too
yielding upon the point in question, and have written
him a letter of which the inclosed is a copy. Send it
back, as I have no other copy. You may take one if
you think it worth whUe. Nothing new except the
divisions in the House of Lords, 31 to 30 in one,
48 to 77 in the other. I have no time.
" Yours affectionately, "C.J. FOX.
"April 20th, ISOl."

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 49

TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY.
" Arlington Street, Monday, April 2Zrd, 1804.*
" Dear Grey,
" I have yours of the 20th, and I have little
more to say than I had last week. I hardly remem
ber what the tenor was of those letters of mine which
you say will determine you. The Doctor is supposed
to be given over ; but my opinion is that the state of
the King's health is such (though they say he is to
have a Council to-day,) as to prevent the close quarters
coming so soon as Pitt expects. With respect to the
results, you and I do not much differ — but when they
do come, you must perceive how I shall feel the want
of you and Lauderdale — and come they certainly will,
and propositions will be made, how honestly is another
affair, and great circumspection wUl be necessary as
to the manner, either of rejecting or accepting them.
You wUl easily conceive I have not time to write much
this day. Our division will, I believe, be very good.
Pitt, I hear, talks of upwards of 200, but I shall be
very well satisfied with 170. I think, before the end
* On this day, the 23rd of April, Mr. Fox moved, " That it be referred
to a committee of the whole House, to revise the several bUls for the
defence of the country, and to consider of such further measures as may
be necessary to make that defence more complete and permanent." Thia
was in fact a motion to declare want of confidence. The division, in which
Mr. Pitt's name appeared in the Minority was —
For Mr. Fox . .  204
Against  256
Majority for Ministers ... 62
VOL. IV. B

50 CORRESPONDENCE OP [iEiAT. 55.
of the week, we shaU divide 70 in the House of
Lords. I think I can steer clear of yom' objections
to-day ; at least I wiU try.
" Yours affectionately, " c. J. FOX."

TO THE SAME.
"AELiNaTON Street, Tuesday, April 2ith, 1804.
" Dear Grey,
"If you are not set out, I hope you wiU
not long delay. We were last night 204 to 256, and
there will be a great division in the House of Lords
to-day, and a still greater on Friday. The King held
a Council yesterday, and looked and behaved very
well. It certainly will come to negotiation, and I think
it wiU go no further. " Yours affectionately, "C. J. FOX."

TO THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE.
"Arlington Street, April 2itli, 1804.
" I REALLY cannot help saying that your coming just
now would be a most useful measure, and a very
obliging one to me. At the same time my opinion is
that nothing good will happen, further than the satis
faction of forcing out the Doctor. But negotiations
there probably wiU be, and to take everything quite
upon oneself, or even on Grey and myself, is very
unpleasant,"

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 51
TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY.
"Dear Grey, " April 2m.im.
" I shall write to you very shortly, as well for
want of time, as in hopes of your being set out. I
agree with almost all your speculations, except two : —
1st, the possibility of Pitt's showing any mercy to
the Doctor, and 2ndly, in the danger of getting some
thing worse than a King Log. I do not think the
Stork, (which, by the way, is Pitt's crest,) would be
worse for reasons which we may discuss when we
meet. Fitzpatrick, and he alone, thinks there is a
probability of the Doctor's standing — but I so far
agree with him, as to think there is a chance. The
King is certainly much better, or rather he was so
on Sunday or Monday, for I know nothing since.
Elis pages, valets-de-chambre, &c., were restored to
him on Sunday, and on Monday, at Council, he
behaved perfectly well. Fitzpatrick grounds his
opinion on H. M.'s getting well, and supporting the
Doctor roundly — and that certainly will give a chance ;
but I suspect his coUeagues will not stand by him,
and rather prefer their chance with Pitt, to that of
victory with the Doctor. I have no time to go on ;
only I think I shaU about the middle of next week
make a motion on the misconduct with respect to
Hanover. My opinion is, GrenviUe wUl not engage
without us — but this is opinion only.
" Yours affectionately, "C. J. FOX.
" Division in House of Lords yesterday, 61 to 94.
" Division in House of Commons, 76 to 100."

52 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^Etat. 55.

TO THE SAME. " April 2Sth, 1804.
"Dear Grey,
" I have just got yours of the 25th. I guess
you are on the road, but if not, I hope you wUl not
delay further. What wiU happen I know not — but
certainly either a battle in which you would wish to
fight, or a negotiation which cannot proceed without
you. Reports are various, but I Mow nothing.
" Yours, "C. J. FOX.
" Saturday, April 2Sth, 1804."

TO THE SAME. "May5th,180i.
"De^r Grey,
" Pitt has not seen the King, but perhaps he
may to-morrow. I shall put off my motion, because
I hear that it is not expected by some to come on,
and we should not be so weU attended as on a later
day ; but I think it almost certain that it will come
on Tuesday or Wednesday, probably the latter day.
I hope I shall see you to-night, for I have more to
tell you. I have a letter from Lauderdale, who pro
bably set out on Thursday or yesterday. I think it
wUl not be amiss for you to say at dinner, that the
probabUity is that there wUl be some more struggle ;
at least that such is my opinion, as it really is.
" Yours ever,
"C. J. FOX.
" Half-past 5, Saturday, May 5lh, 1804."

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

MR. GRENVILLE TO MR. FOX.

53

" Charles Street, half-past 12, May 6th, 1804.
"Dear Charles,
" I do not find your letter to-night tiU it is
too late so to answer it as that you can hear from me
before to-morrow morning. I wiU lose no time in
communicating to my brother, to Lord Spencer, and
to Windham, the sentiments which you wish them to
know that you entertain respecting them, more espe
cially because I consider that declaration from you in
this moment as a valuable and honourable testimony
of that fair and open and manly character which so
much distinguishes you. It is true that the persons
whom you name are unfettered by engagement ; it
is.honourable in you to take this moment to declare
that you consider them to be so, and it is gratifying
to me to feel confident that (in the case of such an offer
as you describe) their conduct wUl show the sincerity
of the principles which they have avowed.
" I was with my brother when he sent to you this
evening the note which he received from Pitt ; I think
it looks unpromising for the general result ; but as
long as I can I will hope that the more exclusive
system wiU not be adopted by Pitt. I think, how
ever, that in all events he wiU prolong the discussion,
and that in both Houses some authentic communica
tion wUl be made to obtain delay. There are
opinions, and those very respectable, that the motion
in our House should at aU events come on on Tues-

64 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 55.
day ; but I must confess that is not at present the
course of my opinion, because I doubt if it would be
possible to obtain the attention of the House to Han
over and the old Government, at the moment when
that old Government is declared extinct, and the
whole House alive only to the formation of a new
one. " Good night. "Yours ever, "T. GRENVILLE."

[From CoOets and Cabinets oi' Geo. IlL]
LORD GRENVILLE TO MR. PITT. ••MaySth.lSOi.
" My dear Pitt,
" I have already apprised you that aU the
persons to whom, at yom* desue, I communicated
what passed between us yesterday, agreed with me in
the decided opinion that we ought not to engage in
the administration whicli you are now employed iu
forming. " We should be sincerely sorry, if by declining
this proposal, we should appear less desirous than we
must always be, of rendering to his Majesty to the
utmost of our power any service of which he may
be graciously pleased to think us capable. No con
sideration of personal ease or comfort, no apprehen
sion of responsibUity, or reluctance to meet the real
situation into which the country has been brought,
have any weight in this decision, nor are we fettered

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 55
with any engagements on the subject, either expressed
or implied ; we rest our determination solely on our
strong sense of the impropriety of our becoming par
ties to a system of government, which is to be formed
at such a moment as the present on a principle of
exclusion. " It is unnecessary to dwell on the mischiefs which
have already resulted from placing the great offices of
Government in weak and incapable hands. We see
no hope of any effectual remedy for these mischiefs,
but by uniting in the public service ' as large a pro
portion as possible of the weight, talents, and charac
ter, to be found in public men of all descriptions, and
without any exceptions.' This opinion I have already
had occasion to express to you in the same words,
and we have for some time been publicly acting in
conformity to it ; nor can we, while we remain im
pressed with that persuasion, concur in defeating an
object for which the circumstances of the present
times afford at once so strong an inducement, and so
favourable an occasion.
" An opportunity now offers, such as this country
has seldom seen, for giving to its government, in a
moment of peculiar difficulty, the fuU benefit of the
services of aU those who, by the public voice and
sentiment, are judged most capable of contributing to
its prosperity and safety. The wishes of the pubhc
on this subject are completely in unison with its in
terests, and the advantages which not this country
alone, but aU Europe and the whole civihzed world
might derive from the establishment of such an

56 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 65.
administration at such a crisis, would probably have
exceeded the most sanguine expectations.
" We are certainly not ignorant of the difficulties
which might have obstructed the final accomphsh-
ment of such an object, however earnestly pursued.
But when in the very first instance aU trial of it is
precluded, and when this denial is made the condition
of all subsequent arrangements, we cannot but feel
that there are no motives of whatever description
which could justify our taking an active part in the
establishment of a system so adverse to our deliberate
and declared opinions.
" Believe me ever, my dear Pitt,
" Most affectionately yours,
"GRENVILLE."*

MR. FOX TO LORD HOLLAND.
" Cheltenham, July 2itli, 1804.
"It is a long time, my dear young one, since I
wrote to you ; but tUl within these ten days we were,
as weU from your own letters as from Mr. Lambert's
accounts, in constant expectation of you. We first
heard the 22nd of May, and then the 1st of June
was fixed for your leaving Madrid, and are of course
disappointed at the new delay, and the sorrier be
cause the reason seems but too good. We have been
here about ten days.
* This letter of course put an end to the negotiation, and thenceforth
Lord Grenville acted with Mr. Fox. Lord Malmesbury unfairly attributes
to ambition the upright conduct of Lord Grenville.

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 57
" The Bishop of Down and fai^Uy are here. He
looks thin and yeUow, but I think him in good
spirits, and therefore am sanguine that he wUl do.
As for politics, you will have learnt all from news
papers that I could tell you in a letter, for with all
my disregard for secrecy, I cannot bring myself to
write about very private transactions in letters that
are sure to be opened. In summa, nothing could
have fallen out more to my mind than what has
happened : the party revived and strengthened,
Pitt lowered, and, what is of more consequence in
my view, the cause of Boyalism (in the bad sense of
the word) lowered too. There is a very general
dissatisfaction which, in the present state of things,
is the better for not being violent, for violence would
produce reaction, and perhaps revive the royalist
fanaticism. The conduct of om- new friends has been
such as to satisfy those who were most prejudiced
against them, and, what could hardly be expected at
his time of life, Windham has improved in speaking
as mu.ch as any young man ever did in a session. You
will have heard, of course, of Lord A. H.'s* pamphlet,
if you have not got it. It is excellent, unless I am
deceived by partiality to the exact orthodoxy of it as
a Whig creed. As to other politicks, I hear an inva
sion is again expected from Boulogne, but I have no
belief in it. If they do attempt anything, it wUl be
Ireland, not England, and in ships, not boats ; how
ever, nous verrons. What do you think of the fuss
that is made about acknowledging the new Emperor ?
* Lord Archibald Hamilton.

58 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 55.
Is there any fol|y like it in history? I do not
recollect any. May not people give their own magis
trate the name they choose? The only ground of
refusing acknowledgment (that I have ever heard) is
having a contradictory claim yourself, as in the case
of Spain and the Netherlands, England and America,
&c., or favouring others who have, as in the case of
England and Philip V. of Spain, Louis XIV. and
King WiUiam, &c. But in this case all Europe has
done as much against the Bourbons in acknow
ledging Bonaparte as First Consul of France, as they
could do in recognising him as Emperor. If we
refuse this last, it is the Republican, or at least the
Consular Government of which we make ourselves
the champions. Yet they say Russia wiU peremp
torily refuse; and it is remarked that Austria has
not yet sent her congratulations. Cela fait pitie!
Some here are foolish enough to hope that aU this
wUl produce an extension of the war — bad politicks
in every sense ; they are wrong, I believe, in fact,
and much more wrong in thinking such an extension
would be good for us just now. Prussia without
Austria would be worse than nothing; and the
latter in her present state could only be a burden
upon us, and possibly, nay probably, furnish means
of aggrandising both France and Prussia. A long
bore this on politicks ; but it is quite vexatious to see
and hear such folly. Austria, with all her weakness,
is the only effectual banner to look to in better times
against France, at least so these politicians say ; and
yet they would in the most disadvantageous moment.

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

59

and not called upon by any actual aggression on the
part of France, risk her total annihUation. There
are two books of letters come out : ' Cowper,' third
volume, and 'Richardson's Correspondence.' The
life of the latter, and the whole preface by Mrs.
Barbauld, is exceUent. Hayley's preface to the third
volume of Cowper, worse than usual. I have no
classical book here but the 'Odyssey,' which I
delight in more and more. " Yours affectionately, " C. J. FOX."

TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY.
"St. Ann's Hill, September 19th, 1804.
" I HAVE long intended writing to you, though I
had nothing to say, nor have I now indeed ; but
if I were to wait tUl I had, I do not know when
we should renew our correspondence. You may
think, perhaps, that I might have written on the
Prince's negotiation, if it may be so called ; but I
cannot make out the facts, and still less aU the
motives to my own satisfaction. Lauderdale would,
of course, tell you all he knew, when he left London,
and I knew no more tUl my return from Cheltenham,
when the thing was quite over, and I not sorry (as
you may suppose) that I had no advice to answer for.
It originated with Tierney; and Sheridan was, I
believe, kept out of it till quite towards the close.
My judgment is, that if a reconcUiation could have

60 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 55.
taken place by the Queen it was right, if by Pitt it
was wrong; but Tierney saw no such distinction.
The refusal to see the King had gone before I knew
anything more than when I went to Cheltenham :
I should not have advised it. It seems to be aU
over ; and the only thing that is of any consequence
is to know how far Moira acted fairly in it, or
indeed how far he was concerned at aU. His advice
to the Prince to offer the young Princess to the
King was certainly very bad ; but I believe it was
only folly ; and the Prince has (upon good pretences
enough) done away the offer completely. Some
accounts from Weymouth say the King is very weU,
others the reverse. My way of reconciling them is,
that he is better in health, but still insane. If con
tinental politics should turn out to be as they appear,
what a new scene a real union between France and
Austria wiU exhibit ! and all owing to this foolishest
of all wars ! I hope you and Mrs. Grey had a
pleasant tour in Scotland : pray say whether in
point of beauty it answered your expectations.
" The only news I hear is a taUc of an expedition
to Boulogne, which appears to me to be madness.
Indeed I do not see any great use in the sort of
skirmishes that have taken place. If they would
fairly saU from Boulogne at a time when we are
ready to meet them at sea, it would surely be the
best event we could wish for. Have they attempted
to execute Pitt's bill with you yet ? Here they are
just beginning ; but it is not thought we shall get a
man. My poor friend, the Bishop of Down, is almost

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 61
gone ; there are not the smallest hopes left. It is
a melancholy thing. " Yours ever affectionately, " C. J. FOX,"

TO MR. O'BRIEN.
" St. Ann's Hill, November 15th, 1804,
" You are I think over suspicious ; besides, if one
does feel suspicious in a matter of this sort, where is
the use of indulging or discussing them? The P.
is such as he is, and we cannot alter him. Moira
will not do any act so flagrantly dishonourable, as
going away from all his professions would be. Your
most unjust suspicion is that of McMahon, whose
earwiggings, as you call them, if they have any
influence at all, will be on the right side. He
appears to me to be a very honest man, grateful to
Moira, as he ought to be, but wishing the P. to go
quite straight."

TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY.
"SouTHiLL, November 18th, 1804.
"Dear Grey,
" You may have heard that I went to town
from Woburn last Monday, to see the Prince after
his first interview with the King; and I intended
writing to you, as far as I understood it, the state of
things ; but partly idleness, and partly a hope that
in a few days I should be able to give you some

62 CORRESPONDENCE OF [jEtat. 65,
information to the purpose, made me put it off.
Now the letter-writing day is come, and \.. know no
more than I did. The P. sent for me to tell me of
the message he had had from the K., and of an inter
view which Lord Moira had had with Pitt. With
regard to the first, it seemed only a continuation of
what had passed before the Weymouth journey, and
when he did see the King (almost all the family
present) at Kew, he says there was no cordiahty or
pretended affection, but common talk on weather,
scandal, &c.,— a great deal of the latter, and as the
F. thought, very idle and foolish in the manner, and
running wildly from topic to topic, though not
absolutely incoherent. With respect to Lord
Moira's meeting with Pitt, he said that Pitt had
expressed a particular desire of having him (Moira)
in the Cabinet, and a general wish to admit many of
the P.'s friends. I rather think Moira, whom I saw
separately, added hopes of time bringing about all.
That Moira had declared explicitly that he could do
nothing without me and my friends. I asked
whether it was considered that any proposition had
come from Pitt, to which either H. R. H. or I were
to give any answer ; this was answered by a most
explicit negative ; so that there was no difficulty for
us — nothing having been said to us, there was nothing
for us to say or do. Here there seemed to be an
end, and a very good end of all this foUy; but I
understood from Moira that he was again to see
either Pitt or Melville, and to know positively
whether or no the P. was to have a military com-

1804,] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

63

mand offered him. I did not much like this;. but
you wiU feel with me that it would have been as
impolitic as indelicate in me to have attempted to
dissuade the measure. .Since last Monday I have
not heard one word but from the newspapers, from
which I understand that the P.'s visit to Windsor,
Friday (of which by the way he had apprised me),
was prolonged tUl this day. Moira must, I think,
have seen Pitt by this time, as he said he was in a
hurry to return to Scotland. I saw Sheridan, and I
need not teU you that he was in a terrible fidget.
My opinion is that, notwithstanding all these in
trigues, the P. wiU be in essentials quite steady. I
think, too, that Pitt and MelvUle wUl not be able to
get authority to offer him anything that will shake
him. I have this day inteUigence (which I believe)
of an event which will bring all these matters to a
crisis — and which, on that, as well as many other
accounts, I shall think a very good one. I hear it
is quite certain that the Irish Catholics will petition
both Houses for complete Emancipation. Upon that
question, the P. and Moira must declare themselves,
and what will be most satisfactory to me, the Oppo
sition will be marshalled together in a cause that is
not merely of a personal nature ; for to have so much
stress laid upon my coming, or not coming, into office,
is, to say the least, very unpleasant. Tierney has, I
believe, been offered Ireland, but wishes to get the
Prince's consent to his acceptance. In this I think
he will faU ; but faUing, whether he will accept
without it, I have no means of judging. That Pitt

64 ' '' CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat, 56.
is very much afraid is plain. The state of the King,
you wUl say, is a sufficient reason for his fear ; but I
believe he fears opposition too. The repeal of his
foolish bill and the Catholic question will make two
questions at the opening of Parliament as embarrass
ing and mortifying to him in different ways as can
be conceived. It is said Ministers have hopes from
the Continent ; and, if what I see to-day in the
papers about Prussia be true, there is more apparent
foundation for their hopes than there has been for
some time ; but / feel somehow that it wiU not do.
When I hear or know anything more concerning
Carlton House, &c,, I wUl write again. We came
here yesterday and go to town Thursday, where, if
not before, I shall probably learn something, though
I shall stay only one night on my way home. They
say here they have not heard from you for a long
time, but they learn that you are aU quite weU. I
am a good deal alarmed lest Lord Holland should be
caught in Spain, and detained. I have a letter from
him, VaUadohd, 21st October, in which he speaks of
the more or less probability of war, but does not
seem to speculate on the possibUity of the Spaniards
being ordered to imitate Bonaparte with regard to the
Enghsh. Mrs. F. desfres to be remembered to you,
as I do to Mrs. G. " Yours ever most affectionately, "C. J. FOX."

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

65

TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY.
"Sodthill, November 19th, 1804.
"Dear Grey,
" I add a line to my letter of yesterday to
say that since I wrote it I have heard that aU Moira's
interviews have ended, as I expected, in nothing, and
that he is going back to Scotland. I have not heard
this from positive authority, but I believe it.*
" Yours affectionately,
: ¦ "C. J. FOX."
TO LORD HOLLAND.
" St. Ann's Hill, December 12th, 1804.
" Since I wrote to you I have read the letters of Don
Pedro,t which I think very interesting, and not un-
useful to my period, which of course is to go down to
the grant of the crown to William and Mary.
"The sum of politicks here is, that there is no prospect
of peace at any period, be it never so distant, and that
people seem to be making up their minds to per
petual war. There is a famous new argument (if I
remember my logic) of a Sorites. Our prosperity is
daily increasing; the more prosperous we are, the
more we shall be envied ; the more we are envied,
the more enemies we shall have ; the more enemies
we have, the more necessary to be at war, in
* Lord Moira had persuaded the Prince to prefer Pitt as minister to
Fox ; but this secret was kept from Fox, both by the Prince and Lord
Moira. t Don Pedro Ronquillo. See Hist, of James II.
VOL. IV. If

66 , CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 55.
order to reduce their power, &c., &c. The fear
of invasion is much diminished since Admiral
CornwaUis has been able to stay off Brest in these
gales of wind. The nonsense of the Volunteers is
therefore less detrimental to the country than it would
otherwise have been, but I think it is the worst
system, as it has been managed, that ever was adopted,
and Windham and I exposed it pretty well on Friday.
The truth is, that whUe you are adding bad troops to
the army, you are robbing the country of aU its natural
defence; besides that, you are teaching your new
troops aU the nonsense, and none of the useful parts
of mUitary discipline. I have not yet determined
upon the Irish question, my own judgment is clear
for it. Pitt spoke very flatly on Friday ; his scheme
seems to be to convert the Volunteers gradually into
a real regular army. I think, as somebody said about
universal suffrage, that the best thing about that plan
is its utter impracticability. Lord King is gone to
town to-day to support Lord GrenvUle against the
Irish Martial Law BUI. Grey, at Howick, is as
difficult to fetch to town, as you from Spain. If you
were both here, I cannot help thinking some good
moves might be made this Session, though of a check
mate I have no hopes in almost any case. Pitt is in
a strange situation, and I suspect that he feels that
he is so. His friends wUl be more dissatisfied with
him and his enemies fear him less every day.
" Yours affectionately, "C. J. F,"

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 67

TO THE EARL OP LAUDERDALE. " December im,180i.
" I AM glad you are going to publish on the subject
you mention ; from not hearing much of it lately I had
supposed things were mending, but I dare say you
are right.
" I shall write to Grey to-day or to-morrow to press
him very much about coming up ; pray assist me, for
it is on every account most desirable that he should
take his part in this session. The first business in
point of time will probably be Pitt's foolish bUl, &c.,
and the rupture with Spain. I know Grey likes both
these subjects very much, and I think he is the
proper person to take up that of Spain ; but let him
choose. I am afraid he thinks either of them, in a
prudential view, a better question than the Catholic
business, which, though, as I conceive, far the first in
importance, wUl probably come on later in order of
time."

TO LORD HOLLAND. "December 17th, 1804.
" My dear Young One,
" After various reports of your having left
Madrid with Frere, which from the dates of your
VaUadohd letters I totally disbeheved, I now learn
from your letter to Caroline, that you were at Merida
the 25th, and expected to be at Lisbon the 30th
n 2

68 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 55.
of last month. By this time, I hope you are
saUed for England, but in case you should not be, I
cannot refrain from teUing you, how very anxious aU
your friends, as weU as myself, are, that you should
delay your voyage as little as possible. Excepting,
and hardly excepting the last, I do not think there
ever was, or is likely to be, a session of Parliament,
which you would be so sorry to miss as the next.
The Catholic question wiU most probably come on in
the best possible mode, by a petition from the Catho
lics themselves ; and there wUl be besides, on Pitt's
ridiculous Defence BiU, &c., and on the seizure of the
Spanish doUars, and on twenty other matters that one
cannot yet clearly state, questions that wiU be very
useful if well managed. You wiU observe I do not
mention what there is always a chance of, questions
in which the Prince of Wales is particularly concerned.
Exclusive, however, of particular questions, you wiU
easUy conceive how much a propitious outset is likely
to influence the future strength, character, and union
of this newly coalesced Opposition, and of what im
portance it is that such a party should be strong,
united, and powerful, he who thinks as we do cannot
doubt. But in our view of things it is further very,
very desirable that its power, strength, and union
should appear considerable while out of office, in order
that if ever they should come in, it may be plain that
they have an existence of their own, and are not the
mere creatures of the Crown. For all these, and
many more reasons, it is highly desirable that every
friend to good principles should shew himself this

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 69
session, and therefore it is that I must press you to
come if possible. You will observe all these reasons
are on public grounds, or with a view in some degree
to my own consequence, but the reasons to be drawn
from considerations respecting yourself, are full as
strong, and this, I assure you, is the opinion of all
your friends, as well as mine.
" Everybody here is mad about this Boy Actor,*
even Uncle Dick is fuU of astonishment and admira
tion. We go to town to-morrow to see him, and
from what I have heard, I own I shall be disappointed
if he is not a prodigy.
" I received yours of the 4th ult., and despair of the
Simancas papers. God knows, if I had them, when I
should find time to make use of them. Those concern
ing the Cortes must be very curious and interesting.
" Yours affectionately, "C, J. p."

TO THE HONOURABLE C, GREY.
" St. Ann's Hill, December 11th, 1804.
"Dear Grey,
" It is a long time that I have been de
ferring from day to day thanking you for your letter,
and letting you know how matters stood at Carlton
H, when I last saw the Prince, on the 28th of last
month. The sum of it is that the Chancellor sent
the Prince a message from the King, demanding the
* Master Betty,

70 CORRESPONDENCE OF [.^tat. 65.
young Princess upon the supposed acquiescence of
the Prince, an acquiescence which, in the last conversa
tions between Lord Moira and Pitt, had been posi
tively denied. The Prince expressed, in a written
note, his surprise that, after what had passed, such a
proposition should be made to him, and sent it back.
Both Pitt and the ChanceUor rephed, first insinuating
that the Prince ought to have shown more respect
to a paper coming directly from his Majesty, and
saying they had not understood Moira as the Prince
did. The Prince sent an answer disclaiming of
course aU intentional disrespect to the King, refusing
peremptorily to give up his daughter, and for what
had passed referring them to Moira, to whom he
said he transmitted their notes. LuckUy ' enough
Moira had left with the Prince a written summary
of what had passed between Pitt and him, which
entirely justified the Prince's interpretation. Since
this I have heard no more ; but I read in the news
paper that the preparations making for the Princess of
Wales and the chUd at Windsor are discontinued.
Whether this be true I know not. All this is so far
good, as it seems, in the present state of things,
nearly impossible that one should be teazed with any
more negotiations pretending to be of the amicable
kind. Now for your letter, of which I like the
greatest part as much as possible, but there is one
terrible sentence in it which seems to say that you
do not intend to come up. There never was a time
when, for the sake of the public, of the Party, (I do
not add your own, because I know your answer would

1804.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 71
be that you have no wish to have anything to do with
politicks,) and certainly for mine, your attendance was
so desirable as it will be this session. Opposition
seems now restored, at least to what it was before the
Duke of Portland's desertion, and the other adverse
circumstances of those times. Mind, I say seems, for
if you stay away, it wUl be very far from being so ;
and whatever is gained, wiU be thought by aU, and
most certainly by me, a bad exchange for you. The
great point is to show a union of all or nearly all the
talents and character of the country, and in such a
case the absence of a person much less considerable
than you, would take much from the effect of any
reasoning to be grounded on such a state of circum
stances. Do, for God's sake, make up your mind to
one unpleasant effort, and come for the first two
months at least of the session. I understand you
have a governess with whom Mrs. Grey can leave the
younger children with satisfaction. The expense and
trouble are, I know, not to be despised, but surely
this is a time, if ever there was one, to make some
sacrifices. With respect to particular questions the
two first that wiU, I suppose, occur, will be Pitt's
Defence BiU, and the Spanish War. I think, as you
do, the latter a very good question, and only did not
name it to you, because I waited to see how it would
end. I now look on war as inevitable, but am told
there is stiU an opinion in the city, that it is not
certain. You may take up either this or the Defence
question; but I should recommend the Spanish,
because there are so many persons (among whom

72 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 56.
Windham) ready enough to take the lead in the other.
You wUl not be so sorry to hear, as I am to tell you,
that I begin to doubt whether the Catholic Petition is
so sure to be presented this year, as I once thought.
However, in a day or two we must hear the proceed
ings of the Dublin meeting, which was to take place
on Friday last, and they, I suppose, wiU be decisive.
Everybody is mad about this young Roscius, and we
go to town to-morrow to see him. The accounts
of him sound incredible, but the opinion of him is
nearly unanimous, and Fitzpatrick, who went strongly
prepossessed against him, was perfectly astonished, and
r fuH of admiration. You may depend upon it, Burke
was right. Idleness is the best of all earthly blessings,
but even to that first of pleasures some additional
relish may be given by occasional labour, provided,
however, that that labour be neither too severe nor too
long continued. T love idleness so much, and so
dearly, that I have hardly the heart to say a word
against it ; but something is due to one's station in
life, something to friendship, something to the country.
I have experience enough of the disagreeableness of
being pressed, to hate pressing others, and most
especially those I love ; but this once I feel myself
bound and obhged to do it, by a sense of right that
I cannot resist. Miss Fox has had a letter from
HoUand, dated Merida, the 25th of last month; and
they expected to be at Lisbon on the 30th. I hope
they are saUed by this time, but in case they are not
I write a pressing letter to him too,
" Yours affectionately, "C, J. FOX,"

1805,] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 73
TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY.
"St. Ann's Hill, January 7th, 1805.
" Dear Grey,
" I got your letter at Woolbeding, Saturday,
and being on the road yesterday had no time to Avrite,
so you have had a day's respite from plague more
than I intended you should have. If I could alter
my opinion I would, but I cannot, and indeed the
more I consider the whole of the case, the more I feel
it to be very important in every view, that you should
be in town during the early part of the session. With
respect to the very first day, I think it highly desir
able, but if very inconvenient, it is certainly not so
necessary as when questions come on. I have not
seen the pamphlet you mention on the Spanish busi
ness. I had heard that Bentley, the author of the
administration pamphlet last year, had advertised one,
but I supposed the reconciliation might have prevented
the publication. It is certain aU the Doctor's friends,
and he himself, condemned the conduct of Ministers
very openly, but that wUl not signify. I hope you
wiU bring it on yourself.
" Now, as you have addressed yourself to Mrs. Fox,
let me do so to Mrs, Grey, and beg her not to think
of your coming alone, or at least that she would fol
low very soon after. You know when you are in
town without her, you are unfit for anything, with all
your thoughts at Howick, and as the time for which
your stay may be necessary must be uncertain, you
wiU both be in constant fidget and misery. Indeed

74 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
you must come enfamille, and make up your mind to
some stay. If you knew how very unpleasant I feel
in pressing those I love against their inchnation, you
would be convinced that nothing but a rooted opinion
that it is right in this case could induce me to do it, I
have much to teU you in regard to foreign affairs that
I cannot write by the post. I wiU only say, lest you
should be disappointed hereafter, that 1 have little, if
any, hopes of any good. On the other hand, if there
were an honest, independent administration, I should
have hopes. I believe you do not think the first of
the above epithets belongs to the present, and how
little the second does, every event speaks more clearly
every day; indeed the reconciliation, if any were
wanting, is damning proof. I am afraid the Doctor
is not to have office — which I agree with you in
thinking would have most effect on the pubhc. I
go to town Thursday to stay. If it is any comfort to
you, you may be assured that I hate the going thither
as much as you can do, or more.
" Yours affectionately, " C. J. FOX.
"P.S. I think the question on Pitt's biU and the
Spanish business must come on immediately, and per
haps notices be given in the first week. In short your
best way by far is to come up for the day of meeting,
unless by putting it off for a day or two, Mrs. Grey
can come with you."

1805,] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 75

TO LORD HOLLAND.
" Arlington Street, March 19th, 1805.
"My DEAR Young One,
" I have no excuse for having been so
long without writing, except the constant hurry of
business in this odious place. I have made great
sacrifices indeed in coming again into this scene of
politicks, but as I do make them, I am determined
to do the thing handsomely, and as far as the
existence of some respectable standard against the
dreadful power of the Crown is of advantage, I may
flatter myself that I have been of great use. I have
not time to discuss this question at large and in
detail ; suffice it to say, that even our enemies cannot
deny that we are a respectable Opposition, and few
now will dispute Pitt's being a contemptible Minister.
He certainly gained more in numbers by his junction
with the Doctor than I thought he would, but his loss
in reputation from that and other causes is in
calculable. The next two questions of importance
wiU, if he has any feeling, hurt him beyond measure ;
1st, the tenth Report of the Naval Commissioners
against Lord MelviUe, 2nd, the Cathohc question.
" Here have I been interrupted, and have but just
time to write three words more. Lord GrenviUe and
I are to present the petitions next Monday,* and in
each House give notice that we shaU move upon them
on or about the 8th of May. Now if you are coming
(as the good accounts we have of Lady HoUand
* From the Roman Catholics.

76 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
make us hope) this spring, I think you would start a
week or fortnight sooner, in order to be in the House
of Lords on this question. You have no notion how
anxious Lord GrenviUe is for you on aU questions. I
shaU be too late if 1 do not finish ; so my love to Lady
Holland and God bless you aU.
" Yours affectionately, "C. J. F."

TO THE SAME. " March 26th, 1805.
" My DEAR Young One,
"I have no time, nor do I know when
I shall have, to write you a comfortable letter,
but you will I am sure like to know about the
Catholic business. Lord Grenville and I presented
the petitions yesterday. I named the 9th of May
for my motion. Lord G. fixed no day for his, but
I think it probable they wUl come on the same
day (which I should prefer), or at least within a few
days of each other.
" If postponing the motions for a very few days to
the 13th or 14th at latest would give us any additional
chance of your being present, it may be done, but if
that be the case, write without loss of time to say so.
I understand the time you think of embarking is the
23rd of April ; but it is possible, surely, you wUl think
it worth while to set out a week or ten days sooner,
for such an object as the Catholic question. By the
bye, what fine time you wiU have on board ship to
think over your speech ! I think I foresee that the

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 77
lines taken in the two houses wiU be different (I mean
by the enemy). In our house the objections wiU be
chiefly to the time, in yours to the substance of the
measure. " At present the only political subject that engages
attention is the 1 0th Report of the Naval Com
missioners against Lord Melville. On that question
we expect a great division. " Yours affectionately, " C. J. FOX."

TO THE SAME.
"Arlington Street, April 9th, 1805.
"Dear Young One,
" As I hope you wUl have sailed before
this reaches Lisbon, I shall make it very short. I
believe I told you in my last, that Lord GrenviUe has
fixed the 10th for the Catholic Question, and I have
now fixed on the same day. We beat Ministers by
the speaker's casting vote last night, and Lord
Melville has resigned to prevent our removing him by
address to-morrow. Pitt will certainly not go out
yet, and I am not one of those who think it impossible
that he should last some time longer. Lord Henry *
made a famous speech last night, far surpassing all
his others. " Yours affectionately.

"C. J. FOX,"

* Lord Henry Petty.

78 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^Etat. 66,

TO THE SAME.
"Arlington Street, April 26th, 1805.
"Dear Young One,
" Of all the days among the many uncertain
days we have had lately with regard to politics, I believe
I am choosing the most uncertain to write to you, and
consequently I have nothing worth telling you beyond
what you wiU see in the newspapers. If I had written
yesterday morning, I should have told you that Lord
Sidmouth had resigned, having parted with Pitt on
Saturday, declaring that aU connection between them
was at an end for ever. Now I understand that for
ever lasted just 24 hours, and that yesterday there
was a meeting between the said Lord S. and Pitt, in
which all their differences were finally adjusted.*
What interpretation may be given to finally I know
not, but now for the worst of all uncertainties. The
cry of all or almost aU our friends is so strong against
bringing on the Catholic question now, that I am
afraid it is uncertain whether or not we shaU be
forced (most shamefully according to my feehngs),
to put it off tiU next session. Lord GrenvUle wiU I
hope be in town to-day when it must be decided.
" What divisions we shall make this week on Lord
MelviUe's business is also very uncertain ; if good
ones, I think it most probable that the Doctor wiU
again fly off, and that it wUl be decisive on Pitt's
Administration ; if bad ones, things wiU continue for
some time (though I think not very long) as they are!'
* See "Life of Lord Sidmouth," vol. ii.

1805,] CHARLES JAMES FOX,

" Arlington Street, May 2nd, 1805,
"My dear Young One,
" I cannot tell you how happy your letter
from Falmouth has made me.
"I shaU write you again a line to Hartford
Bridge, lest this should miss you, but I write this to
tell you that (thank God and Lord G.'s and my
stoutness), the Cathohc business wiU most certainly
come on the 10th in both Houses. " Yours affectionately, " C, J. FOX,
" P,S. I have no chance of getting out of town."

TO MR, O'BRIEN.
" St, Ann's Hill, June 2Zrd, 1805,
" I RETURN you the paragraph in which 1 can safely
say there is not one word of truth, and the idea
attempted to be conveyed by it, is as false as the
words are different from mine. First of aU, the words
alluded to were not spoken in a low tone of voice
(the writer's pretence I suppose for his misrepre
sentation), but distinctly and audibly to a House the
most sUent and attentive that I ever witnessed : but
this is of little consequence. I cannot recollect, nor
ever can, my exact words, but the sense of them was
as foUows : ' Who can expect that we should give
extraordinary confidence, or that foreign nations
should give any confidence at aU, to such an

80 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat, 66,
Administration as the present ? I am perhaps less
sanguine than others with respect to the good that
could be done by the best Administration, but I feel
myself sure that an Administration formed to
comprehend aU that is respectable for rank, talents,
character and influence in the country, affords the only
chance of safety ; and I trust that nobody can suppose
that any individual (however he may disapprove, as I
certainly do, the unconstitutional principle of exclusion)
would suffer any personal object of ambition, if
ambition he had, to stand in the way of the formation
of such a Ministry.' There might be something moie,
either in words or perhaps only in manner that made
it clearly understood (as I meant it should) that /
would not stand in the way, &c. Now what does aU
this mean ? or what can it be tortured to mean
further than the words import ? except perhaps to lay
an implied responsibility on Pitt, as He suffers con
siderations respecting his power or personal situation
to prevent the formation of such a Ministry as I hinted
at. I never meant to admit (nor do the words at all
convey such a meaning), that such a Ministry could
be made without my having a principal, or perhaps
the principal share in forming it, or that it could be
formed at aU without Pitt's coming down from his
situation at the treasury, and in fact considering the
present Ministry as annihUated, in which case aU such
persons as I aUuded to might be consulted on the
formation of a new one. The strange misunder
standing which has taken place on this occasion makes
me almost wish the words had never been spoken,

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 81
though I never was surer of anything than that they
were the most judicious I ever uttered, and calculated
to produce the best effects. Nay, I think even now
they wUl do good. Pitt will possibly do nothing in
consequence of them, and then the blame of there
being no fit Administration rests wholly with him.
If he applies to Opposition, he must either come down
from his situation, or the thing wiU go off in such a
manner as to show the public that the obstacle to a
comprehensive system is no longer referable to any
object of mine, or of any friends for me, but, on the
contrary, to considerations respecting his personal
power and situation.
"I confess I have been much mortified at the warmth
some of my friends have expressed at my supposed
offer of a coaUtion with Pitt in his present situation,
than which nothing was ever further from my mind.
I say I have been mortified, because it is hard after so
many years of trial they should not have confidence
enough in me to give me credit for not intending to
do wrong till they see me do it."

TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY,
" Arlington Street, /«ne %Oth, 1805.
" I AM going as I hope not to return this session,
but if you think that it is very desirable that I should
attend Jeffery's motion, I wUl.* A letter by Monday's
* Mr, Jeffery's motion related to the Naval Administration of Earl
St. Vincent. On the 1st of July, it was postponed tiU the next session.—
Parliamentary Debates, 1805.
VOL, IV. °

82 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 66.
post, which I shaU receive Tuesday morning, wUl
be time enough to fetch me ; but it wiU be very in
convenient as weU as unpleasant to me to come, and
in trusting to you, I hope I put myself into merciful
hands. God bless you aU ! I shall consider the
letter of attorney I talked of as given. If the moment
were not so very critical to the country (I mean on
account of the pending transactions with the Continent,
where a false step may be irretrievable), how very satis
factory to us would be the determination of these
fellows to go on ! I do not know anything we could
do to prevent the other evils of the war ; but we
might, I stUl think, either get a peace, — ay, and a
peace to which the continental powers might be
parties, — or at least show all the world that we have
done all in our power for that purpose. In any other
view I think it is full as weU for the country, and
infinitely better for us, that Pitt should disgrace him
self more and more — which he undoubtedly wUl do
unless the King's death should save him. I did not
intend all this prose. Pray remember both Mrs. F.
and me kindly to Mrs. Grey and the little beauties.
"Yours affectionately, " c. J. FOX,"

TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY.
"St. Ann's Hill, July 2nd, 1805.
" Dear Grey,
" I must write a line to say how excessively
obliged to you I am, and the more so, as I now feel

1805,] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 83
myself safe for the session. As to the next, alors
comme alors, my favourite proverb. I repeat again
that I consider the letter of attorney given, with
such limitations only as I can guess ; but if you think
I cannot, you had better specify them. Putting all
circumstances together, I do not think the French can
do a great deal of mischief in the West Indies, but
that they should be able to have such a force at sea
is very bad. If the King bears his misfortune as you
hear he does, nothing will be done soon ; and his
illness will be a reason (with which many will be
satisfied) for the country's remaining without a
government. It would be good poetical justice on us
if we were actually to get our death by our extreme
love of monarchy and monarchs. Pray write a line
when you get home to say how you aU are.
" Yours most affectionately, " c. J. FOX."

TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY.
" St, Ann's Hill, July 6th, 1805.
"Dear Grey,
" You wUl have heard, before you receive
this, of the Doctor's resignation, I beheve it certainly
did take place yesterday; but maybe he may be in
again to-day. If, however, it is a serious and per
manent breach, I think it certain, from what you and
I know, that Pitt wUl immediately apply to Lord
GrenviUe ; the probability I think is that upon Lord
G.'s answer he wiU stop short, but if he goes on, a
u 2

84 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat, 56,
negotiation may ensue, in which great difficulties and
responsibUity wiU faU upon me. I should feel fright
ened, particularly in the absence of you and Lauder
dale and Fitzpatrick; but, if necessary, I would under
take it with a hope that, whether it were successful
or abortive, I would give no reasonable man among
our friends cause to complain. But I should like to
know, in case I should be put into such a situation
sooner than I expect, what your limitations are to
your letter of attorney. I am sure you wiU feel that
if any good can be done, it is not a time to let any
particular predilections or dislikes have much weight
with any of us.
" I feel a sort . of confidence that if anything be
attempted it wiU break off upon preliminary points, so
as to save us from the very unpleasant difficulties of
detaUed negotiationj but yet it is right to be secretly
prepared as well as one can. As to yourself you know
my wishes ; but if a great sacrifice were made (a
sacrifice which I feel quite sure wUl never be made)
on the other side, perhaps.it would be expected that
the nominal head should be a person less marked
than you or I. It is said that the K. has agreed
to undergo an operation, but is resolved to have his
journeys to Birmingham and Weymouth first. I thmk
the delay at Martinique looks as if the French
had found some unexpected impediment, probably
sickness. " Yours ever' affectionately, "C. J. FOX."

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 85

TO R. ADAIR, ESQ.
"July,1803.
"Dear Adair,
" I have just received yours of yesterday.
I should not hke the proposal you have heard hinted,
because there might be those who would think the
rejection of it unreasonable ; and yet the argument
on our side is short, clear, and intelligible, I should
hope, to every fair person. It was understood last
year that it was Pitt's intention, if he had been
permitted, not to offer us places in his Administration,
but to consult with us about the formation of
one. Now, without blaming him for accepting as he
did, surely we must be allowed to say that there was
nothing in that act calculated to increase our con
fidence in him, and that in our view of things he has
certainly gained no right to stand on higher ground
than he did before. Again, would he have proposed
Hawkesbury or even Castlereagh to us then ? I
think hardly the latter, and certainly not the former ;
and, if not then, it can hardly be supposed that the
meanness of their subsequent conduct can make them
more palatable to us now. Besides such Sticks in
an arrangement which purposes to be a union of
abUity and character would be ridiculous. Our first
principle ought to be exclusive (and in that sense only
wiU I use or admit the idea) of underlings of aU sorts.
To this rule the retaining of Lord Chatham, if P.
wishes it, should be the only exception.
" The great distinction, however, between acceding

86 CORRESPONDENCE OF [iEiAi. 66,
to a Ministry and co-operating in the forming of a new
one, is what is principaUy to be insisted on, and this
distinction, (clear, intelhgible, as I think, to every
man) is I know particularly felt and understood by
Pitt ; as when there was a probability of our situations
being reversed, I mean in the then expected event
of a Regency or a new reign. Lord Gr. Leveson
particularly stated how differently Pitt would feel in
the different cases, supposing the proposition to come
from us.
" Did you understand the K. to wish Lord Grenville
to be the mediator of the domestic coalition, or of the
foreign one ? As to peerages, to the two mentioned
must be added at least two more, Anson and Crewe,
but I do not suspect that would make much difficulty.
Nothing I suppose was said of Eldon or Chatham.
If they were to be kept, Pitt, certainly in point of
eminent friends the weakest of the three, would be
nearly as strong in numbers as the GrenviUes and I
put together.
" I have written aU this chiefly for your own satis
faction, for I would not have it stated as coming from
me to any one ; but if it can be useful to you in any
loose conversation or pour parler on these matters,
you are welcome to it."

MR, FOX TO LORD HOLLAND. "July6(h,1805.
" The Doctor has chosen a bad time for his resig
nation, as Pitt can certainly go on without him while

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 87
Parhament is not sitting, and by these means gains
time for aU sorts of negotiation. That aU these negoti
ations wUl faU I am sure ; but the Doctor could not
be SO, and therefore his folly in this, as in every
thing else, is beyond aU ordinary conception. It looks
as if the French would not be able to do much mis
chief in tbe West Indies,"

TO MR. O'BRIEN. "July 7th, 1806.
" So the Doctor is out at last, and has as usual
taken the worst time possible for his manoeuvre.
Had he stuck to his first resignation in AprU, he
must have destroyed Pitt : even three weeks ago he
might have done it, but to wait for the close of the
session, and to go out at a season when his retiring
is rather an ease to his enemy than any additional
difficulty, it is too foolish. WTiat time does it not
give Pitt for negotiation ? and though I know that
all such negotiations wiU be unsuccessful, probably
the Doctor did not. If the accounts of to-day are
true, and the places are to be filled up immediately,
it looks indeed as if Pitt knew as well as I that he
has no chance from negotiation ; but, even supposing
him to know it, I confess I am surprised that he
should not make a show of attempting it. And so all
our friends are for a coalition with the Doctor. I
do not know that I shall be an enemy to it in proper
time and circumstances, but remember your motto.
Softly John, or a iDord to the Warriors. I apply it to

88 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
the warriors against Pitt, who are for a bellum infer->
necinum without any offer of reasonable conditions.
The state of the case appears to me to be this :»Pitt,
though he may have stiff a bare majority, is too weak
to carry on his Government as it is ; at least we
flatter ourselves so. What then must be his resource?
either to get strength from us, which I hold to be
impossible ; to unite again with the Doctor, which is
not likely ; or, if he can do neither, to get some cause
with the public upon which he may be able to stand
his ground against aU parties. Now what cause can
he get ? no possible other than the old cry against
storming the Cabinet, imprisoning and dethroning
the K,, aristocratical faction, interested coalitions,
&c. &c. &c. Now, what method so good for the
purpose of cutting him off from this his only resource,
as to show on our part every degree of moderation ?
to show that we would do everything possible to
soften the K.'s prejudices, and would by no means
adopt ourselves those principles of exclusion which we
condemn in others ? My speculation was that Pitt
would immediately seek some intercourse with the
GrenviUes, and that upon their answer he would give
out that the whole Opposition was equally unreason
able, and would evidently be content with nothing
less than unconditional submission on the part of the
Court. In that view it would have been very ma
terial that the answer should have been such as to
give the least possible colour to such an interpre
tation. But it looks now as if Pitt did not mean to
give us the trouble of framing such an answer, but to

1805,] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 89
go on on his own strength, joined to that of the
King. I think this is best of all for us ; for, if I am
not mistaken, the public wish for a comprehensive
Administration is very strong, and the want of it
must now lie altogether at Pitt's door. With this
view, too, the Doctor's resignation may do great good,
as furnishing evidence of the impossibUity of Pitt's
going on with any set of Ministers who are not his
own mere creatures and tools. If the Doctor will
faU in with these views, I am sure I have no objection
to coalescing with him ; on the contrary I should
like whatever would tend most to show that the
contest was between Pitt on one side, and all the men
of influence on the other. I mention infiuence, because
I think that is the only circumstance in which the
Doctor is considerable, and I am sadly afraid lest, by
mismanagement, he should lose what he has of that
kind in the House of Commons. Upon the whole, I
consider matters as in the best possible train, and yet
it does sometimes come across me (and I wish others
would not quite forget it) that the Ministry with
which this very Pitt set out in the year '84, was in
all respects as weak and contemptible as the present.
However, the circumstances are different, and in this
respect above aU, that we may by moderate pro
fessions and conduct prevent the possibUity of such a
cry as was raised against us at that time.
" Yours ever, "C, J. FOX."

90

CORRESPONDENCE OF [vEtat. 66.

FROM MR. ADAIR TO MR. FOX.
" Sunday Morning, July 7th, 1805.
" I HAVE received a letter of so much importance
in many respects, that I think it right to send you
down the substance of it, together with a copy of
my answer by the stage.
" The letter states to me (and I can depend on the
writer's veracity as far as that is concerned) the
substance of the King's conversation with Mr. Pitt at
Windsor, on Sunday. I think I had better give it
you in the writer's own words :
" ' It was not from Canning that I heard it, but
from a person to whom the King reported the con
versation. It was a strong representation to the
King of the impossibility of going on without the
assistance of Opposition, that the experiments the
King wished for had both been made, and both
completely faded, and that something else must be
resorted to, for that he would go on no longer. The
King mentioned Mr. Fox's speech : Pitt replied, it
was a most noble one, and that the man who could
make it was the fittest to be apphed to for advice.
On the King's asking whether some proposal might
not be made to the Opposition without Mr. Fox,
Pitt replied, " They ought not to hsten to such pro
posals, and in my opinion their acceptance would be
of very little use without him." He then argued the
point for some time. The person to whom the King
told all this, asked, what his Majesty had answered ?

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 91
The King said, he could not deny there was great
good sense in what Pitt said, and that the argument
stood on very different ground from what it did last
year ; " Addington has acted like a fool and lost
himself, and the Catholic question is laid asleep for
some time." He went on, saying, his chief objection
was that he thought Mr. Fox had a personal dislike
to him. The person answered, " Then your Majesty
has given a complete refusal to Mr. Pitt." The
King said. No, not that ; he had only taken time to
consider, and had told Pitt to patch up as well as he
could for the present ; but that Pitt was so obstinate
he would only offer terms which the Addingtons
could not accept, and they would probably go out ;
and then he added again, " What a fool Addington
has been ! "
" ' In consequence of this conversation Pitt sent
for Canning, whom he had not seen for some time.
Canning answered him by saying, " There is but
one hope of success. Send at once to Mr. Fox, and
speak to him yourself." This was good advice ; but
I was asked whether Mr. Fox would consent to such
an interview if it were asked for ? I ask you this as
your opinion only.'
" These are the very words of the letter. Whether
the intention be or be not to open any negotiation
with you, or, failing in that, to open one with any
others, I know not ; but as my opinion was asked on
one point, and as I can depend upon the fidelity of my
correspondent, I thought I was not advancing too far
in the foUowing answer fo the application :

92 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.

" 'Sunday Night, July 7th.
" ' I received your letter late last night. I thank
you for it, and only wish, for the sake of aU the good
objects it points to, that I had known the circum
stances you state some days earlier. You wiU be
sensible that it would be taking too great a respon
sibUity upon myself were I to answer your question
about Mr. Fox, in a case of so much importance as
that of his consenting to an interview with Mr. Pitt ;
and indeed I do not feel sufficiently authorised even
to consult with him upon the subject, without further
grounds to go upon than your letter contains. As to
my own opinion, I have no objection to giving it to
you freely ; assuring you at the same time upon my
most sacred word of honour that I speak without any
sort of authority from Mr. Fox, or any means what
ever of knowing positively what would be his answer
should such a proposal be made to him.
" ' If it be true, as your informant states, that the
difficulties which obstructed the union of parties last
year in the highest quarter appear to be giving way,
I cannot conceal from you that the events which have
taken place since Mr. Pitt's acceptance of office, as
well as that acceptance itself under the circumstances
under which it took place, have greatly increased
those difficulties among a considerable portion of
our oldest friends. What Mr. Pitt is stated to have
replied to the King in speaking of proposals to the
Opposition without Mr. Fox, namely, " That neither

1805,] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 93
ought the Opposition to accept, nor would their
acceptance be of much use without him," is hand
some, and in the true character of Mr. Pitt; but
what may be caUed the converse of the sentiment is
perhaps equaUy true, namely, that Mr. Fox could not
accept, nor could his acceptance be of much use,
without his friends. How far Mr. Fox himself might
be able to remove the difficulties which long and
recently infiamed resentments opposed to an union so
necessary for the country is more than I can pretend
to say ; but as far as my own observation extends, I
should say that nothing short of putting affairs again
into that situation in which they were previous to
Mr. Pitt's going into the King's closet last year, can
afford a hope of Mr. Fox's being able to negotiate
successfully even with his most confidential, as well
as with his oldest adherents. This is frankly my
opinion ; but again and again I must entreat you to
consider it only as my opinion formed, as well as
given to you, without communication with any one.
Whether an interview, such as you allude to, would
be of any use without some previous explanation
upon the point I have touched upon may be worth
considering ; I can only say I am ready to assist on
my part, i. e., producing that explanation in any
manner in which it may be thought desirable, &c. &c.'
" I hope you wiU not think I have done wrong in
sending the above before consulting you. It was
impossible for me to give a more distinct answer as
to the point of interview, even although I was only
asked my own opinion. If anythmg more comes of

94 CORRESPONDENCE OF [iEiAX. 56.
it, we shaU at least have the benefit of knowing dis
tinctly the grounds on which the interview wUl be
proposed. TeU me what you wish me to do if I
hear again from my correspondent. " Ever yours,
"R, ADAIR,"

TO R, ADAIR, ESQ, " July 8th, 1805.
" Dear Adair,
" I have just received by the stage yours
of yesterday morning. Nothing can be properer
than your answer, and I think it was full as weU you
should have written it Avithout previous consultation
with me. As I do not know who your correspondent
is, I do not know exactly what to make of his inteUi
gence : first, because intentional veracity alone is not
a sure proof of a correct narrative ; next, because
much may be inferred from the sort of person from
whom he was likely to get his intelligence.
" My belief was that Pitt would attempt some
negotiation more or less extensive; but if the
accounts, so generaUy credited, of his intention to fill
up the vacant places immediately be true, I must
suppose he has abandoned aU thoughts of it, if indeed
he ever entertained any. Write again when you
hear anything. I am told that though the K. seemed
to bear every thing very composedly at first, he has
since shown many symptoms of flurry and agitation,
" Yours ever."

1806,] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 95
TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY.
"St, Ann's Hill, July 9th, 1805,
" Dear Geey,
"Inclosed is some seed of the Anemone
PulsatiUa, which Mrs. Fox sends Mrs. Grey. It
should be put in light bog earth as soon as possible.
Lord GrenviUe came over to me yesterday, and we
agreed in all our speculations and opinions — but with
regard to the former, it looks as if we were mistaken,
as the general opinion is that the vacant places are to
be filled up immediately : * Yorke to be Secretary of
State, Camden President, Harrowby Chancellor ofthe
Duchy. I stiU have my doubts as to the first of these
appointments, though it may seem to tally with the
. circumstance of Pitt's having given up Foster to Lord
Hardwicke. " Yours ever,
"C. J, FOX,"
TO THE HONOURABLE C, GREY.
"St. Ann's Hill, Friday, July 12th, 1805.
" Dear Grey,
" I got yesterday yours of the 7th, and am
very happy to hear you are aU so weU after your
journey. If Ihad written to you every day this week
my speculations of each day would have been different
from the former. I now think, as when I wrote to
* See letter of Lord Camden to Lord Grenville in " Courts and
Cabinets," &c., vol. iii. p. 470.

96 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat, 56,
you last, that no proposition wiU be made to us, and
I am quite sure it is best that it should be so — for
those who are anxious for union, wiU be more angry
with Pitt for making no proposal, than for making an
unreasonable one. I refer to persons not connected
with us ; for among ourselves there would be, I think,
the greatest unanimity in rejecting an improper offer.
My reason for thinking none vriU be made, rests
entirely on the fiUing up of the places, and especiaUy
on the appointment of Castlereagh, whom I have
reason to think Pitt would in no case consent to
remove. On the other hand, I learn from a quarter
which I credit, that Pitt has obtained H. M.'s con
sent to propose an extended Administration without
any exclusion, and that the idea was to propose the
admission of six of us into the Cabinet : GrenviUe,
Spencer, Windham, Moira, you and me. Now, I
should conceive that either this plan is abandoned, or
that such is the impudence of the man, that he con
ceives it not incompatible with this plan to insist on his
own remaining where he is, and continuing Hawkesbury
and Castlereagh Secretaries of State. — N.B. It was part
of my intelligence that these two were to be retained.
I can hardly think him audacious enough to make
such an overture ; but if he does, I think it cannot
hurt us, for though any proposal ought to be, and
would be, rejected in which he was to be head, yet I
think the impudence of this wiU be more generaUy
felt. With respect to the Doctor and his friends, I
hear they are ready enough for war, and I have had
a sort of a message from them, hinting at a union on

1805,] CHARLES JAMES FOX,

97

the ground of Pitt's conduct in screening delinquents,
thwarting the inquiries of the Commissioners, and
disgracing the House of Commons. My answer was,
of course, civU and general.* I am told in London
they consider it as certain that Nelson will overtake
the enemy and beat him. A few days wiU show. The
combined fleet must have suffered severely from sick
ness, perhaps among their sailors as well as their
soldiers. " Yours affectionately, " C. J. FOX."

TO THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE.
"St, Ann's Hill, July 12th, 1805.
" I HAVE been here near a fortnight, and Grey left
town Wednesday se'nnight, so that of us three Whit
bread is the only one who wiU have an opportunity of
seeing your friend. The truth is, that I had deter
mined not to be a mauager,f and only lent my name
on the express condition that I was not expected ever
to attend.
" Concerning the state of politics here, accounts differ
so from day to day, that it is quite useless to write
about them. My speculations have varied more than
once or twice in the last week. I now think, from
the circumstance of the appointments, that Pitt will
not make any proposal to opposition, but, on the other
hand, I have good reason to think he mentioned to
* There seems to have been some mis-apprehension about this supposed
message. See Life of Lord Sidmouth.
+ On Lord Melville's impeachment.
VOL, IV. H

98 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 56.
the K. his intention of making what he (P.) thought a
very ample one, and that he obtained the King's
consent. What to make of this I cannot tell. I know
that nothing ought to be consented to unless he wiU
consider the present Ministry as annihUated in aU its
parts, and consult about forming a new one. He wUl
not, I think, bring his mind to this, and yet his
weakness since the defection of the Doctor is extreme ;
however, that is his affair. The only thing that could
hurt us, would be an apparently fair offer on his part,
when, though we might be justified in refusing, we
might not be able to make the public see it in the
same light. On the other hand, I think I see every
disposition in the Addingtonians to join heartily
against him, and if they have as good a case as they
pretend, they wiU be pretty strong. The House of
Commons is evidently divided into fom' parties, nearly
upon a loose calculation, as foUows ; —
Supporters of the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the
time being  180
Opposition  150
Pitt ...  60
Addington  60
450
There are, besides, several members who vote whim
sically, or, in such case as Melville's, from fear of their
constituents, &c. ; and many, of course, who never or
very seldom attend. The first class, were it not for
the very precarious state of the K., would, I fear, be
much larger ; and the second, for the same reason, and
from the slowly increasing, but stiU increasing weight

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 99
of Carlton House, will much more likely gain ground
than lose any. The third class seems very unlikely to
increase at present ; and the fourth will either gain or
lose, — first, according to the notions that will be enter
tained of the Doctor's being more or less well regarded
at Windsor ; next, according to their success in setting
themselves up (which they will endeavour to do) as
opposers of corruption and guardians of the public
purse, &c. . . What is clearest of all is, that P. is very
low and does not seem to have any notion of what
plan he can follow to raise himself. Here is political
speculation enough of all conscience,"

TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY.
"St, Ann's Hill, July 16th, 1806.
"Dear Grey,
" Since I wrote last I have received yours
of the 10th, and, if occasion should happen (quod
procul a nobis, &c,), will certainly attend to it. My
wishes and opinions, with regard to situation for you,
remain unaltered ; nor do I think that the precarious-
ness of your stay in the House of Commons is any
objection. My only fear was, and is, that if a negoti
ation of the sort alluded to, was to take place, it might
be expected that something less efficient would be
thought the proper compromise. The filling up of
the places seems to me, and on the first view must
appear so to everybody, to be a declaration that there is
no longer any intention to negotiate ; but the Pittites
say it is not so meant, and I am told that we are to
H 2

100 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
consider Pitt's journey to Weymouth, whenever it
shall take place, as a signal that the mischief is about
to commence. I doubt this very much ; but from aU
appearance, if any proposition is made, it wiU be such
a one as may be instantly rejected, without any
danger of our being blamed for it. If contrary to my
expectations, and to the nature of the man, anything
plausible should be proposed, I shaU indeed be in
difficulties, though by adhering to the sine qua non, I
should hope we should stiU be safe. It is worthy
consideration, too, what security we could take, that
he wUl not continue to use the influence in his hands
to screen Melville, and to thwart further inquiries. It
would be very unseemly if it could be said with any
colour that we could acquiesce in measures on this
point in which the Doctor could not. I hear the
Addingtonians put the resignations entirely on the
ground of this business ; but whether they can make
out their case clearly, I doubt. It seems to be ad
mitted that Pitt's interview with the Doctor was the
immediate cause that produced the resignations.
Well, then, if that interview, which is also admitted
to have been of Pitt's seeking, had not taken place,
would not the Doctor have been still a member of
Ministry, notwithstanding Leicester's motion, &c.?
However, it is right, I think, to uphold the Doctor in
his resignation, as far as we can, and, I think, Cobbett
has taken the right line on this subject exactly. To
be sure it is impudence hardly to be endured, con
sidering the different shares that he and we have had
in the business, that the Doctor should hold himself

1805,] CHARLES JAMES FOX,

101

out as the sole Centre, &c. There is no truth in Lord
GrenviUe's having seen the K. T. GrenvUle was
here Sunday, and he is one of those who still think
there wUl be negotiation. I have a letter from Lord
Moira, who concurs entirely in the opinion that this
Ministry must be given up, and considered as anni
hUated before anything can be done towards union ;
nor indeed have I seen any one who does not think
the same. We have had strange weather here, cold
and dark ; but everything looks well.
" Yours affectionately, " C, J. FOX,"

TO MR, O'BRIEN. "Jdyl1tli,1805.
" The Doctor, Lord help him, is a great fool,
and one whom experience cannot make wise. His
whole consequence depends (for personally he is
nothing) on the number of votes in the House of
Commons, who seem at present inclined to go with
him, and nine out of ten of these he will lose by
talking the senseless language you hear of. He will
then be reduced to absolute insignificance ; whereas,
if he was to manage well, and state publicly his
hostUity to Ministers, bringing forward, as he might
do, good ostensible reasons, he might be a man of
much more consequence than it is fit such a man
should be. I think Cobbett takes quite the right
line about the resignations, &c. ; but no man can do
anything for one who wUl not do anything for him-

102 CORRESPONDENCE OP f^TAT, 56.
self; nay, who on the contrary who Avill do everything
against himself and for his enemies, I see no news
papers that speak of politics ; but I think the tone
of the paragraphs ought to be to treat with con
tempt the notion of Pitt's being able to carry on
the Government as he is, or to gain any accession
of strength ; and Castlereagh's appointment ought
to be stated as complete proof of his weakness and
impotence in either view."

TO MR, O'BRIEN.
"St. Ann's Hill, August 1th, 1805.
" Without coalitions nothing can be done against
the Crown ; with them, God knows how httle ! As
to the abuse which has been made of my civil
expressions, as they are called, to Pitt, I always fore
saw that they would be so used; but I am stUl
positive that I was right, and do not repent one of
them,"

to MR. O'BRIEN.
" St. Ann's Hill, August 25th, 1805.
" The combined fleets being out is, as you know,
now certain ; but for what particular object it is
vain to guess. They generally have mismanaged
at sea ; so it is to be hoped they wiU continue
to do. The Austrian Mediation, which is now
so much talked of, ma^ do a great deal, if well
managed, but that it is not like to be, I like

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX,

103

to-day's ' Cobbett ' very much, both on Invasion
and on Foreign Affairs. The faUure of another
Continental coalition would be fatal, and this cannot
be too much beat into the heads of aU rational
Anti-GaUicans."

to THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE.
"St. Ann's Hill, August 21th, 1805.
" I AM inclined stUl to adhere to my opinion that
he (Pitt) wiU make no overture ; but in this opinion
I find myself nearly single. However, none has
been as yet made ; and I am told that you are to
look to Pitt's going to Weymouth as the signal that
something is about to be done. He has not yet
been there. In the meantime there is a belief that
war on the Continent wUl break out immediately,
though it is certain Austria has sent a paper to
Petersburg, Berlin, London, and Paris, stating her
wish that negotiations may be resumed, and offering
good offices.
" I have not seen the paper, but it is said to be
couched in very general terms ; and many think
Napoleon will consider it merely as an artifice to
gain time, and begin the attack. I think the more
immediate cause of war, if war is to be, wUl be
the passage of Russian troops into Austrian ter
ritories, and then it wiU once more be contrived
so as to put Bonaparte in the right. For he will
have good reason to say, that admitting Russian
troops at the moment she pretends to lament Russia's

lOi CORRESPONDENCE OF [JEtat, 56,
having broken off the negotiation, is such a proof
both of the Ul-wiU and the insincerity of Austria, as
to justify his choosing his time for going to war."

TO THE HONOURABLE C, GREY.
"St. Ann's Hill, August 28th, 1805.
"Dear Grey,
" I received with great pleasure yours of
the 23rd. We wish you heartily joy, and hope Mrs.
Grey and the boy wiU continue as well as you have
reason to expect.* It is a long whUe since I wrote,
and I wUl not be so long again, but idleness, and
having nothing new to teU you, were the reasons.
The latter of these reasons stUl continues. There was
a strong report (an absurd one on the face of it) that
some proposition was to be sent to us at Stowe ;t
this of course did not happen, and they who think
some offer wiU be made, adhere to what was said
some time ago, that Pitt's visit to Weymouth (where
he has not yet been) would be the signal for the
commencement of what I call the mischief. I have
still a notion that no offer will be made, but I must
confess I am nearly singular in that opinion. It is, I
am sure, best for us that none should, unless it could
be one through the channel you hint at, in which
case, to reject it with indignation must be the course
Avhich every man would approve. You see I un
derstand your letter, but should not do so unless I
* Hon. Frederick Grey born August, 1805,
t Mr, Fox met the Prince of Wales at Stowe.

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 105
had had one from Lauderdale explanatory of it. I
own I think it is absolutely impossible such a channel
should be attempted, and that whoever informed M,*
that it was intended must have been mistaken, or
meant to laugh at him. There could not be a measure
so calculated for making the refusal appear right in
the eyes of all mankind ; whereas I presume the
intention is to endeavour to put us in the wrong, in
the opinions of as many people as possible : and in
this way, if Pitt were to manage dexterously, I should
fear he might have some success. I have strong
dependence however on his temper and character ;
and suspect he will be more anxious to keep himself
clear of the imputation of what I should call modesty,
and he humiliation, than to fix upon us that of un
reasonableness. I hear that to those .who casually see
him, his appearance is just as it was in the House of
Commons — that of extreme uneasiness, and almost
misery. Most of his friends speak of the extreme
desireableness of a junction, and some even of the
absolute necessity of it: but then the friends I
speak of are such mere cyphers, that what they say is
of little moment, though they are in high offices.
Mulgrave, to my surprise, goes as far as any of them.
Harrowby is supposed to hold the stouter language,
and to say that Pitt must not let it be thought for a
moment that he is in any absolute want of us ; and
with this view it is supposed that he advised the
immediate fiUing up of the places. Apropos of fiUers
up ; I hope you are dehghted at Castiereagh's defeat.
* Lord Moira.

106 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat, 56.
He seems in his speeches at Downpatrick to have
made a worse figure, even than usual, with his reasons,
first for his absence, then for his presence, and lastly
for his being off. What a bother we have made with
the sea-business ! Ministers blame Calder, and then
intrust to him the command of the most important
fleet we have ; they cannot be right in both. My
notion is that if Calder and the enemy meet, there
will be a bloody battle, with regard to which, con
sidering the disparity of strength, I scarcely know how
to be sanguine. But I think the most probable con
jecture is, that the combined fleet is gone to the
Mediterranean, in which case there wiU be a long
time before any battle, and the best we can hope is
that CoUingwood and Bickerton may escape. Every
body expects immediate war on the Continent, and
I am afraid there is but too much ground for the
expectation. But yet it is certain that the Emperor
of Austria has sent a paper to Petersburg, Berlin,
London, and Paris ; wherein he expresses a strong
desire that negotiations should recommence, and offers
his good offices, &c. None of the answers are yet
known ; but the fear is that Bonaparte, having strong
evidence of the intentions of Austria to join Russia,
will consider these pacific sentiments merely as means
to gain time, and will begin the attack. I suspect too
that the paper, which I have not yet seen, is in such
vague and general terms, as to give but too much
colour to the interpretation which it is feared
Bonaparte wUl put upon it. The Austrians them
selves admit that if they are attacked, there is nothing

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

107

but a victory over the French army that can stop it
from going directly to Vienna. No fortified places,
no strong positions to be taken. Their only resource
is to fight, and beat the enemy ; and if their first
victory is not a decisive one, they must fight again
and again ; if victorious, they compel the French to
retr'eat ; if beaten in any one great battle, the enemy
must be at Vienna. A pleasant game to play this !
The alarm of invasion here was most certainly a
groundless one, and raised for some political purpose
by the Ministers ; but, whether there may not be on
the cards a possibUity of some naval events which may
render the alarm a most serious one, is another
question. I still however feel bold ; that is to say
about the improbabUity of their being able to come ;
not with regard to what would happen if they were to
land in force. In such a case I should feel quite the
reverse of bold. Upon the whole, a slow death by
the continuation of the war appears to be more
probable than a violent one. Could matters stUl be
remedied ? God knows — ^but I think something better
than the present system might be tried ; and nothing
worse is possible. I hear too that in mUitary matters
everything is going on worse and worse : fortifications
and canals making at an enormous expense, that wiU
be worse than useless, and everything relative to the
army in the old track ; it could not be in a worse.
Sir Charles Pole told a friend of mine that after the
12th or 13th report (I forget which) the Com
missioners were to desist on the ground of the im
possibility of conquering the obstacles thrown in their

108 CORRESPONDENCE OP [JEtat, 56,
way by all persons connected with Government, They
should be careful, if such be their intention, to make
a good case. Here are pohtics enough for a week ;
and yet upon reading over my letter, I do not think
you wUl be much the wiser for anything it contains.
By your not mentioning Lord Grey, I hope he is quite
well again, " Yours affectionately, "C. J, FOX."

TO LORD HOLLAND..
" St. Ann's Hill, September iih, 1805.
" What I said about the Austrian proposition was
not exactly represented, though partly so. I certainly
have strong reason to think that our Court wiU state
itself to be ready to comply with the wish expressed
in the Austrian Circular Paper for the resumption of
negotiations ; at the same time I believe it to be the
expectation of all parties, and perhaps the wish of
most, that the war will commence almost immediately.
The Austrians either do not expect, or pretend not to
expect, that the attack wUl be made by Bonaparte
upon the ground of their intimate connection with
Russia, and of their supposed actjuiescence in the
Russian troops passing through the Austrian territory.
You are to observe that I do not understand the
Austrian paper to contain a distinct proposition of
mediation, but on the contrary that the offer of good
offices is very vaguely worded, and that when I spoke
of these offers being well received I spoke of our

1805,] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 109
Court only. I am totally ignorant what answers wUl
be given by Russia, Prussia, or France. Perhaps the
whole is merely a device, and, as I should think, a
very shallow device to gain time.
" Yours affectionately, "C, J, FOX,"

TO LORD HOLLAND, "September, 1806.
" A THOUSAND thanks, my dear young one, for
your dear little boy. I have not yet time to read your
Vienna letter, but what you mention regarding the
intention of forcing Prussia is not new to me. It is
intolerable, and will, if executed, make us odious to all
mankind. In this view too it is very foolish ; but, on
the other hand, to leave Prussia in a state to join the
French on the first favourable occasion for crushing
Austria is liable to objections too. These are among
the fundamental and incurable difficulties. " Yours, "C. J. FOX."

TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY.
"St, Ann's Hill, September 11th, 1805.
" Dear Grey,
" I write one line to tell you that I hear,
from pretty good authority, that Pitt goes clown to
Weymouth this week ; and consequently now or never
wiU come on this cursed negotiation. I stUl hope
there wiU be nothing, but I find my opinion is not

110 CORRESPONDENCE OF [JLtat. 66.
the general one ; and there are circumstances which
make me afraid. At any rate I have strong con
fidence in the insolence of his, character, making him
offer such a basis, as everybody wiU see the propriety
of immediately rejecting. I hope Mrs. Grey and the
young fry are all as well as we wish them.
" Yours ever affectionately, « c. J. FOX.
" P.S. FitzwiUiam's attack was certainly para
lytic ; but Dr. Pitcairn says it was the shghtest
possible of the kind, nor has he been, as I understand,
in any danger." *

TO THE earl of LAUDERDALE. "September nth, 1805.
" I HEAR from all quarters so much of an intended
proposition, that I am forced to abandon my opinion,
which was, that none would be made. As I feel
myself quite sure that no good can come of it, the
object with me is to consider of the best way of
parrying it. To refuse absolutely having anything
to do with Pitt, would, after all that has passed, be
hardly justifiable, or at least it would require so much
explanation to the public as to make it a very un-
advisable party measure. But to refuse having to do
with any negotiation in which the whole formation of
a new Ministry is not perfectly open, would, T think,
be so reasonable that every unprejudiced man must
* Lord Fitzwilliam lived fill 1833.

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. Ill
see the propriety of it. Here, therefore, we may
safely make our stand ; but if Pitt (which, however,
I think very unlikely) should give way on this point,
why then we must manage the negotiation as well as
we can, and my difficulties wUl be very great. It
would be unreasonable indeed to ask you to come up
on such an occasion, and therefore it is, I suppose,
out of the question ; but yet I feel that no occasion
can occur in which I should so much want advice,
and that there is no advice I should think so useful
as yours. I think that, even if P. should like to
have the appearance of giving way, there would be
preliminaries very difficult, if not impossible, to be
adjusted. Naval commanders, Melville, Redesdale,
&c. &c. If P. went to Weymouth yesterday, as I
learn that he intended to do, we shall soon know
whether any offer is to be made, and, if any, what it
is to be. I understand there are still great difficulties
in regard to Austria, but the general opinion is that
Bonaparte will cut that knot by making an almost
immediate attack, and I think it very likely. Disso
lution is more talked of than ever, but I believe in it
less and less."

112 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 66.

TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY.
"St, Ann's Hill, September 29th, 1805.
"Dear Grey,
" I was very happy to get your letter on
my retum home on Friday, as I had heard both
Mrs. Grey and one of the girls had been UI, but
nothing certain about it. I hope to God, they are
both by this time quite recovered, and that I shall
soon hear from you that they are so. Pitt has been
now some days returned from Weymouth, and no
news of overture. I am quite sanguine again that
none wiU come ; but I own that about a fortnight
ago I was almost beat out of my opinion by the
concurrent opinion of aU whom I saw or heard of.
In case any overture had been made, aU you say
about communication of plans, &c., had been thought
of; but I always believed that everything would be
off upon prehminaries, and consequently before such
communications could be asked. Bonaparte does, I
think, appear very uneasy about the war; but this
gives me little hopes. ' 0 Navis, referent in mare
te novi fiuctus ! ' is a sentence that cannot be pro
nounced by any thinking man without anxiety.
Our papers are, of course, all sanguine, and state
the accession of Bavaria to the League, as they caU
it ; but it is possible that this accession is only, in
fact, submissioQ to the first army that appears in their
country ; but we shall soon see. The disavowal on
the part of Austria and Russia of any interference in

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 113
the internal concerns of France is, I think, very
judicious. They say, too, that our sentiments are
simUar; but surely this ought to be distinctly ex
pressed, and not left to others to say for us, as if
we were ashamed of it. Everything, except part
ridges, here is as abundant as you describe it to be
with you. " Y''ours affectionately, " C. J. FOX."

TO THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE. "September 30th, 1805.
" I AM very much obliged to you indeed for what
you say in your second about coming. I never
meant to express even a wish about it, unless the
negotiation was fairly entame, and I agree with you
that even in that case there is something unpleasant
and ridiculous in coining up for a business which is
sure to end in nothing. The considerations in yom-
last letter are by no means new to me ; so far am
I from thinking them immaterial, that the re-esta
blishing of old interests, and especially where the
persons to whom they belong have been steady to us,
is, without exception, my first and principal object
in wishing for any degree, more or less, of personal
power, and therefore in any arrangement, whether
by means of coahtion or otherwise, it is what I shall
most anxiously look to. Eighteen months ago, when
there was a possibility of a junction with Pitt, I
thought this would not be (as far as relates to
England) a very difficult point.
vol. IV. I

114 CORRESPONDENCE OP [JXtat. 56,
The line seemed to me pretty, clear, i. e., that
there should be an equitable division between our
friends and those few who had stuck by Pitt, against
Government, At that time he could have no incli
nation, as I should think, but certainly no duty
incumbent on him to protect those who had just been
fighting under the King's and the Doctor's banners
against him and us united. The difficulty in Scot
land was greater, because Dundas had done so much
for Pitt against Government, that it would have been
impossible not to aUow him very great Aveight indeed
in Scotland, At the same time we must have insisted
as a sine qua non on the support of such of our
friends as had uniformly stuck by us, Avhich would
not have been a very great number. As to those
who had sold themselves and their interest, one
should have had less delicacy. This Avas my general
view of the matter last year. I have thought the
less about it this year, because I have aU along held
a junction with Pitt to be not improbable but im
possible ; but stUl as many things that I deemed
impossibilities have happened, I have not been quite
inattentive to the change of circumstances both in
England and Scotland since last year, Pitt would
now certainly have the desire, and he would pretend,
perhaps, too, that he was bound in honour to protect
many who were the most adverse to him when he
was out, and Avho are, properly speaking, the dmes
damnees of the Court of Corruption. This must be
guarded against ; but I think no letter or explanation
would afford so good a guard in this case as the

1805,] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 115
having the office of First Lord of the Treasury in
proper hands, and this must, therefore, be insisted
on. Grey would be best, FitzwiUiam next, and
Moira the least good of any that I could propose.
In case the latter were the person, which, because he
is the least eligible, would be the most likely, I
should in that case think it necessary to have a com
plete explanation Avith him, and I have little doubt
but he would act fairly ; indeed it Avould be so much
his interest to do so, that he could not do otherwise.
So far for England : with respect to Scotland, I
should hope that what has passed must have so far
lessened the MelvUle, that the difficulties of last year
must be nearly smoothed, and at all events now,
Melville, as a Minister at least, is out of the question,
and the management of the Scotch patronage would
be put in a great measure into your hands and those
of the Hamiltons. If this was not consented to in
, words, it would in fact take place ; indeed the mere
circumstance of your being in office, and Melville out,
would go a great Avay to insure things taking a right
course. " Now, after all this speculation, my opinion again
is that no offer of any kind wUl be made. Even
those who were most sure that it would, begin now
to think Avith me, and especiaUy since Pitt has been
so long returned from Weymouth without doing
anything. I shall be very glad if I am right, though
I do not think there would be any great difficulty
in bringing forward one or two preliminaries, whicli
would put a stop to the negotiation in a manner far
I 2

116 CORRESPONDENCE OP [iETAT. 56.
from disreputable to us ; I do not recoUect when I
last wrote to you ; but I beheve it is since I was in
town (Saturday fortnight) for a fcAV hours. The
universal opinion tJiere did, I own, shake mine
considerably, and particularly as it was certain that
Pitt's friends gave out as a matter of certainty that
something would be done.
" I know nothing more of the breaking out of the
war than I learn from the newspapers. Bonaparte
seems disturbed, but I cannot help thinking the
Austrians will have the worst of it."

TO LORD HOLLAND. "September, 1805.
" Dear Young One,
" I send you back yom- dear little boy, who
has made us both more and more fond of him. He
seems very well, thank God. I forgot to send the
Vienna letter by yesterday's post, so send it now.
The contents of it exactly correspond Avith what were
my notions at the time it was written. Bad as the
war is, the general reluctance with which it is entered
into wiU make it worse if it takes place : but let us
hope that some further attempts at peace wUl be
made, and if they are made Avith any tolerable
management, I am very sanguine about their
success. I feel quite sure that Bonaparte would
like peace if we would give way in anything.
" We should have gone with Hen. E.* to-day if we
* The present Lord Holland.

1805,] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 117
had not so arranged our visits that we must be at
Goodwood on Monday. We hope now Hen. E.
has been here once, that Lady Holland and you will
let him visit us now and then, as change of air must
be good for him, and it is the greatest gratification
to us. Notwithstanding the universal opinion, my
fancy is that Pitt avUI not make any proposition (at
least none in which he is serious) unless he means
foreign pacific negotiation. In that case I really
believe he would wish a junction ; but whether he
could bring his mind to the sacrifices necessary for
it, is another question,"

TO R. ADAIR, ESQ.
" October 6th, 1805.
" Dear Adair,
" I have just received yours of the 4tli.
Depend upon business enough next session if you are
inclined that Avay. My opinion for refusing the
subsidy is clear ; whether Bonaparte actually gets it
in money or in money's worth, that is, increase of
greatness and dominion, it comes to the same thing.
But, mind, I only mention this as my opinion ;
to-morroAV I go over to Dropmore, and shall learn
more of that of others. Concerning the conduct of
the war there can be no difference ; but the truth is,
that any war at this time, unless well concerted and
directed rather to future successes than to the
present, and more in the nature of a sap than a coup
de main, is nonsense, and for such a war neither we
nor our alhes are by any means prepared."

118 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 56.

TO THE EARL OF LAUDERDALE, '* October 10th, 1805,
" . . . . It is very curious to see what part
Prussia wiU take, though I think the only hesitation
can be betAveen neutrality and open alliance with
France. Her situation seems to me to have its
difficulties. What seems to me clear, is, that she or
Austria will be the great victim of this war, according
as success attends France or the Allies. If the
Cabinet of Berlin see this as I do, they will of course
give the most efficacious assistance they can to France ;
but, on the other hand, there is something plausible in
neutrality. Some say that Russia and Austria will
not consent to Prussian neutrality, and, if they cannot
have Prussia with them, wiU force her to be against
them. This would be a stronger act of national
tyranny than any that is imputed to France. I
suppose we shaU have to pay enormously. I know
our AUies have said that 5,000,000/. wiU by no
means do. Let me have your speculations. 1 think
the most probable event is the success of the French,
and a second treaty of Campo Formio in a few months,
but it is possible it may be otherwise, and that the
AUies may begin with successes ; if so, the war and
the ruinous expense attending it may go on for many
years. There is a third case, viz., that the advan
tages of this campaign may be balanced. In this
case, I beheve both the French and the Austrians
would be inclined to negotiation ; but should we and
the Russians alloAv them to follow their inclinations?"-

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 119
TO LOED HOLLAND.
"St, Ann's Hill, October 25th, 1805.
" Dear Young One,
"I am very happy indeed to hear Charles
is so well again. Little Hen. E. is perfectly well,
and a delight to us aU. He says ' Pity the sorroAvs '
very well ; but I cannot get him to learn anything
new to say to you, I wait with some curiosity to
know about Prussia, One should think it impossible
he should put himself in the poAver of Austria and
Russia, but as it is evident the Austrian Cabinet is
mad, why not the Prussian too ? What if Prussia
Avere to seize this moment, when she is least suspected
of partiality to France, to propose an effectual media
tion? Non lo fara, but if she would, it •would be a
good thing, " Yours affectionately, " C. J. FOX,"
TO MR. O'BRIEN.
" St, Ann's Hill, October %lst, 1805,
" I HAVE received your letter, and would gladly do
Avhat you desire if I could, but I have no remembrance
of the words, nor even of the manner in which the
opinion you refer to was introduced. The sentiment
I remember perfectly, and indeed it has been the
uppermost in my mind ever since I first heard that
there was a probability of the Austrians joining, I
am sure I expressed the opinion of the danger strongly.

120 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 66,
and perhaps what may be worth Cobbett's whUe to
recoUect, that Pitt made the very foolish answer ' that
aU war was attended with danger.' I replied that
they were not the general dangers of war that I
referred to, but the peculiar danger of Austria in the
existing circumstances.'

TO MR, O'BRIEN,
" St, Ann's Hill, November 6th, 1805,
"Many thanks for the Courier. These are won
ders indeed, but they are not much more than I ex
pected.* Now for a domestic speculation. WUl the
country bear aU this ? I fear they wiU bear every
thing, but I allow they never were tried quite so high
before. I take for granted that there is no chance
now of the K. of Prussia joining, but that there should
be persons mad enough to wish it (and I hear
Ministers do wish it,) is an instance of infatuation
and stupid determination not to act by experience
unexampled in the annals of the world. It is not
enough to have laid Austria at Bonaparte's feet, but
they want to sacrifice Prussia to him also. If the
greater power could do nothing against him, taken by
surprise, as in some degree she certainly was, let us
try what a lesser power can do.
* The campaign of 1805, Ulm, &c.

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 121

TO LORD HOLLAND. " November 7th, 1805.
" Thank you, my dear Young One, for your packet
which I received. It is a great event,* and by its
solid as well as briUiant advantages, far more than
compensates for the temporary succour which it wUl
certainly afford to Pitt in his distress.
" I am very sorry for poor Nelson ; for though his
conduct at Naples was atrocious, I believe he Avas at
bottom a good man, and it is hard he should not
enjoy (and no man would have enjoyed it more,) the
popularity and glory of this last business. We have
been so occupied with Madoc that we have not yet
looked at Lope, but we will begin immediately. A
paper I have seen says that the Prussians jointly with
the Russians have entered Hanover, and that the
Emperor A. is at Potsdam. If this be so, I suppose
the K. of Prussia is in for it, and I dare say our wise
Ministers are quite happy at the prospect of offering
up another victim to Bonaparte's shrine. They will
never be satisfied tiU they have destroyed all possible
means of continental resistance to France. I am
sorry Hutchinson goes, because I have a great liking
to him. I have heard nothing of the offer to Moira,
and you do not mention what answer he has made.
Yours affectionately, "C, J. FOX,"
* The news of the Battle of Trafalgar,

122 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat, 66.

TO THE HONOURABLE C. GREY.
"St. Ann's Hill, December Zrd, 1805,
" Dear Grey,
" What an age it is since I have heard from
you ! Perhaps you may make me the same reproach,
but I rather think mine was the last letter. I have
deferred writing these ten days, thinking that some
news would come which would clear up matters on
the continent to the conviction of everybody ; to mine
they are too clear already, and indeed have been so
for some time. I should hope you cannot disagree
with me, in thinking that Pitt ought to be faUen on
without mercy, for having set on foot the Ul-timed,
rash, and ill-constructed attack of the Austrians,
without waiting either for Prussia, or even for the
Russian armies, that were to form so main a part' of
the strength. HoAvever, I am sorry to say that some
among our new AUies, are far from ready for such an
attack, which (by very weak arguments as I think,)
they maintain, would tend to destroy all hope and
spirit here. So things stand at present ; but if events
should occur (and most probably they wUl,) which
wiU extinguish all hope of Austria continuing the
contest, then I think our friends will come nearly
right ; for during the short time when Kickhort's
letter was believed, I know they considered all conti
nental attempts as necessarily to be renounced. At
any rate, however desirable union may be, these are
points too important to sacrifice even for that object ;

1805,] CHAELES JAMES FOX, 123
at least I feel them so ; and could not answer it to
myself, if I did not make some effort to stop a system
which, if it goes on one or two years longer, must end
in making Bonaparte as much in effect monarch of
Germany as he is of France.
" I saw John Ponsonby at Lord Paget's, who gave
me a very good account of Mrs. Grey, little Bessy,
and all of you ; and from him I was confirmed in what
I had before heard, that you were coming up. I had
concluded that for several reasons, the impeachment
among others, you would feel it nece'ssary to do so,
and therefore have forborne teasing you ; aU I shall
now press you for is, that it should be early, for the
first day if possible, for on the address itself there
must be a most interesting debate, and probably even
a division. Besides the general scheme of the war,
there is our own particular conduct in it for discus
sion ; the timing of our expedition from home, and
the employment of our Mediterranean force in making
at least a most useless invasion of Naples. The
Parish Bill, and other subjects connected with it will
be brought on immediately, the first possible day after
the meeting ; and there we expect to be very strong,
as there will on that subject not only be a com
plete unanimity among ourselves, but as I hear, and
beheve, we shall be fairly supported by the Adding
tons. " If you chance to see Lauderdale, pray tell him
that I viTote him near a fortnight since a letter which
I desirad he would answer by return of post, about
some vine cuttings, &c. Mrs. Fox desires to be kindly

124 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 56.
remembered to you aU, and so do I, and wish you a
merry Christmas and happy new year.
Yours affectionately " C, J. POX,"
"P,S. Are not you struck with the extreme impu
dence of our ministerial bulletins ? The assertion
that the convention between Murat and the Russians,
and the correspondence of Palfi were forgeries, was
sent to the newspapers by Ward, of the Secretary of
State's office. -They say the extreme follies they have
been guilty of in this way lately, are owing to Pitt's
being out of town."

MR. FOX TO LORD HOLLAND. " December 7th, 1805.
" Dear Young One,
" I was very bad in not answering your
letters at Woolbeding, but I was always either
shooting or at chess.
" I will do all I can for attendance, but with respect
to what is to be done, I can say nothing positive tiU
after to-morrow, when I shaU see Lord GrenvUle.
My own inclination is for the strongest and plainest
measures, such as refusal of subsidy, but I have httle
hope of getting others to agree in this.
" The disapprobation of the manner and time of
the attack on France must I think be very general.
As io pacific language which is your phrase, I own I
doubt very much whether this is a time even for us,

180.5.] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 125
(exclusive of new friends) to hold out that there is
much chance of obtaining any tolerable peace just
now. I think we ought more than ever to deal in
retrospect rather than prospect. " Yours ever,
« C. J. FOX,"

MR, FOX TO MR, O'BRIEN,
"St. Ann's Hill, December Zrd, 1805.
" Thrice have I determined to trouble you with a
commission, and thrice have I forgotten it. It is
this, if an article in the papers is true that there is a
book opened somewhere (at the Herald's office I
think), to receive the names of those who purpose
attending Lord Nelson's funeral, I should like my
name to be set down. I shall attend if I am no
further from town than here, but at any rate I should
like to have my name set down."

TO THE EARL OP LAUDERDALE. "December 11th, 1805.
" The folly of the newspapers is indeed beyond
credibility, but what is more extraordinary is that
they are certainly encouraged in holding out these
foolish and false hopes by the Ministers, who cannot
I should think seriously entertain them. I wUl tell
you a very strong instance of this. You have seen
probably paragraphs in almost all the papers stating the
Russian offer of capitulation, and the correspondence

126 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
with the Archduke Palatine to be forgeries; now
these paragraphs were sent to the different newspapers
(the ' Morning Chronicle ' included) by Ward of the
Secretary of State's office ; and this as I am assured,
without the shadow of reason for thinking them
forgeries, except possibly their own foolish belief.
As to Pitt's illness, T heard in general that he was
not well, but till this day I never heard that anything
serious was apprehended. Letters from London
to-day mention reports of his being in great danger
with the gout in his stomach, but these are only
reports, and I do not believe them. That he has
had, and probably has stomach complaints is I believe
true. I believe his meeting Melville at Bath AviU
cause much scandal. I hear the Doctor talks of it
with uplifted eyes, and says he cannot believe it.
What do you think Pitt's death would produce just
now ? My speculation is, a new edition of an
Addington Administration, Peace of Amiens and aU."

TO MR. O'BRIEN. " December 26th, 1805.
" I return you the Lucius. I remember it's coming
out very well, and that it was afterwards the general
opinion that Junius was from the same pen, as also
some letters signed Atticus. I do not think much of
it, but you know I am no great idolizer of Junius,"

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 127
TO LORD HOLLAND.
"January lat, 1806.
"Dear Young One,
" I could not conceive what you meant by
asking how I made out the ncAVS, when from the
" Morning Post," which was sent to me, it appeared
all clear enough, God knows ; but I noAv suppose you
had not seen that paper, nor heard what Avas to be in
the evening ones. I think these events do make a
great change in the question of Amendment, and I
should hope will have much influence on those of our
friends whom I thought most uuAvUling, as their
principal argument was the fear of discouraging future
exertions on the continent. Such exertions are noAv
out of the question. I think now that an amendment
there must be; and I wish you and Lord Llenry
Avould try your hands without loss of time in sketch
ing out one. My only objection is, an apprehension
that others will use the phrase you do, of a trial of
strength, and I am sure it will not be a favourable
trial of strength for us. But this objection must
yield to other reasons ; and I have told those to
whom I have written that there would be a division.
I have done aU I can for attendance, BetAveen the
two sorts of amendment proposed I am pretty in
different, but rather incline to a strong one, that is,
unless we should have reason to know, that a
soft one will gain us a dozen or two in numbers.
Say, therefore, to everybody that there wUl be an
Amendment and Division, and I shall be for risking
one whatever our probable numbers may be. I will

128 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
fairly own that, though I have some hope, I am not
very sanguine about being able so to word it as to
make Lord Grenville support it. If he does not, it
wiU be a sad affair, not only with- respect to the
House of Lords, but with reference to the influence
of his conduct in the House of Commons ; but sad as
it is, this appears to me to be a moment when no
great sacrifice ought to be made, even for the purpose
of unanimity among ourselves, a purpose which I am
disposed to think as important as anybody else can.
When I go to town for the funeral I avUI endeavour
to see both Lord G. and Tom, and see what I can
make of them ; but I have a dread of arguing much
with obstinate men, lest one rivet them faster in their
absurdities. N.B. Pray do not repeat any part of
the above sentence to anybody. If we faU in getting
a strong support on the Amendment, I would not
despond, but bring on without loss of time either the
Friday or the Monday after the meeting, the Parish
Bill, and other circumstances connected with Land
Military Force ; whether we are to continue the war or
to treat for peace, a respectable army is equally neces
sary, and not only this is a subject on which Pitt is
particularly vulnerable ; but it is one on which we
shall probably have the full support of the Addingtons,
as weU as that of aU our friends. Lord Henry ought,
with as little delay as possible, to bring on his Scotch
jobs, and especially Melville's additional salary.* In
* Lord Melville holding the sinecure place of Keeper of the Privy Seal
of Scotland, with a large salary, obtained a large addition to it, without
any duties to perform.

1806.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 129
short, we ought to act as vigorously as possible in the
early part of the session, as I know it is the general
wish, and there may be hopes of keeping some in
town whom it would be more difficult to bring back.
I had a letter from Windham about a week ago, and
I was sorry to see a disposition in him upon any even
sHght appearance of success to form new hopes for a
coalition. However, that evU must be now quite
done away, and his desire to blame Ministers is as
strong, I think, as that of any of us. Pray write a
line before you go to Bedfordshire, to say what im
pression the news seems to make.
" P.S. — I mean the substance of this letter, all
indeed except the one tabooed sentence, for Lord
Henry as well as you. You and he must work this
session like drayhorses. It would not be amiss if you
would get made, for yourselves as weU as for me, a
catalogue of aU the subsidiary treaties since the
revolution. I vrish you would look, too, at the famous
passage in Demosthenes, to which yesterday's ' Morn
ing Post' refers, and tell me where it is. I re
member it very weU, but not aU the circumstances of
the case to which it is applied, nor am I sure in what
oration it is, I rather think in the -n-ept (m^wov."

TO SAME. "January 2nd, 1806.
" I AM very much surprised at your letter, which
I have just received, as both Mr. Knap and I wrote

130 CORRESPONDENCE OF [JStat. 56,
yesterday. Mine was a very long, and if I may say
so, a very wise and instructive letter which, if it has
not reached you, your loss is as great as it is
irreparable. " As to your news I must know Pitt's resignation
for certain before I believe it.
" I am told that it is reported Parliament is not
to meet on the 21st, but I suppose there is no
ground for this report. Putting off in Pitt's present
circumstances would be fatal to him. If there
be any truth in the report of his going out, for
God's sake do all you can to prevent our friends
from being eager to come in, untU they are sure of
being quite and entirely masters. The taking of
anything short of complete power, would be worse
than anything that has as yet happened, and most
especiaUy for the Prince. The Fish's* turning Foxite
is a strong circumstance, but stUl I am incredulous
as to P.'s going out voluntarily.
" Yours affectionately, "C. J. FOX,"

TO HON. CHARLES GREY, " Jamiary 10th, 1806.
" Dear Grey,
" I received yours of the 5th on my return
hither to-day, and too late for the post ; but as you
wish me so much to write again, I just Avrite a few
lines to teU you that I am more sanguine than I was
* John Crauford, Esq,, of Piccadilly.

1806,] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 131
about our aU agreeing to march in one column,
though God knows, far enough from anything like
certainty. I do not think any of our friends, or even
the Ministry, are quite mad enough to wish for
another campaign in Germany, even with the
Russians or Prussians ; but the difficulties will be of
a minor kind, and arising from apprehensions, which
I deem unseasonable, lest the condemnation of the
particular attempt should imply a condemnation of
the general system, &c., &c. Though I have men
tioned Ministers, one can know little or nothing of
their opinions. Pitt has been seriously UI, and, as
I believe, too much so to attend to these matters ;
and without him, what are the rest ? It is now said,
that Sir Walter Farquhar, who went to Bath for
him, is now coming back with him to London, but
for this I will not vouch.
" Concerning the delusions of the Courier, buUe-
tins, &c., I should hope and believe there can be no
difference among us ; and perhaps this is of all the
most important point for the House of Commons.
Tom Grenville comes here to-morrow, and when I
have seen him I shall be able to say more ; but
unless \ send this time enough to get into to
morrow's post, it will hardly reach you by the 16th.
I wiU write Sunday or Monday, and direct to you
to the post-office, Doncaster, to be left till called for.
I am very happy to hear Mrs. Grey and the children
come, but I could almost wish you would leave them
a day behind you, rather than not be in London on
the 19th. Between the 1 9th and 20th there is a
K 2

132 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat, 56,
great difference, especiaUy to me. Mrs. Fox desfres
to be kindly remembered to you aU."Yours ever, " C. J. FOX."

The foUowing letters and extracts are taken from
the correspondence of Mr. Fox with my father, John,
Duke of Bedford, during the time that he was Lord
Lieutenant of Ireland, and Mr. Fox Secretary of State.
The latest of these letters, it wiU be seen, is dated
June 16th.

TO THE DUKE OP BEDFORD. •'AprU IZth, 1806.
" First let me beg a line to say how the Duchess
is, for we have been uneasy at the accounts in the
newspapers. " I do not yet hear whether or not the report of
the Bishop of Limerick's death is confirmed. If he is.
Dean Warburton, I suppose, wUl be the new bishop ;
but if this should give an opening to any translation, I
should be very happy if the Bishop of KUlala should
get a step. He is one of the few bishops who are emi
nent for their learning, and I have good reason to think
has been kept down chiefly on account of the im
partial narrative he gave of the landing of the French.
I have no acquaintance Avith him whatever, but I
think it would be a creditable thing to do, and that it
is a little incumbent on us not to let a man suffer

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 133
from his having abstained from the violent and
abusive language, which has done so much mischief.
"I hear great complaints of the bad example
shown in retaining Marsden, who is represented as
a man willing, and, from his situation, capable of
doing all manner of mischief to you and your friends ;
but of this I know nothing ; in my brother's business
he certainly behaved very ill. There are, besides,
complaints of many torturers and persecutors being
left in poAver, but of this you must be able to get far
better information than I. My advice is, if you can
not steer quite even, rather to risk offending those
attached to the old system than our real friends.
" With regard to us here, our bed of roses * is not
very comfortable. This Prussian war, which we had
no means of avoiding, but by a submission equal to
that of the King of Prussia himself, wiU be very
injurious to our commerce, and of course cause great
discontent ; and if there be a bad harvest, the evU wUl
be incalculable. The best way of seeing it is, that if
Russia joins heartily, we may make some impression ;
if not, there will be a pretence for a separate
peace. "Our budget gets a little unpopular, as was
natural to expect; on the other hand I hear that
Windham's plans are pretty generally approved.
However, they wiU certainly be fought with aU the
strength of our opponents in three parts. Ffrst,
the repeal of the Parish BUI ; secondly, the limited
term of service ; thirdly, the abridging the aUowances
* A phrase of Lord Castlereagh's.

134 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
to volunteers. It is, therefore, most desirable that we
should then, if we can, not only get a large propor
tional majority, but large positive numbers. I hope
you wiU desire Elliot to bring or send us as great a
reinforcement from Ireland as possible. Next week
and the week foUowing wiU probably be the time
they will be most wanted. Some of the bUls may,
probably, be read a second time to-morrow and
Tuesday se'nnight, but the Committees and the
Report scarcely tiU the week foUoAving. Pray let me
know whether the Archbishop of Dublin is recovered,
and give me in general as early notice as possible,
when anything of importance becomes vacant, together
with your wishes on the matter. To prevent omis
sions on either side of lesser points, I wiU agree, if
you wiU, to write regularly once a-week, suppose
Saturdays, to each other, and this to hold even if we
have nothing more to say than common news. Pray
remember Mrs. Fox and me in the kindest manner to
the Duchess," TO THE SAME. " April 20th, 1806.
" Whitbread opened the business capitally yester
day. Our division to-night wUl be of the utmost
importance."

1806,] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 135

TO THE SAME, " Apra 26th, 1806,
" I HAVE received yours of the 19th, and am much
obliged to you for it. I wiU keep steady to a weekly
correspondence. With respect to Hardy's case, it is
merely this, that he was sometime in the Irish parlia
ment, always supported our principles without a
single deviation, was a distinguished speaker there,
and is in very indifferent circumstances. He is a
friend of Grattan's and of Lord Moira's, and though
I am but little acquainted with him, I have an
excellent opinion of him, and a regard for him for the
Bishop of Down's sake, whose brother-in-law he was.
I certainly did mention him to EUiot, and I believe
to you, for an office, but stronger claims stood in his
way. An opportunity may offer, and he is reaUy a
most deserving man.
" I am much obliged to you for what you say about
the Bishop of KUlala. You know my motives. He
is, I know, a very moderate man respecting the
Catholics, but is more a man of learning than a
poUtician. " With respect to Mr. Evans's, a case which I think
of the greatest importance, I have burnt or mislaid
his son's original letter, but I enclose you his reply to
niy answer. He was offered leave to return if he
would retract his former opinions. This he wiU
not do, and is, I think, quite right in his determi
nation. But he promises future quiet obedience.

136 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
and can give any security that may reasonably
be demanded. He is an old man. His son is a man
of most exceUent character, and the rightest disposi
tions in aU respects, and has, I have reason to believe,
more influence Avith the Cathohcs and the remainder
of the rebels than any other person. This influence
he has used, and is still using for the best purposes,
as far as he can venture to use it at all. If some
lenity, especially in cases where, as in this, nothing
is required, is not used, I have no hopes of any
solid union among the different classes of Irishmen.
The word rebel must not frighten us, and whenever
there is reason to think the intentions for the future
good, such intentions ought to be encouraged. I
mentioned Evans to EUiot, as well as to you. Lord
H. Petty knows the son very weU, and the ParneUs,
especially William, who is one of the best as weU as
one of the cleverest men I ever knew, can give you a
more full account of him. With respect to the
divisions among the Catholic body, they are to be
lamented, but remember the names first in rank are
not the first in influence. Upon this point, too, you
would do weU to consult. Wm. Parnell.
" I have no time to add anything about affairs here.
AU negotiation vrith France is now, I understand,
at an end. We insisted on negotiating jointly with
Russia ; they on a separate negotiation. The differ
ence between us is, therefore, plain and inteUigible,
but nothing of this ought' yet' to be mentioned pub
licly. You will be happy to hear that it occasioned no
difference or even shade of difference in the cabinet."

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 137

TO THE SAME. " May Zrd, 1806.
" Particularly in regard to Currau I know that
he, more than anybody, feels the necessity of marking
strongly the favour of government to him. I am
afraid what you say is true, that Curran's private
character does not stand so high as one might wish,
but his public conduct, his resisting of temptations,
his support of the cause of justice and humanity,
when few, very few dared support it, are merits which
cannot be overlooked Avithout disgrace to us, more
especially as the reasons against making him Attorney-
General (very weak ones in my judgment) cannot be
aUeged. I most anxiously hope, therefore, that the
negotiation you allude to wUl soon be brought to
bear. " I hope and believe that on all these points Elliot
will be right, but I am sure that the Chancellor * and
you cannot be wrong. There is no man of more
sound and excellent judgment than the Chancellor;
my only apprehension is, that he should attend too
much to what his enemies may tell him will be the
public sense on his conduct and that of the govern
ment. When you two thoroughly agree, do not let
yourselves be shaken."

* Right Hon, George Ponsonby, afterwards leader of the Whig Party iu
the House of Commons,

138 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat, 56.

TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD, "MaylZth, 1806.
" I COULD not resist going to hear RomiUy sum
up on Saturday, which is the day I wish usuaUy to
allot to writing to you, and I have not had a mo
ment since. I am very glad indeed to hear Evans's
request is to be granted, and wUl write without
delay to his son, to desire him to make a proper
application. I entirely concur Avith you in thinking
it right, that in case the first vacant see should not
be of the very first class Dean Warburton should
have it, but when the case of translation does occur,
I stUl feel anxious for Stock. There is something in
what you say of translation, but yet it is hard, when a
man of merit happens (which is mere chance) to get a
poor bishopric at first, he should not be preferred.
Stock and Hamilton are, I beheve, of aU the Irish
bishops the only two eminent for learning, which you
know both with Lord G. and myself is a matter of
great weight,
" Perhaps you are right on the subject of Sir R,
Musgrave, and I am sure most of my coUeagues are of
the same opinion with you. I cannot help retaining
my old prejudices on matters of this sort, and am
already most exceedingly sorry that I have been
persuaded to acquiesce so much as I have done in what
is called a conciliatory system here. The bad effects
of it to my eyes are becoming every day more visible.
We have permitted persons to think that they may

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 139
be considered as friendly, though they reserve to
themselves the intention of opposing us on particular
questions, where Pitt's memory and what not is con
cerned. The consequence of this is, that our friends
are (and in many cases most reasonably) discontented,
and say, ' Surely if enemies are indulged with such
reserves, much more we,' Thus every fancy any
man takes about volunteers, limited service, &c., makes
him vote against us, or stay away, saying that his
opposition is confined to that question, and there are
many who think we shall not be able to carry through
Windham's plan in its most essential parts, in which
case, whatever people may fancy, there must be an
end of the administration. The leading men in rank
and property among the Catholics must certainly be
the great object of attention, only it is good to be
aware, not for the purpose of slackening that attention,
but for that of extending it to others, that their
influence is hot what one could wish.
" As to English matters you will guess from what
I have said above, that we are not in a very easy
state. Many of our friends are clamorous with us to
give way on that part of Windham's plan which to
him and me seems the most essential. If we give it
up I shall consider aU as lost, and the best thing to do
is to break up the Ministry at once ; but if a different
opinion prevails, which is most likely, we may stay a
littie longer, but with an absolute certainty of having
some other struggle with the King and the D. of Y.
in which we shaU be defeated. I hope and trust,
therefore, that we shall not give up anything material,

140 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
but then we must expect hard fighting, and I have
little doubt but that in the course of the business the
enemy wiU muster towards 180.
" News is come of peace in India, and it seems as
if the Porte would certainly adhere to Russia and
Great Britain, The state of Sicily is very bad, but I
hope we shaU be able to retain it. Sir J. Craig is
returned on account of bad health, and my brother
has orders to replace him. There are reinforcements
sent, but if they are out of the channel yet, it is as
much as can be expected." TO THE SAME, " Stable-Yard, May list.
" I AM very well satisfied Avith our division last
night in the House of Lords, 97 to 40, but I am told
others are not."

TO THE SAME.
" Lord Spencer's Office, June Sih.
" I MEAN to write to-morrow, but I must avail
myself of an express Lord Spencer is sending to write
two lines. I am afraid from what you said it will be
an object to Dean Warburton to have Limerick at
once, and if so, I give up ; but if not, I must again
mention Stock, who has been introduced to me since
I wrote last to you, and whose wish to be removed
from KUlala is very strong. I believe the difference
in income between the two is not very considerable,

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 141
and the more I enquire, the more I am confirmed in
my belief that Stock has been much discountenanced
by the late Ministers on account of his moderation
and humanity. Tavistock has been with us some
days, and we are quite delighted with him,"

TO THE SAME. " Stable-Yard, June 9th.
" I have terribly failed in my weekly engagement,
but I really have not had half an hour's quiet I do
not know when. I have now before me your letters
the 24th, the 25th, 26th, and 31st of last month,
and wUl answer them in order, though, if you have
no copies of your own letters, there may be some of
my observations you may not understand.
" In yours of the 24th, you begin with expressing
your dissatisfaction at the division in the Lords. I
own I was very weU pleased with it, for I never did
imagine that this opposition had not considerable
strength in each House, and I heartily wish we may
not have more divisions to send you an account of
this week. Lord Grenville thinks there wiU not be
more than forty. I shaU be satisfied if they do not
exceed sixty. Whether we shaU have fair support
from the quarter you allude to I much doubt, but I
believe we at least shaU not be thwarted there, and
unless some marked occurrence at Court, or a near
division in the House of Commons should make it
justifiable, I think we could not answer to the country
the leaving government at such a time as this to the

142 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
miserable administration which alone could succeed
us. On the subject of instructions to the commander-
in-chief, I imagine Lord Spencer has already written
to you as fully as he is enabled to do at present. The
Duke of York was three hours with him yesterday,
and wUl probably be as long with Lord GrenviUe
to-day, but I trust nothing material wUl be conceded
on this or any other occasion. I wUl not conceal
from you that I am very glad that Marsden is going
out, and it is not necessary to say anything more on
the subject. Pray let me know as soon as you have fixed
his successor ; the less connection he has had with the
old castle the better. I think what you had conveyed
to Sir Richard Musgrave was quite right. If I was
desirous of turning him out it was because, knowing
and feeling every day what we have lost by the fear of
being thought persecutors, I apprehend the like effects
with you. If we had completely routed the MelvU-
lites, do you think they would have the courage or the
means to be endeavouring openly to preserve and
even increase their party power in Scotland ?
" In yours of the 25th you say if our majority is
smaU you think we ought to give up, and this was
strongly my opinion, but the divisions, though not so
good as one could wish, were too good to bring that
point in question.
" I am very happy indeed to find from your note
of the 26th, how thoroughly you are pleased with
EUiot, I knew it would be so. I have the highest
opinion of him in every respect, and though I zvish
he had not been in the castle during Lord Camden's

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX,

143

and Lord CornwaUis' lieutenancies, I am perfectly
convinced that he has come out (a most rare instance)
uncontaminated from that sink of iniquity. There is
something in my eyes of liberality, honour, and
gentlemanlike feeling in him that I have seldom seen
equaUed, and not unmixed Avith a fair show of
prudence. " I am very happy indeed to learn by yours of the
3,1st, that Evans's business is in so fair a way. You
have never said whether you have seen, any of you,
WUliam ParneU. He is perhaps rather romantic, but
is an exceUent man -ndth great talents, and if he takes
a right turn may be of great service to you."

TO THE DUKE OF BEDFORD. "St. Ann's Hill, Jwne 16th.
"A JOB and a fraud are very different things,
and you may as well look for an Irishman free from
the brogue as one free from job.
" Your statement of the comparative value of the
bishoprics, as weU as what related to Dean Warbur-
ton's present preferment, makes my requesting him to
give way quite out of the question. So no more
at present about Dr. Stock, but on the next occasion
I shall return to the charge. As to his not attending
much to the duty of a diocese where there are no
Protestants, I do not value that much ; whUe on the
other hand I do value very highly his learning and
particularly his edition of Demosthenes. If I had my

144 CORRESPONDENCE OF [Mtai. 56.
own way, except in very particular cases, I never
would make a man a bishop, who was not eminent in
some branch of learning. I do not care which, but
classical learning is of course my favourite. Besides,
I must repeat, it is our duty to recompense, at least
Avith our countenance, those who have been oppressed
on account of their moderation ; and that he has been
so vexed on account of his narrative is a fact in which
not only Lord Hutchinson, but all those with whom
I have conversed, are agreed.
" With regard to our general situation I own I feel
now very confident. From the moment of our
first division on the Limited Service BUI, 254 to 129,
I began to be sanguine, and was not much staggered
by the reports circulated. You must consider that
the letting the men go during a war was not hked
among many of our best friends, and that the name
of Windham's Plan studiously connected with volun
teers, &c., was for a time very unpopulai'. I mention
this to show that we came to our divisions under great
disadvantages. There was at one time a shout of
rage against Windham from the shabby feeling that
some of all parties are but too apt to entertain, and
which makes them hate any man who proposes any
thing bold, and which may lead to turn them out.
To this sentiment Pitt almost always yielded. That
we may be in some cases obliged to do so too I fear,
but I trust very seldom, and this wUl make the great
distinctive feature of this administration compared
with former ones. Hopes were afterwards entertauied
by the opposition that they should have assistance in

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 145
the House of Lords. These hopes are now at an
end; 91 to 34 is a great division without proxies.
"Tavistock and his brothers left us on Friday
evening, and we were highly pleased with them all.
And now adieu : only in perfect confidence, and to you
only, let me add that I think things look something
better for peace than they did. Here we have had
two charming days of idleness and enjoyment, but
must return to town to-day."

The private correspondence ends here. I add
the official correspondence in French and English
relating to the negotiation of 1806. The French
copies are printed from the Archives of the Foreign
Office at Paris; the English dispatches from the
Papers laid before Parliament. It will be seen that
each has passages which are omitted in the other.
For instance, the French government omit the letter
of M'. de Talleyrand^ containing an extract of the
Emperor's speech, and the papers laid before parlia
ment omit some of the phrases which do homage to
the virtues and character of Mr. Fox.

¦ MR. FOX TO M. DE TALLEYRAND,
" Downing Street, le 20 FSm-ier, 1806,
"Monsieur le Ministre,
" Je crois de mon devoir, en qualite d'hon-
nete homme, de vous faire part, le plutot possible,
d'une circonstance assez etrange qui est venue a ma
VOL. rv. ^

146 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 66.
connoissance. Le plus court sera de vous narrer tout
simplement le fait comme U est arrive.
" II y a quelques jours qu'un quidam m'annoUfa
qu'U venait de debarquer h Gravesend sans passe-
port, et qu'U me pria de lui en envoyer un, parce qu'U
venait recemment de Paris, et qu'U avait des choses
k m'apprendre qui me feraient plaisir. Je I'en-
tretins tout seul dans mon cabinet, oii apr^s quelques
discours peu importaris, ce scelerat eut I'audace de
me dire que, pour tranquilliser toutes les couronnes,
il faUait faire mourir le chef des Fran?ais, et que,
pour cet objet, on avait loue une maison a Passy,
d'ou Ton pouvait a coup sur et sans risque executer
ce projet detestable. Je n'ai pas bien entendu si ce
devait etre par le moyen des fusils en usage on bien
par des armes a feu d'une construction nouveUe,
Je n'ai pas honte de vous avouer, h, vous. Monsieur
le Ministre, qui me connoissez, que ma confusion
etait extreme de me trouver dans le cas de con
verger avecun assassin declare. Par une suite de
cette confusion, je lui ordonnai de me quitter instam-
ment, donnant en meme temps des instructions a
I'officier de Police qui le gardait, de le faire sortir du
royaume au plutot. Apres avoir refl^chi plus mure-
ment sur ce que je venais de faire, je reconnus la
faute que j'avais faite en le laissant partir avant que
vous en fussiez informe, et jele fis retenir.
" II y a apparence que tout ceci n'est rien, et que
ce miserable n'a eu autre chose en vue que de faire
le fanfaron, en promettant des choses qui, d' apres sa
fa9on de penser, me feraient plaisir.

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 147
" En tout cas, j'ai cru qu'U fallait vous avertir de
ce qui s'est passe, atant que je le renvoyasse. Nos
lois ne nous permettent pas de le detenir longtemps,
mais il ne partira qu' apres que vous aurez eu tout
le temps de vous mettre en garde centre ses atten
tats. Suppose qu'U ait encore de mauvais desseins,
lorsqu'il partira, j'aurai soin qu'U ne debarque que
dans quelque point le plus eloigne possible de la
France. II s'est appel^ ici Guillet de la GerviUifere :
mais je pense que c'est un faux nom. II n' avait pas
un chiffon de papier a me montrer, et a son premier
abord, je lui fis I'honneur de le croire espion. J'ai
I'honneur d'etre, avec le plus parfait attachement.
Monsieur le Ministre, votre tres-obeissant serviteur,
(Signe) "C. J. FOX."

M. DE TALLEYRAND, PRINCE DE B^NfiYENT, TO MR. FOX.
« 5 Mars, 1806.
" Monsieur,
" J'ai mis la lettre de votre Excellence sous
les yeux de sa Majestd. Son premier mot, apres en
avoir acheve la lecture, a ete : ' Je reconnais la les
principes d'honneur et de vertu qui ont toujours
anime M. Fox.' EUe a ajoute : ' Remerciez-le de
ma part, et dites-lui que soit que la politique de son
souverain nous fasse rester encore long-temps en
guerre, soit qu'une querelle aussi inutUe pour I'hu-
manit^ ait un terme aussi rapproche que les deux
nations doivent le desirer, je me rejouis du nouveau
caractere que, par cette demarche, la guerre a deja
L 2

148 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
pris, et qui est le presage de Ce qu'on pent attendre
d'un cabinet dont je me plais a apprecier les prin^
cipes, d'apres ceux de M. Fox, un des hommes les
plus faits pour sentir en toutes choses ce qui est
beau, ce qui est vraiment grand.'
" Je ne me permettrai pas, monsieur, d'ajouter-rien
aux propres expressions de sa Majeste imp^riale et
royale. Je vous prie seulement d'agreer 1' assurance
:de ma haute consideration. (Signe,) " CH. MAU. DE. TALLEYRAND,
Prince de Ben^vsnt."

MR. FOX TO M. DE TALLEYRAND.
• "Downing Street, 26 Mart, 1806,
" Monsieur, "L'avis que votre ExceUence m'a donne
des dispositions pacifiques de votre gouvernement
m'a induit a fixer particuli^rement I'attention du Roi
sur cette partie de la lettre de votre ExceUence,
" Sa Majesty a declare plus d'une fois a son parler
ment son d^sir sincere d'embrasser la premiere occa
sion de retabhr la paix sur des bases solides, qui
pourront se concUier avec les int&ets et la suret6
permanente de son peuple.
" Ses dispositions sent toujours pacifiques : mais
c'est &, une paix sure et durable que sa Majest6 vise,
non a une tr^ve incertaine, et par la meme inquie-
tante tant pour les parties contractantes que pour le
reste de I'Europe.
• "Quant aux stipulations du traite d' Amiens qui

.1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 149
pourraient etre proposees comme base de la n^o-
ciation, on a remarque que cette phrase pent etre
interprete de trois ou quatre differentes manieres, et
que par consequent des exphcations ulterieures
seraient necessaires ; ce qui ne manquerait pas de
causer un grand delai : quand meme il n'y aurait
pas d'autres objections.
" La veritable base d'une teUe negociation entre
deux grandes puissances qui dedaignent egalement
toute idee de chicane, devrait etre une reconnoissance
Teciproque de part et d' autre du principe suivant ;
savoir : que les deux parties auraient pour objet que
la paix soit honorable pour toutes les deux et leurs
aUies respectifs, et en meme temps de nature a
assurer, autant qu'U est en leur pouvoir, le repos
futur de I'Europe.
" L'Angleterre ne peut negliger les interets
d'aucun de ses aUies, et eUe se trouve unie k la Russie
par des liens si 6troits, quelle ne voudrait rien traiter,
bien moins conclure, que de concert avec I'Empereur
Alexandre; mais, en attendant I'intervention actuelle
d'un plenipotentiaire Russe, on pourrait toujours
discuter et meme arranger provisoirement quelques-
uns des points princip'aux.
" II pourrait sembler que la Russie, a cause de sa
position eloignee, ait moins d'intdrets immediats que
les: autres puissances & discuter avec la France ; mais
cette cour, k tous egards si respectable, s'interesse
comme I'Angleterre vivement a tout ce qui regarde le
sort plus ou moins independant des differens princes
et etats de I'Europe.

150 CORRESPONDENCE OP [Mr at. 58.
" Vous voyez, monsieur, comme on est dispose ici
d'aplanir toutes les difficultes qui pourront retarder
la discussion dont U s'agit. Ce n'est pas assurement
qu'avec les ressources que nous avons, nous ayons a,
craindre, pour ce qui nous regarde, la continuation de
la guerre. La nation Anglaise est de toute I'Europe
celle qui souffre le moins de sa duree, mais nous n'en
plaignons pas moins les maux d'autrui.
" Faisons done ce que nous pouvons pom' les finir :
et tachons, s'il se peut, de concUier les interets res
pectifs et la gloire des deux pays avec la tranquiUite
de I'Europe et la f^licite du genre humain.
" J'ai I'honneur d'etre avec la plus haute conside
ration, monsieur, de votre Excellence le tres-humble
et tres-obeissant serviteur,
(Signe) "C. J. FOX."

M. DE TALLEYRAND TO MR. FOX.
,, T,, «le}-jlm7, 1806.
Monsieur, " A I'heure meme oil j'ai regu votre lettre
du 26 Mars, je me suis rendu aupr^s de sa Majeste,
et je me trouve heureux de vous informer qu'eUe m'a
autorise a vous fane sans delai la reponse suivante : —
L'Empereur n'a rien a desirer de ce que possede
I'Angleterre. La paix avec la France est possible et
peut etre perpetueUe, quand on ne s'immiscera pas
dans ses affaires interieures, et qu'on ne voudra ni

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 151
la contraindre dans la legislation de ses douanes et
dans les droits de son commerce, ni faire supporter
aucune insulte a son pavilion.
" Ce n'est pas vous, monsieur, qui avez montrS,
dans un grand nombre de discussions publiques, une
connoissance exacte des affaires generales de I'Europe
et de ceUes de la France, qu'U faut convaincre que
la France n'a rien h, desirer que du repos, et une
situation qui lui permette de se livrer, sans aucun
obstacle, aux travaux de son Industrie.
" L'Empereur ne pense pas que tel ou tel article
du traite d' Amiens ait ete la cause de la guerre. II
est convaincu que la veritable cause a ete le refus de
faire un trait6 de commerce necessairement nuisible
aux manufactures et a I'industrie de ses sujets.
"Vos predecesseurs nous accusaient de vouloir
tout envahir. En France, on accuse aussi I'Angle
terre, Eh bien ! nous ne demandons que I'^galite ;
nous ne vous demanderons jamais compte de ce que
vous ferez chez vous, pourvu qua votre tour vou.s
ne nous demandiez jamais compte de ce que nous
ferons chez nous. Ce principe est d'une reciprocite
juste, raisonnable, et respectivement avantageuse.
" Vous exprimez le desir que la negociation n'abou-
tisse pas a une paix sans duree. La France est plus
interessee qu' aucune autre puissance a ce que la
paix soit stable. Ce n'est point une treve qu'eUe a
interet de faire, car une treve ne ferait que lui pre-
parer de nouvelles pertes. Vous savez tres-bien que
les nations, semblables en ce point a chaque homme
consider e individuellement, s'accoutument a une

153 CORRESPONDENCE OF [iETAT. 56.
situation de guerre comme a une situation de paix.
Toutes les pertes que la France, pouvait faire, eUe
les a faites ; elle les fera toujours dans les six premiers
mois de la guerre. Aujourd'hui notre commerce et
notre Industrie se sont rephes sur eux-memes, et se
sont adaptes a notre situation de guerre. Des-lors,
une treve de deux ou trois ans serait en meme
temps tout ce qu'U y aurait de plus contraire a nos
interets commerciaux et a la politique de I'Empereur.
" Quant a I'intervention d'une puissance dtrangere,
I'Empereur pourrait accepter la mediation d'une
puissance qui aurait de grandes forces maritimes ; car
alors sa participation a la paix serait reglee par les
memes interets que nous avons a discuter avec vous ;
mais la mediation dont vous parlez n'est pas de
cette nature. Vous ne voulez pas nous tromper et
vous sentez bien qu'U n'y a pas d'egalite entre vous
et nous dans la garantie d'une puissance qui a. trois
cent mUle hommes sur pied, et qui n'a pas d'armee
de mer. Du reste, monsieur, votre communication
a un caractere de franchise et de precision que nous
n'avons pas encore vu dans les rapports de votre
cour avec nous. Je me ferai un devoir de mettre la
meme franchise et la meme clarte dans mes reponses.
Nous sommes prets a faire la. paix avec tout le
monde. Nous ne voulons en imposer a persorine,
mais nous ne voulons pas qu'on nous en impose ; et
personne n'a ni la puissance ne les. moyens de le faire.
II n'est au pouvoir de personne de nous faire revenir
sur des traites qui solit executes. L'integrite, I'inde-
pendance entiere, absolue^ de I'empire ottoman, sont

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 153
non-seulement le desir le plus Arrai de TEinpereur,
mais Je ]pQint le plus constant de sa politique.
*' Deux nations eclairees et voisines I'une de 1' autre
manqueraient a I'opinion qu'elles doivent avoir de
leur puissance et de leur sagesse, si elles appelaient
dans la discussion des grands interets qui les divisdnt,
des interventions ^trangeres et eloignee s. Aussi,
monsieur, la paix peut .etre traitee et conclue imme-
diatement, si votre cour a veritablement le desir d'y
ar river. "Nos interets sont conciliables par cela meme
qu'Us sont distincts. Vous etes les souverains des
mers ; vos forces maritimes egalent celles de tous les
souverains du monde reunies. Nous sommes une
grande puissance continentale ; mais il en est plusieurs
qui ont autant de forces que nous sur terre ; et votre
preponderance sur les mers mettra toujours notre
commerce h la disposition de vos escadres, des la
premiere declaration de guerre que vous voudrez
faire., Pensez-vous qu'U soit raisonnable d' attendre
que I'Empereur consente jamais h se mettre aussi
pour les affaires du continent a votre discretion ? Si,
piaitres de la mer par votre puissance propre, vous
voulez I'etre aussi de la terre par une puissance com-
binee, la paix. n'est pas possible ; car alors vous voulez
y arriver par des resultats que vous ne pourrez
jamais atteindre,
" L'Empereur, tout accQutume qu'U £st a courir
toutes les chances qui presentent des perspectives
de grandeur et de gloire, desire la paix avec I'Angle
terre. II est homme. Apres tant de fatigues, il

154 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^Etat. 56.
voudrait aussi du repos. Pere de ses sujets, U sou-
haite, autant que cela peut etre compatible avec leur
honneur et avec les garanties de I'avenir, leur procurer
les douceurs de la paix, et les avantages d'un com
merce heureux et tranquUle.
" Si done, monsieur, sa Majeste le Roi d'Angleterre
veut reeUement la paix avec la France, eUe nommera
un plenipotentiaire pour se rendre a LUle, J'ai
I'honneur de vous adresser des passe-ports pour cet
objet. Aussitot que sa Majeste I'Empereur aura
appris I'arrivee du ministre de votre cour, eUe en
nommera et en enverra un sans delai. L'Empereur
est pret a faire toutes les concessions que, par
I'etendue de vos forces navales et votre preponde
rance, vous pouvez desirer d'obtenir. Je ne crois pas
que vous puissiez refuser d' adopter aussi le principe
de lui faire des propositions conformes a I'honneur de
sa couronne et aux droits du commerce de ses etats.
Si vous etes justes, si vous ne voulez que ce qu'U vous
est possible de faire, la paix sera bientot conclue. .
"Je termine en vous declarant que sa Majeste
adopte entierement le principe expose dans votre
depeche, et presente comme base de la negociation,
que la paix proposee doit etre honorable pour les
deux cours et pour leur allies respectifs.
" J'ai I'honneur d'etre avec la plus haute conside
ration, monsieur, de votre ExceUence le tres-humble
et tres-obeissant serviteur,
(Signe), "CH. MAUR. DE TALLEYRAND,^
Prince ee Benevent."

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 155
MR. FOX TO M. DE TALLEYRAND.
" Downing Street, ce 8 Avril, 1806.
" Monsieur,
" Je n'ai repu qu'hier au soir votre depeche
du I^"" courant. Avant d'y repondre, permettez-moi
d' assurer votre ExceUence que la franchise et le ton
obligeant qu'on y remarque ont fait ici le plus grand
plaisir. Un esprit conciliatou'e, manifeste de part et
d' autre, est deja un grand pas vers la paix.
" Si ce que votre ExceUence dit, par rapport aux
affaires interieures, regarde les affaires politiques, une
reponse n'est guere necessaire ; nous ne nous y im-
misfons pas en temps de guerre ; a plus forte raison,
nous ne le ferons pas en temps de paix ; et rien n'est
plus eloigne des id6es qui prevalent chez nous, que de
vouloir ou nous meler des lois interieures que vous
jugerez propres a regler vos douanes et soutenir les
droits de votre commerce, ou insulter a votre pavilion.
" Quant a un traite de commerce, I'Angleterre croit
n'avoir aucun interet a le desirer plus que les autres
nations. H y a beaucoup de gens qui pensent qu'un
pareU traite entre la France et la Grande-Bretagne
serait egalement utile aux deux parties contractantes ;
mais c'est une question sur laquelle chaque gouverne
ment doit juger d'apres ses propres apergus ; et celui
qui le refuse n'offense pas, ni n'a aucun compte a
rendre a celui qui le propose.
" Ce n'est, monsieur, pas moi seulement, mais tout
homme raisonnable doit reconnaitre que le veritable
interet de la France, c'est la paix ; et que, par conse-

156 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat, 56-.
quent, c'est sur sa conservation que doit etre fondee
la vraie gloire de ceux qui la gouvernent,
" II est vrai que nous nous sommes mutueUement
accuses; mais U ne sert a rien, dans ce moment-ci,' de
discuter les argumens surlesquels ces accusations ont
6te fondees. Nous desirons comme vous I'egaht^,
Nous ne sommes pas assurement comptables I'un ^
I'autre de ce que nous faisons chez nous ; et le prin¦^
cipe de reciprocity a cet %ard, que votre Excellence a
propose, parait juste et raisonnable.
" On ne peut pas disconvenir de ce que vos raison-
nemens sur I'inconvenient qu'aurait pour la France
une paix sans duree, n« soient bien fondes ; mais, de
I'autre cote, celui que nous eprouverions serait aussi
tres considerable. II est peut-etre naturel que, dans
de pareils cas, chaque nation exagfere ses propres
dangers, ou qu'au moins elle les regarde de plus pres
et d'un ceU plus clairvoyant que ceux d'autrui.
" Quant a I'intervention d'une puissance etrangk'e,
il faut d'abord remarquer que, pour ce qui regarde la
paix et la guerre entre la France et I'Angleterre, la
Russie ne peut etre censee puissance etrangere, en ce
qu'eUe est actuellement en alhance avec I'Angleterre
et en guerre avec la France. C'est pourquoi, dans
ma lettre, c'etait comme partie, non comme mediateur,
qu'on a propose de faire intervenir I'Empereur
Alexandre. "Votre Excellence, dans la derniere clause de la
depeche, reconnait que la paix doit etre honorable tant
pour la France et I'Angleterre que pour leur allife
respectifs. Si cela est, il nous parait etre impossible,

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 157
Vu I'etroite aUiance qui ^ubsiste entre les deux gouver-
nemens que celui de I'Angleterre puisse commencer
une negociation, sinon provisoire, sans la concurrence
ou tout au moins le consentement prealable de son
allie. " Pour ce qui est de l'integrite et de I'independance
de I'empire ottoman, aucune difficulte ne peut s'offrir,
ces objets etant egalement chers a toutes les parties
interessees a la discussion dont il est question. -
" II est peut-etre vrai que la puissance de la France
sur terre, comparee a celle du reste de I'Europe,
n'est pas egale a la superiorite que nous possedons
sur mer, envisagee sous le meme point de vue ; mais
il ne faut plus se dissimuler que le projet de combiner
toute I'Europe centre la France est chim6rique au
dernier point. Au reste, c'est en verite pousser un
peu trop loin ¦ les apprehensions pour I'avenir, que
d'envisager I'aUiance entre la Russie et I'Angleterre
(les deux puissances de I'Europe les moins faites pour
attaquer la France par terre) comme tendant a pro-
duire un r6sultat pareil.
" L'intervention de la Russie a la negociation ne
peut non plus etre regardee comme la formation
d'un cohgres, ni pour la forme ni pour la chose,
d'autant qu'U n'y aura que deux parties ; la Russie
et I'Angleterre d'un cot^, et la France de I'autre.
Un congr^s pourrait ette bon, a beaucoup d'egards,
apres la signature des preliminaires, en cas que toutes
les parties contractantes soient de cet avis ; mais c*est
un projet ^ discuter librement et amicalement, apres
que I'aiFaire principale aura ete arrangee.

168 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 56.
" VoUa, monsieur, que je vous ai expose, avec
toute la clarte que j'ai pu, les sentimens du mimstere
Britannique sur les notions que votre Excellence a
suggr^ees. Je me plais a croire qu'U n'y a qu'un
seul point essentiel sur lequel nous ne sommes pas
d'accord. " Des que vous consentirez que nous traitions pro
visoirement jusqu' a ce que la Russie puisse inter
venir, et des-lors conjointement avec eUe, nous
sommes prets a commencer, sans differer d'un seul
jour, la negociation en tel lieu et en teUe forme que
les deux parties jugeront les plus propres a con-
duire a bon escient 1' objet de nos travaux, le plus
promptement possible.
" J'ai I'honneur d'etre avec la consideration la
plus distinguee, monsieur, de votre ExceUence le
tres-humble et tres-obeissant serviteur, "C, J.FOX."

M. DE TALLEYRAND TO MR FOX.
"PARis,le 16 Avril, 1806.
" Monsieur, "Je viens de prendre les ordres de sa
Majeste I'Empereur et Roi, sous les yeux de qui je
m'etais empress^ de mettre la ddpeche que votre
Excellence m'a fait I'honneur de m'ecrire, en date
du 8 AvrU.
" II a paru a sa Majeste, qu'en admettant, comme
vous le faites, le principe de I'egalite, vous persistiez
cependant a demander une forme de negociation qui

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 159
ne peut s'accorder avec ce principe. Lorsque entre
deux puissances egales, une d'eUes reclame I'interven
tion d'un tiers, il est evident quelle tend a rompre
cet ^quilibre si favorable a la juste et libre discussion
de leurs interets. II est manifeste qu'eUe ne veut pas
se contenter des avantages et des droits de I'egalite.
J 'ose croire, monsieur, qu'en revenant une derniere
fois sur cette discussion, je parviendrai a persuader a
votre ExceUence qu'a aucun litre et pour aucun motif,
la Russie ne doit etre appel^e dans la negociation
proposee entre la France et I'Angleterre.
" Lorsque la guerre a eclate entre les deux ^tats, la
Russie etait en paix avec la France. Cette guerre n'a
rien change dans les rapports qui existaient entre elle
et nous. Elle a d'abord propos6 sa mediation; et
ensuite, par des circonstances etrangeres a la guerre
qui nous divise, des froideurs etant survenues entre
les deux cabinets de Saint Petersbom'g et des Tuileries,
I'Empereur Alexandre a juge a propos de suspendre
ses relations politiques avec la France, mais en meme
temps il a declare, de la maniere la plus positive, qu'U
etait dans I'intention de rester etranger aux debats
existant entre nous et I'Angleterre.
" Nous ne pensons pas que la conduite que la
Russie a tenue depuis cette epoque, ait rien change
a cette determination. Elle a, il est vrai, conclu un
traite d'aUiance avec vous, mais ce traitd, U est aise
d'en juger par ce qui en a ete rendu pubhc, par I'objet
qu'U avait en vue et plus encore par les resultats, n'avait
aucun rapport avec la guerre qui existait depuis pres
de deux ans entre nous et I'Angleterre. Ce traite etait

160 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 56-.
un pacte de participation a une guerre d'une nature
diff^rente, plus etendue et plus generale que la pre
miere. C'est de cette guerre qu'est n^e la troisieme
coalition, dans laqueUe I'Autriche ^tait puissance prin
cipale et la Russie puissance auxiliaire. L'Angleterre
n'a particip^ qu'en projet a cette guerre ; jamais nous
n'avons eu a combattre ses forces reunies a celles de
ses allies. La Russie ne s'y est montree que secon-
daireruent. Aucune declaration adressee a la France
n'est venue nous apprendre qu'eUe etait en guerre
avec nous, et ce n'est que sur les champs de bataiUe
0^ la troisieme coalition a ete detruite, que nous avons
ete officieUement informes que la Russie en avait fait
partie. " Lorsque sa Majeste Britannique a d^clar^ la guerre
a la France, elle avait un but qu'eUe a fait connaitre
par ses manifestes. Ce but constitue la nature de la
guerre. Lorsque, dix-huit mois apr^s, sa majeste
Britannique s'est alliee avec I'Autriche, la Russie, et
la Suede, elle eut d'autres objets en vue ;^ ce fut une
nouveUe guerre dont il faut chercher les motifs dans
les pieces officieUes qui oiit ete publi^es par les diverses
puissances. Dans ces motifs, U n'est jamais question
des interets directs de I'Angleterre, ces deux guerres
n'ont done aucun rapport ensemble : I'Angleterre n'a
point participe reeUement a ceUe qui est terminee r la
Russie n'a jamais pris de part ni directe ni indirecte
a ceUe qui dure encore, II n'y a done aucune raisOn
pour que I'Angleterre ne termine pas seule la guerre
que seule eUe a faite avec nous.
" Si sa Majeste I'Empereur adoptait le principe de

1806,] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 161
negocier maintenant avec I'Angleterre unie a ses
nouveaux aUies, elle admettrait imphcitement que la
troisieme coalition existe encore, que la guerre d'AUe-
magne n'est pas finie, que cette guerre est la meme
que celle que la France soutient centre I'Angleterre :
elle accepterait imphcitement pour base de la negocia
tion les conditions de M. de NovosUzoff, qui ont excite
I'etonnement de I'Europe et souleve le caractere fran-
9ais : et de vainqueur de la coalition, I'Empereur se
placerait volontairement dans la position du vaincu.
"Aujourd'hui I'Empereur n'a plus rien a debattre
avec la coalition : il est en droit de meconnaitre les
rapports que vous avez ens avec eUe ; et en traitant
avec vous, U ne peut etre question que du but et des
interets de la guerre entreprise anterieurement a vos
alliances et qui leur a survecu.
" Quoiqu'U n'y ait que six mois que le voUe qui cou-
vrait les combinaisons secretes de la derniere guerre a
ete dechire, il est cependant vrai que le continent est
en paix. Le principal des vos allies, I'Autriche, a fait
sa paix separee. La Prusse, dont les armes ont ete
pendant quelque temps sur le pied de guerre, a fait
avec nous un traite d'aUiance offensive et defensive.
La Suede ne merite aucune mention. Quant a la
Russie, il existe entre elle et nous des propositions
directes de negociation. Par sa puissance, elle n'a
besoin de la protection de personne, et elle ne peut
reclamer I'intervention d'aucune cour pour terminer
les differens qui nous divisent. Par sa distance eUe
est tenement hors de notre port^e, comme de tout
moyen de nuure, que I'etat de guerre ou I'etat de pau£

162

CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56,

ne produit dans nos rapports respectifs que des
changemens purement diplomatiques. Si, dans une
teUe situation, I'Empereur acceptait de negocier con
jointement avec I'Angleterre et la Russie, n'en m^con-
naitrait-U pas tous les avantages ! ne supposerait-U
pas I'existence d'une guerre qu'U a glorieusement ter
minee ! n'abandonnerait-U pas enfin de lui a I'Angle
terre le principe d'une egahte deja convenue entre
nous ! Pour peu, monsieur, que vous vouliez ex
aminer, avec le discernement qui vous appartient, les
considerations que j'ai I'honnem- de vous exposer, vous
conviendrez qu'une teUe negociation nous serait beau
coup plus prejudiciable que la guerre et meme qu'un
congres, "En effet dans un congres, si I'Angleterre, la Suede,
et la Russie debattaient pour faire pr^valoir les prin
cipes qui ont servi de fondement a la troisieme coah
tion, la Prusse, le Danemarck, la Porte, la Perse, et
I'Amerique reclameraient contre ces principes et de-
manderaient des lois Egales de navigation et un juste
partage dans le domaine de la mer. Sans doute, dans
cette discussion, on voterait souvent la diminution du
pouvoir de I'Angleterre. Des puissances reclameraient
Tequilibre du midi de I'Europe, mais d'autres aussi
reclameraient I'equilibre du nord. Un grand nombre
s'occuperaient de I'equihbre de I'Asie : toutes s'intd-
resseraient a I'equUibre des mers : et si, du sein de tant
de discussions orageuses et comphquees, U est possible
d'esperer qu'U en sortit un resultat, ce resultat serait
juste, parce qu'U serait complet. Et certes, sa majeste
I'a declare dans toutes les circonstances. Elle n'aura

1806,] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 163
point de repugnance a faire des sacrifices pour la
tranquiUite pubUque, lorsque I'Angleterre, la Russie
et toutes les grandes puissances seront chacune dis-
posees a reconnaitre les droits etabUs, a proteger les
etats faibles, et a adopter des principes de justice, de
moderation, et d'egalite : mais I'Empereur connait
trop les hommes pour se laisser seduire par des
chimeres, et il connait que ce serait s'egarer que de
chercher la paix dans un dedale de dix ans de debats,
qui pendant ce temps, perpetueraient la guerre et ne
feraient que rendre son terme plus incertain et plus
difficile a atteindre. II faudrait alors changer de
route, et faire comme on fit a Utrecht, laisser les
allies se morfondre dans des debats interminables et
inutiles, traiter seul a seul, discuter, comme on fit
alors, les interets des deux puissances et ceux de
leurs allies respectifs : faire enfin la paix pour soi, et
la faire assez equitable et assez honorable poiir qu'eUe
ne put manquer d'etre agre^e par toutes les puissances
interessees. Voila comme il convient, non pas dans dix
ans, mais aujourd'hui, que deux puissances teUes que
I'Angleterre et la France terminent les differens qui
les divisent, et etablissent en meme temps la rfegle de
leurs droits et celle des interets de leurs amis.
" Pour me resumer. Monsieur, je ne vols dans la
negociation proposee que trois formes possibles de
discussion : negociation avec I'Angleterre et les alhes
qu'eUe a acquis lors de la formation de la troisieme
coalition ; negociation avec toutes les puissances de
I'Europe, en y joignant les Americains ; negociation
avec I'Angleterre seule. La premiere de ces formes
M 2

164 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
est inadmissible, parce qu'eUe soumettrait I'Empereur
a I'influence de la troisieme coalition, qui n' existe
plus, L'Empereur eut negocie ainsi, s'U eut ete
battu. La seconde forme de negociation eterniserait
la guerre, si les incidens inevitables qu'eUe mul-
tiplierait a tous les instans, et les passions qu'eUe
dechainerait sans mesure, ne faisaient pas rompre
avec eclat la discussion peu d'annees apres qu'eUe
aurait ete etablie. La troisieme est done la seiUe que
doivent desirer ceux qui veulent veritablement la
paix. Sa Majeste est persuadee que les dispositions
justes et moder^es qu'eUe aime a reconnaitre dans
le ton et le langage du ministere de sa Majeste Bri
tannique, secondant, au gre de ses desirs, les senti
mens pacifiques dont eUe est plus que jamais
determinee a donner des preuves a ses amis et meme
a ses ennemis, les peuples, epuises des efforts d'une
guerre dont I'interet est aussi difficile k sentir que
la veritable objet en est difficUe a connaitre, verront
enfin sortir de la negociation proposee une paix qui
est reclamee par tous leurs besoins et par tous leurs
VCfiUX. " Agr^ez, Monsieur, &c.
(Signe), " CH. MAUE. DE TALLEYRAND,
Prince de Bi^NivENT."
"DowHiNO Street, ce 21 Avril, 1806.
" Monsieur, " J'ai regu avant-hier la depeche de votre
ExceUence, du 16 de ce mois.
" Apres I'avoir lue et relue avec toute I'attention

1806,] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

165

possible, je n'y trouve aucun argument suffisant pour
induire notre gouvernement ^ changer I'opinion qu'U
a deja enonc^e, savoir, que toute negociation ou
la Russie ne serait pas comprise comme partie, est
absolument inadmissible. Nous voulons la paix : mais
nous ne pouvons rien vouloir qui puisse porter
atteinte, oil k la dignite de notre souverain, oii a
I'honneur et aux interets de la nation.
" Or, si nous traitions sans la Russie, vu les liens
etroits qui nous unissent a cette puissance, nous nous
croirions exposes au reproche d' avoir manque k cette
fidelite scrupuleuse dans nos engagemens, dont nous
nous faisons gloire, tandis que, de I'autre cot^, en
persistant dans notre demande que la Russie soit
admise, nous ne croyons rien faire qui soit contraire
au principe d'^alite que nous reclamons tous les
deux. " Lorsque les trois plenipotentiaires se trouveront
ensemble, comment croire qu'on put rien emporter
par la pluralite des voix, ou meme qu'une assemblee
pareUle eut rien de commun avec un congres general !
II n'y existerait effectivement que deux parties, d'un
cote, la France •. de I'autre, les deux puissances
aUiees. " Au surplus, si Ton voit tant d'avantages dans une
affaire de cette nature a se trouver deux contre un,
il n'y aurait aucune objection k ce que vous fissiez
intervenir celui de vos aUies que vous jugeriez a
propos. "Desirant sincerement d'eviter des disputes in
utiles, je ne me permets pas d'entrer dans la dis.

166 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 56.
cussion des consequences que votre ExceUence tue
des evenemens de la dernifere campagne.
" Je remarquerai seulement, en passant, que je ne
vols pas par quelle raison une alliance doit etre
envisagee comme nuUe, par rapport aux puissances
qui y tiennent, parce qu'une de celles qui la compo-
saient en a ete detachee par les malhem's de la guerre.
" Quant a I'ouverture que la Russie vous a faite,
nous ne savons ce qui en est : mais queUe qu'en soit
la nature, nous sommes persuades que cette cour ne
se conduira jamais de maniere a compromettre la
loyaute reconnue de son caractere, ou d'affaiblir les
liens d'amitie et de confiance qui subsistent entre
elle et I'Angleterre.
" Pour revenir au point, votre exceUence dit que
dans la negociation proposee, elle ne voit que trois
formes possibles de discussion : la premiere vous parait
inadmissible. " D'apres ce que j'ai eu I'honneur de vous ^crire,
vous devez juger. Monsieur, que la troisieme est
incompatible, tant avec nos idees fondamentales de
la justice et d'honneur, qu'avec notre aperfu des
interets de notre pays. La seconde n'est pas peut-
etre mauvaise dans son principe; mais, outre les
delais qu'eUe causerait, elle ne serait guere prati-
cable dans la conjoncture actueUe.
" C'est done avec bien du regret que je dois de
clarer nettement k votre ExceUence que je ne vois
nul espoir de paix dans ce moment-ci, a moins que
chez vous on ne se dispose a traiter dans la forme que
nous avons proposee.

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 167
" Je crois devoir ajouter que cette forme nous est
essentielle, non seulement pour les raisons que j'ai
eu I'honneur de developper a votre ExceUence, mais
en tant que tout autre pourrait faire naitre des
soup9ons que de fait vous entreteniez le projet chime-
rique qu'on vous reproche (a tort, comme j'aime a
le croire) de nous exclure de toute relation avec les
puissances du Continent de I'Europe; et meme
qu'une telle idee est moins revoltante pour nous
qu'eUe ne deArrait I'etre et quelle ne Test en effet.
Ce n'est pas h, un ministre aussi eclaire que votre
Excellence qu'U puisse etre necessaire de declarer
que I'Angleterre ne peut jamais consentir h, une
exclusion qui la degraderait du rang qu'eUe a tenu
jusqu'ici, et qu'eUe croit pouvoir toujours tenir parmi
les nations du monde.
" La chose enfin se trouve reduite a un seul point -.
veut-on traiter conjointement avec la Russie ! oui ;
veut-on que nous traitions separement ! non,
" Bien que nous n'ayons pas reussi dans le grand
objet que nous nous sommes propose, les deux
gouvernemens n'ont qu'a se loner de I'honnetete et
de la franchise qui ont caracterise la discussion de leurs
differens : et je vous dois sur mon compte particulier,
Monsieur, des remerciemens de la maniere obligeante
dont votre Excellence s'exprime a mon egard.
" Je vous prie d'agreer les assurances de ma con
sideration la plus distinguee.
" J'ai I'honneur d'etre, de votre ExceUence, le tres-
humble et tres-obeissant serviteur,
(Signe), "c, j, fox,"

168

CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat 56,

" Paris, le 2 Jwm,, 1806.
" Monsieur, " J'ai mis sous les yeux de I'Empereur la
derniere lettre que votre Excellence m'a fait I'honneur
de m'ecrire. Je ne puis que vous repeter, d'apres
ses ordres, qu'exiger de la France qu'eUe traite avec
vous sur le principe de votre aUiance avec la Russie,
c'est vouloir nous rfeduire a une forme de discussion
forcee, et nous supposer dans un etat d'abaissement
ou nous ne nous sommes jamais trouves. On ne doit
jamais se flatter d'imposer a la France ni des condi
tions de paix, ni un mode de negociation contraire aux
usages. L'exigence sur I'un oil I'autre de ces points
affecte egalement le caractere fran^ais : et je ne crains
pas de dire que, pour triompher a cet egard de toutes
nos repugnances, ce ne serait pas trop qu'une armee
Anglaise eut envahi la Belgique et fut a la veUle de
penetrer en Picardie par les debouches de la Somme.
" Je dois encore vous repeter, Monsieur, que dans
la verite sa Majeste desire la paix : et pourquoi
n'ajouterais-je pas ce que nous avons pu dire, ce que
nous avons reeUement dit a toutes les epoques ou les
negociations ont ete rompues, que la prolongation de la
guerre n'a jamais ete prejudiciable a la grandeur fran-
9aise, et qu'en temps de paix un grand etat ne peut faire
usage de ses forces que pour se maintenir et pour con-
server teUes qu'eUes sont ses relations avec ses voisins !
" La France ne vous conteste pas le droit de choisir
et de conserver vos amis ; dans la guerre, elle n'a pas le
choix de ses ennemis, et U faut bien qu'eUe les combatte

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 169
unis ou separes, selon qu'U leur convient de se concerter
pour accomplir leurs vues d' agression et de resistance,
et de former des alliances si peu conformes a la veri
table politique de leur pays, que la premiere clause de
ces alliances a toujours ete de les tenir secretes.
" Parce que nous voulons suivre, dans cette circon-
stance, la forme de negociation qui a ete en usage
dans tous les- temps et dans tous les pays, vous en
concluez que nous ne voulons pas que vous ayez des
liaisons sur le continent, Je ne pense pas que nous
ayons jamais donne lieu a une telle induction. II
ne depend de nous d'empecher aucun gouvernement
de se lier avec vous, et nous ne pouvons vouloir, ni
ce qui est injuste, ni ce qui est absurde : mais autre
chose est que vous formiez des liaisons a votre choix,
et autre chose que nous y concourions, et que nous
vous aidions a les contractor. Or consentir a traiter sur
les principes de vos alliances et les admettre dans la
discussion des interets directs et intermediats qui nous
divisent, c'est plus que les souffrir et les reconnaitre,
c'est en quelque sorte les consacrer, les cimenter, et
les garantir, Je vous I'ai deja fait observer, monsieur,
nous ne pouvons ceder sur ce point, parce que le
principe est pour nous. Toutefois, pour ne laisser
lieu desormais a aucun malentendu, je crois de mon
devoir de vous proposer, 1. De negocier dans les
memes formes preliminaires qui furent adoptees sous le
ministere de M. le Marquis de Rockingham en 1782,
formes qui ne furent pas si heureusement renouvelees
pour les negociation de LUle, mais qui eurent un
plein succes dans la negociation qui preceda le traite

iro CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
d' Amiens. 2. D'etablu- pour bases deux principes
fondamentaux ; le premier, que je tire de votre lettre
du 26 Mars, savoir, ' que les deux etats auront pour
objet que la paix soit honorable pour eux et pour les
allies respectifs, en meme temps que cette paix sera
de nature a assurer, autant qu'Us le pourront, le repos
futur de I'Europe.'
"Le second principe sera une reconnaisance, en
faveur de I'une et de I'autre puissance, de tout droit
d'intervention et de garantie pour les affaires con-
tinentales, et pour les affaires maritimes. Non-seule
ment sa majeste ne repugne pas a faire un tel aveu,
eUe aime a I'eriger en principe : et en vous exposant
ainsi ses veritables intentions, je crois vous avoir
donne une preuve decisive de ces dispositions paci
fiques. Sa Majeste se persuade, en meme temps,
qu'en prevenaint pour toujom's a cet dgard tout sujet
de plaintes, d'inquietudes et de declamations, eUe a
fait, sur un point qui interesse essentieUement le bien
de I'humanite, son devoir d'homme et de souverain.
" Ce serait. Monsieur, avec regret que je verrais
finir une discussion qui a commence sous de si bons
presages. J'aurais toutefois, en perdant une espe-
rance qui m'est bien chere, la consolation de penser
que la tort de ravou* fait dvanouir ne saurait etre
impute a la France, puisqu'elle ne demande et ne
veut que ce qui est raisonnable et juste.
" Agreez, Monsieur, 1' assurance de ma plus haute
consideration. (Signe), „(,g jj jjj, TALLEYRAND,
Prince de Benevent,"

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 171
"Downing Street, ce 14 Juin, 1806.
" Monsieur,
" J'ai re9u, il y a quelques jours, la depeche
de votre Excellence en date du 2 du mois courant.
"Je ne con9ois pas comment, en traitant avec la
Russie et nous conjointement, vous ayez a recon
naitre le principe de I'aUiance entre elle et nous.
Tout au plus vous ne reconnaissez que le fait.
" Encore moins puis-je deviner comment cette ma
niere de traiter vous suppose dans un etat d'abaisse
ment quelconque. Nous ne pretendons nuUement
imposer a la France ni les conditions de la paix, ni
un mode de negociation contraire aux usages. En
1782, epoque que votre Excellence cite eUe-meme
dans sa depeche, nous ne nous croyions pas dans un
etat d'avilissement : cependant, lorsque M, de Ver-
gennes nous dit qu'U faUait, pour I'honneur de sa
cour, que nous traitassions conjointement avec elle,
la HoUande, et I'Espagne, nous adoptames, sans
croire en aucun sens nous degrader, le mode auquel
ce ministre paraissait attacher tant de prix, Votre
gouvernement veut sincerement la paix : ici on la
desire egalement : et je pourrais cependant dire de
I'Angleterre ce que votre Excellence dit de la France,
que la prolongation de la guerre n'a jamais ete pre
judiciable ni i, sa gloire ni a sa grandeur : a ses
vrais interets permanens peut-etre bien, mais egale
ment ^ ceux de la France.
" Quant a ce qu'U y a eu de secret dans notre
traite d'aUiance avec la Russie, votre ExceUence est
trop eclairee pour ne pas reconnaitre que, pour ce

172 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
qui regardait la guerre et les propositions qu'on aurait
h faire a la Prusse et h I'Autriche, le secret etait
necessaire. Tout cela est passe, Agir de concert
pour procurer en premier lieu le repos a I'Europe et
pour le lui conserver apres, c'est le principal, je pour
rais meme dire I'unique objet de nos haisons.
"Apres la manifere franche dont vous desavouez
I'intention qu'on vous a imputee a tort, par rapport
a ce qui regarde nos liaisons continentales, U nfe peut
plus exister le moindre doute sur ce point essen
tiel ; et il n'en serait que plus facheux que les
difficultes qui regardent la forme plutot que la chose
fissent continuer une guerre que les deux gouverne-
ments souhaitent egalement de terminer.
" Venons a ce que votre Excellence propose. La
forme qui eut lieu dans le ministere du Marquis de
Rockingham m'est d'autant plus presente a la me-
moire, que j'occupais alors le meme poste dont sa
majeste a bien voulu recemment m'honorer. Que
la France et I'Angleterre changent de position, et
c'est precisement ceUe que j'ai proposee. Nous
traitions alors avec la France et ses aUies : que la
France traite a cette heure avec nous et les notres.
" Les bases oftertes dans votre seconde proposition
sont parfaitement conformes aux vues de notre gou
vernement; bien entendu que, lorsque nous recon-
naissons mutueUement nos droits respectifs d'inter
vention et de garantie pour les affaires de I'Europe,
nous convenons aussi mutueUement de s'abstenir de
tout empietement de part et d'autre sur les etats
plus ou moins puissans qui la composent.

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 173
" Je ne regretterais pas moins que votre Excellence
que cette discussion finit. Pour peu que nous puis-
sions agir de facon qu'on ne puisse pas nous re-
procher d' avoir manque a la bonne foi vis-a-vis d'un
allie qui merite k tous egards une confiance entiere
de notre part, nous serous contens ; d'autant plus
que nous savons qu'une paix honorable ne serait pas
moins conforme aux voeux de la Russie qu'a ceux de
la France et de I'Angleterre.
" J'ai I'honneur d'etre, avec la consideration la plus
distinguee, de votre ExceUence, le tres-humble et tres-
obeissant serviteur. (Signe), "G. J. FOX."
" Monsieur, je ne vous ecris que deux mots pour
vous dire combien je suis satisfait du desir que vous
avez temoigne pour la paix. — Au surplus. Lord
Yarmouth a toute ma confiance : tout ce qu'U vous
dira, vous pouvez croire que c'est moi-meme qui
vous le dis.- — -Le temps presse. Agreez tous mes
hommages. " C. J. FOX.
" Londres, ce 14 Jui/ii, 1806,"
I give no more of these despatches. The remainder
of the volume vrill comprise official letters relating to
the negociation of 1782, the correspondence of Mr.
Fox with Gilbert Wakefield, already pubhshed, a few
letters from Mr. Fox to Mr. Trotter contained in that
gentleman's Memoirs of Fox, and some letters from
Mr. Fox to the Duke of Portiand, for which I am
indebted to the kindness of the present Duke.

174 CORRESPONDENCE OF [JEtat. S3,
MR. FOX TO MR. GRENVILLE. " St. James's, April ZOth, 1782.
" Sir, "Although from the conversation we have
had together upon the objects of your journey to Paris,
I have no doubt but you are perfectly master of the
line of conduct which you are wished to foUow there,
yet as it may be a satisfaction to you to have some
written instructions upon the subject, I am com
manded by His Majesty to acquaint you that it is his
pleasure that you should proceed in the foUowing
manner. When you arrive at Paris, you wUl endea
vour to see Mr. Oswald as soon as possible, who wiU
probably have announced your arrival, and from whom
you may possibly coUect whether the sentiments of
Mons. de Vergennes and Dr. Frankhn continue to be
the same as they appeared to him in the first inter
view he had with them ; you will then go to Mons. de
Vergennes, with whom your conversation wUl be more
or less open, as you find him (either from previous
information or otherAvise) more or less inclined to
entertain sentiments favourable to the object of your
journey. You will first of aU assure him of His Ma
jesty's sincere and ardent wishes for the blessings of
a general peace, and acquaint him, that in order to
save the effusion of human blood, His Majesty wishes
the time and place of treating to be those which are
most likely to bring matters to a speedy issue. With
this view you wiU name Paris, provided it can be so
managed as to give no cause of offence to the Courts

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 175
of Vienna and Petersburgh. With respect to time, you
wUl inform him that you are ready to send over hither
for plenipotentiary powers, whenever matters shall
appear to be ripe for such a measure. These things
being settled, you will naturaUy propose to him to
state to you some general outlines of his ideas on the
subject of general pajpification, which, if he should
refuse, as there is too much reason to suppose he will,
you wiU naturaUy enough be led to throw out yours ;
but with what degree of authority you are to state
them, whether as merely your own, or as those which
from your intimacy and confidence with me, you
know me to share in common with you, or as those
of His Majesty and his Ministers, must be left en
tirely to your discretion, which will of course be
guided in a great measure by what you see and hear
upon the spot, and by the degree of sincerity which
you suppose to be in Mons. de Vergennes's pacific
professions, — as to the manner, therefore, you are to
judge, but the substance must be this : That His
Majesty is willing to cede to His Most Christian
Majesty, and his allies, the point which they, at
various times, and upon various occasions, declared
to be the subject of the war, and particularly in the
last answer from the Court of VersaUles to the medi
ating Courts ; that is to say, to accede to the com
plete independency of the thirteen American States,
and in order to make the peace, if it should take place,
sohd and durable, to cede to said States, the towns
of New York and Charlestown, together with the
province of Georgia, including the town of Savannah,

176 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^Etat. 83.
aU which are stiU in His Majesty's possession, —
provided, that in aU other respects, such a general
and reciprocal restitution shaU take place in every
quarter of the globe, on the part of the beUigerent
Powers, as shall restore things to the state they were
placed in by the treaty of Paris, 1763, When this
is stated as the basis of the intended treaty, you vrill
of course understand and explain if necessary that it
does not exclude any exchange of possessions which may
be made to the mutual satisfaction of both the Parties.
You will not fail to dweU upon the importance of those
places, which we should be ready to restore, upon
such a treaty taking place. The acquisitions in the
East Indies, St. Pierre, and Miquelon, places so neces
sary to their fisheries, and above all St^. Lucie, must
be principally insisted upon. The importance of this
last can scarcely be exaggerated beyond the opinion
which I have reason to think they entertain upon the
subject. After having seen Mons. de Vergennes,
you will go to Dr. Franklin, to whom you wUl hold
the same language as to the former, and, as far as his
country is concerned, there can be no difficulty in
showing him that there is no longer any subject of
dispute, and that if, unhappUy, this treaty should
break off, his countrymen will be engaged in a war,
in which they can have no interest whatever, either
immediate or remote. It will be very material that,
during your stay at Paris, and in the various oppor
tunities you may have of conversing with this gentle
man, you should endeavom- to discover whether, if the
treaty should break off, or be found impracticable on

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 177
account of points in which America has no concern,
there may not in that case be a prospect of a separate
peace between Great Britain and America, which after
such an event must be so evidently for the mutual
interests of both countries. As the direct object of
your journey, at present, is rather to fix the time and
place of a treaty, than to treat, it is not certainly
necessary that you should communicate Avith the
Count d'Aranda in this stage of the business ; but
whether it may not be advisable, is a question of
some doubt, and perhaps you cannot do better than
to consult the French Minister upon the subject.
This step wiU be attended with this advantage at
least, that it wUl take away all suspicion of our
attempting any separate peace with Spain, and show
a degree of confidence, which is always useful in
business. I need not say that it is His Majesty's
wish to, have as frequent and exact accounts as may
be of anything material that may pass between you
and any of those with whom you are instructed to
treat, as weU as any interesting intelligence you may
be able to procm'e with respect to the state of the
French Cabinet, and the influence that most prevaUs
there. I have nothing further to add but to acquaint
you that His Majesty relies with the utmost confi
dence upon your abilities, for the dexterous manage
ment of a business upon which the situation of this
country may so much depend.
" I have the honour to be, &c.
"P. S. — It may not be amiss if your first' in tro-
VOL. IT. N

178 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^taT. 33.
duction to Mons. de Vergennes should be through
Dr. Franklin himself, with whom you may have as
much previous conversation as you may think ad
visable."

MR. FOX TO MONS. DE VERGENNES.
"St. James's, April ZOth, 1782.
" Monsieur, "Monsieur GrenviUe, qui a eu I'honneur
de vous etre presente par MUord Stormont du tems
de son Ambassade a Paris aura celui de remettre cette
lettre a Votre ExceUence. Apr^s le rapport que Mons.
Oswald nous a fait ici des sentimens favorables pour
la paix que Votre ExceUence lui temoigna dans I'en-
tretien qu'U a eu a VersaUles avec Votre ExceUence
et Mons. Franklin, je n'ai pas cru devoir difiPerer un
moment d'envoyer chez vous quelqu'un qui put vous
assurer des sentimens de cette cour a cet egard — ^Le
nom, et j'ose ajouter le caractere distingue de celui
que nous vous envoyons, fournisseut la preuve la
moins equivoque de la bonne foi dont nous agissons,
et si Mons. GrenviUe n'est pas encore revetu d'une
autorite formelle, ce n'est que parce que les circon
stances ou se trouvent actuellement les choses
ne paroissent pas justifier une pareUle demarche de
notre part. — Au reste je crois pouvoir assurer Votre
ExceUence qu'U est on ne peut pas plus dans la confi
ance des Ministres du Roi, que vous pouvez compter
sur tout ce qu'U aura I'honneur de vous dire, et qu'U
ne manquera pas de nous rapporter avec I'exactitude

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 179
la plus scrupuleuse tout ce que vous lui ferez celui
de lui communiquer. — Quant a moi, je prie Votre
Excellence de me faire la justice de croire que je ne
me trouverais que trop heureux si cette negociation
put prendre entre mes mains un6 tournure conforme a
I'esprit d'humanite qui anime les deiix Souverains, et
que la moderation du Roi d'un cote, et la justice et la
raagnanimite de S. M. T. C. de I'autre semblent
devoir promettre. — Permettez-moi Monsieur de ne
pas finir cette lettre sans vous marquer les sentimens
d'estime la plus parfaite avec les-quels j'ai I'honneur
d'etre] Monsieur votre tres humble et obeissant ser
viteur."

MR. FOX TO MARQUIS DE CASTRIES.
"St. James's, April ZOth, 1782.
" Je profite avec empressement, Monsiem% du depart
de Mons. GrenviUe pour vous temoigner ma recon
naissance de I'echange de Mons. Stanhope, et des
sentimens aussi flatteurs pour moi, que Mons. Walpole
m'a fait I'honneur de me communiquer de la part de
Votre ExceUence. Mons. GrenvUle qui' aura celui
de vous remettre cette lettre, vous expliquera plus
au large. Monsieur, le motif de son voyage, et je
connais trop les sentimens d'humanite de Votre
ExceUence, et les vues justes et etendues qu'eUe a
des vrais interets de sa patrie pour ne pas m' assurer
de ses vceux pour I'heureux succes de~ la commission
dont U est charge. " J'ai I'honi xmr d'etre."

180 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 33.

MR. GRENVILLE TO MR. FOX. " Paris, May 10th, 1782.
" Sir, ^
"Having arrived at Paris on the 7th, I
accompanied Mr. Oswald on the 8th to Mr. Franklin
at Passy. Mr. Franklin told me that Mr. Laurens,
Mr. Jay, Mr. Adams, and himself had fuU powers,
all or any of them that should be present, to bind
Congress by any treaty to which they should sub^
scribe; that Mr. Adams was very much busied in
forming a treaty with the Dutch, and therefore
could not come to Paris, but that he expected Mr.
Laurens and Mr. Jay very soon ; that as to the
connections of America with France, America was
free from any sort of engagement, but those which
existed in the two public treaties of commerce and
aUiance, and that those two treaties were such as any
other nation was free to make with America ; that
America had been greatly obliged to France, and
must show her good faith in the observance of her
treaties. I said that the extent of that obligation was
what I wished him to consider, and whether, in the
independence of America, if that should be the basis
of a treaty, he did not see gratification enough for
France. He said it was a great deal, but that Spain
might want something, — ^he supposed, would want
Gibraltar, and that perhaps it would be of little use
to us, now we had lost Minorca and had less com
merce to defend. I told him I hoped Spain would

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 181
be found to entertain no such idea ; that the opinion
of the whole nation and those who understood its
interests best, was, I beheved, so decided upon that
subject, that I hoped it would make no part of any
negociation that looked to a prosperous conclusion :
he immediately said it was nothing to America, who
kept or who had Gibraltar. I trusted therefore, I
said, that things foreign to the subject of the
quarrel would not be permitted to break off a treaty,
and lead America on in a war where she could find
no interest, particularly as I could not help believing
there was still in America a good disposition towards
England. He said there were roots, that they would
want a good deal of management ; that, knowing
much of both countries, he believed he could give
good counsel upon the subject; that he wished
reconcihation as well as peace, — that he thought
there were circumstances in the power of England
which might bring it about, that showing kindness
to the American prisoners, particularly those now
going home; that enabling those persons whose
houses had been wantonly burnt to rebuUd them,
such things, if spontaneously done, would, he was
sure, have the greatest effect to a real reconcUiation.
I could only answer, that every practicable measure
would probably be taken to bring about a recon
cUiation, by those who desired so sincerely to bring
about a peace : in this as well as in a subsequent con
versation, his language, in manner, as weU as sub
stance, expressed a very earnest and unaffected wish
for peace, though always accompanied with pro-

182 CORRESPONDENCE OP [xEtat. 33.
fessions of strict adherence to the treaties Ameriea
had made.
" Yesterday morning I carried your letter. Sir, to
VersaUles, and, by Mons. de Vergennes' desu-e, Mr.
Franklin went with me. As soon as I had stated to
Mons. de Vergennes, his Majesty's sincere wish and
disposition to put an end to the calamities of war,
and the concurrence he was pleased to give that
Paris should be the place of treaty, he said he
could assure me that the King his master had the
same good dispositions to peace, but that regarding
as the first object his good faith to his AUies, H. M.
C. M. could do nothing without them, and must,
previously to any thing else, send to Madrid and
Holland for persons authorised to confer with me. I
answered that he must have been aware in reading Mr.
Fox's letter, that I had no formal authority whatever,
but that I had conceived it could not but be useful,
previous to the necessary arrangements of a treaty, to
have that sort of communication by conversation
with him, which might show some general ideas upon
which both parties might enough agree, to find in
them the basis of a treaty.
" He said he could make no overtures, nor any
answer to mine, tiU after a communication with the
King his master's AUies. I told him I was now
only looking to those general points which might
supply a prospect sufficient to the foundation of a
negociation, and went on to say that one naturaUy
looked towards that which had been the motive of the
war, aud avowed to be such by France as well as

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 183
America ; and that, was that cause of contest removed,
it seemed perfectly just, that in every other instance,
things should be placed exactly in the same state in
which they were before the contest existed. He said
he could not allow the independence of America to
be the only cause of war, for that France had found,
and not made, America independent ; but even sup
posing that true, I must not forget that though the
last war began only upon the subject of Nova Scotia,
we had not confined ourselves to that at the Peace.
I answered that the comparison did not appear to me
just, for that the independence of America would be a
point gained more essential to the interests of France,
in the separation of Thirteen Provinces from England,
than any acquisition we had made by the last peace
had been to us. When I mentioned the important
possessions we had to restore, he interrupted me, in
speaking of St. Pierre and Miquelon, by crying out
' Oh, pour la peche, nous aliens arranger cela bien
d'une autre maniere.' He said we had checked and
constrained the French in aU the quarters of the
world, that he wished for a treaty of peace more just
and durable than the last, and that the two principal
objects they should attend to, were justice and dignity.
I answered, that in any treaty to be made, he must
not forget, that justice and dignity were as essential
objects to one great nation as another. I did not
find it easy to make him advert to Ste. Lucie and to
the East Indies ; he contenting himself with saying, I
did not tell him all (he saw) at the first word, and
finished the conversation by teUing me he would see

184 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^Etat. 33.
me the next morning, and that the Spanish Am
bassador shoiUd meet me; and going out of the
room said, he did not foresee that what had now been
talked of would be the basis of a treaty.
" When I saw Mons. de Vergennes again this
morning, he told me he had his master's orders to
say that H. M. C. M. partook very sincerely of those
dispositions, which his Britannic Majesty felt, to put
an end to the calamities of war, and would do every
thing in his power to facilitate that end, but that
having indissoluble engagements with his Allies, he
could not enter into any treaty without their partici
pation, but would, in conjunction with them, listen to
any overtures, as soon as persons empowered by them
could be here. He then informed me that the Spanish
Ambassador would immediately send for powers to
Madrid, and that there would be time for me to send
for powers, that I might be ready when the others
were ; the Spanish Ambassador added that H. C. M.
had the same good dispositions towards peace with
H. M. C. M. I said I would communicate to Mr.
Fox what they had told me, — there was then pretty
near the same discussion with that of the day before ;
the Spanish Ambassador insisting stUl more strongly
that his master's griefs Avere totally distinct from the
independence of America, and that to make a durable
peace, we must begin, he said, from the point at
which we now are. At my suggesting again to-day the
idea of ceding to H. M. C. M. and his AUies, the
independence of America, Mons. de Vergennes, with
great earnestness, said that the King his master could

1782,] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 185
not in any treaty consider the independence of America,
as ceded to him, and that to do so would be to hurt
the dignity of his Britannic Majesty ; which idea I
conceive to be thrown out only to lessen the value of
the sacrifice by disclaiming aU share in it.
" Mons. de Vergennes was more explicit than
yesterday about the East Indies. He asked why we
should not content ourselves with Bengal; said it
was a great and rich province ; that our arms were
grown too long for our body, that the French had
experienced from us in India every sort of indignity,
and that, chiefly owing to the terms of the last peace ;
that for his part he could not read the last peace
without shuddering (sans fremir), and that in making
a new treaty they must be relieved from every circum
stance in which their dignity had been hurt.
"Having thus. Sir, endeavoured to state to you
the most material parts of the conversations I have
had in the three days that I have passed here, you
wUl not, I am persuaded, expect much comment upon
them ; perhaps however it may not be unnecessary to
add, that Mons. de Vergennes's manner expressed a
very strong persuasion that England must make
infinitely more important and extensive sacrifices, to
give to a negociation much prospect of success ; the
line of the last peace seeming to be that which of all
others both he and Mons. Aranda are most intent
upon excluding from the present negociation.
" Permit me. Sir, only further to observe, that it
did not appear to me that anything could be facUitated
by using the latitude which was given to me, of

186 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 33.
making a dh-ect proposition, and therefore confined
whatever I said to mere matter of conversation ; and of
that conversation I have already related to you every
thing that seemed in the least respect worth leavmg
to your consideration. " I have the honour to be,
" With great truth and regard,
" Sir, your very obedient
" Humble servant,
" THOMAS GRENVILLE."

MR. FRANKLIN TO MR, FOX.
"PASST,iI/'02/l Gift, 1782.
" Sir, "I received the letter you did me the
honour of writing to me, by Mr. GrenvUle, whom I
find to be a very sensible, judicious, and amiable
Gentleman. The name, I assure you, does not with
me lessen the regard his exceUent quahties inspne.
I introduced him as soon as possible to Mons. de
Vergennes ; he wiU himself give you an account of
his reception. I hope his coming may forward the
blessed work of Pacification, in which, for the sake of
humanity, no time should be lost ; no reasonable
cause, as you observe, existing at present, for the
continuance of this abominable war.
" Be assured of my best endeavour to put an end
to it. I am much flattered by the good opinion of a
person whom I have long highly esteemed, and I hope

1782,] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 187
it wiU not be lessened by my conduct in the affair
that has given rise to our correspondence.
" With great respect,
" I have the honour, &c.,
" b, franklin.
" Right Hon. C. J. Fox, Esq,,
"Secreta/ry of State, &c"
MR. FRANKLIN TO LORD SHELBURNE. "Passt, ISiAifai/, 1782.
" I DID myself the honour of writing to your Lord
ship a few days since, by Mr. GrenviUe's courier,
acknowledging the receipt of yours of the 28th past,
by Mr. Oswald. I then hoped that gentleman would
have remained here some time ; but his affairs, it
seems, recall him sooner than he imagined. I hope
he will return again, as I esteem him more, the more
I am acquainted with him ; and his moderation,
prudent councils, and sound judgement may con
tribute much not only to the speedy conclusion of a
peace, but to the framing such a peace as may be
firm and long-lasting. " With great respect, I am, &c,,
"B, FRANKLIN.
" Earl oe Shelburnb, &o. &o."
MR. GRENVILLE TO MR. FOX.
" Paris, May lUh, 1782.
" Sir, " The letter which I sent to England, by
Lauzun, wUl, I flatter myself, have engaged your
attention to those difficulties, that seemed, from what

188 CORRESPONDENCE OF [jEtat. 33.-
could be coUected from Mons. de Vergennes' conversa
tion, to attend the very first step in this business.
Upon further considering those difficulties, they seem
to demand such extraordinary attention to the form
and nature of the first proposition which His Majesty's
Ministers may be disposed to make, that I shall pre
sume to trouble you with a few lines upon the subject,
and have very readUy concurred in the inclination
Mr. Oswald has expressed, to go himself to London,
in order to state them as fully as he is capable of
doing. " Everything that I have hitherto seen and heard,
leads me to believe, that the demands of France
and Spain will be found such as it will be difficult,
perhaps impossible, for England to comply with, as
they are at present conceived; that Spain looks to
Florida and Gibraltar; that France looks to very
essential alterations in the state of the Newfoundland
Fishery, to perhaps more than Grenada in the West
Indies, and to very extensive surrenders of commerce,
and territory in the East Indies. It is from the
expectation the Courts of Madrid and VersaUles
entertain of being supported by America in these
claims, that they wUl derive the greatest confidence
in making them, and if so, whatever measure could be
found practicable to weaken that support, or to give
to France and Spain even the apprehension of losing
it, would be to take from them the strongest ground
of their pretensions in a negociation ; and could it be
effectually done, would put them more within our
reach in the prosecution of a war.

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 189
" It is true, that the present state of America's
connection with France, and the good faith she
professes to observe in it, has given no prospect for
proposing to make with her a separate and distinct
treaty ; but, whether by giving in the first instance
independence to America, instead of making it a con
ditional article of general treaty, we might not gain
the effects, though not the form of a separate treaty ;
whether more would not be gained in well-founded
expectation, than would be lost in substance; whether
America once actually possessed of her great object
would not be infinitely less likely to lend herself to
other claims, than if that object should remain to be
blended with every other, and stand part of a com
mon interest ; whether the American Commissioners
would think themselves warranted, after such a
measure, in adhering to the demands of France and
Spain, or whether, supposing that they should, the
Thirteen Provinces would consent to the carrying on
the war upon such motives : whether too, the treaty
now forming with Holland, would not so be baffled
in its object, and that we should have, as it were,
concluded with America before she had finally en
gaged herself with HoUand. All these are questions
which seem of immediate and important consideration,
and I must say, for my apology in venturing to state
them, arise more from the critical situation of things,
than from any opinion I can presume to form about
them. Should I not, however, add that Mr.
Franklin's conversation has, at different times, ap
peared to me to glance towards these ideas ? While

190 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 33.
he was with me this morning, he went so far as to
say, that when we had aUowed the independence of
America, the treaty she had made Avith France for
gaining it, ended ; and none remained but that of
commerce, which we, too, might make, if we pleased.
He repeated, that he did not know what France
would ask, or would expect to be proposed; but
mentioning immediately the article of Dunkirk, I
confess that by putting his conversation together,
I was distantly led to suppose that in case of
America's being first satisfied, she might be more
likely to save the honour of her good faith by sup
porting France in such articles as that of Dunkirk,
than in the more essential claims upon the East
Indies. He ended by saying, that he saw the con
sideration of so many interests, might make the
business very tedious ; but assured me that whatever
influence he had at this Court should be used to
accommodate things ; he had, too, once before said
that, in forming a treaty, there should, he thought,
without doubt, be a difference in a treaty between
England and America, and one between England
and France, that had always been at enmity : in
these expressions, as weU as in a former one, where
he rested much upon the great effect that would be
obtained by some things being done spontaneously
from England, I think you wiU perhaps trace some
thing not altogether wide of those ideas which I
suppose have weighed with him. What weight they
wUl have in your better judgment, is not for me
to consider. I conceived it important to state them ;

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 191
and after that, have but to receive your orders upon
the subject, repeating only, that as yet there seems
little hope of a successful negociation with France,
and that America, which was the road to the war,
seems to offer the most practicable mode of getting
out of it, — ^perhaps, too, threatens the greatest danger
if she continues to assist the prosecution of it. I
have the honour to be, Sir, your very obedient
humble servant, " THOMAS QREITVILLE."

MR. POX TO MR. GRENVILLE. " St, James's, May 21st, 1782,
" Sir, " I have received your letter by Lauzun the
messenger, and laid it before the King. His Majesty
was pleased to refer it to the consideration of his
confidential servants, and, in consequence of their
advice, has thought proper to invest you with the
full powers, and to give you the instructions which
accompany this despatch. From the tenor of those
instructions, you will, I trust, easily perceive what
line of conduct you are expected to hold with respect
to the direct object of your mission ; but as it may
be of much advantage that you should be acquainted
with the general designs and views which have
influenced the conduct of the King's servants upon
this occasion, in order that you may shape yours
accordingly, his Majesty has directed me to explain
them to you more fuUy. Upon reading your letter
it was impossible not to perceive that the whole cast

192 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33.
and complexion of the French Minister's conversation
was very unfavourable to the expectation of any fan-
or equitable peace in the present moment, and it
was therefore the principal concern of the King's
servants, what steps should be taken to enable them
to turn to account the probable faUure of this nego
ciation. The two objects that suggested themselves
first to thek view, were, 1st, To detach from France,
if possible, some of her present allies ; 2nd, To gain
some for this country. To these two might be
added a third, viz,. To draw forth the exertions of
this country, and to induce the people to bear their
heavy burdens with patience, by showing them that,
if the war continues, it is not for want of reasonable
endeavours to make peace, on the part of the CroAvn.
To aU these objects the same means seemed apph-
cable, and there appeared nothing for us to do, but
to convince the world of the sincerity of our wishes
for Peace, and our readiness to make reasonable
sacrifices, and to contrast these dispositions with the
ambitious views of our enemies, which it must be
our business as much as possible to unmask. No
better method could be thought of, for compassing
those ends, than by authorising you to make, in the
King's name, the propositions contained in your first
instructions, as a basis for a treaty, and, in case of
that proposal not being agreed to, to solicit some
proposition on their part. If they should make any
that wears in any degree the appearance of reason
and moderation, you wUl undoubtedly be instructed
to negociate upon it, and to enter into a discussion

1782,] CHARLES JAMES FOX,

193

of those points in which it may differ from our
ideas ; if on the contrary, they should make one
consisting of exorbitant and absurd demands, or
refuse to make any, it will then surely be in our
power to convince the world in general, and America
and HoUand in particular, that everything has been
done on our part, towards reconcUiation ; and that
if they still persist in the war, they persist in it
without any interest of their own, and for the sole, and
at last avowed purpose of aggrandizing the House
of Bourbon. You will easily perceive how consis
tent [it is] with those views, that you should cultivate
Dr. Franklin and the Dutch Minister in a peculiar
manner ; the former of whom, there is all reason to
believe, very sincere in his wishes for peace. If in
the course of this negociation a foundation could be
laid for a separate one afterwards either with Holland
or America, or both, it wiU have been a most fortu
nate undertaking. You will, no doubt, make all the
use possible of the advantageous time in which you
are authorised to make these overtures, immediately
after the most important and decisive victory that
has happened during the war, which, though it has
undoubtedly given the greatest satisfaction to his
Majesty and the most important turn to his affairs,
has nevertheless made no alteration in those senti
ments of moderation and humanity, which incline
his Majesty to make so many sacrifices for the sake
of Peace. The very different face of things from
that which they lately wore with respect to the
prospect of the West Indian Campaign, might surely

194 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^taT. 33.
furnish abundant lessons of moderation to those who
think of grounding high and unreasonable demands
upon the good fortune they have hitherto experienced
in war. I need say no more upon this topic, as I
am sure it would be superfluous to observe, that with
the more modesty, and even delicacy, you speak of
this great event, the more the weight of it wUl be
felt by those with whom you are to converse upon
it. I send you inclosed the Gazette containing Sir
George Rodney's letters, and the account of the
advantages gained in the East Indies. I am com
manded by his Majesty to send you the inclosed
case of Mr. Parker into which it is his Majesty's
pleasure that you should inquire, and give him all
the assistance possible. I am likewise commanded
by his Majesty to authorise you to agree to the
revival of the intercourse between Dover and Calais
by Packet Boats, if such a measure should be (as
there is reason to suppose) agreeable to the French
Court. I have nothing more to add, but to signify to
you the King's approbation of the manner in which
you have hitherto conducted yourself, and of the
very clear and distinct account which you have
given of your conversations with the different minis
ters. — I have the honour to be," &c.
Instructions for Our Trusty and Wellbeloved Thomas Grenville,
Esq., whom we have appointed Oui JVEinister to our Good
Brother, the most Christian King ; given at our Court, at
St. James's, the 21st Day of Itlay, 1792, in the twenty-
second year of Our Eeign.
Whereas, in consequence of Our earnest desire to put an

1782.] . CHARLES JAMES FOX, " 196
end to the calamities of war, in which Our Kingdoms are
engaged by the aggression of Our Enemies, we have thought
fit to direct you to repair to the Court of ]?rance ; and have
already directed you to be furnished with such papers and
information as may have enabled you to make overtures of
Peace, and to explain to the Ministers of Our Good Brother, the
Most Christian King, the basis on which a negociation for the
purpose of concluding a Peace between us and Our said Good
Brother can be entered upon ; and you having reported to one
of Our principal Secretaries of State, for Our information,
what passed in the conference with the Count de Vergennes ;
We have now thought proper to give you the following In
structions for your conduct in the execution of the important
trust We have reposed in You.
1. On the receipt of these Our Instructions, together with
Our Pull Power and credential letter to the Most Christian
King, you are to desire an audience of the Count de Vergennes,
Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in which
you wiU inform him that you are furnished with a credential
letter as Our Minister to His Most Christian Majesty ; but
you are not to deliver it (with its copy) to the Count de
Vergennes, 'till you shall receive Our further Instructions
from one of Our principal Secretaries of State.
2. Tou wiU, in this audience of the Count de Vergennes,
express Our regard for the Most Christian King, and Our
sincere desire to see a speedy and happy end put to the evils
of a war which has so long subsisted between the Two Crowns;
and you will likewise acquaint the Count de Vergennes that
you have a fuU power from Us ; a copy whereof you will
deliver to that Minister ; at the same time declaring that you
are ready to produce the Original when desired.
3. For your better guidance and direction in this important
Negociation, We have judged proper to lay down, and fix the
following essential points, by which you are to govern yourself
in your future conferences irith the Count de Vergennes. Q 2

196 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 33.
4. You will repeat in Our Name the assurances which you
have already given of Our desire to prevent the further effusion
of human blood, and Our wish is that the time and place of
treating may be those which are most likely to bring matters
to a speedy issue. With this view you will again name Paris,
provided it can be so managed as to give no cause of offence
to the Courts of Vienna and Petersbourg. With respect to
the time, you will inform the French Minister that you are
authorized by us to present your letter of Credence when
ever, our Good Brother, the Most Christian King shall name a
person on his part, to repair to Our Court in quaUty of
Minister from the said Most Christian King.
5. If the Court of France should declare their intention of
naming such a person, you will declare that you are ready and
desirous to learn any ideas and intentions they may have for
carrying into effect with more speed and certainty. Our earnest
wishes to restore Peace and Amity between the Two Crowns.
6. Tou will acquaint the Count de Vergennes that, in order
to attain this desirable end, We are wUHng to declare Our in
tentions to cede to His Most Christian Majesty and His
Allies, the point which they have, at various times and upon
various occasions, declared to be the subject of the War, aud
particularly in the last answer from the Court of Versailles to
the Mediating Courts ; that is to say, to accede to the complete
Independency of the Thirteen American States ; and in order to
make the Peace, if it should take place, solid and durable, to
cede to the said States the Towns of New Tork and Charles-
town, together with the Province of Georgia, including the
Town of Savannah, all which are still in His Majesty's pos
session ; provided that in all other respects such a general and
reciprocal restitution shall take place in every quarter of the
Globe, ou the part of the Belligerent Powers, as shall restore
things to the state they were placed in by the Treaty of
Paris, 1763.
7. This being the Basis of the intended Treaty of Peace,

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 197
you wiU explain to the French Minister, that it does not
exclude any exchange of possessions which may be made to
the mutual satisfaction of both parties.
8. Tou will not fail to dweU upon the importance of those
places which We should be [have] to restore upon such a Treaty
taking place— The acquisitions in the East Indies, St. Pierre,
and Miquelon, places so necessary to their Fisheries; and
above all, St. Lucie must be principally insisted on.
9. In case Monsieur de Vergennes should not consider your
Overture as a sufficient Basis to form a Treaty upon, or should
reject the Terms offered by you as inadmissible, you will
acquaint him that We having, on Our part, made such a pro
posal as appeared to Us reasonable, We expect on theirs, either
a concurrence in Our ideas, or some proposition of their own ;
and you wiU immediately transmit to one of Our Principal
Secretaries of State, for Our information, the French Minister's
answer to this request. Tou will observe to him how idle it
would be for both Countries, that much time should be spent
in this Negociation, unless there are some hopes of agreement ;
and therefore press for as little delay as possible, iu giving an
answer to your Proposition, declaring that if that answer
should be a refusal without any suggestion of proposals on
their part. We cannot avoid considering such a conduct as a
proof that there is no real desire, in the Court of VersaUles, to
put an end to the war at present.
10. With regard to any Openings, Insinuations, or Ideas
which may be thrown out by the Count de Vergennes, either
relative to the particular Peace of the Two Crowns, or in
reference to any views or notions France may entertain for
conciliating the other Belligerent Powers, our Will and
Pleasure is, that you do receive all such matters ad referendum^
promising to transmit the same faithfuUy to your Court, and
taking care to hold such language as may best avoid giving
room to the Court of France to take umbrage or offence at

198

CORRESPONDENCE OF [^Etat.

your reserve, and making use of all those arguments which
your prudence and address will suggest.
11. Notwithstanding you are by Our Full Power authorized
to conclude and sign anything that may be agreed on between
the Two Courts, it is Our express WiU and Pleasure, that
you do not, in virtue of the said Power, proceed to the signature
of any Act whatever with the Court of France, without first
having Our special orders for the purpose from one of Our
Principal Secretaries of State.
12. If it shall be agreed between the Two Courts, that
you and the person to be nominated by His Most Christian
Majesty shall respectively enjoy in France and in England all
the Rights, Prerogatives, Franchises, and Liberties belongmg
to your characters, as if the Two Courts were in fuU Peace,
you are to be duly attentive to maintain Our Dignity iu all
things touching the same, and to take care that you be
treated in the same manner as Ministers of your rank, from
Spain or any other Crowned Head, except as to the form of
uot delivering Our Credential yourself to the Most Christian
King in an audience.
13. Tou shaU use your particular endeavours to inform
yourself of the Interior situation of the Court of France, and
of the actual state and dispositions of the French Nation.
Tou will also give a watchful attention to the conduct and
motions of the Spanish and Dutch Ambassadors, and also to
those of the Minister or Agents from the American Congress
there ; and of aU matters which may be of consequence, and
worthy of our knowledge, you shall constantly give an account
to Us by one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, from whom
you will receive such further Instructions and Directions .as
We shaU think fit to send you, which you are to observe
accordingly.

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 199

GEORGE III, TO THE KING OF FRANCE,
[OOPIE,]
[" Monsieur mon Frere,]
" Ayant fait choix du Sieur GrenvUle, pour
se rendre a votre Cour en quality de mon Ministre,
Je vous prie de donner une entiere creance a tout
ce qu'U vous dira de ma part, et sur-tout aux assur
ances qu'U vous donnera de mon estime singuliere
pour vous, et de mon desir sincere de voir heureuse
ment retablir entre nous une amitie ferme et durable,
[" Je suis. Monsieur mon frere,
" Votre bon frere,
"GEORGE R.]»
[" A S. James, ce 21st Mali, 1782,"]
MR. FOX TO MR. GRENVILLE. " St. James's, May 21st, 1782.
" Sir, " Mr. Oswald is just arrived Avith your letter of
the 14th inst., which I shall immediately lay before
the King. As I do not see anything in the contents
of it, or in the account Mr. Oswald gives of the state
of affairs at Paris, which makes the sending of the full
powers and instructions to you less necessary, I shaU
immediately despatch the messenger as I had intended,
in order that there may be no loss of time in taking
the first steps in this business. The only new observa
tion which I think myself at present authorised to
make, is that it may not be improper for you to
* It is the custom in letters from one Sovereign to another, that the parts
here enclosed in brackets should be written in the Sovereign's own hand.

200 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33,
mark, as distinctly as possible, that if Spain and
HoUand are brought into this negociation, it is not by
your desire, but by that of the Court of VersaUles ;
and that you should make this understood to the
American Ministers in particular, in order that they
may see clearly how difficult it avUI be for us to come
to an agreement with them (even supposing us to be
agreed upon the terms), if in the first place they think
it necessary to have France included in the negocia
tion, and France afterwards thinks proper that every
other power should be considered as her ally, even
though such power should be totally Avithout any con
nexion with the Thirteen Colonies, of any kind what
ever. It wiU surely be easy enough to show the
Americans how very unreasonable it is that, in a
negociation for peace, they should be encumbered by
powers who have never assisted them during the war,
and who have even refused to acknowledge their
independence. " I have the honour to be," &c.
LORD SHELBURNE TO RICHARD OSWALD, ESQ,
" Whitehall, May 21st, 1782,
" Sir, " I have had the honour to lay your letter of the
iOth inst., before the King, and I have his Majesty's
commands to signify to you his approbation of your
conduct hitherto.
" Mr. Grenville wUl, I make no doubt, acquaint you
of the powers sent him by the present messenger,
together with aU such other matters as may be

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 201
necessary to govern your intercourse with Dr. Frank
lin and with the other American Commissioners,
which you wUl continue to cultivate by all fan- and
honourable means, avoiding to give cause of jealousy
to the Court of France. It is his Majesty's pleasure
that you should furnish Mr. Grenville any lights which
may occur to you in the course of your communication
with any of these gentlemen, which may be useful to
him in his transactions with the French Ministers, or
those of any of the other powers of Europe who may
be to enter into the proposed negociation ; and I must
recommend to you to omit no opportunity of letting
it be understood, that there subsists the strictest union
in his Majesty's Council upon the great subject of
peace and war.
" I am sorry to observe that the French Minister
gives very little reason to expect that his Court is
likely to make good their professions, which they
made through so many channels, of a desire of peace
upon terms becoming this country to accept, upon the
strength of which Dr. Franklin invited the present
negociation. I have that entire confidence in Dr.
Franklin's integrity and strict honour that, if the
Court of France have other views, and that they have
been throAving out false lures to support the appear
ance of moderation throughout Em-ope, and in the
hope of misleading and the chance of dividing us, I
am satisfied that he must have been himself deceived;
and in such a case I trust that, if this shall be proved
in the course of the present negociation, he wiU con
sider himself and his constituents freed from the ties

202 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat, 33.
which will appear to have been founded on no ideas
of common interest. We shaU, however, I hope
speedUy ascertain the real purposes of France, by their
conduct in the future progress of this negociation,
which the King wiU not suffer to go into any length.
" In the mean time you will govern your conversa
tion with the American Commissioners with aU
possible prudence, coUecting their sentiments and
every other information which you conceive may here
after prove useful ; and I have his Majesty's com
mands to acquaint you, that it is his pleasure you
should continue at Paris, 'tUl you receive his orders to
return, of which you wiU acquaint Dr. Franklin and
Mons, le Comte de Vergennes, " I am, &c,, " SHELBURNE."
" P.S. — I send you inclosed a copy of my letter to
Dr, Franklin ; likewise the copy of- a paper from an
American (now in London), relative to the state of
confiscations on that continent ; though it may not be
proper to go into such detaU at present, yet it may be
useful to consider this matter in as many views as
possible, in order to be prepared, whenever things are
sutficiently advanced, to enter upon such particulars. "S,"

LORD SHELBURNE TO MR, OSWALD.
"Whitehall, May 21st, 1782.
" Sir, " It has reached me, that Mr. Walpole esteems

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

203

himself much injured by your going to Paris, and
that he conceives that it was a measure of mine
intended to take the present negociation with the
Court of France out of his hands, which he conceives
to have been previously commenced through his
channel by Mr. Fox. I must desire that you will
have the goodness to caU upon Mr. Walpole, and
explain to him distinctly how very little foundation
there is for such an unjust suspicion, as I knew of no
such intercourse ; Mr. Fox declares he considered
what had passed between him and Mr. Walpole, of a
mere private nature not sufficiently material to men
tion to the King or his cabinet, and will write to
Mr. Walpole to explain this distinctly to him ; but if
you find the least suspicion of the kind has reached
Dr. Franklin, or Mons. le Comte de Vergennes,
I desire this matter may be clearly explained to
both. I have too much friendship for Dr. Frankhn,
and too much respect for the character of Mons.
le Comte de Vergennes, with which I am perfectly
acquainted, to be so indifferent to the good opinion
of either as to suffer them to believe me capable
of an intrigue, where I have both professed and
observed a direct opposite conduct. In truth, I hold
it in such perfect contempt, that however proud I may
be to serve the King in my present station or in any
other, and however anxious I may be to serve my
country, I should not hesitate a moment about retiring
from any situation which required such services. But
I must do the King the justice to say that his
Majesty abhors them, and I need not teU you that it

204 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33.
is my fixed principle that no country in any moment
can be advantaged by them. " I am, &c.
" SHELBURNE."

LORD SHELBURNE TO BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, ESQ.
" Whitehall, May 21s«, 1782.
" Sir, "I am honoured Avith your letter of the 10th
instant, and am very glad to find that the conduct
which the King has empowered me to observe
towards Mr. Laurens and the American prisoners, has
given you pleasure. I have signified to Mr, Oswald
his Majesty's pleasure that he shaU continue at Paris
'tUl he receives orders from hence to retum,
" In the present state of this business there is
nothing left for me to add, but my sincere wishes for
a happy issue, and to repeat my assurances that
nothing shall be wanting on my part, that can con
tribute to it. " I am, &c.,
"SHELBURNE."

MR, GRENVILLE TO MR. FOX.
"Pabis, May 23rd, 1782.
" Dear Sir,
" I enclose to you the copies of two letters from
Mons, de Vergennes, and my answers to them, written
in consequence of my applying to him for a passport
for Ogg the courier, I confess that I am little pleased

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 205
with the insinuations contained in Mons. de Vergen
nes's letters, and am the more suprised, as I have
endeavoured by every attention in my power to have
avoided giving the slightest ground for the suspicions
he seems to have entertained. He must, one should
think, have seen how natural it was for me to wish to
have a constant communication with you, and how
impossible it was for me to think of depending for it
on the French post ; to that however I commit these
few lines, and the copies I allude to, which though
opened will perhaps be allowed to pass to you. I hope
that in reading them you will think that I have said
what was requisite upon so unpleasant a subject, and
I trust not more than was necessary to it.
" Monsieur de la Fayette desired me when I wrote
to England to let Lord Cornwallis know that both
Mr. Franklin and himself have written to Congress to
endeavour to procure his discharge, I apprehend in
return for that of Mr. Laurens. I expect every day
to hear from you, and am with great truth,
" Dear Sir,
" Your very faithful and obedient
humble servant, "THOMAS GRENVILLE."
LORD SHELBURNE TO MR. FRANKLIN.
" Whitehall, May 5th, 1782,
" Sir, " I have the honour to receive your letter of the
1 3th of May, by Mr. Oswald. It gives me great
pleasure to find my opinion of the moderation.

206 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 33.
prudence, and judgment of that gentleman confirmed
by your concurrence. For I am glad to assure you
that we likewise concur in hoping that those quahties
may enable him to contribute to the speedy conclusion
of a peace, and such a peace as may be firm and long-
lasting. With that view he has the King's orders to
return immediately to Paris ; and you wiU find him,
I trust, properly instructed to co-operate to the
accomphshment of so desirable an object.
" I am, &c.,
" SHELBURNE.
"Benjamin Franklin, Esq.''

MR. FOX TO MR, GRENVILLE, "St. James's, May 26th, 1782.
" Sir, " I had the honour of laying your letter of
the 14th inst., before the King. His Majesty was
pleased to refer it to the consideration of his con
fidential servants, and in consequence of their advice
has commanded me to signify to you his pleasure that
you should lose no time in taking all the advantage
possible of the concession which his Majesty has from
his ardent desire of peace been induced to make, with
respect to the independency of the Thirteen States;
and in order to this end, I have it in command from
his Majesty to authorise you to make the offer of
the said independency in the first instance, instead of
making it a conditional article of a general treaty. I
need not point out to you the use that may be made
of this method of commencing the business, as you

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 207
seem to have a very just idea of the advantages that
may be derived from it. The principal one appears
to me to be this, that the American agents must
clearly perceive, if there should now be any obstacle
to the recognition which they have so much at heart,
and which after all must be a matter infinitely inter
esting to them, that the difficulty comes from the
Court of VersaUles, and not from hence ; and that it is
chiefly owing to the number of allies with which that
Court thinks fit to encumber America in the negocia
tion for a peace, although she was never benefited by
their assistance during the war. When this point shall
have been reasoned and understood, I cannot help
flattering myself that it will appear upon the face of
the thing unreasonable and intolerable to any honest
American, that they, having gained the point for
which they contested, should voluntarily and un
necessarily submit to all the calamities of war, without
an object, 'till all the Powers in Europe shaU have
settled all the various claims and differences which
they may have one with the other, and in which it is
not even pretended that America has any interest
whatever, either near or remote. You wiU not faU to
press Mr. Franklin's OAvn idea, that the object of the
Treaty of AUiance with France being obtained, the
Treaty determines, to which if that gentleman should
adhere, we may fairly consider one of the ends of your
mission as attained. As to the good faith which is
supposed to be pledged by Congress to France not to
make a separate peace, I think it can only be under
stood that Congress is bound not to enter into any

208 CHARLES JAMES FOX, [^tat. 33,
Treaty separately, or without the knowledge and con
sent of France ; but surely not that, when a general
peace is proposed. Congress is bound to support every
claim set up by the Court of VersaUles and her AUies,
which would be a kind of engagement that never was, I
believe, entered into by any State at any time. It has
often been stipulated between two Allied Powers, that
one shall not make peace 'tUl the other has attained
some specific object named in the Treaty ; but that
one country should bind herself to another to make
war 'till her ally shaU be satisfied Avith respect to all
the claims she may think fit to set up, claims un
defined and perhaps unthought of at the time of
making the engagement, would be a species of Treaty
as new, I believe, as it would be monstrous. If this
view of the thing should produce the effects you seem
inclined to hope from it, I need not observe to you
how greatly all the advantages of a separate peace
would be increased '-by the late events in the West
Indies ; but I have the satisfaction to assure you that
those events have in no degree abated his Majesty's
most ardent and sincere desire for a general pacifica
tion, and I concur Avith you in your conjecture, that
the extravagance of the French expectations arises
chiefly from the support they expect from America,
and consequently wUl be considerably abated when
ever they see reason to fear the loss of that support ;
so that if things should take a right turn with respect
to the American agents, the best road may probably
be opened to a general as weU as a separate peace. I
send you inclosed last night's Gazette, containing an

1782,] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 209
account of two more ships of the line and one frigate,
which Sir Samuel Hood has taken from the enemy.
I am commanded by his Majesty to direct you to
communicate with Mr. Oswald, with the greatest
freedom and openness, upon the concerns of your
mission, which are connected more and more every
day with the business of America. With respect to
Mr. Franldin, if he continues in those friendly dispo
sitions which your letter and Mr. Oswald's account
seems to indicate, the more confidence you show to
him the better chance there will be of bringing this
business, either in one way or in the other, to a
successful issue. " I am. Sir," &c.

MR. GRENVILLE TO MR. FOX.
" Paris, May ZOth, 1782.
" Sir, " I received on the 35th your two letters of
the 21 st, together with the instructions and full power
which accompanied them, and at the same time the
account of the glorious victory obtained by his Ma
jesty's arms in the West Indies, and the important
acquisitions in the East, upon which great events I
beg leave to offer my most humble but hearty con
gratulations. " I saw Mons. de Vergennes on the 26th, and,
having informed him that I had a credential letter
which I should be authorised to deliver whenever H.
M. C. M. should name a person in quahty of Minister

210 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 33.
on his part, I gave him, at the same time, a copy of
the fuU power which I had received ; in reading it,
he immediately made the objection I had expected
from him, viz., that the fuU power enabled me only
to treat with the French Minister, whereas H. M. C.
M. had already declared that he could only treat in
conjunction with the other belligerent powers, and
that he was connected by the ties of blood to Spain,
and by friendship to Holland, who had been thrown
into this war. I took this opportunity of complying
with your instructions by reminding Mons. de Ver
gennes, that to include Spain and HoUand in this
negociation had not been the desire of the Court of
London, but that of the Court of VersaUles; and
when he observed that a general peace was the most
essential object, I agreed that it was so, but said that
it might perhaps be most easUy produced by not com
plicating those interests, which, the more simple they
were kept, the more easily they would be discussed ;
he said he would send for me another day to inform
me of the King, his master's, answer, but seemed to
think this in the first step an insurmountable diffi
culty : I, however, went on to tell him that I was autho
rised by his Majesty to make those propositions as
the basis of a treaty, which I had in a former conversa
tion spoken of as probable to occur ; and I did this,
notwithstanding his previously declining to answer
what I should state, because I conceived it to be your
wish that no time should be lost in making a direct
proposition, independent of the manner in which it
might be received. It was not until this morning

1782.] t CHARLES JAMES POX, 211
that I received Mons. de Vergennes' answer. He
told me that H. M. C. M. had found the fuU power
sent to me very insufficient, as it did not enable me
to treat with the Ministers of the other belligerent
powers, without whose concurrence he had already
declared he could enter into no treaty. Mons. de
Vergennes then explained that H. M. C. M. did not
require that all the parties should be included in one
full power, but that at least I should have sufficient
separate authorities to treat with them ; he mentioned
Spain and America as allies, and, speaking of Holland,
I desired him to explain himself accurately, whether
or no he considered Holland as an ally ; he said,
certainly not, but they were en communaute de guerre,
and that his master was too noble in his sentiments
to think of treating without giving Holland an oppor
tunity of making peace at the same time if she chose.
I reminded him, upon this, that the objection therefore
now made was not matter of obhgation on the part of
France, but of choice. The business then rests upon
this difficulty, and waits your answer to it.
" I have not, I own, at these conversations, dwelt
much upon the late glorious victory — an event so
decisive best speaks its own importance, and the pro
positions I was charged with, unaltered by that
success, perhaps in being so, most strongly speak
the temper and moderation of his Majesty's councUs.
Indeed, added to this, it has been and stiU is so
sorely felt here, that it would not be very easy to
aUude to it with sufficient delicacy. I wish I could
say that the sensation it creates seemed likely to assist
^ p 2

212 CORRESPONDENCE OP * [JEtai. 33.
the business of pacification, but the reverse is so
much the truth that public opinion looks less than
ever favourable to it, and this I am persuaded a good
deal owing to some public expressions of the King's,
which are adopted and repeated Avith great earnest
ness : — ' II faut etre fache mais non pas consteme ;
J'ai perdu cinq vaisseaux, je ferai faire quinze a leur
place, et on ne me trouvera pas pour ceci plus
traitable a la paix.' It does not seem improbable
that this loss may prove fatal to Mons. de Castries's
situation, whose influence is now supposed so weak
that Mons, de Chatelet is much talked of to succeed
him. " I am to inform you. Sir, with respect to the
proposed re-establishment of the passage from Dover
to Calais, that this Court is ready to accede to it, pro
vided that there shall be permitted as many French
packet-boats as English. Mons. de Castries has like
wise written to St. Malo's upon the subject of Mr.
Parker, and I will not fail to communicate his answer
as soon as I shall receive it.
" Mr. Franklin's conversation continues to express
a strong desire for peace, a constant attention to the
idea of establishing a solid union between England
and America, but I must add does not lose sight of
that part of America's treaty with France, which
restrains either party from making peace or truce
without the consent of the other ; he appears to be
intent upon keeping the treaties of peace distinct
between the several parties, though going on at the
same time, and to this idea which seems to correspond

1782 ] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 213
in part with your intentions, I give every encourage
ment I can. I have reason to think that when I see
him next in two or three days, he may be something
more explicit ; but there has been already so much
delay in sending this courier, notwithstanding my
pressing for a speedy answer, that I will no longer
retard him, but reserve for a future occasion what I
may learn more from Mr. Franklin. Permit me. Sir,
to remind you, that I shall not perhaps be allowed to
send you another courier till I shall have received
your answer from London ; and I should add that it
is clear, from Mons. de Vergennes' conversation, that
the French Court are determined not to consider the
independence of America as in any respect ceded to
them, and that such will be the principal part of
their first answer to your propositions, should the
previous difficulty about the full power be got over
by any alteration made in it.
" I have only farther to express how highly sensible
I am of the honour done me by His Majesty's appro
bation of my conduct. " I have the honour to be,
" Sir,
" Your very obedient, humble servant,
"THOMAS GRENVILLE."

MR. GRENVILLE TO MR, POX.
"Paris, June ith, 1782.
" Sir, " Mr. Oswald arrived here on the 31st, the

214 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat, 33.
^ay after Ogg was gone, and I received from him the
honour of yom- letter ofthe 26th.
" You will have seen, by my last of the 30 th, that
Mons. de Vergennes' objections to the full power are
such as whUe they subsist preclude any further dis
cussion of business. I have, therefore, with regard to
him, nothing new to inform you of. It cannot, how
ever. Sir, have escaped your notice, that the off'er of
independence in the first instance, instead of making
it a conditional article of general treaty, necessarily
changes part of the propositions I had in charge to
make to Mons. de Vergennes. I take it for granted,
therefore, that in any future conversation with the
French Minister, it was your intention that 1 should
omit the mention of independence, and confine myself
simply to the peace of 1763, as the basis of a treaty;
but, as I should be very sorry to misinterpret this or
any part of your instructions, I flatter myself that you
wUl have the goodness to direct me upon this subject ;
the doubt which has arisen from Mons. de Vergennes
and Mr. Franklin about the full power, gives suffi
cient time for this explanation without any additional
delay. It is, I see, in the sense I mention that Mr.
Franklin Avishes it, for when I spoke to him of the
offer your last letter would authorise me to make, he
expressed very great satisfaction at its being kept out
of the treaty Avith France, adding that the more good
England did to America, the more America Avould
assist this business. To repeat, therefore, the same
offer as a proposition to France would defeat its
purpose with America. I hope soon to receive your

^'''82.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

215

orders upon this as upon the subject of my last letter,
in which I ought to have added that Mr. Frankhn
seemed not a little jealous of there being no powers
yet sent to treat with America.
" I have the honour to be,
" Sir, with great truth,
" Your most obedient and most
" humble servant,
" THOMAS GRENVILLE."

MR. OSWALD TO LORD SHELBURNE. " Paris, Jime 9th, 1782,
" My Lord,
" I had the honour of your Lordship's letter by
Major Ross, which I carried immediately to Dr.
Franklin ; upon the perusal of it, he expressed some
concern that he had received no such powers as Avould
authorise him to discharge Lord CornwaUis of his
parole, and said that the only commission he had of
that kind related to General Burgoyne. However,
upon my telling him that Mr. Laurens, while in the
Tower, had undertaken (on condition of his being set
at liberty) to procure Lord Cornwallis's discharge, and
that I delivered the said obligation to his Majesty's
Ministers of State, the Doctor said, that upon my
writing, him a letter to that purpose, he would venture
to do the business without orders. I accordingly sent
him the letter, and Major Ross will be in possession
of the discharge, I suppose, to-morrow. I am very
weU pleased that it is done, and I imagine the Doctor

216 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33.
is equally so, that he has this opportunity of show
ing respect to your Lordship's recommendation.
" I have nothing of business to trouble your Lord
ship with, only that upon one occasion, since my last
arrival, the Doctor said, they, the Americans, had
been totally left out in Mr. GrenvUle's powers, as they
extended only to treating with the Minister of France.
I told him that the deficiency would no doubt be
supplied in due time, as might be supposed, since, in
the meanwhile, they had been assured by Mr. Gren
vUle that his Majesty had agreed to grant inde
pendence in the first instance. The Doctor said it
was true, and he was glad of it, and supposed that
was aU that could be done until the Act depending in
Parliament was passed.
" He then talked of treaties, and said he thought
the best way to come at a general peace was to treat
separately with each party, and under distinct com
missions, to one and the same, or different persons.
By this method, he said, many difficiUties which must
arise in discussing a variety of subjects not strictly
relative to each other, under the same commission,
and to which all the several parties are caUed, would
be in a great measure avoided ; and then, at least,
there will only remain to consolidate these several
settlements into one general and conclusive treaty of
pacification', which, upon inquiry, I found he under
stood to be the indispensable mode of final
accommodation. " However material that part of the question
might be (regarding the possibUity of an equitable

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 217
coalescence of so many different propositions and
settlements), there was no explanation offered as to the
extent of their relative dependence upon each other,
and I did not think proper to ask for it. He only
explained as to the commissions, that there might be
one to treat with France, one for the colonies, one for
Spain, and, he added, one for Holland, if it should be
thought proper. Mr. Grenville being very well with
the Doctor, he has no doubt mentioned the same
things to him, yet I thought it my duty to communi
cate to him the substance of this conversation.
" The only other thing I shall trouble your Lordship
with, relates to the answer, said to be brought over
by Mr. Forth from this Court, to the late Administra
tion. I asked Dr. Franklin about it, and having
mentioned some of the particulars as reported to my
friend Mr. Udney, the Doctor said the representation
Avas a mistake from the beginning to the end ; that
he had seen a copy of the answer which the Minister
gave to Mr. Forth, which was this : — ' That his most
Christian Majesty was happy to find the King of
Great Britain so Avell disposed to peace, which was
equally his desire, and that in the progress of the
business he would convince his Britannic Majesty of
his intentions faithfully to perform what he should
undertake for, by the punctuality which he would
show in the discharge of his engagements to his
present aUies.' The Doctor said, there was not
one word more of significancy in the whole paper,
and that the Count de Vergennes to prevent mistakes
took the precaution to make Mr. Forth quote the

218 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 33.
identity of the copy, with his own hand, upon the
margin. " It is said the Marquis de la Fayette is going out
directly to America. Major Ross, by whom this
goes, has been frequently with him, and some other
French officers of his acquaintance ; and may possibly
be able to give your Lordship some useful information
from what he has learned among them in the short
time he has been here. I am much mistaken if your
Lordship will not find him an inteUigent officer in
relation to American affairs, as I believe him in
other respects a gentleman of good sense and great
worth. " I have the honour to be,
" My Lord,
" Your Lordship's most obedient
" humble servant,
"RICHARD OSWALD."
MR. POX TO MR GRENVILLE, " St. James's, Jrnie lOih, 1782.
" Sir, " I have received your two despatches by Ogg
and Ijauzun the messengers, and laid them before the
King, As it is his Majesty's intention that nothing
shall be wanting on his part that may be supposed
to facUitate the great work of peace, he has been
graciously pleased to order further full powers to be
made out, by which you will be authorised to treat
and conclude not only with H. M, C. M., but with
any other of the enemies of Great Britain, and these

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 219
fuU powers I have the honour of sending herewith
inclosed. With respect to the contents of your last
despatch, you certainly conceive it rightly, that you
are no longer to mention the independence of America
as a cession to France, or as a conditional article of a
general treaty ; but, at the same time, you will not faU
to observe to the French Ministry that the inde
pendence of America is proposed to be acknowledged,
and to remark that this being done spontaneously,
which they have at different times, and particularly in
their last answer to the Imperial Courts, emphatically
called the object of the war, little difficulty ought
to remain with regard to other points which may be
considered rather as collateral and incidental than as
principal in this present dispute. The war Avas begun
on their part, as they profess, not for the sake of
conquest, but for the purpose of protecting their trade
with America. All restraint upon that trade being
now out of the question, and perfect liberty of com
merce with North America being proposed as the
basis of a treaty, the cause of the war is gone, and
the war ought to cease. I am sensible how little
argument and reasoning are likely to avail in this
sort of business, and my object in pointing out to you
those topics which appear to me most plausible
and most unanswerable in our favour, is not so much
with a view to any effect they may have on the success
of the negociation, as for the purpose of being able to
show clearly to aU the world, and to America in
particular, what are the real designs and motives of
the Court of VersaUles, and to whom the blame of the

220 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33.
continuation of the war, (if it must continue,) ought
to be imputed. I should have sent you the full power
earher, if I had not judged it advisable to wait for
those private letters by General Murray, to which you
seemed to refer, and which I did not receive tUi
yesterday. It is his Majesty's pleasure that the
passage between Dover and Calais should be re-esta
blished. You AriU, therefore, settle this business as
speedUy as possible, upon the footing proposed, of an
equal number of packet-boats of each country.
" I am. Sir," &c.

MR. GRENVILLE TO MR. FOX.
" Paris, Jvme 21tl, 1782.
" Sir, " Having received on the 14th the honour of
your letter of the 10th, I took a copy of the full
power which accompanied it, and gave it to Mons. de
Vergennes on the next day, the 1 5th ; as he did not
object to it, though he seemed to think it might have
been more satisfactory to have named the parties, I
lost no time in telling him that I was commissioned
formally to propose to him the Peace of Paris, as the
basis of a treaty, adding, more than once, the very
reasonable expectation the Court of London now
entertained that, should the proposition already made
by them not be accepted at VersaUles, some others
would be stated in return by the French Minister, and
further I observed to him, according to your dhec-

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 22]
tions, that it is proposed spontaneously to acknow
ledge the independence of the American States.
" It was not till this morning that I received Mons.
de Vergennes' answer, which I send you inclosed,
having copied it at VersaiUes; the object of it appears
to me to be the keeping in view the former general
expressions of a pacific disposition, though perhaps
the articles it includes seem to threaten that extensive
and wide scope in their demands which I have always
thought I have traced in every conversation about the
Peace of Paris. A strong expression of Mons. de
Vergennes upon this subject lately was, that in any
new treaty which should refer to that of 1763,
instead of saying that the Treaty of Paris should
stand good, except in certain specified articles, he
would rather express it that the Treaty of Paris should
be annulled except in certain specified articles — no
very promising qualifications of what now stands as
the proposed basis of the intended negociation ; but
you will see. Sir, in the paper which I enclose, that
the French Minister does not at present enter into
any detail, so that I cannot add more for your infor
mation than you will have in reading his answer. I
must, however, observe to you that the Spanish am
bassador is by no means satisfied with the full power.
He told me that the King his master, though an ally
of France, had made war on his own account ; and
that his Court would, without doubt, object to the
French King's being named in the full power, with
out any particular mention being equally made of the
King of Spain. He said he mentioned this now, as

222 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33.
much time might be lost, if that difficulty was not
now removed, which might be done in three inodes,
either by the giving a general power without naming
any one of the parties, a power naming both of them,
that is the Kings of France and Spain, or a power
separate and distinct for each. Should it, therefore,
be his Majesty's pleasure to proceed further in this
business, and to remove this objection, you will excuse
me for observing that if either the second or third of
the expedients proposed should be adopted, a similar
requisition wUl probably be made by HoUand and
America. I have already felt myself under some
embarrassment respecting Mr. Franklin, not seeing
precisely how far the expressions "Princes and States,"
in the full power, can apply to America till the inde
pendence is acknowledged, and knowing that he finds
and expresses much doubt about it himself, and some
disposition to ask a more explicit description. Indeed
I have purposely avoided seeing him, tUl I had got
Mons. de Vergennes' answer, which it seemed im
portant to your views to transmit immediately, lest
Mr. Franklin might have made a formal objection to
me about the full power, and perhaps have stood in
the way of the answer from VersaiUes tiU his objec
tion shall have been removed. I have not lately had
so much communication with Mr. Franklin, or been
able to draw from him any satisfactory information.
The last time I saw him he contented himself Arith
observing, that the sooner the independence was
declared, the less would the business be retarded. The
Government of this country is stUl wavering, and [there

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 223
are] daily reports and expectations of some change, but
they talk confidently of the intended addition to their
navy, and say they have already received the promise
of nineteen miUions of livres in voluntary contribu
tions, four of which will come from the clergy. They
have likewise some hopes in the East Indies, that
their reinforcement, which was to be at Ceylon the
first of February, will have got there before the
Bombay ships joined Sir E. Hughes.
" I have the honour to enclose to you the answer
respecting Mr. Parker, and I have agreed with Mons.
de Castries, according to his Majesty's orders, that
six or eight English packet-boats and as many French
shall respectively saU from Dover and Calais, each
having on board both an English and French pass
port, so that as soon as I receive the English passports.
Sir, from you, I shall have the same number of French
passports to transmit to your office.
" I have the honour to be,
" With great truth and sincerity,
" Sir,
" Your most obedient, humble servant,
" THOMAS GRENVILLE."

LORD SHELBURNE TO RICHARD OSWALD, ESQ.
" Whitehall, Jvme ZOth, 1182.
" Sir, "I received on the 17th -inst. your letter
of the 9th, and am very glad to acknowledge your
care and assiduity respecting the discharge of Lord
Cornwallis from his parole.

224 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^Etat. 33.
" I must oAvn that I have been disappointed in not
receiving any letter from you by two messengers who
brought despatches from Mr. GrenvUle, especially as
at this moment it is very essential to have early and
regular inteUigence. I take it, however, for granted,
that you had nothing of business to communicate,
which would indeed be naturally suspended, tUl the
passing of the Act in question enabled me to send the
necessary powers. This was completed the end of
last week, and I lost no time in taking the King's
commands for directing a commission to bs made out
conformable to the powers given to his Majesty.
" I hope to receive early assurance from you that
my confidence in the sincerity and good faith of Mr.
Franklin has not been misplaced, and that he will
concur with you in endeavouring to render effectual
the great work in which our hearts and Avishes are so
equaUy interested. You wUl observe that we have
adopted his idea of the best method to come at a
general pacification by treating separately Avith each
party. I cannot but entertain a firm reliance that
the appointment of the particular Commissioners will
be no less satisfactory to him. He has very lately
warranted me to depend upon that effect in the
instance of your nomination, and he vrill not be
surprised at the choice of your colleague, Mr. Jack
son, when he considers how very conversant Mr.
Jackson is with the subject of America, and how very
sincere a friend he has uniformly shown himself to
the re-establishment of peace and harmony between
that country and this.

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

225

" It cannot have escaped Mr. Franklin's memory,
that when I was formerly engaged in the same
employment which I have now the honour to hold,
and was accustomed, with so much satisfaction and
advantage to myself, to converse freely with him upon
aU American subjects, I was, at the same time, in
habits of simUar intimacy with Mr. Jackson, whose
particular acquaintance with these subjects recom
mended him to the office of Counsel to the Board of
Trade. I persuade myself that you wiU find him an
agreeable associate to yourself; and as far as can
depend upon the choice of men, that I shall find your
joint labours useful to the public. It will be alto
gether unnecessary for me to give you any additional
instructions to those accompanying the Commission
with Mr. Jackson, especially as he will communicate
to you the substance of a full and confidential conver
sation I have had with him on the subject. In regard
to Mr. Digges, you may assure Dr. Franklin, that he
need be under no uneasiness about his connection
with, or attendance upon Sir Guy Carleton. The
fact is, he is now in London, and the amount of
my knowledge of him is merely this. He had been,
it seems, employed by the late Administration in an
indirect commission to sound Mr. Adams at the
Hague, which scheme appears to have had no con
sequence resulting from it. The man was afterwards
recommended to me ; but having heard by accident a
very indifferent account of his character, and particu
larly that Mr, Franklin had a bad opinion of him, I
from that moment resolved to have nothing to do

226 CORRESPONDENCE OF [.Etat. 33.
with him. You wiU add my compliments to Mr.
Frankhn ; and assure him, that as in this case I really
had regard to his opinion, I shaU not be less influ
enced by it in any other instance which may occur ;
and I beg him to believe, that I have no idea or
design in acting towards him and his associates, but
in the most liberal and honourable manner.
" I am, &c.,
"SHELBURNE,"

LORD SHELBURNE TO MR. THOS. GRENVILLE.
"Whitehall, JvJ/y 6«A, 1782,
" Sir, " His Majesty having thought proper to entrust
me with the seals of the Foreign Department, upon
the resignation of Mr, Secretary Fox, I take the
earliest opportunity of notifying it to you. I am at
the same time to signify to you the King's commands,
that you should Avithout delay acquaint the French
Minister and Dr. Franklin, that neither the death of
Lord Rockingham, nor the resignation of Mr. Fox, Arill
make any change in the measures of his Majesty's
Government, particularly in his ardent desire of peace
upon terms which may consist with the dignity of his
crown, and the welfare of his people ; nor are they
likely to be foUowed by any further changes in the
persons of his Ministers. You wUl make the same
communication to the Minister of any other power
with whom you may have had intercourse in conse
quence of your instructions.

1782.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 227
"You wiU be acquainted of the arrangements
which may be to take place in consequence of what
has passed, the moment they are flnaUy determined,
which wiU be in the course of a very few days. His
Majesty being graciously pleased to command my
serAdces at the Board of Treasury, will probably
deprive me of any other official occasion of assuring
you of every personal regard and confidence. In the
mean time, his Majesty desires that you wUl acquaint
me of the state of your negociation, together with
every light which may enable his Ministers to form a
judgement of its possible success. " I am, &c., " SHELBURNE."

MR, OSWALD TO LORD SHELBURNE. " Pakis, July 8th, 1782,
" My Lord,
" I beg leave to trouble your Lordship with the
inclosed letter from Dr. Franklin to me, which he
sent me on the day it is dated. He had mentioned
his intention, some days before, of writing me such a
letter, and that I might send it home, if I thought fit.
Notwithstanding that option, I think it proper to
forward it ; since I cannot see for what other pur
pose it should be sent to me, and I hope its coming
through my hands wUl be understood as rather
intended to convey the Doctor's sentiments and wishes
on this occasion of public concern, than with a view
q2

228 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33.
of my avaUing myself of the compliments he is pleased
to bestow upon me.
" I have the honour to be,
" My Lord,
" Your Lordship's most obedient
"humble servant,
"RICHARD OSWALD."

MR. OSWALD TO LORD SHELBURNE.
" Paris, Monday, Juhj 8th, 1782.
" My Lord,
" I beg leave under this cover to transmit to
your Lordship a letter directed to myself from Dr.
Franklin, which he sent me ten days ago, on the day
it is dated ; and I vrSl also take notice of what passed
between him and me in consequence of it.
" Two days before that letter was sent to me, the
Doctor caUed upon me, and said that, agreeable to the
memorandum I showed him, he had wrote me a letter
which I might send your Lordship, if I thought fit.
Upon the perusal of it, I observed, he said, that I
might be appointed singly for the Colonies, or jointly
with Mr. GrenvUle, or included in Mr. GrenvUle's
general commission, to treat with aU parties concerned
in the war. To this last part I objected, for various
reasons needless to be here taken notice of. The
Doctor acquiesced respecting foreign nations, and said
he would alter the letter ; and accordingly, on the
27th of last month, he sent me the one inclosed.
" I have kept it in my hands until now, to go by

1782.] CHARLES JAMES POX.

229

the return of the first courier that arrives, which Mr.
GrenviUe has been expecting daily. But as none had
appeared, and thinking that the Doctor could have no
meaning in putting such a letter into my hands, but
with a view of its being forwarded to your Lordship,
and perhaps might be disappointed or disobhged if
delayed, I thought it right to let him know that it
was not sent, and the reason of its still remaining in
my hands. On that account, and wishing to have an
opportunity of talking to him on the subject of it, I
went out to his house on Saturday the 6th, and stayed
with him about an hour.
" After thanking him for his good opinion of me
as expressed in that letter, and giving the reason for
its not being forwarded, I told him that this interval of
delay had given occasion to sundry questions in my
own mind, as to the business we should have to treat
about, in case I should be appointed, and should
undertake the office he was pleased to recommend in
that letter. With France and the other parties I was
sensible there must be many points to be settled.
But with respect to the Colonies, I told him I could
not easUy conceive how there could arise any variety
of subjects. to treat on. That as to a final conclusion,
the Treaty with France might make it necessary to
wait the event of a determination as to them, so as
both might be included in one settlement ; but untU
then, I could not see there would be much field for
negociation between Great Britain and the Com
missioners for the Colonies, after their Independence
had been granted; and which being in a manner

230 CORRESPONDENCE OF [Miat. 33,
acknowledged, I had been in hopes there remained
no questions of either side that would require much
discussion ; if he thought it would be otherwise, I told
him I would be much obliged to him to give me a
hint of them, as the question could not but be material
to me, in considering whether I might venture upon
such a charge ; that this I would request of him as a
friend, and I hoped I might also expect of him as a
friend to England, which I must stiU suppose him to
be, and in which I was not singular, believing it was
the universal opinion at home, and particularly with
regard to your Lordship, who, I had reason to be
assured, had the greatest confidence in his good inten
tions towards our country. That I did not just then
desire or expect an answer ; but if he would name any
other day, I should wait on him, in hopes of having
his opinion and advice upon the particular subject of
this Colony Treaty, and his sentiments in general upon
the whole of these affairs, which I was certain would
be of service in guiding us how to proceed in the
safest and quickest course, to a final conclusion of this
unhappy business. That I had too just a notion of
his character to expect any information, but such as
would not be inconsistent with particular engage
ments ; but where that did not interfere, his granting
the favour I asked, might be doing a good office to aU
parties concerned ; for I could not help thinking that
the Commissioners of the Colonies had it much in
their power to give despatch to the General Treaty,
and to end it on just and reasonable terms, even
notwithstanding their particular Treaty with France.

1782,] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

231

Upon this the Doctor said they had no Treaty
with France, but what was pubUshed. I said I was
glad it was so, since I saw nothing there, however
guarded, against a separate peace, that should direct
or control the conditions of a Treaty between them
and Great Britain, excepting the provision for the
great article of independence, which was now out of
the question ; that I was happy to be told by Mr.
Laurens, soon after he was discharged from the
Tower, that when they should obtain their Indepen
dence, their Treaty with France was at an end. I did
not on this occasion think it proper to quote what
Mr. GrenviUe said the Doctor himself told him, on
llth or 1 2th of May last, to the same purpose, and so
said nothing of it. I went on and said, that with
respect to France, whatever she might desire beyond
the separation of the Thirteen Colonies, would be more
than she had just reason to expect, being abundantly
indemnified thereby for the amount of all her expenses
in the present war ; that hereafter she had nothing to
fear from England, but England had now much to
fear from France, as would be seen in a few years
after the first peace ; since we might then be assured
that she would begin again with us whenever she
thought we were weakest, and I could have no doubt
the East Indies would be the next scene of contest ;
and upon the whole, that the terms of the approaching
settlement were of the most interesting consequence
to our future safety ; that whatever advice or hints
regarding that purpose, the Doctor would be pleased
to. give me, I would make no indiscreet use of, but

232 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33.
would pledge my honour that they should be strictly
kept under such directions of communication as he
should think fit to prescribe. After aUowing ine to
go on in this way, he said, there were some things,
which he wished England to think of, or to agree to
(I forget which), and yet he should not hke that they
were known to have been suggested by him. At last
he told me, if I would come out to his house on
Wednesday the 10th, he would show me a minute
of some things which he thought might be deserving
of notice upon the occasion. If we agreed in our
opinions, it was so far well ; if not, that I should let
him know, and he would be glad to have my opinion ;
and where we agreed, I might make use of his senti
ments as my own, to any good purpose I noight think
proper. " I shaU go out accordingly on Wednesday, and
shall in a subsequent letter by the same conveyance,
make a report of what had passed, and as I may he
at liberty to do so. MeanwhUe, I thought this previous
explanation not improper to be laid before your Lord
ship ; as in case there should be any advantage in the
result, whether by advice or information, it may appear
how it has been brought about, and may be some
guide in farther proceedings in the same way. If no
good should come of it, there is no help ; the trial can
do no harm. When the Doctor mentioned his not
wishing that any particular things he should say,
should be repeated as coming from him, I said, that
was certainly right, and I supposed there would be no
occasion that it should be known to any body here.

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 233
that I had made this particular application to him, for
which I could assure him I had neither orders nor
instructions. To this I did not observe any direct
answer was given.
"Amongst other things, in the course of this
conversation 1 said, that people might talk as they
pleased of a speedy conclusion of the war ; but that I
could not see it in that light, as if the Treaty could be
finished in any short time, for many reasons ; amongst
other things, on account of the uncertainty of what
was doing or like to be done in North America. In
that the Doctor did not seem to difi'er from my
opinion ; meanwhile, he read to me some late resolu
tions of the Assembly of Maryland in May, just come
to hand, declaring against a separate peace, or peace
of any kind with England, until their Independence is
acknowledged. " He likewise mentioned two other pieces of news
they have just received ; Monsieur Guichen taking
and carrying into Brest fourteen ships of our Quebec
fleet, and the blowing up a great magazine and a
bastion at Gibraltar. Talking of there being no
courier from England, the Doctor said perhaps there
might be some hesitation in his Majesty's CouncUs,
on account of the late victory in the West Indies,
and that Mr. GrenviUe as yet had been able to make
no progress in his business.
" It is said Count de Grasse has wrote home, and
confessed he was wrong in flghting, as he certainly
was, untU he got to leeward. But he says he saw
the French colours surrounded by the enemy, which

234 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33.
was too much for him, and he flew to their assist
ance. " I have the honour to be with much respect,
" My Lord, " Your Lordship's most obedient
" humble servant,
"RICHARD OSWALD.
"P.S. I forgot to mention, that I told the Doctor
that I would write to your Lordship by the first
courier, for leave to return for some time to England ;
and wished he might give me something to carry,
that would be acceptable to your Lordship. I shaU
be better able to judge after I have seen him on
Wednesday. He again mentioned the affair of
Canada, and said there would be no solid peace, whUe
it remained an English colony."
MR. FRANKLIN TO MR. OSWALD. " Passt, June 27Bi, 1782.
" Sir, " The opinion I have of your candour, probity,
good understanding, and good wiU to both countries,
made me hope that you would have been vested with
the character of Plenipotentiary to treat with those
from America. When Mr. GrenvUle produced his
first Commission, which was only to treat with France,
I did imagine that the other to treat Avith us was
reserved for you, and kept back only tifl the Enabling
BiU should be passed. Mr. GrenvUle has since
received a second Commission, which, as he informs

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 235
me, has additional words, impoAvering him to treat
Avith the Ministers of any other prince or state whom
it may concern ; and he seems to understand, that
those general words comprehend the United States of
America. There may be no doubt that they compre
hend Spain and HoUand ; but as there exist various
public acts by which the Government of Great
Britain denies us to be states, and none in which
they acknowledge us to be such, it seems hardly clear
that we could be intended, at the time that Com
mission was given, the Enabling Act not being then
passed. So that though I can have no objection to
Mr. GrenviUe, nor right to make it if I had any ; yet
as your long residence in America has given you a
knowledge of that country, its people, circumstances,
commerce, &c., which, added to your experience in
business, may be useful to both sides in facUitating
and expediting the negociation, I cannot but hope,
that it is still intended to vest you with the character
above mentioned, respecting the Treaty with America,
either separately, or in conjunction with Mr. GrenviUe,
as to the wisdom of your Ministers may seem best.
Be it as it may, I beg you would accept this line, as
a testimony of the sincere esteem and respect with
which I have the honour to be. Sir,
" Your most obedient humble servant,
"B. FRANKLIN."

236 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 33.
MR. GRENVILLE TO LORD SHELBURNE, " Paris, July 9th, 1782,
" My Lord,
" I received last night the honour of your Lord
ship's letter of the 5th inst.; and in obedience to his
Majesty's commands, have acquainted the French
Minister, the Spanish Ambassador, and Mr. Franklin,
that no change will be made in the measures of his
Majesty's Government, particularly in his Majesty's
ardent desire of peace, upon terms which may be
consistent with the dignity of his croAvn, and the
welfare of his people.
" I have had no intercourse with the Ministers
of any other foreign powers. From the inter
ference of the Court of Russia, in order to bring
about a particular peace vrith HoUand, and there
having been tiU a very few days since, no positive
declaration of the Dutch being determined only to
treat in conjunction Avith France, it appeared to me
most prudent, and most agreeable to the spirit of my
instructions, to avoid, as long as it was possible, the
including Holland in this negociation ; and I have
consequently taken every opportunity to remind
Mons. de Vergennes, that it had not been our desire
to include Holland in this business. I learned how
ever from him to-day, that the Dutch having formaUy
requested of the Court of VersaUles to make no peace,
but in common with them, every assurance of that
nature had by the French King's orders been given
to them. Your Lordship wUl perhaps have learned
from the official letters I have at times sent to

1782,] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 237
Mr. Fox, that the French Minister has not gone into
any detail as yet ; the state of the negociation is, there
fore, exactly what it was when I had the honour of
transmitting the written answer I copied at VersaiUes,
on the 21st ult., which consents to a future explanation,
provided the general grounds there stated, should be
adopted in England ; of that, however, I took the
liberty of expressing some doubt by my last of the
21st, as I observed in them that very wide extent,
which, from my first coming here to this moment,
I have uniformly considered as a most unpromising
feature in the proposed pacification. It is not easy to
weigh the precise sense of general terms ; but a new
treaty of commerce is always foremost in the conversa
tion of the French, Spanish, and American Ministers.
Mons. d'Aranda dwells incessantly upon our giving
up Gibraltar, notwithstanding the little disposition he
finds in me to that discussion, and only varies what
he says upon it by stating, that if we give it by
Treaty, we shall get something for it ; whereas if it
should be taken, the Court of Madrid can never hear
of its being reclaimed by us. Mr. Franklin, the other
day for the first time, gave me to understand that
America must be to have her share in the Newfound
land fishery, and that the limits of Canada would
likewise be a subject for arrangement; he seems
much disinclined to an idea he expects to be stated,
of going into an examination for the mutual compen
sation of the losses of individuals, insisting, perhaps
with reason, upon the endless detaU that would be
produced by it ; nor does he cease to give the most

238 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33,
decided discouragement to any possible plan of
arrangement Arith America, short of complete and
distinct Independence in its fullest sense; when I
last saw him, he read to me upon this subject the
resolutions of the 16th of May last, that passed
unanimously both houses of Assembly in Maryland,
against making any peace, but in concert with France,
and with an admission of independence ; resolutions,
he said, occasioned by Sir Guy Carleton' s supposed
commission, and which spoke the determination, he
was sure, of all the Thirteen Provinces.
"Haring touched, my Lord, upon those few circum
stances that seem in any way important to this
business, I forbear to enlarge upon them, in fuU
trust that I shaU be permitted to come (incessantly)
to London, where his Majesty's Ministers AriU
certainly command the little information I can have
to give them; it being my fixed purpose, fimUy,
though as humbly and respectfully as it is possible,
to decline any further prosecution of this business. I
have therefore to request of your Lordship, as speedUy
as may be, to lay before his Majesty in every
expression of duty and humUity my earnest and
unalterable prayer, that his Majesty AviU be graciously
pleased to recaU from me the Commission I am
honoured with at Paris, I am highly sensible to the
very flattering expressions of your Lordship's regard;
and have the honour to be, Arith great truth and
respect. My Lord,
" Your Lordship's most obedient and most
"humble servant, "THOMAS GRENVILLE."

1782] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

239

MR. OSWALD TO LORD SHELBURNE,
"Paris, 'Wedn^da/y, July 10th, 1182.
" My Lord,
" In consequence of Dr. Franklin's appointment,
as mentioned in my letter of the 8th, under this
cover, I went out to his house this morning, and stayed
near two hours with him, with a view of obtaining the
information and advice I wished for, as to the terms
and conditions upon which he thought a Treaty
betweeen Great Britain and the Commissioners of
the Colonies might be carried on and proceed to a
conclusion. Having reminded him of what he in a
manner promised on this head on the 6th, he took
out a minute, and from it read a few hints or articles,
some, he said, as necessary for them to insist on,
others which he could not say he had any orders
about, or were not absolutely demanded, and yet
such as it would be advisable for England to offer
for the sake of reconciliation and her future interest,
viz. : —
" 1st. Of the first class necessary to be granted,
Independence full and complete in every sense, to the
Thirteen States, and aU troops to be withdrawn from
thence. " 2nd. A settlement of the boundaries of their
colonies and the loyal colonies.
" 3rd. A confinement of the boundaries of Canada;
at least, to what they were before the last Act of
Parliament, I think in 1774, if not to a stiU more
contracted state, on an ancient footing.

240 CORRESPONDENCE OP [.Etat, 33,
" 4th, A freedom of fishing on the Banks of New
foundland and elsewhere, as weU for fish as whales,
" I own I wondered he should have thought it
necessary to ask for this privUege ; he did not
mention the leave of drying fish on shore at New
foundland, and I said nothing of it, I don't remember
any more articles which he said they would insist on,
or what he called necessary for them to be granted.
" Then as to the advisable articles, or such as he
would, as a friend, recommend to be offered by
England, viz, : —
" 1st. To indemnify many people who had been
ruined by towns burned and destroyed, the whole
might not exceed the sum of . five or six hundred
thousand pounds. I was struck at this. However,
the Doctor said, though it was a large sum, it would
not be iU-bestowed, as it would conciliate the resent
ment of a multitude of poor sufferers, who could have
no other remedy, and who without some rehef would
keep up a spirit of secret revenge and animosity, for
a long time to come, against Great Britain ; whereas
voluntary offer of such reparation would diffuse a
universal calm and conciliation over the whole country.
" 2nd. Some sort of acknowledgment, in some
public Act of Parliament, or otherwise, of our error in
distressing those countries so much as we had done.
A few words of that kind, the Doctor said, would do
more good than people could imagine,
" 3rd. Colony ships and trade to be received, and
have the same privileges in Great Britain and Ireland,
as British ships and trade. I did not ask any

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX,

241

explanation on that head for the present. British
and Irish ships in the Colonies to be, in like manner,
on the same footing with their own ships.
" 4th. Giving up every part of Canada.
" If there were any other Articles of either kind, I
can't now recoUect them ; but I don't think there
were any of material consequence, and I was perhaps
the less attentive in the enumeration, that it had been
agreed to give me the whole in writing; but after
some reflection, the Doctor said he did not much like
giving such writing out of his hands, and, hesitating
a good deal about it, asked me if I had seen Mr. Jay,
the other Commissioner, lately come from Madrid. I
said, I had not. He then told me it would be proper I
should see him, and he would flx a time for our meeting ;
and seemed to think he should want to confer with
him himself, before he gave a flnal answer. I told
him, if I had such flnal answer, and had leave, I would
carry it over to England. He said, that would be
right, but that as Mr. Grenville told him he expected
another courier in four or flve days, I had better wait
so long, and he would write along with me.
" Upon the whole, the Doctor expressed himself in
a friendly way towards England, and was not vrithout
hopes, that if we should settle on this occasion in the
way he wished, England would not only have a bene
ficial intercourse with the Colonies, but at last it might
end in a fcederal union between them. In the mean
time we ought to take care, not to force them into the
hands of other people. He showed me a copy of the
Enabling BUI as it is caUed ; and said, he observed

242 CORRESPONDENCE OP [Mtat. 33,
the word ' revolted ' was left out, and likewise added,
that the purpose of it was to dispense with Acts of
Parliament which they were indifferent about, and
that now they were better prepared for war, and more
able to carry it on, than ever they were ; that he had
heard, we entertained some expectation of retaining
some sort of sovereignty over them, as his Majesty
had of Ireland, and that if we thought so, we should
find ourselves much disappointed, for they would
yield to nothing of that sort.
" He then showed me a state of their account Arith
this Government, and his contract vrith them for the
several loans the Congress had had of them, — begin
ning in 1778, and running on at the rate of two, three,
and four mUlions per annum, amounting in the whole
to eighteen millions of livres (or £750,000 sterling,
at lOd. per livre), payable with interest at five per
cent, from the time of the advance. But, by a subse
quent and late concession of the King, the whole pre
ceding interest is given up, and to continue so untU
the first day of the Peace; and then the interest
again to commence. He said, that would be a trifle
upon the whole, as their taxes would now come in fast;
that they had borrowed a sum, in HoUand, at four
per cent., for which the King of France was guarantee.
I forgot the sum, but I think it was three miUions of
guilders, about £275,000.
" The Doctor is Judge Admiral here for all prizes
brought into France by American vessels, and
determines their causes as such. He received a
packet of these papers while I was sitting with him.

1782,] CHARLES JAMES POX. 243
" From this conversation, I have some hopes, my
Lord, that it is possible to put an end to the American
quarrel in a short time, and when that is done, I
have a notion, that a treaty with the other Powers
will go more smoothly on. The Doctor did not, in
the course of the above conversation, hesitate as to a
conclusion with them, on account of any connection
with those other States ; and in general seemed to
think their American affair must be ended by a
separate commission.
" On these occasions I said, I supposed in case of
such commission he meant that the power of granting
Independence would be therein expressly mentioned.
He said. No doubt: I hinted this, thinking it better
in the power of treating to include Independence,
than to grant Independence separately, and then to
treat about other matters, with the Commissioners of
such Independent States, who by such grant are on the
same footing with the Ministers of the other Powers.
By anything the Doctor said, I did not perceive he
made any account of this distinction ; and I did not
think it proper to say anything more about it. I
forgot one thing the Doctor said vrith respect to some
provision or reparation to those caUed the Loyal
Sufferers : — It would be impossible to make any such
provision ; they were so numerous and their cases so
various, that he could not see that it could make any
part of the treaty. There might be particular cases
that deserved compassion ; these being left to the
several States, they might perhaps do something for
them, but they, as Commissioners, could do nothing.
E 2

244 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat, 33,
" He then read to me the Order in Carolina for
confiscating and selling of estates, under the direction
of the military, by which so great a number of famUies
had been ruined, and which the people there felt so
much, as would stifle their compassion for the sufferers
on the other side. I remember, the Doctor, in a
former proposal in AprU, hinted that a cession of the
back lands of Canada would raise a sum which would
make some reparation to the sufferers on both sides.
Now, he says, one of the necessary articles is a cession
of these back lands, vrithout any stipulation for the
Loyal Sufferers ; and as an advisable Article, a gift of
flve or six hundred thousand pounds, to indemnify the
sufferers on their side. I should hope he would be
persuaded to alter that part of the plan.
" I have the honour to be,
" My Lord,
" Your Lordship's most obedient
" humble servant,
"RICHARD OSWALD."

MR, OSWALD TO LORD SHELBURNE, " Paris, July llth, 1782.
" My Lord,
" Referring to my letter of yesterday's date, here
inclosed, relative to my conversation with Dr. Franklin,
on the subject of a treaty to the Colonies, I am now
to own receipt of your Lordship's letter of the 5th,
by the Courier Hog, which came to hand on the 8tL
I don't know how far such a load of business will

1782,] CHARLES JAMES POX. 245
be supportable to your Lordship, but I think I
may safely congratulate your country, on your taking
up this last charge, and sincerely wish your Lord
ship much satisfaction and success in the discharge
of it.
" When I went out yesterday to Dr. Franklin, I
read to him such parts of the above letter as you
desired to be communicated to him.
" I thank your Lordship for the caution with
respect to Gibraltar, or any affairs under Mr. Gren
viUe's direction. As to the first, it was proposed by
the Doctor in such a way as I understood it to be an
express commission from the French Minister, and,
having an opportunity of Major Ross, I put it down
in my letter, as it seemed to show that this Court
would be glad to be excused taking a part in the
attempts of recovering the place in any other way.
In answer, it is true, I said territorial possession was
the only proper equivalent, if England chose to part
with it, and I happened to mention Porto Rico as
what in such case would be agreeable to many
people. That passed in the way of conversation,
although the proposal, I supposed, was designedly
prompted as above mentioned. I never heard any
thing more on the subject. As to Mr. GrenviUe's
business, it would have been quite wrong in me to
meddle in it in any shape, and so cautious was I, that
I scarce asked him any question as to the progress of
his affairs ; thinking it sufficient, if by an intercourse
with Dr. Franklin I could help to bring on a settle
ment with the Colonies, upon which, I always believed.

2(6 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 33.
a conclusion with the other parties would in a great
measure depend, both as to despatch and con
ditions. " Even in this business I had scarce taken any
steps, since my last coming over in the end of
May. It was impossible to do so, as Mr. Franklin
seemed to attend to the expectation and issue of
Mr, GrenviUe's Powers and Instructions, which, he
said, were imperfect at first, and not completed at
last to his satisfaction with respect to them, so that
the Doctor did not incline to talk of business to me,
and I had nothing to write, even if I had known at
times, when Mr. GrenviUe's couriers were despatched.
The situation was not agreeable, but I could not help
it, and I believe the Doctor was not pleased, although
he said little to me on the subject. However, at last,
being I suppose desirous that something should be
done in their affairs, he very unexpectedly put his
letter into my hands, of the 27th of June, which goes
under cover with this. When I received it, I thought
it my duty to take the steps mentioned in my letter
of the 8th in consequence of it. If after seeing
Mr, Jay, I can procure from those gentlemen, some
sketch in writing of what they demand, I wiU talk
to them on the subject, and try to bring it into
some form of a settled Agreement, or rather Proposi
tions, to be submitted to discussion at home, as
necessary in the like cases. Upon that foundation a
Commission may be granted to carry on the treaty to
a conclusion ; for I plainly see the Doctor inclines
that their business should be done under a separate

1782.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 247
Commission. As to any information I can give, in
relation to these affairs, which your Lordship recom
mends to me, I beg leave to say, that although I had
better opportunities of conversation than I have, there
is very httle to be got here. I wiU, however, not
scruple to give my opinion as things occur to me,
viz.: — That the more anxious we appear to be for
Peace, the more backward the people here will be,
or the harder in their terms, which is much the same
thing ; and that haiving fully satisfied this Court of
our desire to put an end to the war, as has been done,
the more vigorously our exertions are pushed in the
interim, we shaU come sooner to our purpose, and on
better terms. With respect to the Commissioners for
the Colonies, our conduct towards them, I think, ought
to be of a style somewhat different ; they have shown a
desire to treat, and to end with us on a separate
footing from the other Powers, and I must say, in a
more liberal way, or at least with a greater appearance
of feeling for the future interests and connections of
Great Britain, than I expected. I speak so from the
text of the last conversation I had with Mr. Franklin,
as mentioned in my letter of yesterday. And therefore
we ought to deal with them tenderly, and as supposed
concihated friends, or at least well disposed to con-
cihation ; and not as if we had anything to give them,
that we can keep from them, or that they are very
anxious to have. Even Dr. Franklin himself, as the
subject happened to lead that way, as good as told
me, yesterday, that they were their own Masters,
and seemed to make no account of the grant of lude-

248 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^.tat, 33.
pendence as a favour, I was so much satisfied before
hand of thek ideas on that head, that I wiU own to
your Lordship, I did not read to the Doctor that
part of your letter, wherein you mention that grant,
as if it in some shape chaUenged a return on then-
part. When the Doctor pointed at the object of the
Enabling BiU, as singly resting upon a dispensation of
Acts of ParUament they cared not for, I thought it
enough for me to say they had been binding and
acknowledged ; to which no answer was made.
When the Doctor mentioned the report, as if there
was an expectation of retaining the sovereignty, I
ventiu-ed a little further (though with a guarded
caution) to touch him on the only tender side of their
supposed present emancipation, and said, that such
report was probably owing to the imaginations of
people, upon hearing of the rejoicings in America, on
the cessation of war, change of the Ministry, &c, &c.,
which they might conclude would have some effect
in dividing the provinces, and giving a different turn
to affairs ; as no doubt there was a great proportion
of the people, notvrithstanding all that had happened,
who, from considerations of original affinity, corre
spondence, and other circumstances, were stiU strongly
attached to England, &c, &c.
" To this, also, there was no answer made. At the
same time, I cannot but say, I was much pleased,
upon the whole, with what passed upon the occasion
of this interview. And I really believe the Doctor
sincerely wishes for a speedy settlement ; and that
after the loss of Dependence, we may lose no more ;

1782,] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 249
but, on the contrary, that a cordial reconciliation may
take place over all that country.
" Amongst other things, I was pleased at his show
ing me a state of the aids they had received from
France, as it looked as if he wanted I should see
the amount of the obligations to their AUy ; and as if
it was the only foundation of the ties France had
over them, excepting gratitude, which the Doctor
owned in so many words ; but at the same time
said, the debt would be punctually and easily dis
charged, France having given to 1788 to pay it.
" The Doctor also particiUarly took notice of the
discharge of the interest, to the term of the Peace,
which he said was kind and generous.
" It is possible I may make a wrong estimate of the
situation of this American business, and of the chance
of a total or partial recovery being desperate. In that
case, my opinion wUl have no weight, and so wUl do
no hurt. Yet, in my present sentiments, I cannot
help offering it, as thinking that circumstances are in
that situation, that I heartily wish we were done with
these people, and as quickly as possible, since we
have much to fear from them, in case of their taking
the pet; and throwing themselves into more close
connection with this Court and our other enemies.
I make no doubt, my Lord, but you wUl find fault
with my troubling you with so much writing at a
time, which must come very unseasonably, in the
midst of so much other business, but we are so
imprisoned here in our correspondence, that we can
not divide it, as in other countries.

250 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat, 33.
"To write everything by post would be to no
purpose, so that everything must go by a messenger
on purpose, licensed by a passport obtained by the
formahty of an address to the Minister at VersaiUes.
" I have the honour to be,
" My Lord,
" Your Lordship's most obedient,
" humble servant,
"RICHARD OSWALD.
" P.S, I beg leave to repeat what was mentioned in
a former letter, that in my late conversations with Dr.
Franklin, I could not perceive that he meant that the
progress and conclusion of their treaty was to have
any connection, or would be influenced by what was
doing in the treaties with the other Powers ; but that
the Colony Commissioners were free agents and inde
pendent of these Powers. And consequently I
suppose they consider themselves restrained by their
aUiance with France, only in the point of ratification ;
which indeed infers, that until we agree with France,
we can have neither peace or truce with the Colonies.
But then if we settle terms with the Colonies, and
France is unreasonable, the Colonies may interpose ;
or France may not choose to risk the possibUity of
such an arbitration. At the same time I am entirely
persuaded, that Dr. Franklin does not take the least
step in their own affairs, even in such as his late com
munication with me, but what has been settled
between him and the Count de Vergennes : and
consequently, if from such communication it may be

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 251
presumed that the Doctor wishes for a conclusion of
their treaty, it may be supposed, that the French are
in like maimer disposed with respect to theirs.
" I asked Dr. Franklin, as to the answer Mr.
Grenville had from this Court to his last memorials,
and he told me that the proposition from England
being, to take the treaty of 1763 for the basis, it
was answered, that it should be so, and that the
sundry Articles of said treaty should be gone over,
and suitable alterations should be made as a founda
tion or conditions of the present treaty. Since
writing the above, I am told by a friend who had
some conversation with Dr. Franklin this morning,
that he (the Doctor) had received a letter from some
person in England, who is no friend to the late
changes, giving, among other things, an account as if
the new Administration were not so well disposed to
end so quickly and agreeably with the Colonies, as
those who have left it, &c.
" This, the gentleman told me, led the Doctor to
express himself very strong as to his desire of quick
despatch, as he wanted much to go home, and have
the chance of a few years' repose, having but a short
time to live in the world, and had also much private
business to do.
" I should therefore hope it may be possible soon
to bring their business near to a final close, and that
they will not be any way stiff as to those Articles he
calls advisable, or wiU drop them altogether. Those
he caUs necessary wiU hardly be any obstacle. I
shall be able to make a better guess when I have

252 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33.
another meeting with him, jointly with Mr. Jay,
which I hope to have by the time this courier returns.
Allow me, my Lord, to observe, that if I continue
here any time, I would wish to have a messenger
attending. This Potter is a proper man,"

MR. GRENVILLE TO LORD SHELBURNE, " Paris, July 12th, 1782,
" My Lord,
" I profit by the opportunity, which Mr. Oswald's
messenger offers, to add a very few lines to those
which I had the honour to address to your Lordship
on the 9th, and stUl upon the subject of that
immediate return, for which I have made such urgent
requisitions ; should any difficulty occur upon the
idea of the negociation being left unfinished, by such
a measure, may I be excused for suggesting that
Mr, Oswald or Mr. Walpole, who are both upon the
spot, could much more than supply my place for any
purpose that might be vrished, and for keeping this
business stUl ostensibly on foot by giring an answer
to the French paper I had transmitted, should such be
the intention of his Majesty ? Your Lordship wiU, I
flatter myself, forgive my annexing so much import
ance, and so many words, to a subject of such
infinitely little importance, and wiU be persuaded, I
trust, that if I repeat the utter impossibUity of my
remaining here in any circumstances, it is not from the
vanity of supposing it can be any object that I should,
but from that earnestness which makes it natural to

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 253
(press) any resolution finally and decisively taken. I
wUl not, however, unnecessarUy intrude upon the better
employment of your Lordship's time, having nothing
to add upon the subject of the negociation, further
than the humble assurances, which, if I might so
presume, I would wish to be conveyed to his Majesty,
that I have not been wanting in zeal during my stay
here, neither as I hope in duty to his Majesty by
my respectful though invariable entreaty to return.
" I have the honour to be with the greatest respect,
" My Lord,
" Your Lordship's most obedient and
"most humble servant,
"THOMAS GRENVILLE.
"P.S. I have the honour to enclose to your Lordship
a memorial I this instant received from Versailles,
with a copy of Mons. de Vergennes' to me upon the
same subject. " T, G, "

MR, OSWALD TO LORD SHELBURNE. "Paris, July 12th, 1782.
(3 Afternoon.)
" My Lord,
" The courier has been in waiting some time for
Dr. Franklin's letters. They are just come to hand,
with one for myself, which I think proper to send to
your Lordship, with the Maryland paper that was
inclosed in it.
" I am glad to see by the Doctor's letter, as if he

254 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 33,
wishes a settlement with them may not be stopped ;
I think that may be presumed from his sending me
this letter, and the explanations therein mentioned.
On the other hand, I cannot but be concerned at
this report, which has been conveyed to him, of a
reserve intended in the grant of Independence, being
the first time I ever heard of it ; at least, Mr. Gren
viUe did not tell me that his signification on that head
was accompanied by any such reservation, and upon
the faith of that, I have in my letters to your Lord
ship, and in conversation with Dr. Franklin, always
supposed, that the grant was meant to be absolute
and unconditional, which last, however, is a term I
never used, thinking such qualification unnecessary.
Its being given out that a difference subsisted, and
resignations happened on this account, must naturally
occasion this hesitation in the Commissioners of the
Colonies ; and so I see by the Doctor's letter to me
he puts a sort of stoppage upon the prehminaries of
settlement with them, which had been pretty weU
sketched out, and defined in his conversation vrith
me on the 10th instant ; and untU there is a further
explanation under your Lordship's authority, on the
said head of Independence, I am, in a manner
forbid in the Doctor's letter, to go back upon the
plan of that conference, and to claim any right to the
propositions thereof, which, if complete Independence
was meant to be granted, is a little unlucky ; and
there is reason to regret, that anybody should have
been so wicked, as to throw this stumbling-block in
the way, by which, not only Peace with the Colonies is

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 256
obstructed, but the general treaty is suspended,
which, I cannot help still thinking, hangs upon a
settlement with the Colonies. And so by this unlucky
interjection the peace of the country at home is dis
turbed, and the blame thrown upon the new Adminis
tration, and upon your Lordship by name.
" If before the return of the courier I should meet
with the Doctor again and Mr. Jay, I wUl conduct
myself in the best manner I can, according to circum
stances, so as to lose no part of the ground that has
been gained, although I am sensible there is no pro
ceeding further, and it would be improper to attempt
it, until there are fresh instructions from your Lord
ship. If your Lordship should think them material
to be instantly communicated, the sooner they come
perhaps, the better. I am perfectly ashamed of
troubling with so much writing at one time, but this
last letter I could not possibly help, the Doctor's
letter not having come until the other packets were
sealed up. " I have the honour to be,
" My Lord,
" Your Lordship's most obedient,
" humble servant,
"RICHARD OSWALD.
"P.S. I shan't be surprised if the next meeting
with the Doctor should turn out more unfavourably
than the former. Your Lordship wiU, no doubt, do
what is necessary to prevent it."

256 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 33.

MR. OSWALD TO LORD SHELBURNE. " Paris, July 12iA, 1782,
" My Lord,
" Mr. GrenviUe having caUed upon me yesterday
evening, and on my asking him as to his last answer
from the French Minister, he informed me of it as far
as he could remember, and I was sorry to find it of
a style so much above the pitch of moderation ; that
our Court, after taking the treaty of 1763 for the
basis of the new treaty, must agree to material altera
tions respecting the four quarters of the world, and
that before they proceed further, this must be
assented to, without any further explanation as to the
particulars of such alterations. Mr. GrenvUle did not
say he remembered the words exactly, and I may
have quoted him wrong.
" However, there is enough to show upon what an
unlucky footing that matter stands ; and that Peace is
likely to be at a greater distance than was expected.
Some time last month vrith a view to this kind of
possibUity, and having nothing to do, I wrote out
some minutes, as they occurred to me, of some things
that I thought might be of use, in the present case, if
the war should go on, or would concern the safety of
England on future occasions. I intended them for
your Lordship if you had continued in the other
department, but now, in the hurry of such a multitude
of affairs, I can hardly expect you will take up your
time with such things. However, I have sent the

1782,] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 267
packet over by the bearer, to Mrs. Oswald, to lie in
her hands for the present.
"They would take better than an hour in the
perusal. In case your Lordship should desire to see
them, Mrs. Oswald will send the packet, upon receiv
ing a card or other message from your Lordship ; by
taking the papers to the country perhaps your Lord
ship may have leisure to give them a fair perusal.
Unless that can be done, I would rather they lie
where I have ordered them. Another thing I should
not like, that they should go into any other hands
than your own, while I continue in this place, and
there are so many Spaniards here. If your Lordship
should call for them, I can get them back, when I
return to England. I shall make no apology for this
freedom, since I by no means solicit your Lordship's
attention to the thing, doubting myself whether it is
deserving of it, and all the favour I ask is, that in
case the packet is caUed for, it may have a perusal at
your leisure. " I am with much respect,
" My Lord,
" Your Lordship's most obedient
" humble servant,
"RICHARD OSWALD.
" I have sent notice to Mr. Grenville, that he may
have his packets ready. The copy I send is wrote
out fan- and plain by Mr. Whiteford, so that the
papers wUl be more easily read, than if they had been
in my hand."

258 CORRILSPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33.

MR, FRANKLIN TO MR, OSWALD, " Passt, July 12th, 1782,
" Sir, "I inclose a letter for Lord Shelburne, to go
by your courier, with some others, of which I request
his care ; they may be put into the Penny Post. I
have received a note informing me, that * some oppo
sition given by his Lordship to Mr. Fox's decided
plan of unequivocally acknowledging American Inde
pendency, was one cause of that gentleman's resigna
tion ; ' this, from what you have told me, appears
improbable, — ^it is farther said, 'that Mr. GrenvUle
thinks Mr. Fox's resignation wUl be fatal to the
present negociation.' This perhaps is as groundless
as the former. Mr. GrenviUe's next courier, will
probably clear up matters. \ did understand from
him that such an acknowledgement was intended
before the commencement of the treaty ; and untU
it is made and the treaty formaUy begun, proposi
tions, and discussions seem, on consideration, to be
untimely, nor cau I enter into particulars without
Mr. Jay, who is now ill with the infiuenza. My
letter, therefore, to his Lordship, is merely comph-
mentary on his late appointment.
" I wish a continuance of your health, in that at
present sickly city, being vrith sincere esteem. Sir,
" Yoirr most obedient and most humble servant,
¦' B, FRANKLIN,
"P-S. — I send you inclosed the late Resolutions

1782,] CHAELES JAMES FOX. 269
of the State of Maryland, by which the general dis
position of people in America may be guessed respec
ting any Treaty to be proposed by General Carleton,
if intended, which I do not beheve."

MR, FRANKLIN TO LORD SHELBURNE.
"F ASSY, July 12th, 1782.
" My Lord, " Mr. Oswald informing me that he is
about to dispatch a courier, I embrace the oppor
tunity of congratulating your Lordship on your
appointment to the Treasury. It is an extension of
your power to do good, and in that new, if in no
other, it must increase your happiness, which I
heartUy wish, being with great and sincere respect,
" My Lord,
" Your Lordship's most obedient and most
" humble servant, «B. FRANKLIN,
"RiSHi Hon, the Earl off Shelburne,"
LORD SHELBURNE TO MR. GRENVILLE.
" St, James's, July IZth, 1782.
" Sir, "I have the honour to receive your letter of
the 9th, containing a very clear state of the several
negociations committed to your care. Your very
earnest desire of being recaUed, wiU be taken into
consideration, the moment a Secretary of State is
appointed, which avUI take place on Wednesday. In
the mean time, as I collect from your letter, and
s 2

260 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat, 33.
understand more particularly from Lord Temple,
that your wish is to return as soon as possible, I
have his Majesty's commands, to desire that you wiU
acquaint the French Minister, and others, with whom
you are in Treaty, that it is his Majesty's pleasure,
that you should return to receive such fresh instruc
tions, as the change of the department may render
necessary, taking care to leave no suspicion on their
mind, that it is meant to relax in any respect from
the intention and spirit with which the negociations
have been hitherto carried on, by repeating the
assurances you were before directed to make to these
ministers, of his Majesty's sincere desire of peace,
upon safe, honourable, and permanent terms. I have
great satisfaction in relying on your discretion and
honour, that you wUl take care that his Majesty's
service shall not suffer in any respect by your
departure. " I am, &c."

LORD SHELBURNE TO MR. OSWALD. "July IZth, 1782.
[private.]
" Dear Sir,
" The King has given Mr. GrenvUle leave
to return, and directed him to acquaint the French
minister, Dr. Franklin, &c., that it is for the purpose
of receiving fresh instructions, which wiU be necessary
on the change of the department, taking care to
repeat every assurance of the King's desire for peace.

1782.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 261
and not to leave any impression on the minds of
those with whom he is in treaty, of the least relaxation
from the intention and spirit of the negociation, as
hitherto carried on. I have the firmest reliance on
Mr. GrenvUle's honour, that he will take care that the
King's service shall not suffer in any respect by his
departure : and I must strictly enjoin you not to
mention to any person whatever this communication,
till Mr. Grenville himself communicates his intentions
and instructions, and in his own manner.
" I have nothing more to add, except that I am
surprised at not hearing from you, that the present
state of things makes it more necessary than ever
that we should be fully instructed in all points leading
to a general, or a separate peace, that though you
are not instructed to talk upon points regarding
France, Spain, and HoUand, it does not prevent your
endeavouring to gain all possible insight into their
intentions and dispositions. " I am, &c.
"Richard Oswald, Esq."

MR. OSWALD TO LORD SHELBURNE.
"Paris, Tuesday, July 16th, 1782.
"My Lord, " I had this morning the honour of your
Lordship's letter ofthe 13th, by the messenger Hog.
Having heard by different persons that Mr. GrenvUle
is to set out for London to-morrow morning, I write
this to inform your Lordship that I wrote you sundry

262 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33.
letters by the messenger Potter, who left this place
on Friday last, the 12th.
" To those letters I have nothing to add relative
to business, and am of opinion it would be improper
for the present to attempt to take up afresh vrith
Dr. Franklin the subject mentioned in my last letters.
I will, however, observe, that having caUed upon him
last Sunday, I showed him, from your Lordship's
letter of the 5th, that paragraph relating to inde
pendence, which, on a former occasion, I had not
read to him, as believing he was satisfied it was
intended in the way he vrished.
" I have the honour to be,
" My Lord,
" Your Lordship's most obedient,
" humble servant,
"RICHARD OSWALD."

RICHARD OSWALD, ESQ.
" Commission, July 25th, 1782.
George E.,
Our Will and Pleasure is, and We do hereby authorize
and command you forthAvith to prepare a Bill for our
Signature, to pass Our Great Seal of Great Britain, ia the
ATords, or to the effect following, viz. :
George the Third, by the Grace of God, King of Great
Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c.. To
Our Trusty and Wellbeloved Eichard Oswald, of Our City of
London, Esq., Greeting : Whereas by virtue of an Act passed
in the last Session of Parliament, intituled, " Au Act passed
to enable His IVIajesty to conclude a Peace or Truce irith
certain Colonies in ISTorth America therein mentioned," it

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 263
is recited, " that it is essential to the Interest, Welfare, and
Prosperity of Great Britain, and the Colonies or Plantations
of New Hampshire, IVIassachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Con
necticut, I^ew York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three
lower Counties on Delaware, IVIaryland, Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia in North America,
that Peace, Intercourse, Trade, and Commerce should be
restored between them."
Therefore, and for"* a full Manifestation of Our earnest
Wish and Desire, and of that of Our Parliament, to put an
end to the calamities of War, it is enacted, that it should
and might be lawful for Us, to treat, consult of, agree, and
conclude with any Commissioner or Commissioners named, or
to be named, by the said Colonies or Plantations, or with
any Body or Bodies, Corporate or Politic, or any Assembly or
Assemblies, or Description of IVTen, or any Person or Persons
whatsoever, a Peace or a Truce with the said Colonies or
Plantations, or any of them, or any part or parts thereof,
any Law, Act or Acts of Parliament, IVIatter or Thing to the
contrary iu any wise notwithstanding.
Now Know ye, That We reposing especial Trust in your
Wisdom, Loyalty, Dihgence, and Circumspection in the
management of the Affairs to be hereby committed to your
charge, have nominated and appointed, and assigned, and by
these presents do nominate and appoint, constitute and
assign, you, the said Eichard Oswald, to be our Commissioner
in that behalf, to Use and Exercise all and every the Powers
and Authorities hereby entrusted and committed to you, the
said Eichard Oswald, and to do, perform, and execute all
other IVIatters and Things hereby enjoined and committed to
your care during Our WiU and Pleasure, and no longer,
according to the Tenor of these Our Letters Patent.
And it is Our Eoyal Will and Pleasure, and We do
hereby authorize, empower, and require you, the said Eichard
Oswald, to treat, consult of, and conclude with any Commis-

264

CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33,

sioner or

 Commissioners named, or to be named by the said
Colonies or Plantations, and any Body or Bodies, Corporate
or Politic, or any Assembly or Assemblies, Description of
Men, or any Person or Persons whatsoever, a Peace or a
Truce with the said Colonies or Plantations, or any of them,
or any part or parts thereof, any Law, Act or Acts of
Parliament, Matter or Thing to the contrary in any wise
notwithstanding. And it is Our further Will and Pleasure, that every Eegu-
lation. Provision, Matter, or Thing which shall have been
agreed upon between you, the said Eichard Oswald, and such
Commissioner or Commissioners, Body or Bodies, Corporate
or Politic, Assembly or Assemblies, Description of Men,
Person or Persons, as aforesaid, with whom you shall have
judged meet and suf&cient to enter into such Agreement,
shall be fuUy and distinctly set forth in Writing and authen
ticated by your Hand and Seal, on one side, and by such Seals,
or other Signature on the other, as the occasion may require,
and as may be suitable to the Character and Authority of the
Commissioner or Commissioners, fee, as aforesaid so agree
ing. And such Instrument so authenticated, shall be by you
transmitted to Us, through one of Our Principal Secretaries
of State. And it is our further Will and Pleasure, that you
the said Eichard Oswald, shall promise and engage for Us,
and in Om' Eoyal Name and Word, that every Eegulation,
Provision, Matter, or Thing, which may be agreed to, and
concluded by you. Our said Commissioner, shall be ratified
and confirmed by Us in the fullest manner and extent, and
that We will not suffer them to be violated or counteracted,
either in whole or in part by any person whatsoever. And
We do hereby require and command all Our Officers, Civil
and Military, and all other Our loving Subjects whatsoever,
to be aiding and assisting unto you, the said , Eichard Oswald,
in the Execution of this Our Commission, : and of the Powers
and Authorities herein contained. Provided always, and We

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 265
do hereby declare and ordain that the several Offices, Powers,
and Authorities hereby granted, shaU cease, determine, and
become utterly Null and Void, on the First day of July,
which shall be in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand seven
hundred and eighty-three, although We shall not otherwise in
'n the meantime have revoked and determined the same. In
Witness, &c.
And for so, doing this shall be your warrant. Given at
our Court at St. James's, the twenty-fifth day of July, One
Thousand seven hundred and eighty-two. In the twenty-second
year of our reign. By His Majesty's commands, " THO, TOWNSHEND.
" To Odr Attorney ob Solicitor- General,"
COPY OF A LETTER TO RICHARD OSWALD, ESQ., FROM
MR. TOWNSHEND. " July 26th,1782.
"Sir, " I expect to have had the honor to
transmit you herewith the King's Commission,
authorising you to treat and conclude a Peace, with
the American Commissioners at Paris, as well as his
Majesty's instructions consequent to it. But, from the
length of time necessary to pass the Commission, I
have thought it necessary to forward this to you
without waiting for it. From the opinion which I
have had very good reason to conceive of your
abUity, I have no doubt but that you wUl acquit
yourself both as to spirit and form, to the satisfaction
of his Majesty in this important business.
" As my intention is, and ever wUl be, in the high
office which I have the honor to hold, to conduct
my correspondence with the utmost precision and

266 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33,
perspicuity, I desire you wUl, without reserve, com
municate to me any doubt that may arise upon your
instructions, or any difficulties that may occur in the
course of your negociation. Be assured, that you
wUl ever find me ready to pay due attention to your
opinions upon the arduous undertaking in which
you are engaged, and to communicate to you, his
Majesty's pleasure thereupon.
" I think it necessary to acquaint you, that Mr.
Fitzherbert, now at Brussels, has orders to join you
at Paris, and to replace Mr, GrenvUle. I have great
pleasure in recommending him to your confidence, as
he is a person of whose talents and discretion I have
the highest opinion, founded on a long acquaintance.
" Of those with whom you are to treat, I have no
knowledge of any, except Dr. Franklin. My know
ledge of him is of a long standing, though of no great
degree of intimacy. I am not vain enough to sup
pose that any public conduct or principles of mine
shoiUd have attracted much of his notice ; but I
believe he knows enough of them to be persuaded
that no one has been more averse to the carrying on
this unhappy contest, or a more sincere friend to
peace and reconcUiation than myself. If he does me
the justice to believe these sentiments to be sincere,
he wUl be convinced that I shall show myself, in the
transaction of this business, an unequivocal and
zealous friend to pacification upon the fairest and
most liberal terms.
" Though I have not the pleasure of a personal
acquaintance with you. Sir, your character is not

1782,] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 267
unknown to me, and from that I derive great satis
faction in seeing this very important negociation in
your hands,
" When the Commission is made out, you will hear
from me again, and receive at the same time his
Majesty's instructions for the execution of it.
" I have the honor to be, &c.,
" T. TOWNSHEND."

george iii. to the king op france.
"Monsieur Mon Frere,
" Ayant fait choix du Sieur Fitzherbert pour
se rendre a votre Cour, en qualite de Mon Ministre,
je vous prie de donner une entiere creance a tout ce
qu'U vous dira de ma part, et surtout aux assurances
qu'U vous donnera de mon estime singuliere pour
vous, et de mon desir sincere de voir heureusement
retablir entre nous une amitie ferme et durable.
" Je suis, " Monsieur Mon Frere,
" Votre bon Frere, " GEORGE R.
" A. St. .James's, ce 27 Juillet, 1782."

INSTRUCTIONS TO MR. OSWALD. "JulyZlst, 1782.
(l. s.) George R.
Orders and Instructions to be observed by Our Trusty and
WeU-beloved Eichard Oswald, of the City of London,
Esquire, whom, by virtue of an Act passed in the present
Sessions of Parliament, entitled An Act to enable His

268 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33.
Majesty to conclude a Peace or a Truce with certain
Colonies in North America therein-mentioned. We have
appointed Our Commissioner for treating and con
cluding a Peace with any Commissioner or Commis
sioners named or to be named by the said Colonies
or Plantations or any Part or Parts of them. Given
at Our Court at St. James's this thirty-first day of July,
One Thousand seven hundred and eighty-two. And in
the twenty-second year of Our Eeign.
Whereas report has been made to Us, by One of Our Prin
cipal Secretaries of State, of Information which he had received
from B. Franklin, Esquire, of Philadelphia, now residing at or
near to Paris, to this effect : — " That he, the said B. Frankhn
was commissioned with others (whom he named to be Messrs.
Adams, Laurens, and Jay) to treat of and conclude a Peace ; —
that full Powers were given to them for that purpose, and
that Congress promised in good faith to Eatify, Confirm, and
cause to be faithfully observed the Treaty they should make.
But that they could not treat separately from France."
And whereas having received Assurances of His Most
Christian Majesty's sincere disposition towards Peace; and
Paris having been mutually fixed upon, as the most con
venient Place, at which all Parties might assemble for the
purpose of entering upon Negociation, We have already sent
Our Trusty and Well-beloved Thomas Grenville, Esquire,
to that Capital, with Full Powers to commence a Negociation
with the Court of France, and the other BeUigerent Powers in
Europe ; Now in consequence of the Overtures above-men
tioned on the part of Persons thus stating themselves to be
deputed by the Assembly of Delegates of the Eevolted Colo
nies, and out of Our earnest desire to put an end to the
Calamities of a War, which has so long subsisted; and
because it has also been reported to Us, by one of Our
Principal Secretaries of State, that the said Benjamin
Franklin, Esquire, has expressed a strong desire " Of keep-

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 269
ing the Treaties of Peace distinct between the several Parties
though going on at the same time ; " We have taken these
Premises into Our consideration, and have thought fit by
Our Commission under Our Great Seal of Great Britain to
constitute you, the said Eichard Oswald, Our Commissioner
for concluding a Peace, and have caused you to be furnished
with such Papers and Information as may enable you to inter
change Overtures of Peace, giving you at the same time the
following instructions for your Conduct in the Execution of
the Important Trust We have reposed in you.
1. On the receipt of these Our Instructions, together with
Our Commission, you will forthwith enter upon a Conference
with the American Commissioners, or as many of them as
may be assembled, and you will inform them of Our Purpose
in granting you Our Commission with Full Powers, a copy
whereof you will deliver to them, at the same time declaring
that you shall be ready to produce the Original when desired.
You wiU moreover deliver to them a copy of the Act of
Parliament upon which the Powers granted you by Our
Commission are founded,
2. You wiU then express Our Wishes, that the Mutual
Powers of Treating and Concluding may be so general and
definitive, that matters may thereby be brought to a speedy
and determinate Issue. With this Yiew, you will desire to
be informed of, and to see the Nature and Extent of the
Authority with which the Commissioners are invested by the
Congress ; and we hereby Authorize you to admit any Persons,
with whom you treat, to describe themselves by any Title or
AppeUation whatsoever, and to represent their Superiors, from
whom they state themselves to derive Authority under any
denomination whatever.
3. These Preliminaries being settled. You wiU declare that
you are ready and desirous to learn any Ideas and Intentions
they (the American Commissioners) may have, for carrying
into effect, with most speed and certainty. Our earnest

270 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 88.
wishes to restore Peace and Amity between Our Kingdoms,
and the said American Colonies.
4. In case you find the American Commissioners are not
at liberty to treat on any terms short of Independence, Tou
are to declare to them that you have Our Authority to make
that Concession ; Our Earnest Wish for Peace, disposing Us
to purchase it at the price of acceding to the complete Inde
pendence of the Thirteen States, namely. New Hampshire, &c.
5. You are moreover empowered to engage Our Promise,
in order to make the Peace, if it should take place, more sohd
and durable, to cede to the said Colonies, the Town and
District of New York, and any other Territory, Town, or
Garrison within the Limits of the said Colonies, which may
be in Our possession at the Time of signing the Treaty.
6. The question of Independence thus removed, you will
not fail of course to turn your attention to the consideration
of. such Proposals as it is to be hoped they wiU think it in
cumbent upon them to make for the purpose of rendering
whatever Terms may be agreed upon, permanent and mutually
satisfactory and beneficial. In the course of this Discussion
you wiU not fail to pay due attention to the Eights and
Interests of Individuals, and you wiU particularly press the
speedy Enlargement of such Persons as may be now imprisoned
or confined on account of their attachment to the Govern
ment of Great Britain. Under this head Tou are to consider
and claim as a matter of absolute Justice, all Debts incurred
to the subjects of Great Britain, before 1775, and if, as has
been intimated, you should find the Commissioners unauthorized
to engage for a Specific Eedress in this particular, Tou wiU
insist on the Justice of these Demands, and that they would
promise and engage for the sincere interposition of Congress
with the several Provinces to procure an ample and full
satisfaction. 7. Whereas many of Our Loyal Subjects having valuable
property in the Colonies in question have, nevertheless, in

1782.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 271
these unhappy disputes taken part with Great Britain, and iu
consequence thereof have been considered as having thereby
exposed their Property to Confiscation, Justice as well as
Compassion demands that a ]iestitution or Indemnification
should be required on behalf of such sufferers.
On this head you will propose a Eestoration of aU Eights,
as they stood before the Commencement of Hostilities, aud
a general Amnesty of all Offences committed, or supposed to
be committed in the course of them.
8. If you should collect from the answer made to the
Eepresentations, that their consent to the preceding article
cannot be obtained without some further concessions on Our
Part, and the cession before proposed of New York, &c. be
not sufficient, you may in that case propose to stipulate for
the annexation of a portion of our ungranted Lands to each
Province in lieu of what shall be restored to the Eefugees and
Loyalists, whose estates they have seized and confiscated.
9. In regard to the question of any National Substitution
for the Dependent Connection with Great Britain, You must
in the first place seek to discover the Dispositions and Inten
tions of the Colonies, by the Intimations and Propositions
of the Commissioners. And if it shall appear to you to be
impossible to form with them any Political League of Union
or Amity to the exclusion of other European Powers, you
will be particularly earnest in your Attention and Arguments
to prevent their binding themselves under any Engagement
inconsistent with the plan of Absolute and Universal Indepen
dence, which is the indispensable condition of our acknow
ledging their Independence on Our Crown and Kingdoms.
10. It were much to be wished, that a foundation for an
Amicable Connection could be laid in some mutual Principle
of Benefit and Indulgence. In this view We would direct
you to propose as a friendly Token of EeconcUiation, and of
Propensity to those Ties, which are consonant to our mutual
Eelation, Habits, Language, and Nature, that in future an

272 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33.
unreserved system of Naturalization should be agreed upon
between Our Kingdoms and the American Colonies.
11. But notwithstanding you are by Our Commission
authorized to conclude, and sign anything that may be agreed
upon between You and the American Commissioners, it is
Our express WiU and Pleasure, that you do not, in virtue of
the said Power, proceed to the signature of any Act whatever
with the Commissioners for the Colonies, without first having
received Our Special Orders for that purpose from one of Our
Principal Secretaries of States.
12. Whereas We have at the earnest desire and sugges
tion of the said Commissioners, as above stated, actually
commenced a negociation with the Court of France, which
has been extended to other Belligerent Powers, and entrusted
as above to Our Trusty and WeU-beloved AUeyne Fitzherbert,
Esq., with the necessary Powers for that purpose. Our Will
and Pleasure is, that you preserve the most constant and
intimate Communication from time to time with the said
AUeyne Fitzherbert, and in case you shall learn from such
Communication, that the Proposals of the Court of France,
or of the other Belligerent Powers, without whose concur
rence the Court of Versailles wiU not conclude a Treaty,
should be such as We cannot consistently with a due regard
for Our own honour, and the Interests of Our Kingdom,
accept, and the design of a general Treaty should be thereby
frustrated ; You will in that event point your whole attention
to dispose the American Commissioners towards a separate
Negociation, in the hope, that the Concessions you are
authorized to make, will appear to them to satisfy the Inte
rests aud the Claims of their Constituents, as in that case
they can have no justifiable Motive to persist in a War, which,
as to them, will have no longer any object, and it is be hoped,
will not be inclined to lend themselves to the purposes of
J'rench Ambition. At any rate, You will not fail to inform
yourself accurately, what wUl content them and report to Us

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 273
accordingly through one of our Principal Secretaries of State
waiting for, and expecting further instructions, which shall
be sent you with all suitable expedition. "G. R."

The following letters have been placed in my hands,
at my request, by the kindness of the Duke of Port
land. There are other letters in the same collection
which I have not thought it worth while to pubUsh,
on account of the temporary nature of the subjects of
which they treat. The arrangements for a contem
plated ministry in 1789, seem to have given Mr. Fox
much trouble ; the reader will see, perhaps with some
surprise, that even at that time it was apparently not
intended to place Mr. Burke in the cabinet. With
respect to most of the other persons mentioned, all
interest respecting their pretensions, and their politics
has long passed away.

[Indorsed— London, June 29th, 1782. Right Honotjeable Mb. Sec
retary Fox. Received July 4th. Lord Rockingham's Amendment.
Cabinet as before.]
" Mt dear Lord,
"I have only time to teU you that Lord
Rockingham is a great deal better indeed. As to
other things, just as last night.
"Yours sincerely.

'C. J. FOX.

" Richmond House, June 29th, 1782."

274 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 33.

[Indorsed— -Lonion, July 6th, 1782. Right Honourable Mb. Fox.
Received llth. Reasons for his resignation.]
"My dear Lord,
" The hurry I have been in for some time past
will, I am sure, be a sufficient excuse with your
Grace for not having written to you at this very
interesting moment. My conduct has been much
blamed, but I have reason to flatter myself that it is
approved by very many, and especially by those
whose opinions I most respect. I can hardly doubt
but when Richard * explains to you the circumstances
of the case, you will think me in the right. Possibly
you wUl hardly wait for an explanation to decide
that it could not be right to remain with Lord
Shelburne as minister. I shall be very sorry
indeed, if I should have acted contrary to your
Grace's opinion, on many accounts, but among
others, because I really think that all the little
chance that remains of ever doing good depends
upon your taking the lead of us, and animating us
by your firmness and zeal. After what has passed,
I need not say that my part is completely taken,
and that I hope, whatever other changes may happen,
that the Duke of Devonshire, Lord Fitzwilliam,
your Grace, and I, shall always act together with
the same cordiality that we used to do when we
had other coadjutors ; and that we shall always keep
up a standard which all Whigs may repair to when
* Mr. FitzPatrick.

1782.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 275
they are so inclined. The defection of the Duke
of Richmond, Lord Temple and others is no doubt
a cruel blow to us, but it is to be hoped (and I am
sanguine in it), that they will soon see their error and
repent. Lord Shelburne says that he did all he
could, at our desire, to persuade H. M. to appoint
your Grace to the Treasury. Therefore I suppose
you will make him your acknowledgments for his
efforts, which though unsuccessful, were undoubtedly
sincere. " I am, my dear Lord,
" Yours ever most sincerely, " C. J. FOX.
"London, July 6ih, 1782."

[Indorsed — London, July 12th, 1782. Received 17th. Right
Honourable Me. Fox.]
" My DEAR Lord,
" I need not say how much I am obliged to you
for your letter of the 6th, which I have just received.
Nothing could be more flattering to me than your
judging the part I have taken to be right, and your
presuming that I should take it. Richard can much
better explain to you aU the circumstances relating
to it than I can do by letter. Your Grace puts it
upon the true point ; where there is not confidence,
there must be Power, and Power in this country
must accompany the Treasury. Those who have
thought otherwise will, I am convinced, soon repent
their conduct, and acknowledge that we saw the thing
in the true light. Lord Keppel has declared to the
T 2

276 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 35.
King his intention of resigning at the end of the
campaign. His professional friends prevented his
taking the step immediately. I wrote what I knew
of the arrangements to Burgoyne last night, so have
no news to acquaint you with now. If we had con
tinued, I told the Duke of Rutland that I should
have thought it necessary to ask the Garter for you,
unless you were to be First Lord of the Treasury, in
which case I had no doubt but that you would give
it to him. The only thing that vexes me in this
business, is, that I am convinced that if we had
resigned in a body, Shelburne must have yielded.
" I am, my dear Lord,
" Yours ever sincerely, "C.J. POX.
" Grafton Street, July 12th, 1782."

[Indorsed — St. Anne's Hill, January 29th, 1784. 9 a.m. Right
Honourable Me. Fox.]
"My dear Lord,
" I have just received a note from Sheridan,
who teUs me that Pitt has given an answer, and
that you must give one at eleven o'clock, and wish
to see me first. It is quite impossible for me to be
in town so soon ; but I think our line is quite clear
— not to treat with him untU he has resigned, aud
when he has, to adhere to the three preliminaries you
mentioned to Marsham formerly. The only, doubt
cau be, whether you should insist upon these being
settled previous to your meeting, or at the meeting ;
but as I do not understand from Sheridan's note

1784.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 277
that Pitt has resigned, we are not yet come to that
difficulty. I almost flatter myself that you do not
want me quite so much as Sheridan says; because
I rather think if you had, you would not have trusted
to him, but would have sent to me time enough for
me to come, and would have let me know what
Pitt's answer is, which he has not even hinted. I
will be at Devonshire House by two o'clock.
" Yours ever, "C. J. FOX.
" Si. Ann's Hill, Thursday morning, 9 o'clock.
Janua/ry 29th, 1784."

cZ— St. Ann's Hill, February 24th, 1784. 10 p.m. Right
Honourable Mb. Fox. Received at 15 min. past 1 a.m.]
" My dear Lord,
"It is now near ten, and I have but just received
your letter, so that all thoughts of going to town to
night, must of course be out of the question. I wUl
tell you exactly how I understood the matter, by
which you wdU perceive that I do not agree entirely
either with Marsham or you. The expedient to
which Powis alluded was, as I conceived it, this : that
the King should send to you to talk to you upon the
subject of a new Ministry ; that you should mention
to the King, the utility of a junction, and take his
Majesty's orders to apply to Pitt or any one else upon
the subject. I confess I did not mention, nor do
I in this case, see the necessity of a direct significa
tion to the House of Commons of the end of this
ministry. Thus far perhaps I rather lean to

278 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 35.
Marsham; but on the other hand, I never could
advise you to give into what now appears to be the
proposition, viz., that you should go to the King only
pro forma, knowing that you are to receive from
his Majesty the same proposal in words which you
had before in writing, and I think the proposition
infinitely the worse for Pitt's being previously a
party to it. Marsham and everybody must see that
it lies completely open to the old objection of Pitt's
being as it were an agent for the King; and I
mention this the rather because in every conversation
at which I have been present, Powis seemed to feel
the whole weight of this difficulty at least as much
as myself. I must at the same time say, that
Marsham made more light of it. At all events if
the King sends you must go, but no man upon
reflection, however eager for union, can think it
proper, that it should be stipulated and explained
beforehand what his Majesty is to say to you. You
and not Pitt must be the King's agent, as far as he
is supposed to have one, and to this I think you
should adhere ; but I owu I think that part of the
difficulty which relates to the honour of the House
of Commons wUl be in a great degree got over
whenever the King shall have sent to you to assist
him (not Pitt) in forming a new administration,
because nobody wiU suppose that he takes such a
measure but from a sense of the impossibility of
maintaining his servants against the House of Com
mons. I have told you all that occurs to me, but
whichever way you decide I shaU be perfectly

1784.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 279
satisfied. I wiU be in town to-morrow morning
certainly. " Yours ever sincerely, « C. J. FOX.
" St. Ann's Hill, February 2ith, 1784, 10 o'cUch."

[Indiyrsed—^t. Ann's Hill, July 27th, 1784, half-past 3 p.m. Right
Honourable Mr. Fox. R,eoeived at 8 p.m.]
"My dear Lord,
"As I happened to be out when your servant
arrived, although he went immediately in search for
me, yet I have but just received your letter, and, con
sequently, my being in town for any parliamentary
business this day is out of the question. With
respect to the wish you and other friends have of my
attending Parliament, though I little thought I ever
could even demur upon an occasion where you
express yourself so strongly, I must own that my
opinion is so very strong on the other side of the
question, that I cannot do what you desire without
begging you at least to reconsider the subject. The
propriety of our friends attending as a party without
me I am far from insisting upon ; and, indeed, I was
so very far from supposing such an intention, that I
told Lord John Cavendish that I thought it full as
well he should be out of Parliament for the present,
and have uniformly given it as my opinion to every
individual member who consulted me, that there was
no reason why he should not go out of town. It is
impossible not to see that the majority is much more
against us than for the ministry ; and their behaviour

280 CORRESPONDENCE OF [..Etat. 35.
on the India BUI, which had begun to excite much
discontent tiU I opposed it, is a very sufficient lesson
in my mind that it is not by our interference that we
have the best chance of making them sick of then-
folly. At the same time I own that the manner in
which Sheridan and Eden have teazed Pitt, and
shown his ignorance upon so many occasions has had
its use ; but I am convinced that even this advan
tage would have been less if I had been present, and
given the businesses upon which these skirmishes
have happened, more the appearance of a pitched
battle between ministry and us. With regard, there
fore, to the idea of a general attendance in the House,
I must beseech you to reconsider it before I can
adopt it in direct contradiction to my own fuU con
viction. With respect to the Navy Bill business,
whenever it shall be in a shape in which we can
divide against it (I care not with how small numbers),
I will go to town, and enter my protest against what
I conceive to be a breach of public credit. If, there
fore, that is to come on to-morrow, and you will let
me know it by a line by the post to-night, or by any
other conveyance which will reach this place before
one o'clock to-morrow, I wiU go to town imme
diately. I beg to be understood at the same time
that I do not mean to refuse going up upon other
businesses, too, if you should persist in thinking it
desirable; but I must say it wiU be as much
against my opinion as my inclination. With
respect to my inclination, I know it ought to give
way ; but yet if any one else had done all I have for

1784.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 281
these last eight months, and was as completely tired
out with it, body and mind, as I am, I believe he
would think he had some right to consult it. I can
not express to you how fatigued I was with the last
day's attendance, and how totally unequal I feel
myself in point of spirits, to acquit myself as I
ought to do, either for the good of the party, or for
my own reputation. However, I must submit to
your judgment and to theirs if you persist in your
opinion. But I am sure you will not repent it, if you
will so far trust me as to believe that I know the
House of Commons as well, and myself something
better than, those who difi'er from me. I am sure you
wiU do me the justice to believe, that if it were nothing
more than caprice or laziness that kept me here, your
letter would have produced my immediate attendance
in town, instead of this long answer. Great injustice
is done me, if I am suspected of any want of zeal for
the cause ; but I know, that bofh on my own account,
and in consideration of the present state of the House,
I can serve it better by lying by for a little whUe.
" I am, very sincerely, my dear Lord,
" Yours ever, " C. J. FOX.
"St. Ann's Hill, Tuesday, half-past 3."
[Indorsed — St. Ann's Hill, August'l, 1784. Right Honoueable Me.
Fox.] " I shall certainly be in town to-morrow, my dear
Lord, as you desire it ; though, as to exposing the
absurdity of the plan, there is nobody who has
thought of it so little as I, — and who is so unfit for

282 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 40.
it. I hope, therefore, that others wUl begin, and
that it may be enough for me to support them. I
cannot believe in the intention of lowering the
national interest. Whenever such a bUl comes in I
wUl divide against it ; and I hope division is intended
to-morrow, for I really do hate going to the House of
Commons to such a degree, that I wish not to be
brought there for nothing. " Yours ever sincerely, " c. J. FOX
" St. Ann's Hill, .

[Indorsed — January 21st, 1789. Right Honourable Me. Fox.]
" I SEND you enclosed a sketch of an arrangement,
which, imperfect as it is, may be of some use to
you. I believe there are some places, and probably
still more claimants whoUv omitted in it ; but I
have found myself so apt to forget, when I have seen
you, some points that I had meant to mention to
you, that I thought it best to set down something on
paper, t have not taken credit for the Gentlemen
Pensioners, as it appears still uncertain whether we
shall have them ; and if we have, I think they must
be ofi'ered to Cholmondeley, whose former place is
certainly to be out of our reach.
" If I must have the business of India in my
hands (which I confess I do not see any easy way of
avoiding), you can scarcely conceive what a relief to
me it would be to have Grenville ; but, on the other
hand, there are many other uses to be made of the
Chief Justiceships, and no other Privy CouncUlor's
place has occurred to me.

1789.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 283
" I have seen Adam, and entirely approve stirring
without doors as soon as possible, and avoiding, if we
can, any more divisions. My health must be so far
attended to, as not to appoint for the Westminster
Meeting a day likely to follow immediately a long
night in the House of Commons.
" I hear the Duke of Northumberland certainly
refuses Ireland. If the Ordnance can be kept for
Conway, pray do it ; and surely if Lord Rawdon is
of the Cabinet, they ought to be satisfied. I suppose
a Commoner cannot be President, otherwise it might
be stated to them, that either that office, or the
Ordnance, must be kept for Conway. You will think
I harp very much upon this part of the arrangement,
but I really do feel considerable uneasiness about it.
I suppose it will be impossible for you to call here
before the House of Lords to-morrow, but I hope we
shall meet the day after, and settle finally a great
part at least of this troublesome business.
" Yours ever.

• C. J. FOX.

' South Street, 'Wednesday night."
First Lord of the Treasury . Duke of Portland.
Chancellor of Exchequer . . Lord J. Cavendish.
Secretary of State (Home) . Lord Stormont.
Ditto, Foreign . . . .Mr. Pox.
First Lord of Admiralty
President of Council
Privy Seal
Chancellor Pay Master
Treasurer of Navy
Secretary at War
Master of Mint .

Lord Fitzwilliam.
Lord Carlisle.
Lord Rawdon.
Lord Loughborough.
Mr. Burke.
Mr. Sheridan.
Mr. Fitzpatrick.
Lord Robert Spencer.

284

CORRESPONDENCE OF

[jEtat. 40.

Post Masters . . . . f Lord Foley.
. Lord Cadogan.

Vice-Treasurers . . . f Lord Sandwich.
L Mr. North.

Surveyor of Woods .

Lord Charles Spencer.

„ Lands .

Mr. J. St. John.

Ranger of Parks

r Sir G. Cooper.

Treasury ...

Sir G. Elliot.

LMr. Windham.

[ Lord Duncannon.
Lord J. Townshend.
Admiralty
, Admiral Pigott.
Captain McBride.
Mr. Keene.
^ Lord Ludlow.
Master-General of Ordnance
Duke of Northumberland.
rMr. Courtney.
Surveyors  -
Mr. Strachey.
L Mr. Kenrick.
Vice Minchia ....
Colonel Stanhope.
Fice Adam ....
Mr. Beokford.
" Chief Justice in Eyre, S. of Trent, made up as it
was to Lord Grantley, if given to Lord Sandwich,
might enable us to keep Lord Mount Edgecombe ; if
given to Lord Hertford, or Lord Beauchamp, might
enable us to keep the Duke of Dorset. Chief Justice
N. of Trent, Lord Rochester, or Mr. Thomas Gren
vUle, or Mr. Grey. If I am to be in effect the
head of the Indian Board, GrenvUle would be best,
as it would be a great satisfaction indeed to me
to have him at the Board with me ; but, on the other
hand, it would enable Grey to be Vice-President to
the Board of Trade, which he would like, and would
not be unsuitable to him.
" I have left the Parks vacant, but they might be
given either to Lord Jersey, Lord Townshend, or Mr.
India Board

.;

1789.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 285
Charles Townshend; or, if they were made up as
before, they might answer one of the purposes for
which I have mentioned the Chief Justiceship in
Eyre. I have supposed the Duke of Northumberland
to have the Ordnance, contrary to my wishes. If he
has not, perhaps Sir J. Swinburne must be at the
Admiralty, and poor Lord Ludlow give way. Walpole
must, I think, in our present distress, be satisfied
with his former situation. f Mr. Pox.
I Lord J. Cavendish.
Mr. Burke.
Lord R. Spencer.
Mr. Montagu.
-Lord Porchester.
Presidency Board of Trade . Mr. Sheridan.
Vice-President ditto . . Mr. North.
" If Lord Porchester does not take office, GrenviUe
may be in his place, or, if Grey is (Vice-President),
North must come to the India Board..
[Indorsed— Bait, February 16th, 1789. Right Honoueable Mb. Fox.]
"My dear Lord,
" I think your observation with respect to what
I thought of about our proceedings in Ireland is
conclusive against my idea. I am sure you wiU
agree with me that the buUetins, whether good or
bad, ought not to make the shghtest difference in the
conduct of the Prince, or of us. I have written several
letters to impress this opinion upon our friends, and I
own I am very anxious about it, because I think if we
were to alter our conduct, we should tacitly abandon
every principle on which we have rehed.
" I shaU leave this place on Thursday after the

286 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 43.
letters are come in and propose sleeping at Andover,
and going Friday to St. Anne's HiU. I mention
these particulars of my journey, in order that you
may know where to find me if I am wanted. If you
wish me to be in town sooner than I intend, which
is Monday morning next, I am quite well enough to
go at a moment's warning, but should not like to go
in less than two days from hence to London.
" Yours ever, "C.J. FOX.
"Bath, Februa/ry 16th."
[Indorsed— ^t. Ann's Hill, July 2l8t, 1792. Right Honoueable Me.
Fox.]
" My dear Lord,
" I am much obliged to you for your letter, and
should think I very iU-requited the perfect confidence
and openness which you have always used to me, if I
hesitated in the least to give you my opinion upon
this or any other point of public conduct. I think
with you that your acceptance of the Garter at this
moment could produce no good effect in any view
whatever, and that it might possibly do much mis
chief; the greatest of all to the public in my judg
ment, if it should tend (which I confess I do not
think impossible) to lessen your weight and influence.
I may possibly be too suspicious, but I own I cannot
bring myself to think that Pitt has ever meant any
thing but to make a division among us, or if that
could not be done, to give the public the idea of such
a division, and by creating jealousies and suspicions
(to which some circumstances of the times were but
too favourable) to prevent any hearty co-operation

1792.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 287
against him at a juncture in which he must feel him
self so vulnerable. In this view I wished you to see
the Duke of Leeds, and am glad you have seen him,
because I take for granted, that through him it will
be known to the King, that if Pitt has given him any
hopes of dividing us, these hopes are delusive. I say
this from what I know must have been your conversa
tion with the Duke of Leeds, and from the few words
you say, for I have not yet heard from St. John.
RoUeston comes to me to-morrow, and will, I sup
pose, bring me his letter. I agree with you in doubting
much the Duke of Leeds's influence anywhere ; but
for the reason you give, I am very glad you have seen
him. Pitt has now made his third offer of the Great
Seal to Lord L  , India to Lord North, and
the Garter to you. Whether if these things are
known they wUl strengthen him in the opinion of the
public, or raise him in that of his party, I much
doubt ; but that is his business. That we can never
with honour or advantage come in under him I am
convinced, and I deceive myself if I do not ground this
opinion much more upon party than personal reasons
and feelings. However, I am sensible that by many
it will be, nay it is, attributed to reasonings which
are peculiar to myself ; and I own this idea gives me
some uneasiness, though I am sure it is not founded.*
" I am very sincerely,
" My dear Lord, yours ever, " C. J. FOX.
" St. Ann's Hill, Saturday night."
* I. e. well founded —
"Whole as the marble, founded as the rock."— Shakespeare.

288 CORRESPONDENCE OF [iETAT. 43.

[Indorsed— J alj 26th, 1792. Me. Rolleston.]
" Eaton Street, Thursday, July 28th, 1792.
" My Lord,
" I have just returned from St. Anne's HUl, and
have the honour to send your Grace the accompanying
letter from Mr. Fox, who says he perfectly approves of
everything hitherto done respecting the business in
question. " Sir Ralph Woodford, by desire of the Duke of
Leeds, he said, told me this morning, that as soon as
I forwarded to him your Grace's ' credential ' that he
meant to put it in his pocket, and (avaUing himself of an
offer made him by Lord Beaulieu to pass a few days
with his lordship in the neighbourhood of Windsor),
would take the first favourable opportunity of pro
ducing that ' credential ' to his Majesty, and of
adding everything that he should feel himself autho
rized to do, in order to bring about that union of
parties, which, I understand, he expresses himself not
to have less at heart than your Grace, for the benefit
of mankind in general, and of this country in
particular. " I shaU lose no time in conveying in a proper
manner your Grace's letter to the Duke of Leeds, when
I am honoured with it for that purpose, and have the
honour to be,
" My Lord,
" Your Grace's most devoted and
" most faithful humble servant,
"STEPHEN ROLLESTON.

1792.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 289

[Indorsed — St. Ann's Hill, July 26th, 1792. Right Honourable
Mr. Fox.]
" My dear Lord,
" When I read the account you sent to St.
John of your conversation with the Duke of Leeds, I
was a good deal struck with his apparent backwardness
to communicate your sentiments to the King, because I
had heard that he had professed on the contrary great
readiness for such an employment. Upon enquiry
I find that he expected from you a direct request
that he would make such a communication, and that
without such a request he does not think himself
authorised to do it. I ventured to say for you, that
I was sure you would have no objection to your senti
ments upon the present state of affairs being distinctly
known in the closet, but what the Duke of Leeds
wants, is an authority from you to this effect. If you
see no objection, I am sure I do not, to your vnriting
a few lines to him referring to your conversation and
expressing a wish that your sentiments might be
known to his Majesty, in order that if the country
suffers from the present weakness of Government, the
King should know that nothing can be imputed to
any backwardness in you or your friends to do their
part, and take their share in forming a strong
administration. Whether there wiU be any great use
in this, I do not know, but I think there can be no
harm ; and if it should be known, would be considered
as a measure that would do you credit. And I think
too it might be the means of ascertaining whether
VOL. IT. U

290 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 43.
there is any possibUity of our coming in on other
terms than those of submission to Pitt. If such a
possibUity exists, I am as eager for seizing and
improving it, as I am, and I believe always shaU be,
totally averse from acting under him. If you think it
right to write to the Duke of Leeds, you had better
inclose the letter to RoUeston. " Yours ever sincerly, " c. J. FOX.
" St. Ann's Hill, Thwrsday, July iOth"
" I promised Coutts that I would mention to you
his being at Cheltenham, not that I suppose that any
introduction of him to you is necessary at such a place
as Cheltenham ; but I should be sorry he should
think I had neglected anything he wished, because I
am very much obliged to him.
"I take this opportunity of sending a strange
letter, which I have received from Carlisle. I must
own I have some difficulty to keep my temper, when
I hear of the friends of this Ministry complaining of
the weakness of Government, and reflect upon its
original formation."

[Indorsed — St. Ann's Hill, August 21st, 1792. Right Honoueable
Me. Fox.]
" My DEAR Lord,
" I am sorry you should have had the trouble
of writing me an account of what passed, as I had
always intended to go to town to-morrow to hear it.
I wiU if you please dine with you to-morrow, and talk

1792.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 291
over the present extraordinary state of things, in
which I own that there are some points upon which
I wish for explanation. Upon what could Dundas
think that he had a right to use any style resembling
complaint towards you, if the old negociation was as
completely at an end as you understood it to be ?
Is it possible that he understood otherwise ? But we
shaU have time to talk over this to-morrow. You wiU
do me the justice to say that my nature is not inclined
to suspicion, but I confess if we cannot have a
coalition upon proper terms, of which I despair, I
shall be glad to find the two parties in their old state
of declared hostUity again,
" Yours ever, "C. J. FOX.
"St. Ann's Hill, '.

[Indorsed — St. Ann's Hill, Half-past six, December Ist, 1792. Right
Honourable Me. Fox.]
"My DEAR Lord,
" I send you enclosed a note I have just re
ceived from Adam. If they mention danger oilnsurrec-
tion, or rather, as they must do to legalise their proceed
ings, of Rebellion, surely the first measure all honest
men ought to take is to impeach them for so wicked
and detestable a falsehood. I fairly own that, if they
have done this, I shall grow savage, and not think
a French lanterne too bad for them. Surely it is
impossible — if any thing were impossible for such
monsters, who, for the purpose of wea;kening or
destroying the honorable connection of the Whigs,
u 2

292 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 43.
would not scruple to run the risk of a civU war.
I cannot trust myself to write any more, for I confess
I am too much heated. " Yours affectionately, "C. J. POX
" St. Ann's Hill, Saturday, Half past six."
[Inclosurel] " W. Hall, Saturday, Half past two o'clock.
" I think it right to send a person on purpose to let
you and the Duke of Portland know, while you are
together, that a Proclamation is to be issued to-day,
caUing Parliament to meet the 13th instant. The
ground stated in the Proclamation is, I believe. Insur
rections. The Militia is likewise to be embodied.
" Rolleston tells me this moment that Lord Gren
ville has sent to the Gazette Office to desire the
Gazettes may not be delivered out untU farther orders.
He supposes the reason to be that Lord GrenvUle
thinks it necessary to wait until they hear from
Windsor, whether these measures are sanctioned by
the King, Pitt being gone to the King.
" Yours ever, " WILLIAM ADAM."
[Indorsed — December 31st, 1792. Right Honourable Me. Fox.]
" My dear Lord,
" Though I mean to call upon you in the
course of the morning, yet as it may be uncertain whe
ther I shall have an opportunity for a fuU conversation
with you, I think I owe it to our long and uninter
rupted frifendship, to tell you plainly and directly my
thoughts upon the state of this last unpleasant busi-

1792.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 293
ness ; and especially with respect to what may pass
to-day. That Sir G. E.'s speech was made with the
intention to force you in some way or other to a
declaration which might undo the effect of your
speech in the House of Lords, I have no doubt, and
I certainly suspect that in this project he was the
agent of those who wish, at all events, to widen the
breach, if they can find one, or to make one, if they
cannot find it, between you and me. His indelicacy in
delivering an opinion from you, which, from what has
since passed, I must think you never authorised him
to do in public, and his pertinacity in so doing, when
he knew that Lord Titchfield was to speak, leave me,
I own it, in no doubt of his unfair intentions, — full as
unfair, if not more so, towards you as to me.* I hope
he will not have succeeded in making any breach
between us, but he has in my judgment succeeded in
making it necessary for you, either by yourself or Lord
Titchfield, to declare yourself fully; and it is with
regard to this declaration to be made to-day, as I under
stand, by Lord Titchfield, that I feel myself incre
dibly anxious. If it should be in the smaUest degree
ambiguous, if it should not be as perspicuous and
explicit as language can make it, the consequences to
me will be very unpleasant indeed, but to you much
worse ; if after to-day it should remain a question,
whether you are or are not a supporter of the Minis
try — whether you stiU remain the head of that
Opposition which has so long considered you as
* See on this subject the Malmesbury Papers. Sir Gilbert Elliot repre
sented at this time the Burke section of the party.

294 COR]gij;SPONDENCE OF [Miat. 43.
such, I must speak the truth and teU you, that your
name wiU be bandied about in a manner which
I cannot bear to think of, and possibly it may be
come necessary for you to make another explanation
and to have the repetition of these scenes, in which,
if I am to judge from myself, you must have felt
much more than is commonly understood by the
words 'anxiety' and 'distress.' My fears upon this
head are the stronger on account of some expressions,
particularly two, which, from what I heard from you
and others who have seen you, I think Lord Titch
field may possibly use. The first is, relaxing from
the severity of Opposition. These words when I
heard them first, did uot strike me to be so objec
tionable as they appear to me now upon reflection.
They certainly convey the idea of the system of
opposing more than I understand you to have done ;
because, to what do they apply ? Certainly not to
this BUl, and others of a similar complexion, because,
with respect to such measures, you do not relax in
opposition to them, but you actually support them.
They wUl therefore be not unreasonably applied to
the other measures, or general conduct of Administra
tion, and in fact be considered as tantamount to Mr.
Burke's dulcification and neutralisation. This sense
I take to be directly repugnant to your speech. You
say you consider the present mischiefs as in part
owing to the misconduct of Ministers. Surely, then,
though it may be necessary to support particular
measures which the safety of the country may re
quire, it is a time with regard to the men rather to

1792.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 295
redouble your vigilance and jealousy, than to relax in
your severity. The other expression which I heard
of with alarm, was a hope that we (meaning you and
me) might soon meet again. If anything of this sort
is said, it will give great credit to those who give out
with so much industry that we are separated, and
great discredit to me who maintain everywhere the
contrary. I feel the impropriety of suggesting ex
pressions to you, and still more to Lord Titchfield ;
but I own I think he ought to be for your sake,
still more than for mine, very distinct and explicit,
and that he ought to declare directly either that he is
a supporter of Ministry, and separated from me, or
the direct contrary, — that he remains in his former
sentiments and conduct with respect to both them
and me. If, as I hope, the last is nearest to his
opinion, I need not say, that the present BiU and
other measures formed upon the ground of the dan
gers in which you believe, and I do not, may be
made an exception without any inconsistency. To
support individual measures of Administration, while
we act in general opposition to the Ministers, is no
new conduct to us, and though I own that, if such
measures become more important, and are more fre
quently the subjects of discussion, in such case the
union of those who differ upon them wiU become
more lax, and the opposition to those with whom we
so often concur more feeble; yet this is an evU
which may arise, but ought not to be anticipated.
Indeed, in the present case, I am the more sanguine,
because I know so few points upon which you and I

296 CORRESPONDENCE OF [iETAT. 47.
do actually differ. However, this is matter for future
consideration, and rather a digression from the imme
diate object of this letter, which is to press you by
every consideration both of friendship for me; and
regard for yourself, as well as wish for the preserva
tion of the Whig Party, to think justly of the im
portance of this day ; to see the necessity of being
completely explicit. " Yours most affectionately, "C. J. POX.
" South Street, Monday Mcyming."
I now proceed to give the correspondence of Mr.
Fox with Mr. GUbert Wakefield, which was pubhshed
many years ago. It turns almost entirely upon
literary questions. MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
" South Steeet, December llth, 1796.
" Sir, " I received, a few days ago, your obliging
letter, together with the very beautiful book which
accompanied it.* The dedication of such an edition
of such an author is highly gratifying to me ; and to
be mentioned in such a manner by a person so
thoroughly attached to the principles of liberty and
humanity, as you. Sir, are known to be, is peculiarly
flattering to me.
" I am, with great regard,
" Sir,
" Your obedient, humble servant,
" C. J. FOX."
* Wakefield's edition of Lucretius, dedicated to Mr. Fox.

CHARLES JAMES POX. 297

SAME TO SAME. " St. Ann's Hill, Monday.
" Sir, "I received, on Saturday, the second
volume of Lucretius, together with a pamphlet of
yours upon Person's Hecuba, for which I beg leave
to return you my thanks. I had received, some time
since, your letter, announcing to me the present of
the Lucretius ; but delayed answering it tUl I got
the book, which my servant had not then an oppor
tunity of sending me, lest there might be some
mistake, from your mentioning Park Street, instead
of South Street, for my residence.
" I have read with great pleasure your observations
upon the Hecuba; but not having Euripides here,
there are many points upon which I cannot form a
judgment. One thing near the beginning has very
much puzzled me : I mean the difficulty which you
suppose some persons would find in making a verse
of <pi\nnrov Kaov ^vduvoiy AOPl,
which seems to me to be, supposing it to be part
of an Iambic, perfectly regular ; though by the word
AOPI being put in capitals, I must suppose that
there lies the irregularity. You then quote a verse
of Lucretius, which you call ' consimilis,' in which
there is an evident irregularity from the first syllable
in ' remota,' which is usually short, being long.

298

CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 47.

" Now I am writing on a subject of this sort, may
I ask the favour of you, who I know have given your
attention to Moschus and Bion, to explain three
passages to me, which I do not understand ? —
" The first is in the Europa, v. 123, ] 24 -.

0<^pa Ke PTqajf, k. t. \.-

The second is in the Megara, v. 70, 71

. eiriyvwixccy Se rot ei/ii

A(Txa\aav, k. t. A.-

no I subscript to aaxa>^aav.
The third is in Bion's Adonis, the end of v. 74.

—voBei Kat ffrvyvov ASwyty.

"I have no other edition of Moschus and Bion
here except Stephens's, in his Greek Poets, without a
version and with few notes ; but, in regard to the
first passage, I see Casaubon alters it to otfypa j^tj arjv,
whose annotations upon the Europa I have in Reiske's
Theocritus. This makes it intelligible, but is a
violent alteration.
" I feel it to be unpardonable in me to take-
advantage of your civility in sending me your books,
to give you aU this trouble ; but I could not refuse
myself so fair an opportunity of gettiug my doubts
upon these passages cleared.
" Before I conclude, give me leave to suggest a
doubt, whether, in the 38th page of your Diatribe,
it should not be ' socios,' instead of ' socii ; ' or, if
' socii ' is what you approve, whether there should

1797.] CHARLES JAMES FOX 299
not be a ' sint,' to prevent harshness of construc
tion?"

" Sir,

MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. POX.
" Hackney, August 29th, 1797.

" I am highly gratified by your favourable
acceptance of my Lucretius and Diatribe. I must
beg of you to correct an oversight or two in the
latter. At p. 18, ver. 669 of the Hecuba should
not have been referred to ; and the S', in p. 24, line
7, should be transferred to the beginning of the
line. "That what I have advanced, in p. 5, should
puzzle you, I must ascribe to an indistinctness in my
representation of the point in discussion. What I
mean is, that the final v should never be expressed,
but where a vowel foUows ; or, in other words, that
this appendage was never employed as a device to
lengthen a short syllable, but merely to prevent the
harshness of an open vowel. Now, upon this
principle, the difficulty with the generality of
readers would be the proper enunciation of such
verses as that specified by me at the place. This
difficulty, I maintain, will be none to those accus
tomed to pronounce Iambics with a suitable tone ;
by which I understand a tone similar to that with
which all scholars, I believe, utter Anacreontics ; and
which certainly is necessary to all other verses, if
we wish to distinguish them from prose : —
OuS' a I -Acirt fi | c Zeus  .

300 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tAT. 48.
as if Aetre/ifi' : and bopi as if bdpel, with all the
emphasis of a long syUable. In short, however, these
niceties are scarcely to be conveyed intelligibly but
by conversation, where the modes of education have
been different, or novelties have been suggested by
matured study. Certainly the common mode of
reading,, with a strange mixture of accent and
quantity, Arma virumque cano 
as long as if it were vires, can never be vindicated,
and is well ridiculed through the foUowing verses by
a late writer : Malo me Galatea petit 
Tu ne cede malis, sed contra  .
"The passages, which you cite from Bion and
Moschus, are considered, whether successfully or not,
in my edition, which you wUl honour me by accepting ;
and I wiU carry a copy of it to your house, when I
go to town on Thursday. A.(r)(aKaav is the Dor. or
Mq\. form of the infinitive mode for aaxakaew, not
contracted : otherwise it had been aaxaXav.
" Certainly socios, in p. 38 of the Diatribe, would be
better. " Sir ! your apology for taking up my time by these
inquiries might well have been spared : occupied as I
am, I think it no interruption, but an exquisite
pleasure, to comply with any wishes of Mr. Fox : nor
could I reap a greater gratification from my studies,
than the opportunity of discussing some of these
topics in conversation with you ; as it is possible that

IVST.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

301

my elaborate inquiries for some years past might
occasionally strike out some new ideas on a subject
which is stUl but imperfectly understood by the best
scholars ; — an assertion, which, I beheve, my Notes
on Lucretius will occasionally confirm.
" I am. Sir,
" With every sentiment of respect,
" Your obedient servant,
" GILBERT WAKEFIELD."
MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD. " St. Ann's Hill. Friday.
" Sir, " I received yesterday your very obliging
letter, for which I return you many thanks, as well
as for the Bion and Moschus, which I wUl tell my
servant to take an early opportunity of sending down
to me. " My puzzle arose from my supposing that, if you
meant to refer only to the short syllable at the end of
the verse, you would rather have asked, ' How shall
we pronounce verses that end with a short vowel ? '
of which there are so many, than have quoted one
particular verse out of thousands ; but I now per
fectly understand you, though, I own, I do not think
your reasoning quite conclusive. I conceive the
reason for adding the final v is not for the sake of
pronunciation, which, in dead languages, is, and
always must be, a matter of great uncertainty, but in
order to preserve the rules of prosody which appear
generally to prevail among the Greek poets. I know

302 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 48.
that, in Homer, and in other poets who write hexa
meters, it is not very unusual to see a short vowel
become long by a particular position, though followed
by a single consonant, and that consonant a mute ;
and sometimes even by an aspirated vowel, as ^lAe
fKvpe and other instances. But, as far as my hmited
and uncertain recoUection goes (very limited and
uncertain indeed, since, except four tragedies of
Sophocles last winter, I have not looked into the
Greek tragedians for twenty years and upwards), I
do not think that, in Iambic poetry, any short vowels,
excepting those only where the final v is used, are ever
put in the place of a long syllable, unless foUowed by
a p, or at least some liquid. Now, if this be true,
and if those short vowels only, to which the final v
is occasionally added, do sometimes appear in such
places, one cannot help suspecting that the final v
may in such cases have been used to lengthen the
syllable, as in other cases it is (as we all agree) used
to prevent the hiatus. Perhaps, in this inclination of
my opinion, I may be warped by the prejudice of an
Eton education; and, not having ever looked into
any old Greek manuscripts, I do not know how far it
is countenanced by any of them. I confess, however,
that I should not admit the short vowels at the end,
whether of hexameters or Iambics, to be cases in
point ; because it seems to be one of the most uni
versal of those rules to which I before aUuded, and
which seem to me to prevaU among the ancient poets,
and that the last syUable of a verse may be always
long or short, as is most convenient.

1797.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 303
" I am very sorry more encouragement has not
been given to your Lucretius ; but I am wUling to
flatter myself that it is owing to many people not
choosing to buy part of a work tiU the whole is com
pleted. Both the Latin and Greek elegiac verses, in
the beginning of the second volume, have given me
great satisfaction ; but I should fear the inferior rank
which you give to our own country will not generally
please ; and certainly, in point of classical studies, or
poetry, to which the mention of Apollo naturally
carries the mind, we have no reason to place the
French above us."

MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
" Hackney, September 2nd, 1797.
" Sir, " Excuse this additional trouble, which a
desire to explain one point induces me to give you ;
and to convey a request, that you will favour me by
accepting, with the Bion and Moschus, two or three
other books which I have directed my bookseller to
send ; and which may possibly amuse you, when
nothing more interesting shaU be at hand.
" The final syUable of a verse is always long, what
ever its real quantity, in consequence both of the pause
and tone of voice, which are those of a long syllable ;
otherwise the verse would no more appear, and must
be wholly vitiated by the reader, attentive only to the
quantity of the syUable. That the old MSS. and
first editors, who followed their MSS., acknowledge

304 CORRESPONDENCE OP [JStai. 48,
no final v, in the cases aUuded to, is most certain :
some later editors have partly seen, what I apprehend
to be the truth in this respect ; particularly Brunck
and Musgrave ; but, not discerning the true principle
of the fact, fluctuate between the omission and inser
tion, in their practice, with great capriciousness.
Mr. R. P. Knight, who is a profound and accurate
Greek scholar, assented immediately to my notion,
when I once proposed it to him in a casual conver
sation at the booksellers' : but I have found no other
person who entered so readily into my conceptions.
Indeed, it is my lot to enjoy the conversation of very
few scholars, on account of the political complexion,
and, let me add, theological complexion, too, of the
times : — Foeuum habet in cornu : longe fiige !
WiU you give me leave, Sir, to say, that you
scarcely appear well founded in your construction of
my Greek verses in the preface ? I think the con
text and the language alike prove, that my preference
of the French is merely in a political, not in their
literary, character ? And what can be more deeply
sunk in ignominy than we are as a nation, in that
view, at the present moment ?
" Will you excuse me, also, in recommending
Lucretius to your perusal ? I think antiquity has
nothing comparable to his lib. iii. from ver. 842 to
the end of the book : and the whole of his fifth book,
both as a philosophical and poetical effort, is an

1798.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 305
admirable composition ; not to mention any other
portions of his poem. " I am. Sir,
"With the highest sentiments of esteem
" and respect,
" Your obliged servant, " GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD. "St. Ann's Hill, 'Wednesday.
" Sir, " I return you many thanks for your letter
of the 2d instant; and shall accept with great
pleasure the books you propose sending to me.
" I always understood the final syllable of a verse
exactly as you do ; but, for the purpose of my argu
ment, it was necessary to mention the effect only,
and not the cause, of the rule. Either your autho
rity, or Mr. Knight's, much more both united, would
be quite sufficient to convince me, upon a question
relative to the Greek language. I only stated to you
some arguments which occurred to me on the other
side of the question, which, however, must lose all
their weight, if the authority of the old manuscripts
is any thing like so universally against them as you
seem to think. I see Stevens is inconsistent ; but I
think he oftener omits than inserts the final v, which
I had never observed till you started the subject.
" I had no doubt but political wisdom and know
ledge were what you meant in your epigram ; but I

306 CORRESPONDENCE OP [Mtat. 49.
cannot help thinking that 'Eo)o-^o/)os and HeXws lead
the mind a little to poetry, or, at least, to knowledge
in general ; and that Tai Ava-ovis and AOrivai do not
contribute to confine the sense to politics : in regard
to which, I agree with you in thinking that no nation
ever was sunk in more deep ignorance than we seem
to be at present ; for we are not only in the dark,
but have a kind of horror of the light.
" I have deferred reading Lucretius regularly
through again, tiU your edition is completed ; but he
is a poet with whom I am pretty weU acquainted,
and whom I have always admired to the greatest
degree. The end of the third book is perfectly in my
memory, and deserves all you say of it. I do not at
present recollect the fifth quite so well.
" I am going, in a few days, into Norfolk, for some
weeks ; and I shall come back by London, where I
wUl caU for the books which you are so good as to
intend sending me. " I am, with great regard,
"Sir,
" Your obedient servant, "C.J. FOX."

SAME TO SAME.
"Si. Ann's Hill, Tuesday, January ZOth, 1798.
" Sir, " I have received the third volume of your
magnificent and beautiful Lucretius, for which I take

1798.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 307
the earliest opportunity of returning you my thanks.
I cannot help flattering myself that, now the work is
complete, it wUl be far more patronized than it has
hitherto been : but it must be aUowed, that these
times are not favourable to expensive purchases of any
kind ; and I fear, also, that we may add, that the
pohtical opinions we profess are far from being a
recommendation to general favour, among those, at
least, in whose power it is to patronize a work like
yours. " I am at present rather engaged in reading Greek ;
as it is my wish to recover, at least, if not to improve,
my former acquaintance (which was but slight) with
that language : but it wiU not be long before I enter
regularly upon your Lucretius ; and when I do, if I
should find any difficulties which your notes do not
smooth, I shaU take the liberty of troubling you for
further information; presuming upon the obliging
manner in which you satisfied some doubts of mine
upon a former occasion. " I am, with great regard,
"Sir,
" Your obedient servant, " C. J. FOX."

[A letter of Mr. Wakefield's, to which the following
is an answer, appears to be wanting.]

X 2

308 CORRESPONDENCE OF [iEiAT. 49.

SAME TO SAME.
"St. Ann's Hill, February 2nd, 1798.
" Sir, " It is an instance of my forgetfulness, but
I really thought I had acknowledged the receipt of
the publications which you were so good as to send
me. Excepting the Pope, which I have not yet
looked into, I read the rest with great pleasure ; and
quite agree with you, that Bryant has made no case
at aU upon the subject of the Trojan war. I cannot
refuse myself taking this opportunity of asking your
opinion relative to the 24th Iliad, whether or not it is
Homer's ? If it is, I think the passage about Paris
and the Goddesses must be an interpolation ; and if
it is not, by denying Homer the glory of Priam's
expedition from Troy, and interview with AchiUes,
we take from him the most shining passages, perhaps,
in all his works. " I am. Sir,
" Your obedient humble servant, « C. J. FOX."
" P. S. Though I have not begun to read Lucretius
regularly, yet I have dipped in it sufficiently to have
no apprehension of quoting the line of Phaedrus. I
think the elegiac verses to the poet are very classical
and elegant indeed; and, you know, we Etonians
hold ourselves (I do not know whether or not others
agree with us) of some authority, in matters of this
sort.

1798.] CHARLES JAMES POX. So^

MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
[The Note or Introduction to the foUowing Observa
tions, in answer to Mr. Fox's inquiry respecting
the 24th Iliad, is supposed to have been mislaid.]
" Ver. 1. The first syllable in Avto is made long,
in opposition to the practice of Llomer in about a
dozen places ; and without another instance in the
two poems. Llomer too, unless two distinct parties
are spoken of, uses in these cases haaros- and so
indeed other good writers, in both languages : and
oh this I have touched somewhere in Lucretius. So
that the full construction is : Xaot ea-K. levai em vrjas,
l/caoTos (ewt Trjv ihiav vrja). There is, indeed, one or two
instances of this deviation elsewhere, all tending to
confirm my general hypothesis, which I shall here
after mention. The Scholiast in Villoison, at ver. 6,
mentions, that Aristophanes, and others, thought part
of this introduction spurious ; viz. verses 6, 7, 8, 9 ;
and they may be well spared.
" Ver. 14. cTret Cfvieiev is an illegitimate construc
tion. We might read Ceu^ao-Kev but such an error is
not easily accounted for, in so plain a case, from
transcribers. "Ver. 15. The S' is superfluous and impertinent ;
as Schol. ViUois. also observes.
" Ver. 28. Macrobius, Saturn. V. 16, beyond the
middle, says, that Homer never mentions the Judg
ment of Paris. The perfect acquaintance of the old

310 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 49.
Grammarians with Homer's works indubitably evinces
either the spuriousness of this passage, or an abjudi
cation of this book from Homer's writings. The
antient critics discarded verr. 20, 21, and from ver.
23 — 30 inclusive : see VUloison's Scholiast.
" Ver. 44. This verse seems fabricated for the next,
which has no pertinency here, and is transferred from
Hesiod. 0pp. et Dd. 316.
" Ver. 60. No simUar instance, perhaps, in the
poem, to the lengthening of km so situated ; or to
that of 2 A in oma-a, ver. 7.
" Verses 71, 72, 73, were rejected by some antient
critics. " Ver. 79. MEIAANI. He uses this word and its
relatives, perhaps, two hundred times ; but never
thus changes the first syllable.
" Verses 85, 86. Deemed spurious by theAntients.
" Verses 130, 1, 3, were rejected by old critics, for
divers weighty and grave reasons.
" Ver. 241. OTNE20' — a word no where else
found; as e^ea-itjv, ver. 235, once more only in the
Odyssey, though of a signification that might be
expected to produce a more frequent usage. KarTj^ore?
too, ver. 253, is diraf Xeyofxevov' and three or four
others. " Ver. 293. eS only occurs in II. H. 427, which, in
such a word of perpetual demand, is very singular.
" Ver. 307. It is impossible that Homer, or a
contemporary using the same language, could employ
as a dactyl the three first syllables of eisavibcov. The
word tSco, and all its compounds, had, in that age.

1798.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 311
another letter prefixed to it — the iEolic digamma, or
Ionic Vau, which you please : by the latter name it
still keeps its station in the Hebrew alphabet, and
others, as the sixth in order ; and its figure, a double
Gamma, F, according to the former designation, in
the Latin alphabet. Homer therefore could never be
supposed to violate, in one instance, a propriety,
which he had sacredly observed in 999, and make
eisavFihuiv stand in a heroic verse. As the ./Eolians
and Dorians, who spoke kindred dialects, are known
to have been the first Grsecian colonists in Italy,
hence it is, that the Latin language is mere ^Eolian
Greek engrafted on their indigenous tongue. On
this account, the loss of Ennius, and the first Latin
Poets, is more to be regretted, perhaps, than that of
any other writers ; because of the light they would
have thrown on the Greek and Latin languages.
Hence iSeco, Fideo, i. e. video; eros, vetus ; truAoy,
vitulus ; hrepov, ventrem ; laxca, VOCO ; etkca, volvo ;
and an infinity of others. The Cohans also, wherever
two vowels came together, inserted the digamma :
hence ooov, ovum ; audii vel audivi, &c. ; Sm, diva ;
a-Kawi, scesvus ; i^eoj, novus ; vavs, navis, &c. Hence,
by the common substitution of an s for the aspirate,
as in ki, sex ; Iwra, septem ; and vXr], silva ; -nauiv,
pavo ; /Boos, bovis; and in an infinity of others.
Eto-ayfiScor, therefore, is the word either of another
age, or another province. This is a curious and
copious subject ; and furnishes the true medium of
correcting, adjusting, and discerning. Homer's poetry,
from the clearest analogy and indisputable premises.

312 CORRESPONDENCE OF [iETAT. 49.
No verse in Homer is genuine where a consonant
precedes e-nos, enrco, avai, ibon, and many other words,
which began with a digamma. A single page of any
edition will show how miserably incorrect we read
him. If we had not ' fallen on such evil times and
eril tongues,' I should have exerted myself to give
editions of all the Greek Poets, from very ample
materials now coUected, and of the old Lexico
graphers : but —
'  aliis post me memoranda relinquo.'
" Ver. 320. Two words with digammas ; one right
measure, ot be fibovres, i.e. videntes ; the other wrong;
vTiep Faareos. (See verr. 327, 701.) From Faa-rv,
a city, I suppose, came vastus ; on account of the
size of such places, and the ferye coUection of men.
Hence VirgU receives illustration, ^n. V. 119.
' Ingentemque Gyas ingenti mole Chimaeram,
Urbis opus  .'
"Ver. 325. rerpanvKXav. No similar instance, I
believe, of a vowel shortened before those consonants
in Homer ; by far more chaste in this respect than
succeeding Poets.
"Ver. 337. ap tls Ftbrj. False quantity, amphi-
macer for a dactyl : see neighbouring verr. 332, 352,
366, to go no further.
"Ver. 354. ^pabeos voou Fepya. Bad measure
again: verse 213, and others, are right in this
respect. Strong presumptions of more than one,
finger in this pie.

1798.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 313
"Verse 449. noi-qa-dv FavaKTi : unquestionably wrong;
as avai is universally allowed to have the digamma
in Homer's time. Hence Phcenix, ^oivtKoeis, puniceus,
a royal colour ; purpura regum, purpurei tyranni,
regali ostro ; Virgil, and Horace, with all others.
The error is repeated in verse 452. There are
numerous faults of this kind in the common editions ;
but they may be corrected by the omission of the
paragogic v .• as verr. 238, 555, 646, 738, and
others. "But to omit a more minute investigation of these
niceties, let me give you, in few words, an outline of
my theory respecting Homer.
" What is so well known with respect to every male
factor tied up at Newgate ; (most detestable, flagitious
practice !) his ' birth, parentage, and education ; life,
character, and behaviour ; ' all are utterly unknown
of Homer ! We are at liberty, therefore, to frame
any hypothesis for the solution of the problem con
cerning his poems, adequate to that effect, without
danger of contravening authentic and established
history. Now ojxripos is an old Greek word for
TV(^Xos : see Hesych. and Lycophr. ver. 422. I take
Homerus, then to have originated in the peculiarity
of a certain class of men (i.e. blindness), and not in
that of an individual. That bards were usually
blind, is not only probable from the account of
Demodocus in the Odyssey, but from the nature of
things. The memory of blind men, because of a less
distraction of their senses by external objects, is
peculiarly tenacious ; and such people had no means

314 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 49.
of obtaining a livelihood but by this occupation. AU
this is exemplified in fiddlers, &c. at this day. Now
the Trojan war (the first united achievement of the
Greeks) would of course become a favourite theme
with this class of men, who are known to have been
very numerous. Detached portions of this event,
such as the exploits of Diomed, of Agamemnon, the
Night Expedition, the Death of Hector, his redemp
tion, &c., would be separately composed and sung,
as fitted, by their lengths, for the entertainment of a
company at one time : and we find, in fact, that the
parts of these poems are now distinguished, by
scholiasts, grammarians, and aU such writers, by these
names, and not by books. These songs, bearing
date demonstrably before the use of alphabetic
characters in Greece, and when the dialect of the
civUized parts of Asia (Ionia and ^olia) was uniform,
could never be traced to their respective authors ;
and, in reality, we find from Herodotus, the first
Greek historian, that no more was known of this
Homer, nor so much, in his days (2, 3, 4, or 500
years after the event), as in our own. These songs
of blind men were coUected and put together by some
skilful men (at the direction of Pisistratus, or some
other person), and woven, by interpolations, connect
ing-verses, and divers modifications, into a whole.
Hence pa^irabia. Here we see a reason for so many
repetitions : as every detached part, to be sung at
an entertainment, required a head and tail piece, as
necessary for an intelligible whole: and hence we
observe a reason for those unaccountable anomalies

1798.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 315
of measure, and the neglect of the iEolic digamma,
from an ignorance of its power in those later times,
whether from new insertions, or from alterations in
the transmitted pieces, to effect regularity and conse
cution. This accounts also for the glaring disparity
in some of the pieces : for nothing can be more
exquisite than what you so justly admire, the inter
view of Priam and AchiUes : and nothing more con
temptible than the whole detail of the death of
Hector, and the reconciliation of Agamemnon and
AchUles. You are expecting a noble exhibition of
generosity and magnanimity on both sides, and you
are put off with a miserable tedious ditty about Ate.
" It is probable, from various particulars, that,
perhaps, as good a poem, if the opportunity had not
been lost (and the preservation of the Iliad and
Odyssey, under aU circumstances, is nearly miraculous),
might have been transmitted on the subject of two
other events, which equaUy engaged the notice of the
early Greeks, — the Theban war, and the Argonautic
expedition. But we have no remains of these exploits,
but in the Tragic writers, the spurious Orpheus, and
the Roman Epic writers, except the entire poem of
ApoUonius Rhodius on the latter subject."

MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
"St. Ann's Hill, Pebruai'yl6th, 1798.
" Sir, "I should have been exceedingly sorry
if, in all the circumstances you mention, you had

316 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 49.
given yourself the trouble of writing me your thoughts
upon Homer's poetry ; indeed, in no circumstances,
should I have been indiscreet enough to make a
request so exorbitant : in the present, I should be
concerned if you were to think of attending even te
my limited question respecting the authenticity of
the 24th Ihad, or to any thing but your own
business. " I am sorry your work is to be prosecuted ;
because though I have no doubt of a prosecution
faihng, yet I fear it may be very troublesome to you.
If, either by advice or otherwise, I can be of any
service to you, it wUl make me very happy ; and I
beg you to make no scruple about applying to me :
but I do not foresee that I can, in any shape, be of
any use, unless it should be in pressing others, whom
you may think fit to consult, to give every degree of
attention to your cause. I suppose there can be
little or no difficulty in removing, as you wish it, the
difficulty from the Publisher to yourself; for to
prosecute a Printer, who is willing to give up his
Author, would be a very unusual and certainly a very
odious, measure.
" I have looked at the three passages you mention,
and am much pleased with them : I think ' curalium,'
in particular, a very happy conjecture ; for neither
' coeruleura ' nor ' beryllum ' can, I think, be right ;
and there certainly is a tinge of red in the necks of
some of the dove species. After all, the Latin words
for colours are very puzzling : for, not to mention
' purpura,' whicli is evidently applied to three

1798.] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 31T
different colours at least — scarlet, porphyry, and
what we call purple, that is, amethyst, and possibly
to many others — the chapter of Aulus Gellius to
which you refer has always appeared to me to create
many more difficulties than it removes ; and most
especially that passage which you quote, 'virides
equos.' I can conceive that a Poet might call a
horse ' viridis,' though I should think the term rather
forced ; but Aulus Gellius says, that Virgil gives the
appellation of ' glauci ' rather than ' coerulei ' to the
virides equos, and consequently uses virides, not as if
it were a poetical or figurative way of describing a
certain colour of horses, but as if it were the usual
and most generally inteUigible term. Now, what
colour usual to horses could be called viridis is difficult
to conceive ; and the more so, because there are no
other Latin and English words for colours which we
have such good grounds for supposing corresponding
one to the other as viridis and green, on account of
grass, trees, &c. &c. However, these are points which
may be discussed by us, as you say, at leisure, if
the system of tyranny should proceed to its maturity.
Whether it will or not, I know not ; but, if it should,
sure I am that to have so cultivated literature as to
have laid up a store of consolation and amusement,
wiU be, in such an event, the greatest advantage
(next to a good conscience) which one man can have
over another. My judgment, as well as my wishes,
leads me to think that we shall not experience such
dreadful times as you suppose possible ; but, if we
do not, wliat has passed in Ireland is a proof, that it

318 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 49.
is not to the moderation of our governors that we
shaU be indebted for whatever portion of ease or
liberty may be left us. " I am, Sir,
" Your most obedient servant, "C.J. FOX"

SAME TO SAME.
"St. Ann's Hill, February 23rd, 1798.
" Sir, " Nothing, but your stating yourself to he
in some degree at leisure now, could justify my
troubling you with the long and, perhaps, unintelhgible
scrawl which I send with this. I most probably have
shown much ignorance, and certainly some presump
tion, in seeming to dispute with you, upon points of
which you know so much, and I so httle : aU I can
say in my defence is, that disputing is sometimes a
way of learning.
" I have not said anything yet upon the question
which you seem to have thought most upon — whether
the Ihad is the work of one, or more authors ? I
have, for the sake of argument, admitted it ; but yet,
I own, I have great doubts, and even lean to an
opinion different from yours. I am sure the in-.
equality of exceUence is not greater than in ' Paradisa
Lost,' and many other poems written confessedly by
one author. I wUl • own to you, also, that in one,
only, of the instances of inequality which you state,
I agree with you. Atfe is detestable ; but I cannot

1798.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 319
think as you do of the death of Hector. There are
parts of that book, and those closely connected with
the death of Hector, which I cannot help thinking
equal to any thing.
"It is well for you that my paper is at an
end, and that I have not the conscience to take a
new sheet. " Your humble servant, " C. J. FOX."
[Inclosed in the above.^
"Ver. 1. I agree in the objection to Xvto, and
am not satisfied with Clarke's account of it; and,
besides, there is something of a baldness, or of an
affected conciseness, in beginning a narration in
those words, very unlike Homer, or, if you please,
the 'OjuTjpoi. 'EKaoTot for hacrros is SO smaU an error
in writing, that it affords little ground for an objec
tion, or even a doubt.
" Verses 6, 7, 8, 9, may be left out, or not, without
affecting the authenticity of the book.
" Ver. 14. I have not skUl enough in the lan
guage to judge whether your objection to (evietev
be unanswerable ; but I know no answer to it.
"Ver. 15. The S' is easUy to be got rid of,
and is one of the most natural mistakes in the
transcribers. " Ver. 28. Macrobius's authority appears to me
to be decisive, to prove that this passage is an inter
polation since his time; and consequently destroys
the argument built upon this passage against the

320 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 49]
book itself, upon other parts of which he has com
mented. " I do not know why the antient critics discarded
verses 20 and 21 ; nor do I think it material whether
they are retained or not.
"Verses 44 and 45, I agree, had better be away;
but I know not whether there be any authority for
discarding them.
"Verse 60. The lengthening of mt in this place
does appear to me very awkward ; and, if there are
no similar instances, must be an error : besides, the
mythology of this passage is quite new to- me : I
mean Juno's having nursed Thetis.
"As to the aa in verse 70, I cannot help thinking
there are many instances of syllables being length
ened in such situations ; and, at any rate, it is one
of the verses which you say some critics reject. Pro
bably from want of memory, but I have some doubt
about the word ditoa-a being a Homeric word : it is
certainly much oftener Sa-a.
"Verses 71, 72, 73, I had rather were away;
but, as I said before, I do not know the authority
for leaving them out.
" Verse 79. 'M.etXavi is indeed a most suspicious
word, and I have nothing to say for it.
"Verses 85, 86. I cannot see any objection to
them ; but, as before, I do not know the authorities
or arguments for or against them.
"Verses 130, 131, 132, appear to me to be much
in Homer's style; and I should certainly be for
keeping them, if there is nothing a,gainst them but

1798.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 321
Eustathius's saying the passage was rejected by some
of the Antients.
"Ver. 241. Ovvea-e' always puzzled me; nor do I
know rightly what it means. I do not quite agree
in thinking e^eo-trj of such a signification as to make
the rare use of it very surprising. As to eS, it is
certainly used once more than you are aware of —
et TTcos eS TT€(t>iboLTo, (I believe in the T,) and therefore
may possibly be oftener. In the place I quote, it
means sui, not cujus, as here ; and so it means
ejus in the E. 427 : but this, I think, makes no
difference. "Ver. 307. The three first syllables of eia-avibcav,
or, as you write it, eia-avFibcov, cannot (as you say,
and 1 believe Knight says the same) have been used
by the 'OfXTjpot as a dactyl ; and no verse can be a
genuine Homeric verse, where the digamma is (if I
may use such an expression) slighted in that manner.
I must be excused, tiU further informed, from giving
an unqualified assent to this proposition. If the
proportion of instances on one side and the other
were, as you seem to state, nine hundred and ninety-
nine to one, I should not hesitate ; but, I confess,
I suspect this to be far from the true state of the
fact. I have not looked into the Iliad since I
received your letter, except to the il ; but I recol
lected immediately four instances — three of them in
one book, the r, and one in the A. In A, o^p'
lXaa-cra>iied' avaKTU ; in T, ei tis ibotro ; and twO in one
line — Ou Tore 7* oiS* OSvffTjos ay ffcafieff eidos tSoyres :

322 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 49.
besides, epy eibvia is familiar to my ear, though I do
not know where particularly to look for it.
"In the Odyssey, there are three instances in
the space of fifty lines in the A, in the verses 521,
549, 560. The first of these three has, I con
fess, the air of a spurious line; the second might
be remedied by taking away a 8' but without the
8' the construction would be hard, and unlike
Homer : but the third cannot well, I think, be
altered ; and it is the more remarkable, on account
of the digamma being respected in the same hne,
hevpo ava^ iv e-nos, &c. There is also, in the Odyss. N,
the word TrpoartbuiVTat, which, I should conceive, could
hardly be altered to Ttpo'ibaivTai without changing the
sense. If these which I have mentioned were all
the instances, I admit they would not much signify :
but as those from the Ihad have occurred to me
memoriter only, and those from the Odyssey from a
very slight investigation of a very smaU part of the
poem, I cannot help supposing there may be found
many hundreds of them ; so that I can hardly con
ceive the proportion to be any thing like what you
suppose, — especially as aU the cases of the paragogic v
preceding the digamma make neither for one side nor
the other, but must be thrown out of the question, as
perfectly neutral. I should hardly think you would
(and I am sure Knight would not) consent to take
away from Homer, and give to his collectors, or
joiners, or botchers, the r and the Q, of the Iliad,
and the A of the Odyssey ; and this to make the
cobbler superior to the original artist or artists. Ac-

1798.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 323
cording to your system, you may possibly say, that
those parts where the digamma is uniformly re
spected were written by older poet's; those where
it is sometimes slighted, by more modern : but what
if it should appear to be nearly equally respected
and slighted in the different parts of the poem ?
Now my hypothesis, if I dared to form one, would
be this ; and (every man loves his own best, — ttjk
avTov cjiiXeei km Krjberai) it appears to me more rea
sonable than any that I have yet heard. I suppose
this digamma, at one period at least, not to have had
the decided sound which belongs in general to con
sonants ; and, consequently, that the poets of that
period, the 'Op,r\pot, thought themselves at liberty to
sound it more or less, and consequently to treat it in
the manner most convenient to their verse. If it
was sounded sometimes more, and sometimes less, it
might naturally happen that, in process of time, one
dialect, viz., the Latin, might erect it into a decided
consonant v ; and others, viz., the Attic, &c., might
wholly drop it. Thus in modern Italian, in the word
uovo, an egg, the u is pronounced at Florence in a
manner very difficult to be imitated by foreigners,
and which makes it appear to be something between
a vowel and a consonant ; but in other parts of Italy,
where the language is corrupted, it is in some whoUy
dropped, and the word is pronounced ovo ; in others,
it is made a complete consonant, and sounded vovo.
This may be, and probably is, a fanciful theory of my
own ; but, I own, I feel great reluctance to cut the
Iliad and Odyssey to pieces, and to give them, not
T 2

324 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 49.
only to different authors, but different ages. I do
not know whether Hesiod is, in your opinion, a con
temporary with Homer ; but, if he is, I think that in
his 'Epya KM 'HfiepM there is air epyov x^V^ epVKot:
and epyov is, I suppose, one of the words with the F.
" Ver. 320. I doubt the derivation of vastus from
Faa-Tv: though I believe aa-rv to have been written
aa-TV, because ava aa-TV, iron aarv, are SO COmmon :
and surely the comparison of a large vessel to a town
is too natural, when it is meant to exaggerate its size,
to make it necessary to have recourse to any par
ticular derivation.
" Ver. 325. There are certainly some other in
stances of a vowel short before rp, though, I believe,
not many. The first syllable of IToTpoKAos is short
in more instances than one ; but the instance of a
proper name is not, perhaps, quite a fair one; as
Homer might take the same liberty, in such cases,
as the Tragedians did afterwards, which you have
noticed and accounted for, I think, in the best man-
mer. The word TtpoTpa-noip-riv is at the end of a verse
in Odyss. M. ver. 381. Upoirrivba, &c., are often
at the end of lines, and consequently the syUable before
Trp short : but these you may not think cases in point,
because in them the vowel and the consonants are
in separate words ; but I do not think the Greeks in
general attended much to that distinction.
" Ver. 337. I have said enough at least upon the /;
I fear too much : but I must just observe, that the
being some times right, and others wrong, does not
prove two fingers in the pie, because they are some-

1798.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 325
times right and wrong in the same verse, which pro
bably was all made by one author."
MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. POX.
"Hackney, February 25th, 1798.
" Sir, "The best argument against Homer, and
for my hypothesis, appears in my general observa
tions, prefixed to Pope's Odyssey, in the edition
which I prepared for the Booksellers ; and of which
I have but one copy for myself, or I should long
since have requested your acceptance of the work.
Certainly, if any thing like your opinion, with respect
to the digamma, could be established, the early
Greek Poets, instead of meriting the encomiums of
aU antiquity for their correctness, must be deemed
the most capricious and irregular of all writers ; and
emendatory criticism upon them can be modeUed by
no rules of analogy whatever : whereas their modes
of expression are so precise and congenial, that the
dhect contrary appears to be the truth.
" The detached lamentations of the several charac
ters at the end of II. Q,. have a very formal appear
ance ; and much- the air of an attempt from different
bards to shew their skUl upon the same subject. In
coUections of Greek epigrams, and in some works
of the later Sophists, you find compositions intro
duced with such commas as these : ' What sort of
exclamation AchiUes would use on the death of
Patroclus ? ' &c. and then follows a specimen of the
author's talents in that way.

326 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 49.
"The Shield of Hercules, in Hesiod, is one of those
detached pieces of poetry, such as I suppose the
Iliad to be formed of, remaining to us from the
highest antiquity; and quite equal to any thing in
Homer with which it can properly be compared.
His Theogony, too, in versification and language, is
perfectly similar to the Iliad ; so that their imitation
of existing models is almost an inevitable conclusion :
and the probabUity is, that numberless pieces of
this kind were existing among the antient bards of
Greece, but have been lost, partly from the negligence
of succeeding times, and partly from the want of
alphabetic characters.
"But before those corrections of Homer, on the
principle of the ^olic digamma, could be prosecuted,
some general rules must be laid down ; as foUow :
"I find, suppose, in reading the Theogony of
Hesiod, that the digamma is regarded seventy times,
and disregarded thirty. (What I am stating is
generaUy the fact, though the numbers may not be
perfectly in ratio.) Out of these thirty irregularities,
I find ten rectified in the various readings ; but I
consider that not one MS. in a thousand of Hesiod
has come down to our times. I argue, then, for the
probability of a rectification of all the thirty, with
more MSS., from the general principle of their
method and correctness as writers. Again : this
circumstance of the digamma has been so unknown
to later ages, or at least disregarded by them, that
reporters of MSS. it is most certain, have neglected
a declaration of those little varieties, which would

1798.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 327
settle these controverted passages, from an opinion
of their unimportance. The same ignorance or
inattention would lead the transcribers readily to
fill up these chasms, as violations of measures, or
to leave unnoticed these niceties, as things trivial
and unessential; all which may be shewn, to the
very highest degree of probability, from innumerable
instances : so that, instead of wondering at thirty
anomalies, we must rather be surprised that they
have not been much more plentiful. In short, there
is scarcely an instance of a learned construction, or
a more exquisite peculiarity of numbers, but some
corruption or other may be traced in the various
readings of MSS. or the importunities of modern
editors. Now to your particulars.
" Your instance from II. A. 444. has been corrected
by Dawes, Misc. Crit. p. 146, from the Florentine
edition, with general approbation, o^p' Ikaa-oiiea-da
avaKTU : and aU the exceptions .that relate to ava^
are noticed by him, and mostly well and easily
corrected. But all niceties of this kind were so
uniformly obliterated by later scribes and editors,
that in the present wreck of MSS., an emendation,
simple and convincing, is often beyond the reach of
sagacity, and, in many cases, quite impossible. In
r. 453. laying aside the digamma, the tenses are
incongruous, and the construction ungrammatical.
What is required, the Scholiast indicates sufficiently :
et TIS lAOITO] et Tts E0EA2ATO : ' If he had seen
him, he would not have concealed him : ' not, ' If he
could see him.' Besides, rts is inelegantly repeated.

328 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 49.
Now, except other MSS. and the first editions (for
these studies are not to be cultivated duly without
very, large libraries at hand) give some further hints,
I see nothing better than the following attempt : for
the verb absolutely requires here av or Ke -.
Ov fj.ev yap (piJwTTiTi 7* eKevdavoy, ei KE lAONTO :
which wiU satisfy both measure and construction.
"Ver. 224 can occasion no difficulty, as a most
barbarous and impertinent interpolation ; and I see,
accordingly, a mark of exception prefixed to it by
the antient critics in ViUois. Homer. Epy eibvia, and
its parallels, where a must be lost, (for 8' before the
digamma must be conceded) may be settled by
writing epya ibvia- as II. T. 12. ibvirjo-i, TTpaTTibea-a-i. No
question but we should write TTpo'CboavTai in Od. N.
155, prospicient. See at a distance: compare ver.
169, Hesiod. Scuti Here. 385, where one scribe
could not be easy without attempting to substitute
uposibuiVTai : otherwise there is an .end of aU proba
bUity in criticism, grounded on the usage and
accuracy of writers. But, as I said, before some
particular specimens can be acceptable, the reader
must be prepared by general positions, and a detaU
of undisputed specimens on good authority : and
this were a work of time and labour. I have by me
materials" for an important, and, as I think, inte
resting attempt of this nature, not less aUied to
phUosophy and history, than criticism ; and materials,
indeed, for correcter editions of most of the Greek
and Roman Poets; but, as I can never pretend to

1798.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 329
execute any thing much better than my Lucretius,
tUl the burden of that publication is a good deal
more aUeviated, my pen never meddles with such
subjects again, to the end of my days.
" Sir ! my former apologies must serve me for
stopping more abruptly than I could wish, and for
subscribing myself here, with every sentiment of
respect, " Your obedient servant,
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

MR. POX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
" St. Ann's Hill, March 16th, 1798.
" Sir, " I deferred answering your last Letter, in
order to have time to read over attentively some
part of Homer, with a view to the digamma. I
have read, since I wrote last, ten books of the
Odyssey, from . H to * inclusive ; and find in them
eighty -five instances where the digamma is neglected.
It is true that, in many of these, the fault, if it be
one, is easily corrected ; but then the question arises,
if the instances are so numerous. What reason have
we to think that there is any error or occasion for
correction ? I will admit, however, that the result of
my attention to the subject is, that with the old poet,
or poets, whom we call Homer, the natural and
common course seems to have been, to consider
words beginning with the F like words beginning
with a consonant ; but then the numerousness of

330 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 49.
the instances to the contrary, and, above aU, the
circumstance of those instances being spread pretty
equaUy over those books to which I have attended,
raise great doubts in my mind, whether words
beginning with F were not occasionally considered as
words beginning with a vowel. Nor can I agree
that this supposition would make the old writers so
capricious as you seem to think : for, in fact, it only
supposes them to have treated the digamma as
unquestionably they treated the aspirate '; before
which short vowels are sometimes cut off, sometimes
left standing; long vowels and diphthongs some
times shortened (though by the way very rarely),
sometimes left long ; and syUables ending Math
consonants sometimes retain the shortness natural
to them, at other times not. What you say upon
the three instances I quoted memoriter from the
Iliad is very satisfactory, especially as the alteration
to lXa<Top.ea-6a is, you say, warranted by an old edition:
and, indeed, the whole of this question must at last
be decided by a reference to such editions and to
manuscripts ; in regard to both which I am un
commonly ignorant, never having read Homer in
any other editions than the Glasgow and Clarke's.
I have indeed occasionally looked at a very few
passages in H. Stephens's edition of him among
the Greek Poets ; but, with this single exception, I
know nothing of any other text but Clarke's (for the
Glasgow is a transcript from him), nor of any other
Comments or Scholia than those which he has cited.
What you have said has raised in me an ardent

1798.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 331
curiosity to look into the old editions ; and I shall
endeavour, in the course of the year, to visit some
libraries where there are coUections of them. The
lamentations in the i2 of the Iliad are certainly
rather formal in the manner in which they are intro
duced, unless one supposes them to be a part of a
sort of funeral ceremony. In regard to the short
syllable before the mute and the p, I have found but
one instance (proper names excepted) in the ten
books I have just read ; and in that there seems to
be some error ; the word is baKpvota-i. in Od. 2 ver.
172 ; but I recollect, in other parts of Homer to
have read, more than once, d8poT7jra Kat fi/Srjv. ANbpo-
TrjTa, as I believe it is sometimes written, would only
increase the difficulty. I am sensible that if we
consider the diphthongs ot and at as short syllables,
the number of instances I have quoted of the neglect
of the will be something (not greatly) diminished.
Reiske, in his Notes on Theocritus, is positive
these syUables are sometimes short, and were so
used by Homer; and I suspect that all you, who
think the attention to the F the criterion of authen
ticity, are of his opinion ; else the famous passage in
II. T. quoted by Longinus for its sublimity, must be
given up, on account of
 e/c Bpovov a\TO Kai Piax^. 
"I am very much concerned at your Lucretius
meeting with so little encouragement as you say ;
and I feel the more, because I cannot help thinking
that part of the prejudice, which occasions so

332 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 49.
unaccountable a neglect, is imputable to the honour
you have done me by the dedication of it — an
honour, I assure you, that I shaU always most highly
value. " I am. Sir,
" Yours ever,
" C. J. FOX."
MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
"Hackney, March 1th,* 1798.
" Sir, " It is most certain, that anomalies and in
consistencies of all kinds are much more frequent in
the Odyssey than the Iliad, from a cause which is in
favour of an hypothesis that receives countenance in
proportion to our abUity of approximation to antient
sources ; i.e. the fewer transcripts of that poem com
pared with the Iliad, on account of the less interest
which all ages have taken in its favom- ; for it is an
acknowledged position, that those authors are most
corrupt of which the fewest MSS. have been pre
served. Now, where old editions and MSS. enable
us to rectify so many of these irregularities without
violence, the presumption is very strong in our
favour, from the great antiquity of Homer : for MSS.
five times as old as' any now in being, would be
modern in comparison of the oldest MS. of VirgU,
and most other authors. I have marked in my
* Although some mistake appears in the date of this or the preceding
Letter, Mr. Wakefield's is evidently an answer to the preceding of
Mr. Fox. Probably the date of this should be March 17th.

1793.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 333
margin all the violations of the theory of the
digarhma, but have never numbered them. I should
suppose that many of your instances would be accom
modated by an omission ofthe final v, or some other
simple process ; remembering always, that the little
words 8' and r form no exceptions ; and such sounds
were not harsher, I presume, than pbeXvpos, ybovirrja-e,
and some others. Nor must we forget how all traces
of antiquity, in numerous other instances, have been
so obliterated by the prepossessions and ignorance
of successive transcribers through many ages, as to
leave the truth in some cases absolutely irrecoverable :
of which, even with relation to Latin orthography, I
have given many instances in my Notes on Lucretius.
What you urge upon the variations of quantity from
the influence of the aspirate seems very pertinent :
but I am partly inclined to believe these discordances
to be imaginary, and the offspring of an inaccurate
attention to specific instances. I do not despair of
pointing out reasons for these variations from general
rules ; but these studies are really in their infancy,
and will continue so, till better forms of government
leave the human race at large more leisure to culti
vate their intellects. Besides, we may well believe,
from numerous deductions, a theory to be legitimate;
though, in the midst of so much darkness and incon
venience, and after so long an interval, no sagacity be
equal to a satisfactory solution of every contradiction ;
but, in truth, nothing can be done with any proper
and adequate nicety in this way without the First
Editions, and a great variety of them; in which

334 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 49.
respect I labour under very discouraging impedi
ments ; though, all circumstances considered, I have
but little doubt of being able to claim for myself the
merit of having collected, without gross imprudence
or injustice to my family, from mere personal self-
denial of reasonable indulgences, considering my
income, the best comparative library of any man in
this country. Bentley's note on Callim. Hymn. Jup.
87. has long since set at rest the old controversy on
the quantity of the diphthongs ot and at, with all those
who do not, like Reiske, bid defiance to all quantity
whatsoever : and yet Primatt, in his book on Accents,
seems never to have met with that note of Bentley.
The instances of syllables short, in Homer, before
two consonants of any kind, I meant to state as
exceedingly few, much fewer than in any author after
him. To the best of my recoUection, Dionysius, in
his Periegesis, approaches nearest to Homer's purity
in this peculiarity of smooth versification.
" Most of the specimens of the violated digamma in
taxM may be readUy and naturaUy adjusted : your ex
ample from II. T. 62. is of a very untractable quality;
and whatever assurance we may feel, in our own
minds, of the general validity of a theory, it were
very unreasonable to expect acquiescence from a
neutral reader in an emendation not recommended by
the utmost facility and probability. What I have
to offer here, is this : the Schol. in VUlois. tells us,
that some read copro ; I say, perhaps copero should be
substituted, which is a word of Homer's also : but a
too ready persuasion that it was a variety for oAto

1798.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 335
instead of taxe would soon turn copero into u>pTo.
Suppose, then, — ex Opovov dXro Kat copero — ' leapt from
his throne in great bustle and perturbation.' Now
no word whatever could better represent Virgil's
trepident in the parallel passage, than this : whereas
taxe has, in the Roman, at present no counterpart.
Further : Eustathius says on the passage, Aeto-as 6', eK
Opovov dXro Kat virepdopev r] laxe- If I were Iiot ill quest
of a particular object, I should say, that ?j and Kat
must be transposed ; and then the common reading
is right : but you must allow me the advantage of
this variety ; from which I have surely as much right
to reason, as another man can have to an arbitrary
correction against the copies. If the copies of Eusta
thius. be correct, it is demonstration that some word
equivalent to taxe (which, in that case, from a mar
ginal gloss, has insinuated itself into the text) is
corrected in intepdopev which the measure rejects.
Now a word not essentially different from the former
aypTo and this of Eustathius, either in letters or enun
ciation, would be most probable. Suppose, then,
 eic Opovov oAto kui HPTE :

Made a loud bawl. Now the lexicons would make
you believe, that this word is only used of beasts,
dogs, and wolves (See my Notes on Bion, i. 18) ; but
Antip. Sidon. epig. 8, employs it of the roaring of
the sea ; and Pindar, 01. ix. 163, of a man.
" Sir, it gives me real concern, that you should
suppose my notice of you in my Lucretius should
have proved injurious to the reception of that work.

336 CORRESPONDENC"! OF [^tai. 43.
Believe me, nothing can be more unnecessary and
unsubstantial than your solicitude on this head. My
former publications were alone a proof, iramfact, of
what I aUege ; which makes me the more decisive in
my assertion. I am satisfied, that no man on earth,
at all similarly situated, was ever less obnoxious to
his political antagonists than you are : and nothing
but a persuasion in me, rooted on long and attentive
observation, that you had qualities which secured you
from the disaffection of every heart tolerably huma
nised, could have induced me to pay you that trivial
token of my respect with such perfect acquiescence ;
a token of respect which I shaU contemplate, I know,
with increasing satisfaction to the end of life. I am
glad, however, that I can gratulate you on escaping
the inauspicious omen of the Scriptures : " Woe !
unto you, when all men speak well of you : " and
yet I should not be surprised, if the times mend so
much, and such opportunities for a fuller and freer
display of yourself present themselves, as actually to
excite some apprehension and mistrust in me in con
sequence of the universal and unqualified approbation
of the world. When that takes place, perhaps, I may
set my wits at work to find out some erratum in the
copies of that verse. At present, I must own that
such solicitude is not absolutely necessary.
" But the copies of my Lucretius are not numerous ;
and I know it must make its way in time against all
personal and political opposition, especially when
known on the Continent. Mr. Steevens, editor of
Shakspeare, who, though a friend of mine, can

1799.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 337
scarcely endure one of my opinions ; an excellent
classical scholar, and a most severe censor; who
detected, I think, 900 errors in the Heyne's VirgU,
lately published in London, and corrected by Person ;
pronounced, in my hearing, at a bookseUer's, last
week, my large-paper Lucretius to be the most mag
nificent and correct work of its kind that had yet
appeared. One was ordered for the King's Library
last week. " I remain. Sir,
" Your most obedient servant,
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."
MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
"St. Ann's Hill, March 1st, 1799.
" Sir, " Although I am wholly without any re
sources, even of adrice, and much more of power, to
offer you my services upon the present occasion, yet
I cannot help troubling you with a few lines, to teU
you how very sincerely concerned I am at the event
of your trial.
" The liberty of the press I considered as virtually
destroyed by the proceedings against Johnson and
Jordan ; and what has happened to you I cannot but
lament therefore the more, as the sufferings of a man
whom I esteem, in a cause that is no more.
" I have been reading your Lucretius, and have
nearly finished the second volume ; it appears to me
to be by far the best publication of any classical
author : and if it is an objection with some persons.

338 CORRESPONDENCE OP [.'Etat. 50.
that the great richness and variety of quotation and
criticism in the Notes takes off, in some degree, the
attention from the Text, I am not one of those who
will ever complain of an editor for giving me too
much instruction and amusement.
" I am, with great regard,
" and aU possible good wishes,
"Sn,
" Your most obedient servant, " C. J. POX."
MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
"Hackney, March ^nd, 1799.
" Sir, " Your kind attention at this time is pecu
liarly gratifying and consohng ; but wholly congenial
to that benevolence of disposition, which is the
brightest jewel in aU the accomphshments of
humanity. My defence, though unsuccessful, was,
in the opinion of my best friends, entirely consonant
to my character. Some parts, I am aware, would be
thought, by men of the world, severe and imprudent
to excess ; but such persecution for such things fills
me, I own, with a degree of indignation and sorrow,
to which no words appear to my mind capable of
doing justice. Your approbation of my Lucretius is
also particularly grateful to me.
" I am, Sir,
" with every sentiment of esteem,
" Your obedient servant,
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

1799.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 339

^' Sir,

MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
" St. Ann's Hill, June 9th, 1799.

" Nothing could exceed the concern I felt
at the extreme severity (for such it appears to me) of
the sentence pronounced against you.
" I should be apprehensive, that the distance of
Dorchester must add considerably to the difficulties
of your situation ; but should be very glad to learn
from you that it is otherwise.
" If any of your friends can think of any plan for
you, by which some of the consequences of your con
finement may be in any degree lessened, I should be
very happy to be in any way assisting in it. From
some words that dropped from you, when I saw you,
I rather understood that you did not feel much incli
nation to apply to your usual studies in yom* present
situation ; otherwise it had occurred to me, that some
pubhcation, on a less expensive plan than the Lucre
tius, and by subscription, might be eligible, for the
purpose of diverting your mind, and for serving your
famUy ; but of this you are the best judge : and all I
can say is, that I shaU always be happy to show the
esteem and regard with which I am,
" Sir,
" Your most obedient servant, " C. J. POX.
" Rev. Gilbert Wakefield, King's Bench Prison."

z 2

S40 CORRESPONDENCE OF [Mtai. SO.
SAME TO SAME.
" St. Ann's Hill, June 10th, 1799.
" Sir, " Within a few hours after I wrote to you
yesterday, a gentleman called, who informed me that
a scheme had been formed for preventing some of the
iU consequences of your imprisonment, and upon a
much more eligible plan than that which I suggested.
Of course, you wUl not think any more of what I said
upon that subject ; only that, if you do employ your-
seK in writhig during your confinement, my opinion
is, that, in the present state of things, hterature is,
in every point of 'view, a preferable occupation to
politics. " I have looked at my Romau Virgil, and find that
it is printed from the Medicean MS. as I supposed.
The verses regarding Helen, in the second book, are
printed in a different character, and stated to be
wanting in the MS. " Yours ever, " C. J FOX."
MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
"K B. TO/JO U\o\nrii:Jitm lOHi, 1799.
" Sir, " I am very highly gratified by your atten
tion to me, as the attention of one whom I love and
reverence. " In the present distraction of my mind, much

1799.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 341
enhanced by the consternation into which I am
thrown by hearing this moment of the unexpected
sentence on Lord Thanet and Mr. Ferguson, I am
scarcely capable of answering your kind inquiries in a
proper manner ; and therefore beg leave to inclose a
letter, received last night, which I am sure will give
pleasure to a heart so interested, not in my welfare
only, but in that of aU his species : that letter you
wiU be so kind as to return. What I particularly
meditate is a Greek and English Lexicon, at a sub
scription of a guinea and a-half : but of this plan I
shaU judge better when I see the place of my desti
nation, whither I expect to be transported in a few
days. "My sentence is not to be ranked among the
calamities of human life : but it is a very serious in
convenience to us on many accounts, and on none
more than a separation from a numerous band of the
most affectionate and virtuous and disinterested
friends, of both sexes, that it ever feU to the lot of
any family to possess.
" By the time in which my confinement wUl expire,
I trust a prospect will be opened of caUing you from
your beloved retirement, to a theatre of more exten
sive usefulness, alike adapted to the amplitude of
your talents, and the benevolence of your disposition.
" I am. Sir,
" with every sentiment of esteem,
" Your obedient servant,
" GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

342 CORRESPONDENCE OF [Mtai. 50,

Sir,

MR. POX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
"St. Ann's Hill, Jume 12th, 1799.

" I return you your friend's letter, which
gave me great satisfaction. The sentence upon Lord
Thanet and Ferguson is, aU things considered, most
abominable ; but the speech accompanying it is, if
possible, worse.
I think a Lexicon in Greek and English is a w(yk
much wanted ; and if you can have patience? to
execute such a work, I shall consider it a great
benefit to the cause of literature. I hope to hear
from you that your situation at Dorchester is not
worse, at least, than you expected ; and when I
know you to be in a state of perfect ease of mind
(which at this moment could not be expected), I will,
with your leave, state to you a few observations,
which I just hinted to you when I saw you, upon
Person's Note to his Orestes, regarding the final v.
" I am, with great regard,
"Sn-, " Yours ever,
"C. J. FOX."

" Sir,

MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
"Kino's Bench, Jime Uth, 1?99.

" I set out for Dorchester to-morroffjor
Monday ; and shall be glad, at aU times and in anj
place, to receive communications from you, upon

1799.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 343
points of criticism, or any other within my sphere.
In the meantime, two of my brothers have been
down to reconnoitre the place ; and from their report
I collect, clearly, that this transportation thither was
intended to be nothing less than a Cold-Bath Fields'
business. It so happens, that in the small premises
belonging to the governor, alias keeper, alias gaoler,
a small lodging-room is to be obtained ; whether
with or without a fire-place I have hitherto forgotten
to inquire ; but with no accommodation for books,
beyond a pocket-fuU or so : of course every plan of
any laborious undertaking in literature is totally
abandoned, and indeed every object of study beyond
an author such as Homer, who is pretty much con
centered within himself. The intercourse even with
my family, as far as I understand, wUl be partial and
restrained; so that if a former occupant had been
equal to that room in the house, nothing but a cell,
in a most detestable building (to my Brothers' fancies),
WQuld have remained for myself. Upon the whole,
considering the great inconveniences of an entire
removal, and dissolution of our former residence, I
am not sure, whether the Bastile, for the same time,
might not have been as eligible. And as I was never
able to pursue any literary object without a comfort
able disposition of external circumstances, I must
postpone what projects I had entertained in that way
to a more convenient season, if I should live to see
it ; and content mysehf with the amusements of my
family, and occasional intercourse with my friends by
letter or in person.

344 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 50,
" My defence, and other memorials of this prosecu
tion, which I thought it a part of my duty not to
leave unrecorded, wUl be left for your acceptance,
vrith a book which Lord HoUand lent me.
" I am, Sir, vrith the truest respect,
" Your obliged servant,
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
"St. Ann's Htll, June 27(4, 1799.
" Sir, " In consequence of a letter which Lord
HoUand showed me, I have written to Lord Shaftes
bury and to Lord Rchester, who are both very
humane men, and would, I should hope, be happy to
do anything that may make your situation less
uneasy. " I am. Sir,
" Yours ever,
"C. J. FOX."
MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. POX.
" DoKOHESTEB Gaol, September 6th, 1799.
" Sir, " The courier of this day communicates to
me the very unwelcome intelligence of an injury
received by you, from the bursting of your gun.
Assure yourself. Sir, that your oldest and warmest
friends feel not a more lively interest in aU yom,
pains and pleasures than myself, nor wUl rejoice more

1799.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 345
at your recovery. And wiU you do me the justice to
believe, that I would not have taken the trouble of
submitting the following passage of Cicero to your
consideration, but from an absolute conviction of your
magnanimity and benevolence, and love of truth ;
and from an entire confidence in your candour, for
assigning no motive to this intrusion, but an ardent
desire of your approximation as nearly as possible to
my own, perhaps visionary and mistaken, notions of
perfection? — 'Ego autem, quam din respublica per
eos gerebatur, quibus se ipsa commiserat, omnes
meas curas cogitationesque in cam conferebam : ciim
autem dominatu unius omnia tenerentur, neque esset
usquam consilio aut auctoritati locus ; socios denique
tuendse reipublicae, summos viros, amisissem ; nee me
angoribus dedidi, quibus essem confectus, nisi lis
restitissem, nee rursum indignis homine docto
VOLUPTATIBUS.' Off. ii. 1.
" Am I, Sir, indecently presumptuous and free,
am I guUty of a too dictatorial officiousness, in pro
nouncing THOSE PLEASURES TO MISBECOME A MAN OP
LETTERS, which cousist in mangling, maiming, and
depriring of that invaluable and irretrievable blessing,
its existence, an inoffensive pensioner on the universal
bounties of the common Feeder and Protector of all
his offspring ? " I remain. Sir,
" Your obliged and respectful friend,
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

346 CORRESPONDENCE OP [JEiat. 50.
MR. POX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
"No. 11, Saoktillb Street, September Uth, 1799.
" Sir, " I assure you I take very kindly your
letter, and the quotation in it. I think the question
of ' How far field sports are innocent amusements ?'
is nearly connected with another, upon which, from
the title of one of your intended works, I suspect
you entertain opinions rather singular ; for if it is
lawful to kiU tame animals with whom one has a sort
of acquaintance, such as fowls, oxen, &c., it is stiH
less repugnant to one's feehngs to kUl wUd annuals ;
but then to make a pastime of it — I am aware there
is something to be said on this point. On the other
hand, if example is allowed to be anything, there
is nothing in which all mankind, civUised or savage,
have more agreed, than in making some sort of chace
(for fishing is of the same nature) part of their busi
ness or . amusement. However, I admit it to be a
very questionable subject : at aU events, it is a very
pleasant and healthful exercise. My wound goes on,
I believe, very well ; and no material injury is appre
hended to the hand ; but the cure wUl be tedious,
and I shaU be confined in this town for tnore weeks
than I had hoped ever to spend days here. I
am much obliged to you for your inquiries, and
am, " Sir,
" Your most obedient servant, "C. J. FOX."

1799.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 347
MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
"Dobohestbb Gaol, September 20th, 1799.
" Sir, " I am unwiUing to increase the inconve
niences of your present situation, and have therefore
not been solicitous of immediately acknowledging
your favour; nor do I by any means vrish you to
incommode yourself, in the least degree, by noticing
this, or any other similar intrusion from me.
" With your leave, the question of animal food
(from which the purest phUosophers in all ages have
abstained, the Pythagoreans, Bramins, Essenes, and
others) is. no more involved in that of rural sports, as
commonly pursued, than the question of racks and
tortwes is connected with that of capital punishments.
I would not now state, ' Is it lawful and expedient to
kiU animals at all ?' but, ' Is it phUosophical and
humane to leave numbers of them to perish by pain
and hunger, or to occasion the remainder of their
lives to be perilous and miserable ?' for such, I pre
sume, are the inevitable consequences of shooting in
particular. As for hunting ; to see a set of men
exulting in the distresses of an inoffensive animal,
with such intemperate and wUd triumph, is to me the
most ^rational and degrading spectacle in the world ;
and an admirable prolusion to those delectable opera
tions which are transacting in Holland and else
where !
"In reading Ovid's Tristia (to my fancy, the first

348 CORRESPONDENCE OF [Mtat. 50.
•
Poet of all Antiquity) with my chUdren, the other
morning, (who, with my wife, are forbidden by the
justices to come to me more than four days in a
week, from ten o'clock to six,) I thought an error,
not yet discovered, to occupy the introductory lines : —
Parve, nee invideo, sine me. Liber ! ibis in urbem ;
Hei mihi ! qub domino non licet ire tuo.
Vade, sed inoultus ; qualem decet exsulis esse :
Infelix habitum temporis hujus habe.
By the bye, I have observed, (and mention, I think,
somewhere in Lucretius,) that the Poets never used
nee, but always neque, before a word beginning with
a vowel : in the first verse, therefore, it should be
'neque invideo.' But is there not something awkward^
and obscure, at first, in the construction of the thhd?
The final s is written in MSS. after a manner likely
to occasion errors ; as incultw. I read, therefore, i
Vade ; sed in cultu qualeai decet exsulis esse.
"With my most cordial wishes for your speedy
recovery, and less desolation in that kingdom, which
one of my pupUs, in construing that noble passage in
the third Georgic, — (from which Gray has borrowed,
in his Elegy, ' Nor oast one longing, lingering look behind,') 
Et stabula adspectans regnis excessit avitis,
called the kingdom of birds.
" I remain. Sir,
" Your most respectful and obliged friend,
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

1799.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 349
MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
"St. Ann's Hill, October 22nd, 1799.
" Sir, " I believe I had best not continue the
controversy about field sports ; or at least, if I do, I
must have recourse, I believe, to authority and
precedent, rather than to argument ; and content
myself with rather excusing, than justifying them.
Cicero says, I believe, somewhere, ' Si quem nihil
delectaret nisi quod cum laude et dignitate conjunctum
foret, .... huic homini ego fortasse, et pauci, Deos
propitios, plerique iratos putarent.' But this is said,
I am afraid, in defence of a libertine, whose public
principles, when brought to the test, proved to be as
unsound, as his private life was irregular. By the
way, I know no speech of Cicero's more fiiU of
beautiful passages than this is (pro M. Cselio), nor
where he is more in his element. Argumentative
contention is what he by no means excels in ; and he
is never, I think, so happy, as when he has an oppor
tunity of exhibiting a mixture of phUosOphy and
pleasantry; and especiaUy, when he can interpose
anecdotes, and references to the authority of the
eminent characters in the history of his country.
No man appears, indeed, to have had such real respect
for authority as he ; and therefore, when he speaks
on that subject, he is always natural, and in earnest ;
and not like those among us, who are so often declaim
ing about the wisdom of our ancestors, without know-

350 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 50-
ing what they mean, or hardly ever citing any par
ticulars of their conduct, or of their dicta.
" I showed your proposed alteration in the Tristia
to a very good' judge, who approved of it very much.
I confess, myseU, that I hke the old reading best,
and think it more in Ovid's manner ; but this,
perhaps, is mere fancy. I have always been a great
reader of him, and thought myself the greatest
admirer he had, tiU you caUed him the fibrst Poet of
Antiquity, which is going even beyond me. The
grand and spirited style of the Iliad ; the true nature
and simplicity of the Odyssey ; the poetical language
(far excelling that of aU other Poets in the world) of
the Georgics, and the pathetic strokes in the iEneid,
give Homer and VirgU a rank, in my judgment,
clearly above all competitors ; but next after them I
should be very apt to class Ovid, to the great scandal,
I believe, of all who pique themselves upon what is
caUed purity of taste. You have somewhere compared
him to Euripides, I think ; and I can fancy I see a
resemblance in them. This resemblance it is, I sup
pose, which makes one prefer Euripides to Sophocles ;
a preference. which, if one were writing a dissertation,
it would be very difficult to justify. Euripides leads
one to Person, who, as I told you, is not content with
putting the final v as others have put it, before
him, but adopts it even when the foUovring word
begins with a mute and a liquid: and that he
does this merely from a desire to differ as vridely
from you as possible, is evident. In his Note
on verse 64 of the Orestes, are the words which I

1799.] CHARLES JAMBS FOX. 351
wUl copy and inclose. Now the cases of prepositions
in compound words being made long, appear to me
not very rare ; though rare being an indefinite word,
it is difficult to ascertain precisely the force he gives
to it : but of the final vowel being long, of which he
thinks there are no instances, there are a great many ;
at least I must suppose so, as I recollect several from
mere memory. But, what is most to the purpose,
there is one in his Hecuba which I must suppose to
be ' indubise fidei ; ' as he was so far from stating it
as a suspicious passage, that he did not point it out
even as a remarkable one. It is verse 589 :
n 6vyaTep, ouk oi^ eis d, TI ^Ke^u Kanuv
but he had not then been angered by your observa
tions, and had not, therefore, resolved to support the
use of the v in all possible places. You must allow it
is difficult for us unlearned to have a proper confi
dence in great critics, when they use us in this
manner, and lay down general rules, which they never
thought of before, onfy for the purpose of making
the difference more wide between them and their
opponents. In the Cyclops, verse 522, there is
ovbevk pXatiTei ^poTwv- in the Electra of Euripides,
verse 1058, there is opA KXvoi;o-a- and, I dare say,
hundreds of more instances against him, as I found
these by mere chance : and it has so happened, that
I have not read any play of Euripides, or Sophocles,
since I read his Note. .
" I cannot conceive upon what principle, or mdeed
from what motive, they have so restricted the inter-

352 CORRESPONDENCE [^iat, 50.
course between you and your family. My first
impulse was, to write to Lord Ilchester to speak to
Mr. Frampton ; but, as you seem to suspect that
former applications have done mischief, I shall do
nothing. Your pupU's translation of ' avitis ' shows
that he has a good notion of the formation of words ;
and is a very good sign, if he is a young one. Did
you, who are such a hater of war, ever read the lines
at the beginning of the second book of Cowper's
Task ? There are few things in our language superior
to them, in my judgment. He is a fine poet, and
has, in a great degree, conquered my prejudices
against blank verse. " I am, with great regard,
"Sn,
" Your most obedient servant,
"C.J. FOX."
" My hand is not yet so weU as to give me
the use of it, though the wound is nearly healed.
The surgeon suspects there is more bone to come
away. — I have been here something more than a
fortnight."

Professor Porson's Note, inclosed in the precediv^.
" Orestes, v. 64.
'* Ilapdevoy, efirj t€ fiirrpi irapeSw/ceN rpeififiy.
" Erunt fortasse nonnulli, qui minus necessario hoc
factum (that is, the insertion of the final v) arbitraturi

1799.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 353
sint in wapeSawcei;. Rationes igitur semel exponam,
nunquam posthac moniturus. Quanquam enim ssepe
syUabas natura breves positione producunt Tragici,
longe libentius corripiunt ; adeo ut tria prope exempla
correptarum invenias, ubi unum modo exstet produc-
tarum : sed hoc genus licentise, in verbis scilicet non
compositis, qualia reKvov, irarpos, ceteris longe fre-
quentius est. Rarius multo syllaba producitur in
verbo composite, si in ipsam juncturam cadit, ut in
TtoXvyjyviTos, Andr. 2. Eadeni parsimonia in augmentis
producendis Utuntur, utin eireKXcoa-ev, sup. 12. KeKXrja-dai,
Sophocl. Mectr. 366. Rarior adhuc licentia est, ubi
prsepositio verbo jungitur, ut in aTiorpoTrot, Phcen. 600.
Sed ubi verbum in brevem vocalem desinit, eamque
duse consonantes excipiunt, quae brevem manere
patiantur, vix credo exempla indubise fidei inveniri
posse, in quibus syUaba ista producatur. Ineptus
esset quicunque ad MSS. in tali causa provocaret,
cum nuUa sit eorum auctoritas : id solum deprecor,
ne quis contra banc regulam eorum testimonio
abutatur ; MSS. enim neque alter alteri consentiunt,
neque idem MS. sibi ipse per omnia constat. Quod
si ea, quae disputavi, vera sunt, planum est in fine
vocis addendam esse literam, quam addidi."

MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. POX.
" DoBOHBSTEB Gaol, October 2Zrd, 1199.
" Sir, " I say, also, peace to our controversy !
and I wish that every dispute of every kind could
vol. IV. ^ -''-

354 CORRESPONDENCE OF [jEtat. 60.
terminate as amicably, and after such gentle litiga
tion: the differences of opinion in mankind would
then issue in the general melioration of their tempers,
and the augmentation of mutual esteem ; instead of
acrimony, revenge, and bloodshed. Only excuse my
unsolicited freedom of remonstrance.
" On the subject of Cicero, my opinions coincide
with yours : but as the turn of my disposition has
led me to inquiries connected with the history of
human intellect, and human opinions; with the
events of antient times, and the rise and progress
of philosophy; to subjects also more immediately
conversant with phUology and criticism, and the
theory of language ; my attention and affection have
been fixed on his philosophical works, which I ex
ceedingly reverence, rather than on his orations and
epistleSi the repositories of private incidents, and per
sonal and local manners. But I mean only to state
my propensities, not to extol them, or disparage the
pursuits and predilections of other students.
" What immediately led me to that conjecture in
Ovid, was, an instantaneous repuguance of feeling to
the connection of qualem with the participle inoultus -.
and I am very much inclined to think, (for confidence
on these points, of all others, is most inexcusable and
absurd,) that no similar instance wUl readily be dis
covered ; in which case I should be much more tena
cious of the conjecture.
" In appreciating the comparative exceUences of
different poets, the first praise seems due to inven
tion : and, as I should always omit Homer in

1799.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 355
competitions, from our entire ignorance of the cir
cumstances under which he wrote, and of the assist
ances which he might receive, no poet of antiquity
seems capable of supporting the contest with Ovid.
VirgU has produced more perfect poems ; but then
his obligations for materials are commensurate with the
number of his verses ; and would be seen still more
clearly, if Euphorion and Nicander were now extant,
fragments only of whose congenial performances are
preserved. Quintilian, with that candour which dis
tinguishes aU his judgments, under a strong bias in
favour of his countrvman, after his admirable com-
parison of Demosthenes and Cicero, acknowledges
that the palm must be yielded in this respect, ' as
Demosthenes made Cicero, in a great measure, what
he was.' By the bye, I may appear impertinent in
recommending to your notice what you know so well :
but that chapter of Quintilian, in which the com
parison between the Greek and Roman authors is
instituted, appears to me one of the most interesting
compositions in all antiquity. Horace, I think, has
happily comprehended the constituent qualities of a
poet in few words :
IngeniUm cui sit, oui mens divinior, atque os
Magna sonaturum.  •
" In the first endowment, fertility of invention and
copiousness of thought, Ovid far exceeds his country
man : in the second, a noble enthusiastic fervour of
imagination, whose effects are sublimity and pathos,
some passages prove Ovid to have no superior among
the sons of inspiration : see, in particular, many parts

356 CORRESPONDENCE OF [jEtat. 50.
of his Epistle of Dido to .^neas, Phyllis to Demo-.
phoon, and some others ; his entire Elegy on the
Death of TibuUus, Metamorph. ii. verses 333 to 344,
vi. 426 — 433 ; and the whole story of Pythagorasj
XV. 60, &c., which has no paraUel in the monuments
of human wit, to my fancy, among the Antients, (as
at once moral and delightful,) except the conclusion
of Lucretius's third Book, and the adventures of
Ulysses with Alcinous in Homer. Very few readers
have attended more to the peculiarities of elegant
construction and curious phraseology, whether of
figure or combination, than myself ; and I find such
exquisite specimens and varieties in no poet, as I find
in Ovid : whUe, as QuintUian says of Cicero, to the
best of my recollection, — 'haec omnia fluunt illa-
borata; et ea, qua nihil dulcius esse potest oratio,
prsB se fert tamen felicissimam facUitatem.' — As to
the third quality, magnificent language, VirgU has no
rival there.
" I am sorry that you gave yourself the trouble of
transcribing Porson's Note, as his Orestes is one of
the few books which I have got with me. At present;
I am reading some voluminous Greek prose writers,
with a view to my Lexicon incidentally ; so that I do
not expect to be able to read through the Tragedians
for some months yet ; when I shall pay particular
regard to the points in controversy : in the mean
time, I wish not to be positive, but open to con
viction. But my persuasions about the final v are
grounded on this sort of reasoning.
" It is not for us, at this time of day, to lay down

1799.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 357
the laws of Greek composition and versification, but
to inquire into the actual practice of the Antients.
Now it is most certain, that the old editions and old
Schohasts so generally omit the v, where modern
editors interpolate the letter, as to induce a most pro
bable conviction, that it was universally omitted by
the Antients ; and that the few present exceptions
are the officious insertions of transcribers and pub
lishers, who would ' be wise above what was written ;'
and modeUed the MSS. by their own preconceptions
of propriety. Whereas, from the current persuasion,
among modern scholars, of the necessity of support to
these short syUables by the application of consonants,
it is perfectly inconceivable that they should have left
the syllables in question unsustained, had they found
the V in their copies. Nay, it cannot be doubted,
but modern editors, like Person, would invariably
supply the v in all those places where early editors
were contented to omit it in obedience to their
authorities ; and, if the early editions were lost, all
traces of the old practice, as it should seem to be,
would presently be obliterated beyond recovery.
" I have been furnished with many opportunities
of observing Porson, by a near inspection. He has
been at my house several times, and once for an
entire summer's day. Our intercourse would have
been frequent, but for three reasons : 1. His extreme
irregularity, and inattention to times and seasons,
which did not at all comport with the methodical
arrangements of my time and family. 2. His gross
addiction to that lowest and least excusable of all

358 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 50.
sensualities, immoderate drinking : and 3. The un
interesting insipidity of his society ; as it is impossible
to engage his mind on any topic of mutual inquiry,
to procure his opinion on any author or on any pas
sage of an author, or to elicit any conversation of any
kind to compensate for the time and attendance of
his company. And as for Homer, VirgU, and Horace,
I never could hear of the least critical effort on them
in his life. He is, in general, devoid of aU human
affections ; but such as he has are of a misanthropic
quality : nor do I think that any man exists, for
whom his propensities rise to the lowest pitch of
affection and esteem. He much resembles Proteus
in Lycophron : Kai SaKpu'  ¦
though, I believe, he has satirical verses in his
treasury for Dr. Bellenden, as he caUs him (Pare),
and aU his most intimate associates. But, in his
knowledge of the Greek Tragedies, and Aristophanes ;
in his judgment of MSS. and in all that relates to the
metrical proprieties of dramatic and lyric versification,
with whatever is connected with this species of
reading ; none of his contemporaries must pretend to
equal him. His grammatical knowledge also, and his
acquaintance with the antient lexicographers and ety
mologists, is most accurate and profound: and his
intimacy with Shakspeare, B. Jonson, and other
dramatic writers, is probably unequalled. He is, m
short, a most extraordinary person in every view, but
unamiable ; and has been debarred of a comprehen?

1799.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 359
sive intercourse with Greek and Roman authors by
his excesses, which have made those acquirements
impossible to him, from the want of that time which
must necessarily be expended in laborious reading,
and for which no genius can be made a substitute.
No man has ever paid a more voluntary and respectful
homage to his talents, at all times, both publicly and
privately, in writings and conversation, than myself:
and I wiU be content to forfeit the esteem and affec
tion of all mankind, whenever the least particle of
envy and malignity is found to mingle itself with my
opinions. My first reverence is to virtue ; my
second, only to talents and erudition : where both
unite, that man is estimable indeed to me, and shall
receive the full tribute of honour and affection. — But
I am transgressing the rules of decorum, by this im
moderate TtepiavToXoyia, which yet, perhaps, is not
unseasonable, and certainly wishes to stand exculpated
in your sight.
" I am so wholly immersed in my studies, that my
spirits are entirely recovered ; and, with the abate
ment of solitude (which no man ever abhorred more),
I never was more comfortable in my life. To this,
the most extraordinary solicitude and affection of my
friends, some of the most virtuous characters that
ever existed, have contributed not a little : and in
this confinement, if I live, I shaU combat some of that
severe and unkindly reading, in authors of less gaiety
and elegance, which, in a happier situation, would
have been contended with more tardily and reluc
tantly, if contended with at aU. It wiU give you

360 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 60.
pleasure to be informed, that a former pupil sent me,
about a month ago, from Jamaica, 1000/.
" I have occasionaUy looked in Cowper, though I
possess him. not. He appeared to me too frequently
on the verge of the ludicrous and burlesque ; but he
deserves, I dare say, the character which you give
him. Whilst I am in health, and able to endure
fatigue, I mortify myself by keeping to my main
pursuits,  senex ut in otia tuta recedam:
hoping, if I hve to grow old, that I may then indulge
myself more freely in gayer hterature. But surely
Milton might have reconciled you to blank verse,
without the aid of Cowper !
" I rejoiced to observe your Letter dated from your
beloved retirement in the country ; but your in
formation respecting the amendment of your hand
communicates but a mixed pleasure, if the gradual
extrication of other fragments of the bones must be
expected ; a process, I fear, attended with inflamma
tion and torture, in most cases of the kind. My
best wishes attend you on aU occasions ; and excuse
me, if, in the French style, which appears to me most
manly and becoming, even for the sake of variety
itself, I conclude myself,
" Ever yours, with health and respect!
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."
[The second of the two Letters from Mr. Wake
field, which the foUowing of Mr. Fox shows to
have intervened, is wanting.]

1799.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 361
MR. POX' TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
" gjj{_ " St. Ann's Hill, November 22nd, 1799.
" I am much obliged to you for your two
Letters, and am very happy to find that your situa
tion is become more easy than I had apprehended it
was. If I should have an opportunity of getting you
the use of any manuscripts from the persons you men
tion, or from any others, you may depend upon my
attention to it. I know that Mr. Coke has some ;
and I will write to a friend who goes often to
Holkham, to inquire whether there are any worth
your notice. I have looked at the quotation in
Diodorus, which certainly, as far as it goes, makes
much for your system ; but it is to be remarked,
that some other parts of it stand in need of emenda
tion ; and therefore the whole may be supposed not
to have been very accurately transcribed. Since I
wrote last to you, I have read three plays of Euri
pides ; and in them I find no less than five instances
of that description, of which Porson, in his Note on
the Orestes, supposes that there are none ' indubiee
fidei.'- They are as follow : Medea, verses 246, 582.
Troades, verse 628. Heraclidae, verses, 391, 1044 ;
and I have little doubt but in the rest of his works,
and probably in those of the other Tragedians,
instances would occur iu nearly a simUar proportion.
Porson's assertion, therefore, appears to me so out
rageous a neglect of fact, that he ought to be told
of it. In his Notes upon the Hecuba, verses 847
and 734, he makes two very singular remarks, in

362 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 60,
regard to metre, which (singular as they appear) are
nevertheless, as far as my observation goes, just : but
these were probably made upon much examination
and consideration, and not for a particular purpose of
supporting a new system, that had occurred to him,
of inserting the final v, where nobody else had done
it : to which he could be tempted by no other motive
than that of differing toto ccelo from you ; and saying,
' So far from listening to your advice of omitting the
V where others insert it, I will now insert it where
nobody ever thought of it.' This is abominable.-^In
regard to the general question of the final v, I agree
with you that it must depend, in a great measure, upon
MSS. ; and in so far as it does I am no judge of it,
never having seen any of the Tragedians, nor indeed
scarcely of any other Greek Poets : but, upon general
reasoning, I own I am inclined to preserve it, because
I think there is much in this argument. Vowels of
a certain description are uniformly short in certain
given positions, with the exception of such of those
vowels only as occasionally admit the final v (for the
purpose of preventing the hiatus, &c.). Is it not,
therefore, a fair conjecture, at least; and, if supported
by any one old MS., almost a certain one, that, in
such exceptions, the final v, which they, and they
alone, were capable of admitting, was added ? Porson
uses this argument; but then he is not, as I have
shown you, supported by the fact. I have read over,
possibly for the hundredth time, the portion of the
Metamorphoses about Pythagoras ; and I think you
cannot praise it too highly. I always considered it

1799.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 363
as the finest part of the whole poem ; and, possibly,
the Death of Hercules as the next to it. I think
your proposed alteration of ' pendet ' to ' pandit,' is
a very fair one, if any is wanted ; but upon looking
into Ainsworth, the only Latin Dictionary I have, I
find that Pliny uses ' aranea ' for the down that
appears on some parts of willow : now I think he
never could do this, unless ' aranea ' meant the web
of a spider, as well as the animal itself. The Diction
ary gives ' spider s web ' too, as one of the senses of
' aranea ; ' but then it cites only the very passage we
are upon, and is therefore nothing to the purpose.
" I own, I do not see why, in the passage of the
Fasti, ' defensse ' should be certainly erroneous.
' Frondes defensae arboribus,' instead of ' arbores
defensse frondibus,' seems not unlike the poetical
diction of the Latin Poets in general ; but, if that is
wrong, at any rate the other old reading of 'ex-
cussse ' is unexceptionable ; or, perhaps, a reading
compounded of the two might do, such as ' de-
cussse.' The change of the punctuation in Juvenal is
clearly, I think, an amendment. I have read again
(what I had often read before) the chapter you
refer to of Quintilian, and a most pleasing one it is ;
but I think he seems not to have an opinion quite
high enough of our favourite Ovid; and, in his
laboured comparison between Demosthenes and
Cicero, he appears to me to have thought them more
alike, in their manner and respective excellences,
than they seem to me. It is of them, I think, that
he might most justly have said, ' Magis pares quam

364 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 60.
similes.' I have no ApoUonius Rhodius, and have
never read of him more than what there is in our
Eton Poetrn Greed, and the Edinburgh Collectanea :
but, from what I have read, he seems to be held far
too low by Quintilian ; nor can I think the ' sequalis
mediocritas' to be his character. The parts extracted
in the above collections are as fine as poetry can be;
and, I believe, are generaUy aUowed to have been
the model of what is certainly not the least admired
part of the JEneid : if he is in other parts equal to
these, he ought not to be characterised by mediocrity.
I wish to read the rest of his poem, partly for the
sake of the poem itself, and partly to ascertain how
much Virgil has taken from him : but I have not
got it, and do not know what edition of it I ought
to get : I should be much obliged to you if you
would teU me. Shaw's is one of the latest ; but I
think I have heard it UI spoken of. If, at the same
time, you would advise me in regard to the Greek
Poets in general (of the second and third order,
I mean), which are best worth reading, and in
what editions, you would do me a great service.
Of Aratus, Nicander, Dionysius, Oppian, Nonnius,
Lycophron, I have never read a word, except what
has occurred in notes on other authors ; nor do I
know what poems those are which Barnes often
alludes to, calling them Troica. Against Lycophron,
I own, I am somewhat prepossessed, from hearing
from all quarters of the difficulty of understanding
him. The Argonautics, that go under the name of
Orpheus, I have read, and think that there are some

1 1^99- J CHARLES JAMES FOX.

366

very beautiful passages in them, particularly the
description of Chiron, &c. I have read, too, Theognis ;
and observed four verses in him that are full as
applicable to other countries, as ever they could be
to any city in Greece :
AoJ eiri^a Srim> K(VfO(ppoyf tutttc Se KevTptf
0|6i; Ka.1 (ivyKTtv SvaKocpoy afi^LTiBei.
Ov yap iff eipriaeis Kaov tptKoSeo'iroTov aSe
AyQpoTrotv, dwotrovs 7]e\ios Kadopa.
" I wish to read some more, if not all, of the Greek
Poets, before I begin with those Latin ones that you
recommend; especially as I take for granted that
Valerius Flaccus (one of them) is in some degree an
imitator of ApoUonius Rhodius. Of him, or SUius
Itahcus, I never read any ; and of Statins but littie.
Indeed, as, during far the greater part of my life,
the reading of the Classics has been only an amuse
ment, and not a study, I know but little of them,
beyond the works of those who are generally placed
in the first rank ; to which I have always more or
less attended, and with which I have always been as
weU acquainted as most idle men, if not better. My
practice has generally been ' multum potius qu^m
multos legere.' Of late years, it is true that I have
read with more critical attention, and made it more
of a study ; but my attention has been chiefly directed
to the Greek language, and its writers ; so that in
the Latin I have a great deal still to read : and I
find that it is a pleasure which grows upon me every
day. MUton, you say, might have reconcUed me to
blank verse. I certainly, in common with all the
world, admu-e the grand and stupendous passages

366 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat.60.
of the Paradise Lost ; but yet, with aU his study of
harmony, he had not reconciled me to blank verse.
There is a want of flow, of ease, of what the painters
caU a free pencU, even in his blank verse, which is a
defect in poetry that offends me more perhaps than it
ought : and I confess, perhaps to my shame, that I
read the Fairy Queen with more delight than the
Paradise Lost : this may be owing, in some degree,
perhaps, to my great partiality to the Italian Poets.
" I have no doubt but your Dictionary wUl be a
very interesting work, to those who love the Greek
language; but 20,000 new words seem impossible;
unless you mean, by new words, new significations
of old words. I have some notions upon the subject
of a Greek Dictionary that are perhaps impracticable,
but, if they could be executed, would, I think, be
incredibly useful : but this Letter is too un
conscionably long to make me think of lengthening
it by detaihng them.
"My hand mends slowly, but regularly; and I
do not now think there wiU be any exfoliation of
the bone, though that is not certain. I am very glad
to hear your Jamaica pupU, whoever he be, has done
both you and himself so much honour. I say nothing
of the late surprising events : the ends may be good,
but the means seem very odious.* I shaU think the
degree of hberty they allow to the press the great
criterion of their intentions. " Yours ever, " C. J. FOX."
* Mr Fox uo doubt alludes to the 18th Brumuire, or 9th of November,
1799.

1799.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 367

MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
"DoROHESTBR Gaol, November 21th, 1199.
" Sir, " Our want of accord on the final v and
critical emendations proves to me the necessity of a
work (of which all the materials are ready on my
papers) on the rationale of criticism, as founded on
phUosophical principles, corroborated and ascertained
by the real practice of transcribers and indubitable
specimens from authors ; otherwise, no assent can
be expected in the majority of cases. My argument
for the perpetual omission of the v stands thus : It
is universally allowed, that the early editors adhered
more closely to their MSS. In their editions, the
final V is commonly omitted. In such works as Scholia,
of which few copies were circulated, that v is always
omitted. Good reasons may be assigned for the
occasional insertion, but none possibly for the omission.
Owners of MSS. have perpetually corrected them, as
we see at this day, according to their own fancy ;
and if Porson, for example, had them aU, in time he
would put in the v throughout ; and these MSS. might
go down as vouchers for the practice of antiquity.
Very little learning would suffice, to induce men to
insert v, from an opinion of vicious quantity ; so that
a very old MS. now might abound in that insertion,
though its prototype were without it; and so on.
But the acknowledged omission in innumerable
instances even now, and that obvious reason for its

3C8 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 60.
insertion in the rest, when no possible solution cau
be given for the regular omission, induce, to my
apprehension, a probability of the highest kind, that
the Antients never used it at all. — More might be
said ; but this is the substance of the argument.
" In Ovid, Fast. iu. 637, the case stands thus : I
find in books of authority two very different readings,
detonsce and excusscB. Whether either of these words
will do, is by no means the first consideration. I
want some probable account of this strange variation,
which, like all other facts, must have a cause ; and
before the passage can be mended, a probable cause
must be alleged. There is no resemblance in the
letters ; therefore we cannot satisfactorily suppose one
word to have been mistaken for the other, by the
transcriber's eye. I think, therefore, that Grid gave
exustce. Why ? 1. Because it resembles excusscs in
its characters, and most hkely in its pronunciation;
so as to be confounded, either through eye-sight, or
through dictation. 2. Because either detonsa or
excussce may be reasonably supposed a marginal gloss,
or interlineary interpretation of the word proposed ;
of which MSS. are fuU. 3. Exustce, being an elegant
word, and a word which implies some reading and
taste to relish and understand it, would be readily
superseded in the hands of a sciolist (whether tran
scriber, or owner of a MS.), by one more suited to
his fancy ; such as the other readings. These are my
reasons ; none of which can be assigned for the other
two words. If now it should be said, that either of
the other wiU do, I say. No : 1. Because no man, I

1799.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 369
dare say, can bring me any passage, from aU antiquity,
in which frost or cold is said ' tondere foha,' or any
thing like it. 2. Because excussa and its kindred are
M'ords of violence, and, I wiU venture to affirm, are
never apphed to the gentle and gradual operation of
?k frost. (Excuse me, if I appear positive : it is only
in the expression, which one acquires from the study
of mathematics ; where, after constructing the figure,
it is usual to add, ' / say, the triangle so and so is
the triangle required.') And with respect to phrases,
I have noted their peculiarities so copiously in my
own Dictionary, that I speak with some confidence,
on that account merely, with respect to them.
" ApoUonius Rhodius was a great grammarian, as
weU as a poet ; and therefore you should by all
means have an edition with the Scholia. Shaw's,
though of no value as a critical work, is prettily
printed, has the Scholia, and a most exceUent Index ;
and is therefore a very commodious book for use.
You should get the last Svo edition. Brunck, how
ever, it is impossible to do without, on account of his
accuracy, and his MSS. It is a 12mo, not very
easily got : there was one at Lackington's the begin
ning of this year. Stiffness, and want of perspicuity
and simplicity, appear to me the fadings of ApoUo
nius Rhodius.
" Aratus, as a versifier, is much in the same style ;
and in language harsh and difficult, partly from his
subject. His Phcenomena wiU hardly be relished,
but by the lovers of astronomy ; but his other work,
on the Signs of the Weather, must be read, as it has
vol. it. b b

370 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tai. 60.
been translated nearly by Virgil, in Geo. i. The
smaU Oxford edition is the best I know : it is be
come scarce and dear. I rather think they are
republishing this poet in Germany. You would
know by inquiring at Elmsley's. This poet has been
little read, and seldom published.
" Nicander you wUl never have patience to read,
I think ; otherwise, he was also a great linguist, but
as obscure at least as Lycophron ; though his (Nican
der' s) obscurity is in the quaint and learned phrase,
not in the meaning. His first poem, of about six
hundred verses, treats of vegetable, mineral, and
animal poisons, and their remedies : his second, of
about a thousand verses, of noxious animals, their
bites and stings, and remedies. They are good for
me, as a Lexicon compUer, and a scholar by pro
fession ; but I cannot recommend them to you.
" Dionysius Periegetes is, to my mind, the sweetest
and simplest writer, both for verse and diction, of all
the Greeks, far and wide, after Homer. The best
and pleasantest edition, to my ' knowledge, is Ste
phens's, or the Oxford, which may easUy be pro
cured. They are very numerous. There are also
some London editions ; but beware of Wells's mu-
tUated and interpolated edition, for the use of West
minster School.
"Oppian is very puerUe, and writes in a false
taste; but his descriptions are entertaining and
exact. He alone, of aU the Antients, delmeates the
camelopard very accurately, and from nature. He
wUl recompense the trouble of perusal. The best

1799.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 371
edition is Schneider's. BaUu, a Frenchman, began
a very pretty edition ; but the Halieutics, by him, have
not yet appeared. Rittershusius' also is not amiss.
" Nonnus was a Christian poet of much later date
than the former ; of a most puerile and romantic
cast : wrote a poem as long as aU Homer : difficult
to be procured, and not likely to approve himself to
you. He versified also, pleasantly enough, John's
Gospel. "Lycophron by all means read, in Potter's later
edition. A spirit of melancholy breathes through
his poem, which makes him, with his multitude of
events, as delightful to me as any of the Antients.
I have read him very often, and always with addi
tional gratification. His poem is delivered in the
form of & prophecy ; and therefore affects an senig-
matical obscurity, by enveloping the sentiment in
imagery, mythological allusions, and a most learned
and elaborate phraseology. Most obscure in himself,
he is rendered perfectly plain and easy by his scho
liast, Tzetzes, who was a Jew. No man equal to
him in the purity of his iambics ; so that anapaest,
tribrachys, and dactyl, are extremely rare in him.
His narrative of the adventures of the Grecian chiefs,
particularly Ulysses, after the faU of Troy, is infi
nitely interesting ; and his prospect of Xerxes' expe
dition into Greece, the devastation of his army, &c.,
is nobly executed. You cannot faU, I think, after the
first dUficulties are surmounted, to like him much.
" No resemblance, but in the name of the poem,
between ApoUonius Rhodius and Valerius Flaccus.
B B 2

372 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 60.
He and Statius have ideas and expressions frequently
beyond Virgil. Varro wrote an Argonautic Expe
dition, which Valerius Flaccus may possibly have
imitated. " The Classics have been your amusement, not your
study. Alas ! the reverse has been the case very
much with me. I have always reckoned upon amus
ing myself, if I live to grow old; and have been
therefore resolutely labouring, under almost every
species of disadvantage, in my youth. On this
account I never purchased Cowper : I have met with
him occasionaUy. He appears to me a man of fine
genius ; but his Task borders too much on the bur
lesque for a fine poem. My revisal of Pope's Homer
led me to read his translation of the Greek ; and of
aU the miserable versification in blank verse, that is
the most miserable I have yet seen. I have scarcely
any books here ; but I remember the beginning of
Odyssey X. to be the most calamitous specimen of
want of ear that ever came under my notice. It
would be rash in me to give an opinion of his versi
fication elsewhere ; but between his versification in
Homer, and that of MUton's Paradise Lost, there is,
to my sense, as great a difference as can exist be
tween two things that admit comparison at aU. The
Faery Queen stanza was always tiresome to me.
" You would cease to wonder at my twenty thou
sand words, if you saw my Lexicons; words good
and true. You may cease also, when I mention that
there are at least as many words of Nicander as
that poet has verses, in no common Lexicon j two

1800.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 373
or three hundred in Oppian, as many thousand in
Nonnus ; and when I mention further, that in a day,
one day with another, when I am occupied in this
work, I at least add twenty from my reading, for
months together ; some, original words ; the gene
rality compounds. What think you of five hundred
solid and nervous words on the margin of my John
son, not found in him, from Milton only ; and per
haps two hundred from the same source, which John
son gives, but without authority ?
" I am very glad to hear so good an account of
your hand. " I am. Sir,
" Your obliged friend,
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

" Sir,

TO THE SAME.
"DoBOHBSTBR Qaol, Mo/rch, 1800.

I trouble you with the Proposals for my
: Lexicon ; an enterprise of such magnitude, and such
ungrateful labour, as almost overpowers my mind in
the prospect of it. Had some of our most opulent
' countrymen your taste and zeal for antient literature,
a smaU portion of your superfluous wealth would be
readUy apphed to a much more complete performance,
which would not reach above two good volumes in
folio; and the civiUsation of our present barbarous
manners would be essentially promoted, I think, by
the promotion of useful letters. In general, I have
' been always desirous of considering sound learning

374 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 61,
and virtuous manners as convertible terms, — gene
rally, I say, not universaUy; and would wUhngly
subscribe to the truth of one of the noblest passages
in antient poetry :
 ovTe yap tnrvos.

" Sir,

Got' eap e^airivas yXvKepwrepoy, ovre /jLeXurtrais
Aydea, Straov ffiiv JUaaat 0iAat' alts yap ipevvri
VaSeva-al, rcos ov rt ttoti^ SoXtjcToto KipKO,
" I am. Sir,
" Your obliged servant,
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."
MR. POX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
" St. Ann's Hill, Mamh 12th, 1800.

" I received yesterday your Letter, with
the Proposals for the Lexicon, I see innumerable
advantages in an English interpretation; to which
the only objection is, that it vriU confine the sale to
this country : and, how far it may be possible to get
two thousand subscriptions for a work useful only
to English readers of Greek, I am afraid is doubtful.
If Schools and CoUeges are excepted, the number of
those who ever even look at a Greek book in this
country is very smaU : and you know enough of
Schools, no doubt, to suspect that partiality to old
methods is very likely to make them adhere to Latin
interpretations, notwithstanding the clear advantage
of using for interpretation the language we best
understand. My endeavours to promote the work
shall not be wanting, and you wUl of course set me

1800.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 375
down as a subscriber. My idea with regard to a
Greek Dictionary, which I hinted at in a former
Letter, was suggested by a plan of a French Diction
ary, mentioned by Condorcet in his Life of Voltaire.
It is this : That a chronological catalogue should be
made of all the authors who are cited in the work ;
and that the sense of every word should be given,
first, from, the oldest author who has used it ; and
then should foUow, in regular chronological order,
the senses in which it was afterwards used by more
modem authors. Where the sense has not altered,
it should be observed in this manner : ' ©eos, a God.
Homer : and is used in the same manner by the other
authors.' Thus we should have a history of every
word, which would certainly be very useful; but
perhaps it would require a greater degree of labour
than any one man could perform. Condorcet says,
that Voltaire had offered to do one letter of a Diction
ary upon a principle something like this : but, even
if he would have kept his word, one letter of a French
Dictionary, upon this plan, would not be a hundredth
part of a Greek one ; for, besides the much greater
copiousness of the Greek, the great distance of time
between the early and the late writers must make a
Dictionary upon this principle more bulky when
applied to that language, (but, for the same reason,
more desirable,) than it would be in any other.
" Soon after I wrote to you last, I read ApoUonius
(in Shaw's edition, for I have not been able to get
Brunck's); and upon the whole had great satisfaction
from him. His language is sometimes hard, and

376 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 61.
very often, I think, prosaical ; and there is too much
narration : but there are passages quite delightful to
me, and I think his reputation has been below his
merit. Both Ovid and VirgU have taken much from
him ; but the latter less, as appears to me, than has
been commonly said. Dido is, in very few instances,
a copy of Medea ; whereas I had been led to suppose
that she was almost whoUy so : and of Hypsipyle,
whose situation is most like Dido's, ApoUonius has
made httle or nothing. I have lately read Lycophron,
and am much obliged to you for recommending it to
me to do so : besides there being some very charming
poetry in him, the variety of stories is very entertain
ing. Without Tzetzes I should not have understood,
however, a tenth part of him; nor would they,
perhaps, who treat this poor Scholiast with so much
contempt, have understood much more. There
remain, after all, some few difficulties, which if you
can clear up to me, I shaU be much obhged to you ;
and upon which neither Canterus, Meursius, nor
Potter, give me any help. The most important of
these is, that which belongs to the part where he
speaks of the Romans in a manner that could not be
possible for one who lived in the time of Ptolemy
Philadelphus, that is, even before the first Punic war.
Tzetzes speaks, it is true, of such an observation
having been made ; but remarks only upon the absurd
way in which it has been expressed, without answering
the observation itself : and the other commentators
above mentioned are sUent upon it. I see no remedy
but leaving out verse 1226, and aU the foUowing

1800.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 377
verses down to v. 1281 ; and in favour of doing this,
it is to be observed, that 1281 and 1282 have a much
more correct sense if they follow verse 1225, than
placed as _ they now are : for ot ttjv eij.r}v ixeXXovres
ma-Tona-ai Tiarpav cannot Well apply to iEneas or the
Romans ; and Toa-avra, in v. 1286, naturally applies to
the last-mentioned calamities. If these verses are to
stand, I think it must be admitted, that the poem is
not so antient as is supposed, and that, if the
author's name was Lycophron, it was not at least that
Lycophron who lived in PhUadelphus's time. If this
hypothesis is admitted, then Tzetzes' interpretation
of V. 1446 and the following verses is not so absurd
as the other commentators state it to be ; and they
may very well relate to the first of the Ptolemies who
was in aUiance with Rome (I forget his surname);
or stUl better to Philip of Macedon, if the poem was
written soon after his peace with Rome, and prior to
the Roman war with his son Perseus. As the matter
now stands, the allusion is given up as desperate.
My next difficulty is in line 808, in regard to the
word woo-is, which, how it can describe Telemachus
(as is supposed) I cannot conceive. The husband of
whom? of nobody mentioned before: certainly not
of the bajxapros, whom he kiUed : and if of her who
is mentioned after, she is caUed sister, and therefore
the word husband does not naturally refer to her ; for
though she is supposed to be both sister and wife,
yet when you say ' the husband was kUled by his
sister,' it cannot mean a sister that was wife too.
Scaliger, in his translation, has it 'frater :' and Kao-ts

378 CORRESPONDENCE OF [Mtai. 51.
would do for the verse ; but even then the construction
is very hard, as the xao-ts must refer to the abeXifni
mentioned two lines after. As it now stands, I think
it must aUude to some lost story, in which Telemachus,
or some son of Ulysses, is supposed to have killed his
own wife, and to have been killed in revenge by that
vrife's sister, or his own. The difficulty does not
seem to be felt, at least it is not explained by the
commentators. I could not at first understand
ver. 407 ; but I thought I remembered something of
yours upon the subject ; and, upon looking into your
notes upon Ion, I found it perfectly explained ; only
I cannot find in my Lexicons (I have only Stephens's
Thesaurus and MoreU's Hederic) that mvri ever
signifies the string of a bow. In v. 1169, 1 find the
word e^dLTu>p.evrii, from somc such word as ^fliron),
which I cannot find any where. Of this the com
mentators take no notice. In v. 869, I think 7r7;%a
is an incomprehensible expression, if the sense is as
is supposed (for I do not take it to have the double
meaning of the Latin word ' saltus ') ; and I under
stood it, before I looked at the comment, to be a
description of Venus herself, according to one of the
mythological accounts of her birth ; nor am I quite
sure I was wrong. The omission of the particle ye
after Koyxeias, in the same line in one MS, would
rather favour my interpretation. If you have a
Lycophron with you, and much leisure, I shall be
obliged to • you for your opinion upon some of the
above passages ; for, excepting these, I do not think
there are any about which I have much difficulty;

1800.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 379
though I may have forgot some, as I did not note
down any whUst I was reading him : and there are,
besides, many words new to me ; but where the com
mentators have taken notice of them, and so explained
them that I can acquiesce in their explanation, I do
not trouble you with them. The passage you quote
from Theocritus is most beautiful : I suppose Horace
took his idea of his
Quem tu, Melpomene, semel 
from it ; for, besides the general resemblance of the
sentiment, the shape in which it is put seems exactly
the same ; Ovs yap dprjTe, tus ovk, &c.
Quem tu videris, ilium non, &c.
I have written it dp?jre, because I understand, from
my edition, that is the oldest reading ; and if so, I
think the change of Porson rather an elegance than
a defect : not that I should think it worth while to
alter it, which ever way it stood. At any rate, I
like dpevvTi. yaOevaai, as you write it, better than 6puia-ai
yaSmcTi, which is in the text of my edition.
"You have heard from the newspapers, of course,
of my going to the House of Commons last month.
I did it more in consequence of the opinion of
others, than from my own ; and when I came back,
and read the Hues 1451, 2, 3 of Lycophron,
Ti lutKpa ThTifioiv eis avi)Koovs verpas,
Eu Kvg.a KU<pov, eis vairas SuffirXryriSas
Ba^Q), Kevov xj/aWovaa jiaaraKos Kporov ;
I thought them very apposite to what I had been

380 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 51.
about. In the last of the three, particularly, there is
something of comic, that diverted me, at my own
expense, very much. I mean
Ba^o), Kevov ^dWovtra fjuurraKos KpoToy.
" I believe I ought to make you some apology for
this long and tedious Letter ; but trusting to your
goodness, I shall make none, except that it is, in part,
the consequence of that zeal for literature, which you
suppose (and I hope, in general, truly — universally
certainly not) leads to better things.
" Yours ever truly, "C. J. FOX."

MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
"DoEOHESiER Gaol, March IZth, 1800.
" Sir, " I am very glad that you hke Lycophron.
The only exception to him is, that quaintness of
phraseology which borders on burlesque : but I sup
pose the necessity of correspondence with the oracu
lar style of antiquity produced this singularity, for
the old oracles are altogether in this strain. Some
time ago I sent for my Oxford Lycophron, — but
great inconvenience attends the search of my books,
— and an pld copy of another edition came in its
stead, which I cannot use commodiously. I expect
the right book by the fib.-st convenient opportunity
of conveyance ; when I mean to read him again very
attentively, and will keep in view your difficulties
and doubts. In truth, I am very careful about this

1800.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 381
migration of my library ; because all my notes are
on the margins, and I am not fond of hazarding in
considerately the labours of my Ufe. These little
things are great to little men. The disadvantages
and vexations which this confinement has occasioned,
in this way, cannot easily be enumerated, and are
very irksome to my feelings.
"That disadvantage of an EngUsh interpretation
to the Lexicon was foreseen, and, on a general esti
mate, disregarded. I am not very solicitous for its
success; and shall abandon the project without re
luctance, if the country does not furnish encourage
ment sufficient for it. No word, properly speaking,
can have more than two senses : its 'primai'y picture
sense, derived from external objects and operations ;
and its secondary and consequential : a rule which
would make short work, but very proper work, with
most Dictionaries ; and reduce Johnson's strange
ramifications of meaning into twenty or thirty shoots,
to one original sense, and two or three shades of
inferential. " What I once said of my number of additional
words, surprised you. I am reading Manetho, an
old astrologer, whom I have read before, but not
with this particular view ; and one who probably
never came in your way. He is a good writer of
his class, and a most correct versifier ; but deals very
largely in new words. Before your letter came, for
the gratification of my own curiosity, I had noted
all the words, not inserted in Hederic, which I had
met with since the morning. They amount to

382 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tai. 61.
seventy-two ; and not so much as two-thirds of my
day's work is yet finished.
" I should have thought that you might have got a
Brunck's ApoUonius Rhodius at Lackington's. They
had several before my departure from the world. I
shaU begin him in a few days; and may perhaps
trouble you with a few conjectures, though my prin
cipal copy is not here.
" To my mind, nothing was ever more soothing,
in the melancholy strain, than many passages m
Lycophron; but, as you justly observe, he would
be absolutely uninteUigible, in most parts, without
his Scholiast, to whom more obligations are due, on
that account, than to the Scholiast of any other
author whatever.
" I never met with that reading, bpr]Te, in the
second person, in that passage of Theocritus. I
should except to it, because not in his way, as his
poetry does not furnish a beauty of that kind.
MUton very finely adopted it from VirgU, in his
Evening Hymn : Thou also mad'st the night.

Maker omnipotent ! &c.
" In the next page but one of my SUv. Critica,
(vol. i. p. 22,) where I have Ulustrated the verses
of Theocritus by some very beautiful paraUels, p. 23,
are some exceUent exempUfications of that sudden
conversion to address from narrative : to which add
Acts of the Apostles, xiu. 22, xiv. 22 ; for no vn-iter
has been more successful in this respect than Luke :
see, too, Polybius, i. 344, Ernesti's edition.

1800.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 383
" Your absentation from the House is a measure
which always had my most entire concurrence ; nor
do I less approve your late appearance there : not
that I expected any immediate benefit from your
exertions ; but because I think your friends and the
pubhc expected that effort from you. My opinion
was, I own, (but I venture a dissent from you on any
subject, and most of all on this, with extreme diffi
dence,) that you should have absented yourself
sooner ; and for this plain reason : Such discussion
and debate, in opposition to Ministers, contributed
to encourage a delusion through the country, that
measures were to be carried in that House by argu
ment and the force of truth, when they certainly were
not to be carried by such influence.
"There is another author, Tryphiodorus, who is
short, and therefore not very troublesome in that
respect, whom you might wish to read : Merrick
published an edition of him, with an exceUent En
ghsh translation : an edition has been given also by
a pupU of mine, Mr. Northmore : either are easily
procurable, and you would not regret the bestowal
of two or three hours upon him.
"No apology is necessary for any application to
me on these subjects. I shaU be abundantly re
compensed, if my superior assiduity may enable
me to contribute any particle of gratification to your
studies. " I remain. Sir,
" Your obhged friend,
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

384 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 61.

MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
" St. Akh's Hill, March Uth, 1800.
" Sir, " I have received your letter, and will
certainly write to Lord Ilchester, and apply, through
some channel that may be proper, to the persons you
mention ; or take such other measures as, upon con
sultation with my nephew, may be thought advisable.
In regard to the question of submitting to extreme
extortion, if it should come to that, I confess myself
not to be of the stout side, unless it should be neces
sary upon a prudential principle, which I hope it is
not. A person in your situation is not caUed upon
for any voluntary sacrifices to public considerations,
for which he already suffers quite sufficiently. " Yours ever,
" C. J. FOX"

TO THE SAME.
"St. Ann's Hill, March 19lh, 1800.
" Sib, " My nephew writes me word that he is to
see Mr. Moreton Pitt, who, I believe, has more influ
ence, in regard to the prison, than any of the other
magistrates. When I mentioned prudential reasons,
it was not with a view to discourage them, but on
the contrary. But with regard to the effects of an
iU example, I am clearly of opinion that your situation
dispenses with your making any sacrifice to such a

1800.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 385
Qonsideration, when put in competition with your
ease and convenience.
" I am much obliged to you for what you mention
in regard to the Anthologia, which I shall attend to,
as well as to your recommendation of Hales of Eton.
I thought the principal beauties of the Anthologia
would be in Brunck's Analecta ; a book which I have
not yet got, though it is a year since I commissioned
my bookseller to get it for me. I believe the next
Greek author I shaU read wiU be Diogenes Laertius.
" Yours ever,
«C. J. FOX."

" P. S. TUl I know the result of Lord HoUand's
apphcation to Mr. Pitt, I think it best to delay any
other apphcation ; but, you may depend upon it,
whatever my nephew and I can do, shaU be done."

MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
"DOE0HE3TEE Gaol, March 20th, 1800,
" Sir, " It is weU that you have not obtained
Brunck's Analecta; because Jacobs' is a republica
tion of the very book, with infinite improvement ;
and may be had, except the last volume, at any time,
I should think, of Elmsley, if not of your own book
seller. " Another book I forgot to mention, as worthy of
VOL, IV. ° °

386 CORRESPONDENCE OP [JEtat 51,
your notice — the edition of Orpheus de Lapidibus, by
that very modest and most ingenious person, the late
Mr. Tyrwhitt : but take care that his Dissertation on
Babrius, with the exquisite fragments of that neat
and simple writer, be annexed. Scarcely any loss is
more to be regretted than that of Babrius, as you will
judge from his remains ; which I think it probable
that you may not have seen collected.
" When you are at a loss, Quintus Calaber would
amuse you, from the light which his long poem
throws on the Trojan war : and his connection, in
these respects, with the nobler poets confers an
indirect and incidental value on his rambling, and, in ,
general, puerile performance.
" It is singular, and probably you might observe it,
that all the words quoted from Lycophron, in MoreU's
Hederic, are stated as being found in Lycurgus:
' Lycurg' at least in my 4to edition of 1790. And,
on the subject of mistakes. Is it not also extraordinary,
that the verses from Shakspeare, which are put at
the head of the daily occurrences in the Morning
Chronicle, have been wrongly arranged to this day,
through the last ten years, the term of my acquain
tance with the paper ?
" I am sorry that you do not readUy procure
Brunck's ApoUonius Rhodius. The text is wonderfully
improved from his MSS. ; and my doctrine of the
final V evinced beyond all dispute. Brunck, however,
did not see, or would not acknowledge, the omission
to that extent in which I maintain it ; and, you will
perceive, involves himself accordingly in numerous

1800.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 387
embarrassments and self-contradictions, both in that
edition, and his edition of the Tragedians.
" I remain, Sir,
" Your obliged friend,
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

Sir,

SAME TO SAME.
" DOBCHESTBR Gaol, April 8th, 1800.

" As Mr. M. Pitt is going to town to
morrow, and the Duke of Grafton and Lord HoUand
have promised to see him, an application at the same
time to Mr. Frampton could not faU of a beneficial
effect; who, during Mr. Pitt's absence in Ireland,
has interested himself much in the affairs of this
place. " It should be understood that I want no inter
ference with A. in the management of his own family,
or the disposal of his house ; but merely a provision,
by the Magistrates, of a place where I shall not perish
with the inclemency of winter, if A. will not continue
me under his roof at the expiration of this year.
Mr, F. will receive another application, through his
tutor. Dr. Huntingford, warden of Winchester Col
lege, with whom I have occasionally communicated
by letter in former days.
" You wiU find in the Life of Diogenes, in
Biogenes Laertius, whom you spoke of as your
next author to be perused, many diverting apphca-
tions of Homer's verses; and if you have Casau-

c c 2

388 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 61.
bon's Athenseus, the Index prefixed wUl point out
a most ludicrous appropriation of the initial verses
of Sophocles' Electra, by a celebrated courtesan.
If you should not discover the place, or not have
an Athenseus at hand, I will relate the circum
stance for your entertainment, when less incommoded
by the pressure of those inconveniences which
attend these sudden movements at this place ; for
I learn but this moment, Mr. Pitt's intention to visit
London before the Sessions. " I am. Sir,
" Your obliged friend,
" GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
"St. Anh's Hill, April 13th, 1800.
" Sir, " I have not yet begun Diogenes Laertius,
having been a good deal occupied of late. The httle
Greek I have been reading lately has been in Pindar,
.where I confess I find some difficulties ; nor have I
yet met with, any passages equal in beauty to those
odes of his which are in the Eton Extracts.
" I have Casaubon's Athenseus, but (owing perhaps
to my not knowing how to, search them) I cannot
find, in any of the Indexes, the appropriation of the
beginning of Sophocles' Electra, which you mention.
In the list of plays quoted under the head of
Sophocles' Electra, it does not appear; nor can I

1800.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 389
find it from the Index at the end, under the heads '
of Phryne, Thais, or Lais. " I am, dear Sir.
" Yours ever,
"C. J. FOX."

" Sir,

SAME TO SAME.
" St. Ahn's Hill, AprU 20th, 1800.

" I have received a letter from Lord Il
chester, who promises to speak to Mr. Frampton.
My nephew has spoken to Mr. M. Pitt, who seems to
be very wiUing to do what is right, and says he will
speak with you concerning the business. A room at
the gaoler's, if it can be had on moderate terms, I
should think most eligible; and of your obtaining
that, either by Mr. M. Pitt's interference, or other
wise, I should hope there is little doubt.
" Pindar's Pythics appear to me much superior, in
general, to his Olympics : I do not know whether
this is a general opinion : however, the second
Olympic is stUl my favourite.
" I am, Sir,
" Yours ever most truly,
" C. J. FOX."
MB. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
"Dorchester Gaol, May 27th, 1800.
"Sir, " I received my Lycophron a little time

390 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat, 61,
' since ; and have been reading him again. I have
neither the proper books here, nor chronological
memory, sufficient to judge of your objection to the
authenticity of the passage from ver. 1226 to 1281,
from the progress of the Roman conquests at that
time : but a general objection arises to the latter
parts of the poem, from the awkward poetical salvo in
ver. 1373, which one aware of the prophetic charac
ter was not likely to have introduced. But is it
incredible, that an attentive observer of the tinies,
and the rising greatness of the Romans, might ven
ture to predict the extent of their future sway in the
general terms of ver. 1229, especiaUy vrith Homer's
example before him, II. T. 307, 308 ? Just as that
remarkable prophecy also of Seneca,
 venient annis

Secula seris, &c.

might readily force itself on the mind of a phUoso-
pher at aU acquainted with the figure of the globe,
and the disproportion of the terrestrial parts, then
known, to the seas and ocean. The absence of my
books disables me from specifying the tragedy and
verse : but you wiU probably recoUect the passage.
The greatest singularity of this nature, which recurs
to my memory, is an anticipated description of the
Jesuits before the establishment of that fraternity;
which is quoted, somewhere about the time of their
origin, in the Notes to Mosheim's Ecclesiastical His
tory — Maclean's translation.
"At ver. 807—812, I perceive no difficulty, but

1800,] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 391
one, occasioned by the word iroo-ts, rendered obscure
by its nearness to baptapros, to which it does not refer.
I render thus, and understand : ' When he (Ulysses)
shaU breathe out his life, lamenting the calamities of
his son and wife ; which wife (Circe), a husband, or
married man, (namely, of Cassiphone the daughter,)
having slain, will himself go in the next place to the
grave, killed off by his sister (his relation), who was
the relation of Glaucou, &c.'
" The difficulty is increased by the expression of
ver. 809, which naturally carries you to Ulysses,
and his descent into the infernal regions ; but may
easily mean, that she (the wife) went the ¦npiarriv
blov, for ¦n-pojrr/ first; and Telemachus went the
hoiTepav, or after her : which are common variations
of phrase. "As to ver. 407, I[ayr]v, or -naytv var. lect.
means a snare; and so, by inference, a string,
or nervum ; as bird-snares were made of nerves or

"Your interpretation of ver. 869 is exceedingly
ingenious and just. 'Apirrj is used by Nicander for
any pointed instrument in general, as a tooth, &c. ;
and a-TopOvy^, (TTovv^, and equivalent words, are used
in the Anthologia, and elsewhere, for that far-famed
implement in question ; for which apirr] is a proper
term of disguise, in such a composition as the Cassan
dra. Observe, also, how the congenial word eopos,
from eopa, salio, agrees with Tiribrum -. and the ff may
either be omitted, or remain, as the exordium of an
aggregate: ' doubhng both the water, &c.' So that

392 CORRESPONDENCE OF [Mtai.SI.
your conception of the verse seems every way unex
ceptionable and appropriate.
" For myself, I seem arrived nearly at the end of
my reading in this place, with my present stock of
books; and my appetite is apt to flag with the
hUarity of the season, and the tempting appearances
of nature : so that I should not much object to a
liberation at this time, with Lord Thanet and Mr.
Ferguson : but
Truditur dies die,
Novseque pergunt interire Lunee;
and wUl soon accomplish my desires, if not antici
pated by a more arbitrary and speedy summons from
this terrestrial existence. " I remain, Sir,
" Your obliged friend,
" GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
"St. Ahn's Hill, June 20th, 1800.
" Sir, " I have been a good deal occupied of late,
which has prevented me thanking you sooner for your
letter, in which you clear some of my doubts about
Lycophron. I am very glad you approve of my con
jecture about apTTTj ; but it is not even necessary to it
that apirri should bear the figurative sense you men-

1800.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 393
tion. It may mean the instrument with which Saturn
mutilated his father Coelus. I was aware the 6' or re
was very consistent with my interpretation; but to
the common one it is absolutely necessary ; and there
fore its being absent from some of the old copies
makes in favour of my guess ; for, in my supposition,
it may be there or not. I confess I cannot think it
possible, that Lycophron, writing before the first
Punic war, could speak of the Romans as he does :
besides, there is a passage, which I cannot imme
diately lay my finger upon, foretelling an aUiance be
tween the Romans (or at least the descendants of the
Trojans) and the Macedonians ; which may aUude
either to that between the Romans and PhUip, or to
that between them and Ptolemy, but which, as a
particular fact, could never be guessed at so long
before it took place. The prophecy in Seneca's Medea
is very curious indeed. I once saw one relating to
the Jesuits in some history of Ireland (not certainly
Leland's) which may perhaps be the same to which
you aUude. It appeared to me to be the most extra
ordinary thing of the kind I had ever met with ; so
much so, that I am very sorry I did not take a
note of the book and page. I will endeavour to
recover it. Homer's I do not think much of, as
it is easily explained by the supposition that in
Ms time ^Eneas's posterity were in power some
where: whether in Asia, or in Europe, the words
are equaUy appUcable.
"In one of your Letters, long since, you men
tioned that Dawes said, that instead of iXaa-a-oiiJ.ed'

394 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^iat. 61.
avaKTos, it was in the Florentine edition 'iXa<Toij,e(r6a,, so
that the digamma was respected. I have lately been
extravagant enough to purchase the Florentine edi
tion ; and find that it has lXaa-a-u>p.e& , like the other
editions : the line is in the A. 444.
" I am truly glad that you have settled your own
business. I never supposed I could have any influ
ence with Mr. Frampton. His father-in-law, I think,
would be glad to obhge me, and, even independently
of such a wish, would be of the good-natured side of
any question.
" I like parts of the imitation of Juvenal very
much : it is fuU of spirit. You do not say by whom
it is. " Yours ever, "C. J. FOX."

MR, WAKEFIELD TO MR, POX.
" DoROHESTBH Gaol, Jume 21«(, 1800.
" Sir, " No apology for any interval of time in
noticing my Letters is at aU necessary. I usually
send answers immediately, partly from regular prac
tice, and partly from want of room in this place ; so
that what once is dismissed from my sight on the
table, is in danger of being totaUy forgotten. But I
make no requisitions of any one.
" I cannot now recoUect what I said about Homer,
II. A. 444; but I probably misrepresented what

1800,] CHARLES JAMES FOX 395
Dawes asserted, from defect of memory. Common
editions have iAao-o-a)ju,e0' avaKxa. My Florentine,
which is now open before me, has IXaa-a-caiieirea avaKva,
which you see is removed from what is apprehended
to be the truth, IXaaoixeaOa, by only very common and
accountable variations, the doubling of a-, and long
for short o. If it be in yours, as you state, IXaa-o-copted',
it is very strange. I collated the Florentine soon
after I came hither, and found it less serviceable than
I expected. A good deal of suffrage in the final v;
hut as much in the Etymologicon Magnum. See Od.
r. 419. Some small confirmation of the proposed
correction for II. A. 444, exists in Etymologicon
Magnum, p. 97, in as far as o for u>; for the author,
though the passage is most corrupt, very evidently
refers to the verse in question.
" I am. Sir,
" Your most obliged friend,
« GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

MR. FOX TO MR, WAKEFIELD.
"St. Ann's Hill, Jume 26th, 1800.
" Sir, " It is very extraordinary, that our copies
of the Florentine Homer should be so different. In
mine, the dedication to which (to Peter of Medicis,
the son of Lawrence) is dated 1488, it is most
distinctly, as I stated, lAao-o-ojixee'. Observe, that the
I is marked with the lenis, instead of the aspirate.

396 CORRESPONDENCE OF [jEtat, 61,
As my eyes are very indifferent, I at first thought it
might be a mistake of mine, and that there was a
thickness at the bottom of the 0, which might stand
for a 0-; but I observe it is quite the same letter as
in 4>oij3<a 6' lepr]v eKaTop.^7jv, in the preceding hne;
and the mark of elision at the end, instead of the a
is quite clear. Its being lXaa-<r(i>ij,ea-da in your copy,
is a clear justification of the reading iXa(rop,e(T0a, if
that use of the future is common in Homer, which
upon mere recoUection, I cannot say. This variation
between our copies is a very singular circumstance.
" You see the turn affairs have taken in Italy. God
send it may lead to a peace 1 " Yours ever, "C. J, FOX,"

MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
" Dorchester Gaol, June 28th, 1800.
" Sir, " When Heath recommended a reading in
Sophocles on the authority of the second Justine
edition, Brunck, who had never seen that edition,
nor knew indeed of its existence, made himself merry
at the expense, as he supposed of our countryman,
' as if he had got an impression of Sophocles made
on purpose for himself.' I did not entertain so high
an opinion of you, as to suppose the Fates to have
gifted the Itahan typographers with a prophetic
impulse for a provisionary accommodation of a

1800.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 397
Florentine Homer to your future purposes, in exclu
sion of all. other admirers of that poet: but rather
concluded, from your accuracy on these occasions,
¦that two different impressions of this work, much at
the same time, must have gone abroad, as the
product of the same operation ; as we know of two
Aldine Demosthenes, and two Baskerville's VirgUs,
only distinguishable by the more knowing dealers in
these articles.
: "The verse in question is most distinctly and
unambiguously written at length in my copy, and
stands the second in the right-hand page ; perfectly
conformable to my former representation of it. I
suspect yours to be some spurious and managed
copy : of the legitimacy of my own, its pedigree wiU
not suffer me to doubt. Its original owner, of late
years, was Mr. Cracherode : it is a very fine copy ;
but when its curious possessor procured a finer, it
past over to the library of Lord Spencer ; and he, on
procuring one more suited to his taste, transferred it
to Edwards the bookseller, who conveyed it to my
hands for a large-paper Lucretius : so that it exhibits
a genealogy almost comparable to that of Agamem
non's sceptre, or Belinda's bodkin. The knowing
ones, who must occasionally come in your way, wUl
be able, I dare say, to solve your doubts, and clear
up the difficulty. If a surreptitious copy has been
foisted on you, it wiU be prudently returned to its
late owner ; who, if a craftsman, might be aware of
its illegitimacy. But I speak merely from conjecture,
founded on the facts, which our respective copies

398 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 5L
unquestionably would furnish in greater numbers,
from more minute comparison of passages.
" With reference to the conclusion of your favour :
in other circumstances, I might say, that I was so
affected, as not to know whether my head or heels
were uppermost. In my present situation, I shall
employ language more significant and appropriate,
if I say, that I scarcely know whether I am in a
prison, or without. For that man (whom I have
long revered), and for every son of peace and mercy,
my aspiration is, what is inscribed on the entrance of
our cloisters in Jesus CoUege : prosperum iter
FACIAS 1 — My spirit is with him and them.
" It amazes me, that any man can pretend to
believe in Revelation, (and these pretenders are very
numerous,) and not see, if he read but a page of
Christ's lectures in the Gospel, that his religion, and
every hostile propensity, much more actual and
offeusive war, are not only incompatible vrith each
other, but the most unequivocal contradiction in
terms. " I remain. Sir,
" Your obliged friend,
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

" 0<j)pa. which I omitted to mention, is very
variously employed in Homer : a similar government
and power of the word may be seen in verse 147 of
the same book."

1800.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 399

MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
"St. Ann's Hill, October 17th, 1800.
" Sir, " You mentioned to me, some time since, a
wish to have the perusal of some MSS. of the Classics
that may be in private libraries. I shall go to Mr.
Coke's, at Holkham, the beginning of next month ;
who has, as I understand, several, which I will look
at : but if there are any particular authors of more
consequence to you than others, I wish you would
give me a hint, and I wiU endeavour to get the loan
of them for you. I have not been able yet to account
for the difference between my copy of the Florence
Homer and yours ; but have desired au intelligent
person to examine such other copies as may fall in
his way. " I am. Sir,
" Your friend and servant, " C. J. FOX."

MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
"Dorchester Gaol, October 18th, 1800.

•' Sir,

" I thank you for this recoUection of my
request. The loan of any Greek MS., prior in
date to the invention of printing, will be accept
able, of any poet, except Aristophanes; and of

400 CORRESPONDENCE OF [iEiAi. 62.
prose writers, Clemens Alexandrinus and Philo
Judseus. Of the Latin poets, SUius Italicus, Valerius
Flaccus ; and VirgU, if very antient and uncoUated,
otherwise a MS. of him cannot be presumed of much
utUity. " Suffer me to employ this opportunity of thanking
you for your Address to your Electors : it was
seasonable, spirited,, and judicious. I know no men,
who pour out such an abundance of practical good
sense on all subjects, intelligibly to the meanest
capacities and instructively to the best, as Dr. Paley
(I wish that he did not sophisticate too frequently
against his convictions, in rindication of his craft).
Dr. Priestley, and the man who is now addressed
" By his obliged servant,
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

Ma FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
" St. Ann's Hill, January 26th, 1801.
" Sir, " I was at Holkham this year a much
shorter time than usual ; and I am ashamed to say,
that I could not find time to do what I certainly had
voluntarily engaged to do, by searching the library.
Partly a malus pudor, and partly an expectation of
hearing from Mr. Wilbraham that he had repahed
my omission, have prevented me hitherto from giving
you this account :, but it is the true one,- nor will I
attempt at any paUiation. Clemens Alexandrinus,

1801.] CHARLES JAMES POX, 401
if I remember right, was the author you particularly
mentioned, as a manuscript you most desired.
" I am much afraid that it vrill be much longer
than you seem to think, before Europe wiU be
delivered from the horrors of war ; if that be the
delivery to which you look. If you mean only a
deliverance from the odious projects of our Ministers
and then aUies, I consider that as already in effect
accomplished. " I am at present engaged in an attempt to write
a History of the times immediately preceding and
following the Revolution of 1688. Whether my
attempt wUl ever come to any thing, I know not ; but,
whether it does or not, I shall grudge very much the
time it takes away from my attention to poetry and
antient literature, which are studies far more suitable
to my taste. However, though these studies are a
good deal interrupted, they have not whoUy ceased ;
and therefore I should be obliged to you, if you would
teU me your opinion concerning the best edition of
iEschylus. I see, in a Catalogue now before me, that
I can have Pauw's for four guineas, which, if it be
the best, I do not think much. I have no edition
of this poet at aU ; and, consequently, have not of
late years read any of his plays, except the Eumenides
m your coUection. Some passages are grand indeed ;
but there is a hardness of style, and too continual an
aim at grandeur, to be quite to my taste. I think I
have heard that there are detached editions of some
of his plays that are worth having. Now I am
troubling you upon these subjects. If I have time only
VOL. IV. D D

402 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat, 52.
to read one or two of Aristophanes' plays, which
would you recommend me? I never read any of
them. " I suppose Porson's parenthesis, in his Note on
the Phcenissae, ver. 1230, is meant to apply to the
Tragedians exclusively. Whether, even so applied, it
be true, I doubt ; but if applied generaUy, it is
ridiculous. The parenthesis is, " Neque enim diph-
thongus ante brevem vocalem elidi potest."
" The more I consider the passage I once before
mentioned to you in Lycophron, the more I am con
vinced that it is moraUy impossible that a man living
in the time of Ptolemy PhUadelphus (that is, before
the first Punic war) could have vmtten the verses
concerning Rome, beginning at ver. 1226 ; stiU less
those beginning at 1446 : and yet I believe nothing
of the sort is more generaUy believed than that Lyco
phron did hve in the time of Ptolemy PhUadelphus.
Tzetzes takes notice of the objection ; but only carils
at the manner in which it is stated, without answering
the substance of it. The other Commentators say
nothing about it ; only, as to ver. 1446, one of them
is satisfied with saying that he does not know what
it aUudes to.
" I have to return you thanks for the Dio
Chrysostom, which, however, I have not yet looked
into. " I am very truly, Sir,
" Your obliged servant, "C. J. FOX.

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 403
"P.S. I cannot clear up the mystery of my Florence
edition of Homer, differing from yours in the word
IXacra-afied'. I begin to be afraid that mine must be
a spurious copy ; but it has not the appearance of it,
I have not seen any other Florence Homer lately, to
compare it with ; but I have commissioned a friend
to examine one."

MR, WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
" Dorohestbk Gaol, Jamuary 21th, 1801.
" Sir, "MSS., I know, are so scarce in this country,
even in public libraries, that I had formed no
flattering expectations from your researches at Mr.
Coke's ; and, of course, shall feel but little disappoint
ment at an unpropitious issue.
" Several visitors to me at this place had mentioned
your engagement on that part of our political history
which your letter specifies ; and I cannot but lament
that you express yourself with any uncertainty re
specting its accomplishment ; a failure which would
occasion lasting regret to your friends in particular,
and your contemporaries at large : nor do I learn
with pleasure that your affections are not so cordially
in unison with this important and interesting occu
pation, as with other studies, poetry and ancient
literatm-e. "You wUl do well to purchase that edition of
Pauw's iEschylus, unless it be a very inferior copy :
four guineas, as times go, is a moderate price. Pauw
DD 2

404 CORRESPONDENCE OF [.^Etat, 52.
contains the whole of Stanley, who was a very modest
and learned man, of the Derby family ; and the same
who wrote the Lives of the Philosophers. Pauw's
own Notes are of little worth : he was a noisy,
boastful, and injudicious critic. The book is very
neatly printed, and pleasant to the eye. JEschylus is
pompous, but frequently sublime : his principal
defect, as a dramatic writer, seems want of action.
His Prometheus is interesting, as a coUection of
ancient mythology and history, not so distinctly pre
served elsewhere : and Milton's Satan was most
evidently, formed on that character. The Septem ad
Thebas is a fine delineation of heroic manners, but is
made up, almost wholly, of descriptive speeches.
His Persse is not very interesting, and may be con
sidered as a mere sacrifice to Grecian vanity. In the
Agamemnon are some very sublime passages : part of
a chorus in dialogue, verses 1560-1569, contains the
bitterest irony, the most cutting insult, that ever was
written, I think, by man. One feels more respect for
the poet, from his distinction as a citizen, and his
gallantry at the battle of Marathon.
" Schutz has published iEschylus : three volumes
had come out before my arrival hither ; and two more
are expected, containing the last play, index, &c.
They are become, I believe, enormously dear, and
very scarce. I would not advise you to look after
them, except you feel your thirst increase for a more
elaborate perusal, after reading Stanley. The text of
^schylus is in a much less correct state than that
of the other tragedians.

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 405
" The two most popular and most approved, plays
of Aristophanes, are the Ranse and Plutus : but, to
say the truth, Plato and Aristophanes are the only
two celebrated authors of antiquity whom I never
could read through. Often have I determined to
surmount my disinclination ; and as often recoiled, in
the middle of my enterprise : —
 ter saxea tentat
Limina nequioquam ; ter fessus valle resedit.
" If a man loves nastiness and bawdry, he may
find both to satiety, usque ad delicias votorij,m, in his
Lysistratus, and other plays. I do not profess much
squeamishness and prudery on these points, as a
student : but an author whose object is principally
pleasure, and not utihty, must bring with him either
subhme sentiment, magnificent language, or sonorous
verse, to rivet my affection ; — and there is nothing of
these in Aristophanes. Pure diction, easy versifi
cation, and coarse wit, are his excellences. But the
principal obstacle is that obscurity which attends all
writers whose chief object has been the delineation of
vulgar manners, and the transitory peculiarities of
the day. Brunck's edition is the most correct ; but
you would scarcely understand him without the
Schoha, which are not in him, but may be read to
most advantage in Kuster. Perhaps you will prefer
procuring the common London edition, of the begin
ning of this century, which is easily procured, and
contains the Nubes and Plutus, with the Schoha.
"At the desire of the editor, I have reviewed.

406 CORRESPONDENCE OF [.(Etat. 52.
in the Critical Review, two months ago, Porson's
Hecuba and his Orestes, for the coming month.
Porson will know the author ; but I never yet did
anything in this way which I vrished to be concealed,
though not ambitious to divulge it ; nor am I at all
fond of the reviewer's employment, nor engage in it
but on particular solicitation.
" If I live to see London again, I shall take great
pleasure in mentioning your difficulty on Lycophron
to a gentleman, who has studied him more than any
man living, I suppose. He is vicar or rector of some
parish in Bread Street : his name is Meek ; and he is
rightly so called; for a more pacific, gentle, un
assuming, human creature never did exist. He was
somewhat senior to me at Cambridge.
" Some of my friends have very much urged me to
give Lectures on the Classics ; and, on a mature con
sideration of the project, I mean to make the attempt,
by beginning with the second ..^neid, when I leave
this place. I shaU not vrish it to be regarded as a
benevolent scheme, in the least degree ; but as one,
in which those on the spot, and interested in such
pursuits, may expect to receive something hke an
equivalent for their money. When my proposals are
digested and printed, I shaU take the liberty of
sending you one ; more as a token of respect for your
judgment, than with any desire of troubling your
services on this occasion.
" I remain. Sir,
" Your respectful friend,
" GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

180L] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 407

SAME TO SAME.
"Dorchester Gaol, April 2nd, 1801.
" Sir, " I once mentioned, if I rightly recoUect, my
intention of troubling you with the enclosed plan ;
supposing it probable that you might meet with an
opportunity of speaking on the subject, if you should
be in town.
" My printer, I expect, wiU have conveyed to you
a smaU performance on the versification of the Greek
epic writers. This trifle, which I could have printed in
this country, since my commencement of authorship,
for six pounds, and could now print in Paris for less
than four pounds, has cost now no less than seventeen
pounds. I congratulate myself more and more on
abandoning my Lexicon, as the full list of subscribers
would not have defrayed the bUls of the stationer and
printer. Indeed, aU private adventure in the clas
sical way, to any extent, is become utterly impracti
cable in this island ; and must benumb the activity,
and destroy the engagements, of those who reposed
the future comfort of their lives, in some measure, on
these pursuits.
" Our joy on the near approach of liberation has
been tempered by a severe affliction — the loss of our
youngest chUd, on Sunday last. To express the
miseries which my absence has occasioned to my vrife
and famUy, during an agonising Ulness, of alternate
hope and despair, would look like an ostentation of

408 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 62.
sorrow, to all, but those who have been exercised in
similar circumstances by a similar calamity.
" I remain. Sir,
" Yom" respectful friend,
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

MR, POX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
" St. Anne's Hill, April 5th, 1801.
" Sir, " I am exceedingly concerned to hear of
the loss you have sustained, as weU as of the addi
tional suffering which your famUy has experienced
(as of course they must), from your separation from
them during so trying a calamity.
" You mentioned to me before, your notion of
reading Lectures upon the Classics, but not as a
point upon which you had fuUy determined. If I
can be of any use in promoting your views, I will
not faU to do so : for in proportion as classical
studies are an enjoyment to myself (and they are
certainly a very great one), I wish them to be diffused
as widely as possible.
" I have run over, with great pleasure, your disser
tation upon the metre of the writers of Greek hexa
meters. There are one or two things that I am not
quite sure that I understand, but upon which I have
not time, just now, to trouble you with my doubts.
The observations upon verses of the foUowing form,
Eyvus, Evvotriyat€-^e/i7]v ev ffrtideffl ^ouKriv'

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 409
and on the aspirate in the pronouns ot, 6s, los, always
telling as a consonant, appear to me to be quite new,
and very striking. I had myself observed how
sparing Homer is in leaving a vowel short between
two consonants, though one of them be a Uquid ; but
it seems strange, that the author of the Argonautics,
which go by the name of Orpheus, should have been
less scrupulous in this licence than poets of a period
more distant from Homer. That poem is supposed
(is it not ?) to have been written as early as the
age of Pisistratus. " Yours ever, "C. J. FOX."

MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
"Dorchester Gaol, April 6th, 1801.
"Sir, " The project of my Lectures is a very
important event in my future life; but one, whose
success appears, I own, extremely doubtful to my
self "The principal points of my metrical dissertation
seem tolerably well ascertained. Some difficulties wUl
arise of impossible solution, partly from inexplicable
corruptions, and partly, perhaps, from the inconsis
tency and incorrectness of the writers themselves.
That hiatus in the middle of the third foot I once
mentioned to Dr. Parr, and desired his opinion on
it; but, as he revolted at the very mention of it,
and condemned it as a peculiarity unheard of, and

410 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tai. 52.
inadmissible, I made no reply, but concluded it to
have been unobserved by all readers but myself.
" You quote me as speaking of ol, 6s, and los:
whereas, my rule is not true of this last, nor of m,
the substantive in the dative case. I suspect, that, in
many cases, the aspirate has passed into a letter ; and
that loL, by the rule of dactyls, should frequently be
substituted for ol. In antient inscriptions, the aspirate
is found expressed by half the H, thus J- , which,
from quick writing, might easUy pass into an e, by
the loss of two angles ; as the present aspirate ' is
exhibited in the ApoUonius Rhodius with capital
letters, and other books, in its primitive shape h.
The author of the Argonautic Expedition, under
the name of Orpheus, probably interwove in his
poem verses from pure authors, who had previously
treated this subject; of whose works various copies
once existed, as appears from fragments in Suidas,
and from other testimonies : but the present poem
was evidently put into the form now extant by a
writer of very late date, and probably some centuries
posterior to the Christian sera.
" I remain. Sir,
" Your respectful friend,
"GILBERT WAKEFIELD."
[A letter from Mr. Wakefield to Mr. Fox seems to
be wanting here.J

180L] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 411

MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
" St. Anne's Hill, April IZth, 1801,
" Sir, " Your story of Theseus is exceUent, as
applicable to our present Rulers ; if you could point
out to me where I could find it, I should be much
obhged to you. The SchoUast on Aristophanes is
too wide a description.*
" The whole affair relating to the late changes is
as unintelligible to me as to you. That there is some
sort of juggle in the business, appears to me certain ;
but to what degree is difficult to ascertain.
" I think, as you do, the success of your proposed
Lectures doubtful; but am rather inclined to be
sanguine ; if I can do anything to promote it, you
may depend upon me. The second book, upon
which you propose to begin, is a delightful compo
sition. If the lines omitted in the Medici Manu
script are spurious, they are, I think, the happiest
imitation of Virgil's manner that I efer saw. I am
indeed so unwilling to believe them any other than
genuine, that rather than I would consent to such an
opinion, I should be inclined to think that VirgU
himself had written, and afterwards erased them, on
account of their inconsistency with the account he
gives of Helen, in the sixth book.

* The story of Theseus, as applicable to Mr. Addington, was quoted
by Mr. Sheridan in the House of Commons. It came from Mr. Wakefield.

412 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 52.
" I certainly quoted you erroneously, about eos, koi,
&G.; and I perfectly understand your observation to
apply only to eo, ol, e, os, when in the possessive sense ;
and I suppose to ev, when used for eo, ov, for eo is
not, I believe, used in Homer : ov, for oto, foUows of
course, I suppose, the rule of 6s. I do not know
whether you have remarked how very rarely in the
Iliad the final iota of the dative plural is omitted
before a consonant; and even, of the few instances
that do appear, there are several in which there are
various readings. In the one, therefore, which you
mention on another account, it is an additional reason
for preferring your reading ;
Xeipetrty afj.(poTepr]iny aVTjp (pepor
because in the other, ap,(i)OTepris (f>epoi avrip, the final
iota is omitted. The preference of dactyls in the
Greek hexameter Poets is certainly pretty general;
but more remarkable, I think, in ApoUonius, than
in any other, except, perhaps, the Doric Poets. In
Homer there appears to me to be more variety in
this respect; tod his versification is therefore, to
my ear, the most agreeable : but there may be, and
I suspect there is a great deal of fancy in this, on
our part, who are so ignorant of the true antient
mode of pronunciation. Virgil is, I believe, the
most spondaic amongst the Latin Poets ; and some
times evidently wdth a view to a particular expression,
in which he is often very successful. I believe the
foUowing lines are in the third book of the iEneid,
but I am not sure :

1801,] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 413
 Seoretse Troades actft

Amissum Anchisen flebant, cunctseque profundum
Pontum aspectabant fleutes ; heu! tot vada fessis, &c.
Every foot is here a spondee, except those in the
fifth place ; and it seems to me to have a wonderful
effect. There are two lines in the Iliad, one in the
A. 130; the other in *; which, as they are now
written, consist of six spondees each ; but I suppose
they should be written,
ArpEthjs' Toj S" avi^ eK SicppOO (or SitppoFo)—,
and Vvxv^ kikKtjo'kuv narpo/cAEEos SEEAoio.
" I remain, Sir,
" Yours ever, « C. J. FOX,"
MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
"Dorchester Gaol, April Uth, 1801.
" Sir, /¦
" My Aristophanes with the Scholia is not
here. If I am right in my recollection, the story
probably occurs in the Scholia on the Frogs, and
would soon be found by reference to the name of
Theseus in Kuster' s Index. Nor is my Burman's
VirgU with me, whose margin contains my references :
there I should probably have found the desired
passage at^n. vi. 617 ; and there, I doubt not, you
will find references in Heyne's VirgU, which will con
duct you to other authors of the story, ApoUodorus
and Pausanias, or their commentators. Heyne,
you wUl see, mentions the fable without its jocular
appendage ; not foreseeing your wishes on this
occasion.

414 CORRESPONDENCE OF [.^tat. 62.
" Your supposition, that the verses in .^n. u. were
Virgil's own, and omitted by him, vrith the reason for
that omission, pleases me entirely.
" Your opinion of a versification more dactylic in
ApoUonius Rhodius than Homer will scarcely con
tinue with you, I think, after another trial or two.
Where Homer appears spondaic, the cause is assign
able often to a modern orthography, agreeably to a
just remark of your own at the conclusion of your
letter. It vriU scarcely be disputed, I believe, that
the former verse, which you cite, II. A. 130, should be
thus written, as far as the present point is concerned:
Arpe FiStjs' too 5* out' eK httppo^ eyovya^eirdTiy'
which makes great alteration of celerity.
" Your passage of VirgU is not in Mn. iii. but ^n.
V. 613, where you should observe the sluggishness of
the spondaic measures to be relieved by two ehsions,
which, vrith a suitable rapidity of enunciation, become
equivalent to dactyls. Have you never remarked
also, in that same book, a stroke of nature and pathos
nowhere surpassed, and, as far as is known, un
borrowed from the Greeks ? What strains of immor
tality from verse 765 to 772 ! Heyne miserably
mars the passage, by putting nomen for numen (the
beauty of which he did not discover), into the text.
Numen is the baip.ayv, the existing circumstances,
chiefly of a melancholy complexion (as those of our
time and country), which influences or governs the
man and his life at that crisis ; and the verse may be

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 415
well compared with ^n. iii, 372, where also Heyne
appears to be inaccurate.
" Your remark on the unfrequency of the termina
tion ys in Homer, compared with succeeding Ionic
writers, is entirely just.
" My reason for beginning my Lectures with the
second Mneid was its superior importance to the first,
and its priority in order to the other important
hooks ; which to me are, iii. v. vi. vii. and viii.
" I remain. Sir,
" Your respectful friend,
" GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD,
" St, Anne's Hill, AprU IZth, 1801.
" Sir, " I am much obliged to you for your
letter ; and found immediately, from Kuster's Index,
the passage in question. It is in a note upon 'linreis,
ver. 1365. The verses you refer to in the fifth iEneid
are indeed delightful ; indeed I think that sort of
pathetic is Virgil's great excellence in the ^neid,
and that in that way he surpasses all other poets of
every age and nation, except, perhaps (and only
perhaps), Shakspeare. It is on that account that I
rank him so very high ; for surely to excel in that
style which speaks to the heart is the greatest of all
exceUence. I am glad you mention the eighth book
as one of those you most admire. It has always been
a peculiar favourite with me. Evander's speech upon
parting with his son is, I think, the most beautiful

416 CORRESPONDENCE OP [.^tat. 62,
thing in the whole, especially the part from ver. 574;
and is, as far as I know, wholly unborrowed. What
is more remarkable is, that it has not, I believe, been
often attempted to be imitated. It is so indeed in
Valerius Flaccus, lib. i., v. 323, but not, I think,
very successfully. Dum metus est, neo adhuc dolor 
goes too minutely into the phUosophical reason to
make with propriety a part of the speech. It might
have done better as an observation of the poet's, in
his own person ; or still better, perhaps, it would
have been, to have left it to the reader. The passage
in VirgU is, I think, beyond any thing.
Sin aliquem infandum casum 
is nature itself. And then the tenderness in turning
towards Pallas, Dum te, care puer ! &o.
In short, it has always appeared to me dirine. On
the other hand, I am sorry and surprised, that, among
the capital books, you should omit the fourth. All
that part of Dido's speech that foUows,
Num fletu ingemuit nostro 1  •
is surely of the highest style of exceUence, as well as
the description of her last impotent efforts to retain
^neas, and of the dreariness of her situation after his
departure. " I know^ it is the fashion to say VirgU has taken a
great deal in this book from ApoUonius ; and it is
true that he has taken some things, but not nearly so

1801.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 417
much as I had been taught to expect, before I read
ApoUonius. I think Medea's speech, in the fourth
Argonaut, ver. 356, is the part he has made most use
of There are some very peculiar breaks there, which
VirgU has imitated certainly, and which I think are
very beautiful and expressive : I mean, particularly,
ver. 382 in ApoUonius, and ver. 380 in Virgil. To
be sure, the application is different, but the manner
is the same : and that VirgU had the passage before
him at the time, is evident from what follows :

arpevyofievos icapATonri, 
compared with
Supplicia hausurum scopulis et nomine Dido
Ssepe vocaturum. 
It appears to me, upon the whole, that Ovid has taken
more from ApoUonius than Virgil.
" I was interrupted as I was writing this on
Sunday ; and have been prevented since, by company,
from going on. There is another passage in ApoUo
nius, lib. in. 453, which VirgU has imitated too, very
closely, lib. iv. 4, &c., and in which I confess that he
has fallen very short of the original. Before I leave
ApoUonius, let me ask you, whether in Medea's
speech, in the fourth book, to which I have before
alluded in ver. 381, the insertion of ov in the manner
it is there, or at least the collocation of it, is not very
unusual and awkward ? With respect to the com
parison between Homer and him, in point of dactyls,
I cannot help being a little obstinate in my former
VOL. IV. E E

418 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tai. 52.
opinion. I think I would even venture to put it
to this trial : Let aU the long vowels and dipthongs
in Homer be resolved into two vowels, that can be
so, consistently with the metre ; and leave those
in ApoUonius as we find them; and, I say, the
spondees in Homer would stiU exceed those in Apollo-
nius. If you change ev into evi, and eXOeiv into eXSejiev,
&c., in one, it would be fair to do the same, of course,
in the other. My remark, with respect to the datives
plural in Homer, is not confined to those in jjcn ; but
extends also to those in oto-t : the final iota is very
rarely omitted in either of them, except, of course,
where it is elided by a subsequent vowel. Heyne's
substitution of nomen for numen, in the hues of the
fifth Jllneid, appears to me, as to you, very absurd :
but it is fair to say, that in my Roman edition of
VirgU, in which the text is taken from the Medici
MS., notice is taken of various readings, viz. ccelum in
the Vatican, and nomen in the Leyden : and then it is
added, ' In codice olim erat nomen.' By the codice
without any addition, I presume is meant the Medici;
from which, as I said, the text is uniformly professed
to be taken. What difficulty Heyne can find in
regard to numen, Mn. in. ver. 372, is still more
incomprehensible ; but I have not his edition, nor ever
had an opportunity of looking much into it.
" Here let me finish this unconscionable Letter:
but I have dwelt the longer upon VirgU's pathetic,
because his wonderful exceUence in that particular
has not, in my opinion, been in general sufficiently
noticed. The other beauties of the eighth Jlneid,

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 419
such as the Rites of Hercules, and the apostrophe to
him, both of which Ovid has so successfuUy imitated
in the beginning of the fourth Metamorphosis ; the
story of Cacus ; the shield ; and, above aU, the de
scription of Evander's town, and of the infancy of
Rome, which appears to me, in its way, to be aU but
equal to the account of Alcinous, in the Odyssey,
have been, I believe, pretty generally celebrated ; and
yet I do not recollect to have seen the eighth book
classed with the second, fourth, and sixth, which are
the general favourites. " I am, with great regard. Sir,
" Yours ever, " C. J, FOX."
MR, WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
"Dorchester Gaol, April 22nd, 1801.
" Sir, " My reason for omitting ^n. iv. in the
hst of those on which I proposed to give Lectures,
was not a disparaging opinion of its worth ; for, if
the dehneation of human passions, in their most
operative and interesting circumstances, be meri
torious, VirgU's success in that book has attained to
merit of the highest kind ; but because it contains
passages (such particularly as ver. 318, less deUcate,
perhaps, than its paraUel, Soph. Aj. 521) which would
lead to a discomposure of decorum in a miscellaneous
assembly ; and because the dramatic appears to me
less calculated for public exposition than narration
and description ; in both which VirgU supereminently E E 2

420 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 52.
excels. As to the second book, with which I com
mence (if I do commence), the whole imposture of
Sinon, the catastrophe of Laocoon, and all connected
with them, are, and always were to me, the most un
palatable parts of VirgU, and through which I always
work my way with weariness and impatience.
" That intermixture of antient history and primseval
manners in ^n. viii. very much recommends that
book to my fancy ; as the enumeration of the
warriors is the capital excellence of the seventh ; and,
in my mind, as it exceeds everything of the same
kind in Homer, has nothing comparable to it within
the same compass in Greek and Roman poetry.
ApoUonius deserves great praise on that article ; but
then, exclusive of the sentiment, the dignity of
Virgilian language, the magnificence and pomp of his
versification, who has equaUed of antient or modem
artists ? Evander's farewell speech to Pallas justly
merits your applauses. I suppose that I may have
repeated to myself the twelve last verses of it once a
month for these twenty-seven years last past, upon
a moderate average computation. The epUogue to
the same subject, ^En. xii, ver. 139 — 182, is little,
if at all, inferior. The part of Evander's speech,
which you quote, has something heavy and unfinished
in the monotonous terminations of the adjoining
words : which the poet, I am inclined to think, would
have corrected on revisal :
Sin aliqwm int&adum casum  ,
"^En. iv. 457 — 469, is finely imagined, and imi-

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 421
tated with great success by Ovid, and Pope in his
Eloisa. " As for Virgil's imitations of ApoUonius Rhodius,
they detract very little from his sum of excellence.
The characteristic merit of a poet is founded on his
general delineation of human character, with the
main conformation of his poem, and the concatenation
and correspondence of its parts ; not on a few inci
dental obligations to his predecessors. On the
whole, I read VirgU's Dido with more pleasure than
the Medea of his original : one appears to me some
what artificial and indistinct ; the other, all perspicuity
and nature.
" Your hesitation at ApoUonius Rhodius, iv. 881,
and mention of the difficulty in your Letter, furnishes
me with an additional proof, to the many which I
have before experienced, how important the sugges
tions and communications of another are found, even
with respect to passages the most familiar, and to a
superficial view the most unexceptionable. I per
ceived instantaneously, on turning to it at your sug
gestion, what never else, in aU probabUity, would
have presented itself to my mind — that a shght error,
wliich I think you wiU acknowledge, occasions the
awkwardness in question. We should read, I am
persuaded :
He na\' evKKeiris ; Tiva S' AT Ttaiv rie fiapeiav
Attiv ov fffivyepas, K. t. K.
'Nay, rather, on the other hand— .' which is perfectly
consonant, in my opinion, both to the power of the
particle, and the exigence of the context. But is the

422 CORRESPONDENCE OF [jEtat. 52.
passage unexceptionable yet ? I think not. Brunck
perceived a difficulty, it is plain, though he says
nothing ; and he has accordingly attempted to remove
it by an interrogation at evKXeir^s. But does tje ever
introduce a question, unless another rje, or 77, precedes ?
I believe not : and, without an interrogation, it is
made in Shaw and others equivalent to rj certe, or
brj ¦ which is inadmissible again ; for jje never has
any such power. I read, therefore, and the reasons
for corruption are obvious and probable,
H jUaA* evKKeiTjs' 
' Certainly, very honourable !' sarcasticaUy and ironi-
caUy ; which seems quite in character, and escapes aU
embarrassment and exception of phraseology.
" You have a right, I beheve, from an experimental
comparison of a few passages, not to be, as you
candidly express yourself, a little obstinate in your
opinion respecting the superior frequency of dactyls
in ApoU. Rhodius to Homer, but greatly persevering
in that opinion. Homer's deficiency, however, seems
ascribable to the more frequent recurrence and greater
number of his proper names ; many of which are spon
daic in their syUables : Kias, Arpeib-qs, Hpri, A&qvatri,
KipKrj, Uoo'eibacov, Neoro)/), 'Exrajp, A^atoi, Obv(r(revs,
UrjXeibrjs, Axi-XXevs, KaXv\jra>, AiroAAov, 'Epp.ris, 'Epp,eMS,
A^pobiTT), (pi.Xop.p.eibris, &c., perpetually recurring.
" I did not censure Heyne, or did not mean to
censure him, at Mn. ver. 768, for preferring nomen
as his own conjecture, but for accepting this reading
of the MSS,, to the exclusion of the other. You
surprise me exceedingly by saying that you have not

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 423
Heyne. I know it has been fashionable, of late,
wUh many, to undervalue his exertions on VirgU, and
particularly with the Eton men, who primi rerum
omnium esse volunt ; but I would not want his
edition, and Burman's, on any consideration : they
are absolutely essential, in my judgment, not only to
a critical perusal, but to an elegant perception of this
most accomplished and delightful author.
" My Lectures are, with me, an object of great
importance : for, without the assistance of this project,
aU my schemes of future editions must be frustrated,
under the present conditions of this country, — the
monstrous price of printing in the dead languages,
and the enormous rise on paper, such as to be
doubled since my sepulture in this delectable abode.
Should this attempt on VirgU meet with tolerable
countenance, I had meditated a simUar experiment
on a Greek Poet, in the winter.
" A thought comes into my head, which I do not
recoUect to have imparted to you before. A very
imperfect notion is entertained in general of the
copiousness of the Latin language, by those who con
fine themselves to what are styled the Augustan
writers. The old Comedians and Tragedians, with
Ennius and Lucilius, were the great repositories of
learned and vigorous expression : and their language,
with the diction of Lucretius and VirgU, is, to a cer
tainty, largely preserved to us in some writers, littie
read, but to me, I own, the sources of much amuse
ment, and more information ; several of them at the
same time characterised by a tiuly masculine and

424 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 52.
original eloquence : Tertulhan, Arnobius, Apuleius,
A. GeUius, and Ammianus MarceUinus. Their words
are usually marked in Dictionaries as inelegant and
of suspicious authority ; when they are, in reality, the
most genuine remains of pure Roman composition. I
have ever regarded the loss of the old Roman poets,
particularly Ennius and LucUius, from the light which
they would have thrown on the formations of the
Latin language, and its derivation from the ^olian
Greek, as the severest calamity ever sustained by
phUological learning.
" Another thought also, of a different complexion,
recurs to memory. I often wonder, that your highly
respectable friends in the House of Commons, who
are tossing their words with such wonderful per
severance, day after day, to every wind that blows,
when the objection of no petitions coming against the
suspension of the Habeas-Corpus Act, &c., is m-ged
upon them by Ministry, do not reply, by stating the
inefficacy of petitions in one very singular and appo
site example, — the case of the Slave Trade ; on which
occasion few counties and tovms in England, to the
best of my recoUection, were wanting in this effort :
with what success I need not mention.
" The stations of no men in this kingdom do I ever
feel myself inclined to regard with an eye of envy,
except those of the masters and tutors of colleges in
Oxford and Cambridge; who are possessed of aU
possible implements and opportunities to pursue and
encourage literature, and continue sleeping
 ' fjioKa fiaKpov
arepfiQva VTjyperov inrvov.

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 425
over their desirable appointments. The masters,
also, of our great pubhc schools are placed, to my
apprehension, in enviable situations. In short, edu
cation is of such incomparable value, in my opinion,
that I cannot help coveting the condition of every
man who is rendered capable of conducting it with
efficiency and extent. " I remain. Sir,
" Your obedient servant,
" GILBERT WAKEFIELD."
MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
" St. Ann's Hlll, Api-il 28th, 1801.
" Sir, "I am much obliged to you for your
caution about Heyne's VirgU ; and if I purchase it at
aU, I wiU wait for the new edition. When I was a
book buyer, in my younger days, it was not in
existence ; and lately I have bought but few classical
books, except Greek ones ; and some Latin authors,
of whom I had before no edition. I had once a good
many editions of Virgil; but having had frequent
occasions to make presents, and Virgil being always
a proper book for that purpose, I have now only the
fine Roman one, in three volumes folio ; a school
Dolphin ; a Variorum ; and Martyn's Georgics. I
am glad to find that you are not the heretic about
the fourth book that I suspected you to be. Your
reason for omitting it may be a very good one. I
think the coarsest thing in the whole book (not
indeed in point of indecency, but in want of

426 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 52.
sentiment) is ver. 502, ' She thought she would
take it as she did the last time,' is surely vulgar
and gross to the last degree. How very strange
it appears to me, that that character of perfection
or faultlessness, which so justly belongs to the
Georgics, should have been so frequently apphed
to the iEneid ! and yet even in QuintUian there is
the expression of ' Quanto eminentioribus vincimur,
sequalitate pensamus,' or something like it, which,
according to the common interpretation of the words,
seems to justify such an opinion, as far as his authority
goes. I am much obliged to you for referring me to
the passage in the Ajax, which is exceedingly beau
tiful, and certainly more delicate than VirgU's ; and
yet, I own, I shoiUd never have thought there was
much indelicacy in si quid dulce meum ; but perhaps
I am not so nice upon such subjects as others are.
By the way, in the Ajax, v. 514, there is 6 n ^A.e™,
another instance in refutation of Porson's absurd
assertion in the Note upon the Orestes, ver. 64, ' ubi
verbum in brevem vocalem desinit,' &c. Is not n a
short syllable ? and is it not foUowed by /3A., two con
sonants ' quse brevem esse paterentur ? ' In short, I
doubt whether, except the play he was actuaUy pub
lishing, and the Phcenissse, he could have found
another wherein there was not a contradiction to his
position. The epUogue, as you call it, to the story of
PaUas, and which you erroneously quote as being in
^neid xii. (it is in ^neid xi.), is indeed capital, but
not equal, in my opinion, to the parting speech ; but
then, /think that nothing is. There appears to me

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 427
something harsh and difficult in the construction
in the last lines of the epUogue. It may, perhaps,
be owing to the habit we are in of comparing him
to Homer, the most perspicuous of all poets ; but, to
say the truth, perspicuity does not appear to me to
be among VirgU's chief excellences. As we are upon
the subject of Pallas (in which the poet is always
peculiarly happy), I hope you admire the two lines,
Mn. X. 515, 516. I quite agree with you as to
Sinon and Laocoon ; though some of those passages,
which are become so trite as quotations, are in them
selves very good ; such as ' Timeo Danaos,' ' Hoc
Ithacus velit,' &c. ; but if Sinon and Laocoon are
cold and forced, the Death of Priam, the Apparition
of Hector, &c., amply compensate. Your notion, in
respect to poets borrowing from each other, seems
almost to come up to mine, who have often been
laughed at by my friends as a systematic defender of
plagiarism : indeed, I got Lord Holland, when a
school-boy, to write some verses in praise of it ; and,
in truth, it appears to me, that the greatest poets
have been most guilty, if guilt there be, in these
matters. Dido is surely far superior to Medea in
general; but there are some parts of ApoUonius,
such as lib. in. from 453 to 463, and from 807 to
816, that appear to me unrivaUed. Your correction
in Arg. iv. 380, from ov to av, must please me ; for I
had thought myself of changing the other ov, in the
following line, to av ; but I dare say your coUocation is
better. The difficulty also of rje for 77 or br] had struck
me ; but seeing no notice taken of it by the editor, I

428 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 52.
was too diffident of my own knowledge of the lan
guage to pronounce it to be wrong. In my edition
(Shaw's octavo), it is without the note of iuterro-
gation ; and I think such a note would take off
greatly from the spirit of the passage ; besides the
impropriety, which you suggest, of the use of Tje, even
in that case. If it is a question, it should be, I sup
pose, either -qpa or apa. Your emendation, rj jmuX'
evKXeirjs, seems to take away all difficulty, and is quite
simple. By the way, a few lines below, the pronoun
a-e is repeated without any apparent cause ; or any
elegance, that I can see, in the repetition. I sup
pose the second o- may be omitted, and that ep,a may
stand in that part of the verse without it ; or if not,
should the first e be changed into re, " eK he TE
irarpris " ? Your observation on the utUity of com
munications upon these subjects may possibly be the
cause of my making many trifling ones upon them.
There is a strong instance of ApoUonius's delight in
dactyls, in one of the passages quoted, lib. iii. ver.
813, where he changes Homer's 6p,r]XiKiris eparewr^s into
irepiyqeeos. The loss of the older Roman writers is
certainly the greatest that could have happened to
phUology ; and probably, too, on account of their own
merit, is in every view a considerable one. Of the
more modern writers whom you mention, I have
never read any but A. Gellius. I bought Apuleius
last year, with an intention to read him, but some
thing or other has always prevented me. I never
saw one quotation from Tertullian that did not appear
to me full of eloquence of the best sort ; and have

1801,] CHARLES JAMES POX. 429
often thought, on that account, of buying an edition
of him ; but have been rather discouraged, from sup
posing that it might be necessary to know more than
I do of the controversies in which he was engaged, to
rehsh him properly.
"With respect to your Lectures, I should think
that Latin would succeed better than Greek authors ;
but this is very uncertain. From the audience,
however, which you may have upon the first, it
wiU not be difficult to collect what probability
there is of getting as good, or a better one, to the
second. " It woiUd be very good in argument, to state the
inefficacy of the petitions on the Slave Trade, in the
way you mention ; and I do believe that, in fact, the
supposed inefficacy of petitions has been one of the
great causes of the supineness, or rather lethargy, of
the country: but it is not true, that petitions, though
they have been ultimately unsuccessful, have been
therefore wholly inefficacious. The petitions in 1797
produced, as Mr. Pitt says (and I suspect he says
truly), the negotiation at Lisle : no great good, you
wiU say ; but stUl they were not wholly inefficacious.
And even with regard to the Slave Trade, I conceive
the great numbers which have voted with us, some
times amounting to a majority, have been principally
owing to petitions. Even now, in this last stage of
degradation, I am not sure that if the people were
to petition generally (but it must be very generally)
that it would be without effect.
" Your attention to the unfortunate wretches you

430 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^Etat. 52.
speak of must do you the highest honour, in the eyes
of aU men, even of Tory justices ; and that is saying
dapcraXeov eiros. " Yours ever,
" C. J. FOX

" P. S. According to your maxim of not aUowing
the valuable article of paper to go unemployed, I vriU
trouble you vrith one more question, relative to Ajax,
ver. 511, and that is, how do you construe bipurerai,
there ? Stevens says ' bLoia-erai, apud Sophoclem, " de-
portabitur," ' as if it were a peculiar use of the word
by that poet. But I do not think deportabitur wiU
do in this place weU. The Latin version in my edi
tion, that is, Johnson's, printed at Eton, says deseretur ;
but how btourerai, which I supposc to be the future
middle of bLa<t>epe(r6ai, is to mean deseretur, I do not
conceive. " c. J. P."

MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX.
Dorchester Gaol, April 29th, 1801.
" Sir, " Your Variorum VfrgU, if Emmenesius's,
is a good book, and contains Servius's Exposition;
without which every VirgU is defective, on account
of that grammarian's antiquity and real merit. There
is, in the British Museum, an unpublished MS. of
the same grammarian's, a Vocabulary of Synonymes :

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 431
and everything of this kind, which wUl soon perish
for ever, and which abounds everywhere, should be
pubUshed : and these helps to literature, if a national
concern, would not all amount to one's day's expendi
ture by frensy and corruption.
" Mn. iv. 602, is a very difficult passage, and un
inteUigible, I own, to me. If quam be genuine, the
construction must be, quam evenit in morte Sychwi ;
but where can such another construction with the
comparative be found? Your acceptation, in that
case must be admitted. I had conjectured, I see, jam
for quam : and I conceived the general sentiment to be
this : ' As Dido had endured that great calamity,
under lamentable circumstances (the death of Sychseus
by her own brother, Pygmalion), without such an
act of desperation as suicide; her sister had not
anticipated this catastrophe now, nor prepared her
mind for it.' See vi. 104, 105, which seems not
much amiss : but I have referred, with approbation,
to Keen on Corinthus upon Dialects ; and that book I
sent home, to my house in the town, a few days ago.
" The imperfect state of the ^neid is sufficiently
clear from the hemistichs, little inconsistencies and
inaccuracies which the author would certainly have
corrected; but this imperfection might have been
indubitably inferred from his own dying directions
for its destruction ; a piece of history, which never
admitted, to my recollection, of any controversy.
QuintUian, I presume, by his cequalitate pensamus,
means to intimate, that VirgU, if he have not taken
such lofty flights as Homer, never approaches so near

432 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 52.
the ground, nor degrades himself by the puerilities
and coarsenesses of his master.
" I have no Virgil here, which contains Servius ;
but you may consult him on the quid dulce meum.,
and see what the Antients coUected from that ex
pression. " As to your passage from Sophocles, rl /SAeirco, /3A
are not those consonants before which the Tragedians
shorten syllables.
" I caU the part of ^En. xi., which finishes the story
of PaUas, the epilogue, in the rhetorical meaning of the
term ; for the lamentable termination of his warfare.
The ertiXoyos was that portion of the oration which
was devoted to commiseration only ; and as this was
the conclusion, the term gained the secondary sense,
afterwards, of conclusion in general. A beautiful
passage in Longinus owes its exceUence to this pri
mary and proper use of the word, perceived by no
editor before Toup : where Longinus, in speaking of
those parts in the Odyssey which relate the death of
Antilochus and the other Grecian chiefs, in aUusion also
to the veKvop.avreia, calls that pocm the epilogue of the
Iliad ; i. e. \h.e funeral oration, as it were, of those
heroes whose living adventures had been celebrated
in the former poem.
"Certainly Ma., x. 515, 516, are highly sphited ;
and the vivacity of the conceptions is w.eU delineated
by the rapidity of the composition, unfettered by
copulatives, and unretarded by epithets. The se
cond ^neid, abating those exceptions of Sinon and
Laocoon, is incomparable. The exordium is most

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 433
dignified and solemn, as well as natural and pathetic
to perfection ; and what foUows the introduction to the
havoc of the Greeks, after issuing from their retreat,
exhibits, to my fancy — in an adequate display of
events, the most awful and affecting, of the most
turbulent and soft emotions — all the capacities of
human genius.
" With respect to imitation, much may be said on
so copious a subject. The uniformity of Nature sup
plies, of course, those thoughts which inevitably sug
gest themselves to every contemplator, but which
become the property of the first occupant ; so that
sameness and similarity often subsist without imita
tion in reality. Then, as few poets have written
without some exceUences, these catch the peculiar
attention of every succeeding genius, and are often
imperceptibly assimUated with his own ideas, and
often borrowed for the purpose of different applica
tion or improvement. Virgil's Georgics arose pro
bably from the works of Hesiod and Nicander ; but
how much superior to one, and probably to the other ?
The same of Pope's Rape of the Lock, and many
other poems, which would be but UI exchanged for
their originals. There is scarcely a verse in VirgU,
MUton, and Pope, that does not savour of their pre
decessors; and yet they wiU ever be acknowledged
as prime artists in Parnassus.
"As to ApoU. Rhod. iv. 386, it is rather observable,
that Brunck has put into the text his conjecture,
which is also yours, eK be TE narp-ns- and that 1, irom
observing (as fully shown in my Noctes Carcerarim)

434 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 52.
how TE foUows the pronouns, had conjectured on my
marghi, Avtlk epai. r eXaireiav ; and this is confirmed
by two Paris MSS.
" One reads TertuUian purely for his style and con
ceptions, not for the pertinency of his argumentation.
They were miserable advocates of their own system.
Apuleius is to Cicero, and such writers, what Burke,
in his most glorious extravagances, is to Addison or
Swift, as to composition.
"As to petitions to Parliament, many powerful
impediments stand in their way. 1. The political
acrimony of the times, which terrifies some of inde
pendent conditions ; and many, who subsist by their
superiors, 2, The general and constitutional indif
ference of the majority in aU societies, who prefer
indolence with suffering, to the chance of redress
from exertion and activity. 3. The raore extended
speculations of some, who cannot acquiesce in those
formalities of language, respecting Royalty and
Parliaments, which commonly enter into these peti
tions. 4. The expense, more or less, of such efforts,
which usually falls on a few ; and on whom the
demands of all sorts, for money, have been pressing
and frequent during the war, in consequence of
their principles. My experience and connections
have led me to some knowledge of these matters.
I have a brother at Nottingham, who is a prime
mover in all business of a public nature, whether
political or benevolent, to an extent, and with an
estimation among his townsmen, with which, I
believe, no private individual in this country can

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 435
compare; and my own actual observation agrees
with his reports. 5. The tricks in counteracting,
and counter-petitioning, are innumerable, and too
successful. " As to the prisoners here, not a man among them
but would be reformed to a certainty, by good in
struction from those who proved themselves kindly
interested in their welfare by their actions ; and it is
most afflicting to see them sentenced by the justices
to one, two, &c., to seven years, for the veriest trifles,
if all the circumstances of their condition be con
sidered. Time, and the necessity of endurance, will
blunt the acutest sensations of the heart ; but the
miseries sustained by these unhappy people, without
one effort of instruction and reformation, in the
midst of keen hunger (which the prison allowance
leaves in painful exertion unremittingly), when I first
came among them, prest down my spirit to the
earth : KAoioy evi Kexeeffai KaBiifnevos, ovSe vv fwi KTjp
HBeK' en ftoeiJ', Kai Sp^v (paos ijeAioio.
, "As to bLoia-erat in Soph. Aj. 511, 1 see, from my
margin, that Suidas touches on the word ; but I
have no Suidas here, nor any Sophocles with Notes
or Schoha. The sense of the word, however, if you
do not look too far, but consider only its simple
energy, is most satisfactory and evident. Ata^epw
is essentially and literally to carry through ; and, in
the middle voice, to carry one's self through. ' How
then, when forsaken by you, wiU he carry himself
p p 2

436 CORRESPONDENCE OF [jEtat. 52.
through (^get himself through — go through, i. e. life)y
under guardians of unkindly manners and affec
tions ? ' " I remain. Sir,
" Yours respectfully,
" GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
"St. Ann's Hill, June 5th, 1801, '
" Sir, " I was called to town upon business just
after the receipt of your last Letter ; and partly by
going backwards and forwards, partly by company
here, I have been so taken up, that I have had little
time to myself. But if I do not write now, I think,
by my computation, that I shaU scarcely have an
opportunity of directing another Letter to Dorchester
Gaol. I am much obliged for the great quantity of
information which your latter Letters have given me ;
but at this moment have only time to notice one or
two points, ^x, you tell me (and I doubt not but
you are right), are not two letters before which the
Tragedians make vowels short. I was led to suppose
they were, from rX, kX, nX, ex, xX, 0X, being undoubtedly
of that description. Your information diminishes
considerably the number of instances which had
occurred to me, against Porson's dictum, in his Note
upon Orestes, ver, 64. If yX and yv are taken from
me, it will be diminished still more : but even then
I have some instances remaining ; and have no

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 437
doubt, upon reading with that view, of finding many
more, as those I had collected were entirely by
chance. For the present, take two : Medea, 246,
and Euripides' Electra, 1058. Upon looking again
at Medea's speech, in the fourth book of ApoUonius,
I doubt whether ?je be not used, ver. 357, in nearly
the same way as Brunck, when he puts the note of
interrogation, supposes it to be, ver. 380 ; and yet I
can conceive or, by an ellipsis of the sense, to have a
meaning in ver. 357 which it cannot have in ver.
380. " I sincerely congratulate you, upon your being
arrived so near to the end of a confinement which
I shaU ever consider to have been as disgraceful to
the government of the country, as it has been
honourable to you. " Your obedient servant, " C. J. FOX."

SAME TO SAME.
"St. Ann's Hill, June llth, 1801.
"Dear Sir,
" Fenton, in a sort of note prefixed to his
translation of Sappho to Phaon, says, that we learn
from the Antients that Phaon was an old mariner,
restored to youth by Venus. In Burman's Ovid
there is a note from Egnatius, referring to some
other work of his (Egnatius's) upon the subject;
and there is some reference too, in my Variorum
Ovid, to JEhan's Various History, which I have not.

438 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 52.
This is not a very important subject of inquiry ; but
I own I have a sort of curiosity concerning this
history of Phaon, which if you can instruct me how
to gratify you wiU much oblige me.
" I sincerely hope you are better satisfied with the
state of your son's health than you seemed to be
when you were here. If accident (I hope not of
the same sort as the last) should bring you again
this way, I flatter myself you will make me a longer
visit. " I am, dear Sir,
" Yours ever, " C. J. FOX."

MR. WAKEFIELD TO MR. FOX
"Hackket, August 12th, 1801.
" Dear Sir,
" I hope, in no long time, to be able to
consult my books, with a view of answering the-
queries in your last favour, as I have taken a
house in Charter House Square, to which I expect
to remove by the latter end of next week.
" There is, at a bookseUer's in Oxford Street, a
large-paper Brunck's ApoUonius Rhodius, price
eighteen shillings. The book is become so scarce
as not be procured in common paper; but I could
not determine whether you would choose a finer
copy, or I would have secured it for you.
" I am. Sir,
" Your respectful and obhged friend,
" GILBERT WAKEFIELD."

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

439

MR. FOX TO MR. WAKEFIELD.
"St. Ann's Hill, August 21st, 1801.
"Dear Sir,
" On my return hither yesterday, from a
short excursion, I found your Letter, with its inclo-
sure, which I return. It is a piece of news to me
(that would be very agreeable, if it were true), that
I have finished an historical work. That I have
begun one, is true ; and that I have had numerous
apphcations relative to the publishing, is equally so :
and I should be obliged to you, if you would give
the same answer to Mr. PhUlips that I have given to
other applicants ; which is, that I do not mean to
decide on the mode of publication, much less upon
the bookseller to be employed, till the work is nearly
finished ; and till that time I wish to remain entirely
unfettered by any promise or engagement. The hard
usage Mr. P. experienced at Leicester would certainly
incline me at any time to do him a good office, if it
were in my power.
"I should be very glad to have the copy you
mention of Brunck's ApoUonius; and if you had
mentioned the name of the bookseUer in Oxford
Street where it is, I would have written to him. If
you have an opportunity, I wUl trouble you to bid
him send it me by the stage, and I wiU remit him
the price.
" I have found, since I wrote to you, a great deal
about Phaon, by looking into Bayle, who referred me

440 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 50.
to Lucian ; a note in Heyne's VirgU, which I found
at Woburn, and Palsephatus, which I have not seen,
but from whom there are extracts, in some of the
books I have looked into, containing, as I suppose, aU
he says upon the subject.
"I observe in Brunck's Analecta, which I have
lately purchased, that he takes no notice of the
doubts concerning the authenticity of the Remains of
Anacreon. I have always supposed them modern;
but I understand there has been discovered a Manu
script which proves them to be of a certain degree
of antiquity, or at least not a forgery of H. Stephens.
The style of them apjjears to me very modem ; but
yet that preserved in A, Gellius bears a strong resem
blance to some of the others. As to their being
really Anacreon's, I should require very strong evi
dence to satisfy me. " Yours ever, « C.J. FOX.'

LETTERS FROM W&. EOX TO IVTR. TROTTER.
LETTER L
"St. Ann's Hill, Februai-y 21«<, 1799.
" My DEAR Sir,
" I do assure you, your letter of the 28th
ultimo, gave both Mrs. F. and myself the highest
satisfaction, as it was a long time since we had heard
from you, and had learned from Bob that you had
been very ill. He is not now here, but the next time

1799.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 441
I see him, I wiU teU him how shabby it is of him not
to write to you.
" I am sorry to hear your account of the people of
the North, and I think they are bad politicians not to
see that the support of the Anti-unionists would
mfaUibly lead to the procuring of the substance,
instead of the name, of a parliament. The Anti-
unionists must feel (and this was my opinion before
their defeat on Lord Corry's motion) that they are far
too weak to struggle against our minister, without
the assistance of the people ; and, consequently, they
must accede to Reform of Parliament, Catholic Eman
cipation, and, in one word, to a real and substantial
representation of the people, which must produce
a government as popular and democratic as any
government ought to be. As things are, I am
afraid they will fail for want of support, and that
even the Union itself may be forced upon you ; and
then the consequences, either way, wiU be dreadful
indeed. " We are very glad you think of being in England
in AprU, when I hope you wUl come and hear our
nightingales. We have had a great deal of bad
weather, but it is growing better, and the crocuses,
snowdrops, &c., are giving us, every day, beautiful
mdications of approaching spring. Mrs. F. desires
to be kindly remembered to you,
" I am, my dear Sir,
" Yours ever, " C. J. FOX."
" John B. Trotter, Esq., 'Vianstown,
near Downpatrick, Ireland."

442 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 51.
LETTER IL " St. Ann's Hill, Thursday.
" Dear Sir,
" I received by Tuesday's coach your
pamphlet upon the Union, and your verses, for which
Mrs. F. particularly desires me to thank you ; we
both hke them very much: I think you put your
objections to the Union entirely upon the right
grounds ; whether there is spirit in Ireland to act up
to your principles, is another question. I do not
know whether you ever heard that it is a common
observation, that Irish orators are generaUy too
figurative in their language for the Enghsh taste;
perhaps I think parts of your pamphlet no exception
to this observation; but this is a fault (if it be a
fault) easily mended.
" As to Italian, I am sure, from what you said,
that you are quite far advanced enough, to make a
master an unnecessary trouble and expense ; and there
fore it is no excuse for your not coming, especiaUy,
as it is a study in which I can give you, and would
certainly give you with pleasure, any assistance you
could wish. In German, the case is, to be sure,
quite different, as I do not know a word of it, nor
have any German books ; of Italian, you know we
have plenty.
" I am sure I need not tell you, that whenever you
do come, you will be welcome. " Yours ever,
"C. J. FOX."

1800.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 443

LETTER IIL
" I KNOW of no better, nor, indeed, scarce of any
other life of Cicero, than Middleton's. He is certainly
very partial to him, but, upon the whole, I think
Cicero was a good man. The salutary effect of the
burning of his houses, which you mention, is, indeed,
too evident ; I do not think quite so iU of his poem
upon Caesar as you do ; because I presume he only
flattered him upon the points where he reaUy deserved
praise ; and as to his flatteries of him after he was
dictator, in his speeches for Ligarius and MarceUus, I
not only excuse, but justify, and even commend
them, as they were employed for the best of purposes,
in favour of old friends, both to himself and the
republic. Nay, I even think that his manner of
recommending to Caesar (in the pro Marcello) the
restoration of the republic, is even bold and spirited.
— After all, he certainly was a man liable to be
warped from what was right either by fear or vanity ;
but his faults seem so clearly to have been infirmi
ties, rather than bad principles or bad passions,
that I cannot but like him, and, in a great measure,
esteem him too. The openness with which, in his
private letters, he confesses himself to be ashamed
of part of his conduct, has been taken great advantage
of by detractors, as an aggravation, whereas I think
it a great extenuation of his faults. I ought to
caution against trusting to the translations in Middle-
ton; they are all vile, and many of them unfaithful.

444 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 52.
" If your sister does not understand Latin, you
should translate them for her yourself. I do assure
you, my dear Sir, it always gives Mrs. F. and me
great pleasure to hear from you, and especially when
it is to inform us that you are well and happy.
" Yours ever,
" C. J. FOX."
LETTER IV. " St. Ann's Hill, Monday.
" I WAS much gratified, my dear Sir, with your
letter, as your taste seems so exactly to agree with
mine; and am, very glad, for your sake, that you
have taken to Greek, as it wiU now be very easy to
you, and if I may judge from myself, will be one of
the greatest sources of amusement to you. Homer
and Ariosto have always been my favourites, there is
something so delightful in their wonderful facUity,
and the apparent absence of all study, in their expres
sion, which is almost peculiar to them. I think you
must be very partial, however, to find but two faults
in the twelve books of the Iliad. The passage in the
ninth book, about Aatn, appears to me, as it does to
you, both poor and forced ; but I have no great objec
tion to that about the wall in the twelfth, though, to
be sure, it is not very necessary. The tenth book
has always been a particular favourite with me, not
so much on account of Diomede's and Ulysses's
exploits (though that part is excellent too), as on
account of the beginning, which describes so forcibly
the anxious state of the generals, with an enemy so

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 445
near, and having had rather the worst of the former
day. I do not know any description any where that
sets the thing so clearly before one ; and then the
brotherly feelings of Agamemnon towards Menelaus,
and the modesty and amiableness of Menelaus's cha
racter (whom Homer, by the way, seems to be par
ticularly fond of) are very affecting. Ariosto has
certainly taken his night expedition either from
Homer's or from VirgU's Nisus and Euryalus. I
scarcely know which I prefer of the three ; I rather
think Virgil's ; but Ariosto has one merit beyond the
others, from the important consequences which arise
from it to the story. Tasso (for he, too, must have
whatever is in the Iliad or Jilneid) is a very poor
imitation, as far as I recollect.
" I suppose, as soon as you have done the Iliad.
you will read the Odyssey ; which, though certainly
not so fine a poem, is, to my taste, still pleasanter to
read. Pray let me know what parts of it strike you
most, and believe me you cannot oblige me more
than by corresponding on such subjects. Of the
other Greek poets, Hesiod, Pindar, Eschylus, Sopho
cles, Euripides, ApoUonius Rhodius, and Theocritus,
are the most worth reading. Of the Tragedians, I
hke Euripides the best ; but Sophocles is, I believe,
more generaUy preferred, and is certainly more
finished, and has fewer gross faults. Theocritus, in
his way, is perfect ; — the two first IdyUs, particularly,
are exceUent. I suppose the ode you like is Abiaviv d
KvOripri, which is pretty enough, but not such as to
give you any adequate idea of Theocritus. There is

446 CORRESPONDENCE OF [.Etat. 52.
an elegy upon Adonis, by Bion, which is in parts
very beautiful, and particularly some lines of it upon
the common-place of Death, which have been imitated
over and over again, but have never been equalled.
In Hesiod, the account of Pandora, of the Golden
Age, &c., and some other parts, are very good ; but
there is much that is tiresome. Perhaps the work,
which is most generally considered as not his, I mean
the Ao-CTts, is the one that has most poetry in it. It
is very good, and to say that it is inferior to Homer's
and Virgil's shields, is not saying much against it.
Pindar is too often obscure, and sometimes much
more spun out and wordy than suits my taste ; but
there are passages in him quite divine. I have not
read above half his works, ApoUonius Rhodius is,
I think, very well worth reading. The beginning of
Medsea's love is, I believe, original, and though often
copied since, never equalled. There are many other
fine parts in his poem, besides some which VirgU
has improved, others scarce equalled. There is,
however, in the greater part of the poem an appear
ance of labour, and a hardness, that makes it tiresome.
He seems to me to be an author of about the same
degree of genius with Tasso ; and if there is more
in the latter to be liked, there is nothing, I think,
to be liked iu him so well as the parts of ApoUo
nius to which I have alluded. I have said nothing
of Aristophanes, because I never read him. Calli-
machus and Moschus are worth reading; but there
is little of them. By the way, I now recollect that
the passage about death, which I said was in Bion's

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX, 447
elegy upon Adonis, is in Moschus's upon Bion. Now
you have aU my knowledge about Greek poetry. I
am quite pleased at your Uking Ariosto so much ;
though indeed I foresaw you would, from the great
dehght you expressed at Spenser, who is certainly
inferior to him, though very excellent too. Tasso, I
think below both of them, but many count him the
first among those three ; and even Metastasio, who
ought to be a better judge of Italian poetry than you
or I, gives him upon the whole the preference to
Ariosto. " You wUl, of course, have been rejoiced at the
peace, as we all are. Mrs. F. desires to be remem
bered to you kindly. She is very busy just now, but
wiU write to you soon. I think this place has looked
more beautiful than ever this year, both in spring and •
summer, and so it does now in autumn. I have been
very idle about my History, but I will make up for it
by and bye ; though I believe I must go to Paris, to
look at some papers there, before I can finish the first
volume. I think in the last half of the Iliad you will
admire the 16th, 20th, 22d, and 24th books particu
larly. I believe the general opinion is, that Homer
did write near the shore, and he certainly does, as
you observe, particularly delight in illustrations taken
from the sea, — waves, &c. Perhaps a lion is rather
too frequent a simile 'with him. I dare say you were
delighted with Helen and Priam on the waUs in the
3d book ; and I suspect you wUl be proportionably
disgusted with Tasso's servile and iU-placed imitation
of it, Do not imagine, however, that I am not

418 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 52.
sensible to many beauties in Tasso, especiaUy the
parts imitated by Spenser, Erminia's flight and
adventure, the description of the pestilence, and many
others. " I am, dear Sir,
" Most truly, " Yours ever,
" C. J, FOX."
{Post-maric, October 20th, 1801.)

LETTER V.
" My DEAR Sir,
" I am quite scandalized at haring so long
delayed answering your letters, but I put it off, as I
.am apt to do everything, from day to day, till Christ
mas : and on that day, Mrs. F. was taken very
seriously ill with a fever, and sore throat of the in
flammatory kind. The violence of the disorder was
over this day se'nnight, but though she has been
mending ever since, she is still weak. However, she
may now be called, comparatively speaking, quite well ;
and I did not like to WTite tUl I could tell you that
she was so. I hope you go on with your Greek, and
long to know whether you are as fond of the Odyssey
as I am, as also what progress you have made in the
other poets. The Plutarchus, whom you ask after,
is, I believe, the same Plutarch who wrote the lives,
and who certainly was of Chseronea. At least, I
never heard of any other author of that name, and he
wrote many phUosophical works. I think when you

1801.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 449
say you despise Tasso, you go further than I can do,
and though there is servUity in his manner of imi
tation, which is disgusting, yet it is hardly fair to be
angry with him for translating a simile of Homer's, a
plunder, if it be one, of which nearly every poet has
been guilty. If there be one who has not, I suspect
it is he whom you say you are going to read, I mean
Dante. I have only read part of Dante, and admire
him very much. I think the brilliant passages are
thicker set in his works, than in those of almost any
other poet ; but the want of connection and interest
makes him heavy ; and besides the difficulty of his
language, which I do not think much of, the obscurity
of that part of history to which he refers is much
against him. His allusions, in which he deals not a
little, are, in consequence, most of them lost.
" I agree in liking Armida, but cannot help think
ing Rinaldo's detention in her gardens very inferior to
Euggiero's. " Or fine agli occhi ben nuota nel golfo
Delle delizie e delle cose belle,"
may seem to some an expression rather too famihar,
and nearly foohsh ; but it is much better for de
scribing the sort of situation in which the two heroes
are supposed to be, than the Romito Amante of Tasso ;
not to mention the garden of Armida being aU on the
inside of the palace, and waUed round by it, instead
of the beautiful country described by Ariosto. Do
you not think, too, that Spenser has much improved
upon Tasso, by giving the song in praise of pleasure

450 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 53.
to a nymph rather than to a parrot ? Pray, if you
want any information about Greek poets or others,
that I can give you, do not spare me, for it is a great
dehght to me to be employed upon such subjects,
with one who has a true relish for them.
" I do not wonder at your passionate admiration
of the Iliad, and agree with you as to the pecuhar
beauty of most of the parts you mention. The inter
view of Priam and AchiUes is, I think, the finest of
all. I rather think, that in Andromache's first lamen
tation, she dweUs too much upon her child, and too
little upon Hector, but may be I am wrong. By
your referring to the 4th book only for Agamemnon's
brotherly kindness, I shoiUd almost suspect that you
had not sufficiently noticed the extreme delicacy and
kindness with which he speaks of him in the 10th,
ver. 120, &c.
" We have not at aU fixed our time for going to
Paris yet. Mrs. F. desires to be most kindly remem
bered to you. " I am very truly,
" My dear Sir, yours ever,
" c. J. FOX.

" I do not know which is the best translation of
Don Quixote; I have only read Jarvis's, which I
think very indifferent. I liked Feijoo very much
when I read him, but I have not his works."

1802.] CHARLES JAMES POX.

451

LETTER VL " St, Ann's Hill, Thursday.
" My DEAR Sir,
" You made Mrs. F. and me very happy,
by letting us know you had had so pleasant a tour,
and that your sister and yourself were so weU after
your fatigues ; though we both think your walks on
some days must have been too long. I am not sorry
that Mrs. F., who is very busy to-day, has commis
sioned me to answer your letter for her, as it gives
me an opportunity of mentioning something to you
which I have had in my head some time. We are,
as you know, going abroad soon, chiefly on account
of some state papers which are at Paris, and which it
is necessary for me, with a view to my History, to
inspect carefully ; but we also think of taking in our
way a tour through Flanders to Spa. It has some
times occurred to me, that this would not be a bad
opportunity for you to gratify a curiosity, which you
can scarcely be without, of seeing something on the
continent, and Paris particularly. We have a place
in our carriage, and of course you would be our guest
when at Spa, Paris, &c, I am sure it wiU be an
additional motive with you to know that, besides the
pleasure of your company, your assistance in examin
ing and extracting from the papers at Paris, would
be materially useful to me ; but I would by no means
have this consideration weigh with you, unless the
plan is otherwise suitable and agreeable to you. I
0 0 2

452 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat, 63;
cannot yet determine our precise time of setting out,
as it depends upon some business not altogether in
my own power ; but I should think, not sooner than
the 15th, nor later than the 30th of next month,
and I hope to be back about Michaelmas. I need
not say that, if you do think of coming vrith us, with
respect to a week or two we would adapt our time to
yours ; only it is so great an object with me to be
at home very early in October, if not in September;
that I cannot put off our departure long.
" If I hear anything within these few days (which
is not unlikely) which may make me more able to fix
what time will be most convenient to me, I wiU let
you know without waiting for your answer. I think
you were in great luck to have had fine weather on
your journeys, for we have had a great deal of bad
here, though not very lately. You never told me how
you liked the last haU of the Odyssey ; I think the
simplicity of all the pai't with the Swine Herd, &c., is
delightful, though some persons account it too low. —
Did you observe in one passage, that the suitors have
exactly the Scotch second sight ?
" Yours ever, " C J FOX "
{Post-mark, July 5th, 1802.) LETTER VIL " St. Ann's Hill, ith July.
" My DEAR Sir,
" I received yesterday your letter of the
28th, which seems to have been a good whUe upon

1802.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 463
the road. We are very happy at the thoughts of
your accompanying us, and I make no doubt but we
shall have a pleasant tpur. Do not by any means
hurry yourself, as I think the 18th or 19th of the
month wiU be the earliest day on which we possibly
can set out, but I will write again on Tuesday (the
day of my election) from London, by which time I
may be able to tell you something more certain, and
at any rate you will not be too late by waiting for
that letter. Mrs. F. desires to be kindly remem
bered. " Yours ever, " C. J. FOX."

LETTER VIII.
" Shakespeare Tavern, Covbnt Garden, 7th July.
" My DEAR Sir,
" I had intended to write yesterday, think
ing I should have no opposition here, and that of
course I could tell you, with some certainty, the day
of our setting out ; but there is an opposition, which,
though foohsh and contemptible to the last degree,
may occasion the poU to be protracted, which leaves
me in great uncertainty. At all events, the 21st
is the eariiest day I can think of, even upon the
supposition that this business is over this week ; if
it lasts, our journey cannot take place tiU the 29th
or 30th; however, I wUl write to you again to
morrow, or next day. Write a Une, directed to St.
,Ann's HiU ; or set out, and make up your mind to

454 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 53.
the chance of being kept some days in this vile place ;
at St. Ann's, I know you would not mind it.
"•Yours ever, "C. J. FOX.
" numbers : —
Fox . . 504
Gardner . . , 401
Graham . . .... 193"

LETTER IX.
" Shakespeare, Cotent Garden, 9ih July.
" My DEAR Sir,
" Though this rile election is not over, nor
wUl be, I believe, for some time, yet I can now fix
the time of our departure, vrith a reasonable certainty,
for the 23rd or 24th of this month. I have no time
to write more. " Yours ever, « C, J. FOX.
" NUMBERS : —
Fox ... . . . 1194
Gardner . .1081
Graham . . 633 "
" I shaU go to St. Ann's HUl to-morrow, and only
come here occasionaUy, next week."

letter X.
"Paris, October 21th.
" My dear Sir,
" Mrs. Fox has had two letters from you,
one from Dover, which was longer coming than any
letter ever was, and one from Chester, and desires

1802.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 455
me to thank you for her, though she has no excuse,
that I know of, except idleness, for not doing so
herself. She has had another bad cold, with rheu
matism, but is, thank God, nearly well. We do not
wonder at your finding the difference between French
and English manners, in casual acquaintance, very
great ; and I doubt much, whether we have any
great superiority in more intimate connections, to
compensate our inferiority in this respect ; you re
member, no doubt, Cowper's character of us in the
Task ; it is excellent.
"I do not think we have seen any thing worth
mentioning since you went, or rather since Mrs. F.
wrote to you after her presentation ; only we were
one day at Raincy, formerly the Duke of Orleans's,
which, though in a state of neglect, is still very
beautiful. We have seen Madame Duchesnois again,
in Roxane, in Bajazet, and either the part suited
her better than the others, or she is very much
improved. My work is finished, and we stay now
only in expectation of my brother, who writes word
that he wUl be here the 2nd of November ; we shaU,
of course, stay some days with him, and set out, I
think, the 7th. I have made visits to your friends
the consuls, and dined with Le Brun ; he seems
heavy, but if he is the author, as they say he is, of
the ChanceUor Maupeoux's addresses to the parha
ment at the end of Louis XVIth's reign, it must be
his situation that has stupified him, for they are
very good indeed. As you had a curiosity about
an over-turn, it is very weU it was satisfied at so

456 CORRESPONDENCE OF [jEtat. 53.
cheap a rate. We shall be very glad to hear that
your mode of travelling has been attended with no
worse consequences.
" I suppose you will now go in earnest to law. — I
do not know much of the matter, but I suspect that
a regular attendance (and with attention) to the
courts, is still more important than any reading what
ever ; you, of course, read Blackstone over and over
again ; and if so, pray tell me whether you agree
with me in thinking his style of English the very
best among our modern writers ; always easy and
intelligible; far more correct than Hume, and less
studied and made up than Robertson. It is a pity
you did not see, whUe you were here, Villoison, the
great Grecian, if it were only for the purpose of
knowing how fast it is possible for the human voice
to go without indistinctness. I believe he could
recite the whole Iliad in four hours. He has a great
deal of knowledge of all kinds, and it is well he
has, for, at his rate, he would run out a moderate
stock in half an hour. I hope soon to hear you are
got safe to Dublin ; direct your next to St. Ann's
Hill, where we hope to be by the 13th of next month.
I find the baronet and Grattan are both in England,
so I have no message to send to your country. We
have just begun the Roman Comique, and have
already found the originals of several of Fielding's
bloody noses, &c. which made you so angry. We
are just going to pay a visit to the museum.
" Your affectionate friends, "C. J. FOX.
" Hotel de Rtchelteu, 2%ih Octobei: " E. FOX."

1802.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 457

LETTER XIII. " St. Ann's Hill, Friday.
" My dear Sir,
" Pray do not think you trouble me, but
•quite the contrary, by writing to me, and especially
on the subject of your poetical studies. What I do
not like in your letter is, your account of yourself ;
and I am afraid a winter in Dublin, which may be
so useful to you in other respects, may not be quite
so well for your health ; which, after all, is the grand
article. Mrs. F. has not written lately, because you
had not told her how to direct; and as she had
not heard of your receiving the last letter she directed
to Glasnevin, she feared that might not do. She
desires me to say every thing that is kind to you.
"I am very glad you prefer Euripides to Sophocles,
because it is my taste ; though I am not sure that it
is not thought a heresy. — He (Eur.) appears to me
to have much more of facility and nature in his way
of writing than the other. The speech you mention
of Electra is, indeed, beautiful ; but when you have
read some more of Euripides, perhaps you will not
think it quite unrivaUed. Of aU Sophocles's plays,
I like Electra clearly the best, and I think your
epithet to (Ed. Tyr. a very just one ; it is really to
me a disagreeable play ; and yet there are many who
not only prefer it to Electra, but reckon it the finest
specimen of the Greek theatre. I hke his other two
plays upon the Theban story both better, i. e. the

458 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat, 63.
(Ed. Col. and the Antigone. In the latter there is
a passage in her answer to Creon that is, perhaps,
the sublimest in the world ; and, in many parts of
the play there is a spirit almost miraculous, if, as it
is said, Sophocles was past eighty when he composed
it. Cicero has made great use of the passage I
allude to, in his oration for Milo. I suppose you
selected Hipp, and Iph. in Aulis, on account of
Racine ; and I hope you have observed with what
extreme judgment he has imitated them. In the
character of Hipp, only, I think he has faUen short
of his original. The scene of Phsedra's discovery of
her love to her nurse, he has imitated pretty closely ;
and if he has not surpassed it, it is only because that
was impossible. His Clytemnestra, too, is exceUent,
but would have been better if he had ventured to
bring on the young Orestes as Eur. does. The
change which you mention in the Greek Iphigenia,
I like extremely ; but it is censured by Aristotle as
a change of character, — not, I think, justly. Perhaps
the sudden change in Menelaus, which he also cen
sures, is less defensible. Now, though the two plays
of Eur. which you have read, are undoubtedly among
his best, I wiU venture to assure you, that there are
four others you will like full as well ; Medea, Phce
nissse, Heraclidse, and Alcestis; with the last of
which, if I know any thing of your taste, you wUl be
enchanted. Many faults are found with it, but
those faults lead to the greatest beauties. For
instance, if Hercules's levity is a little improper in a
tragedy, his shame afterwards, and the immediate

1802.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 459
consequence of that shame being a more than human
exertion, afford the finest picture of an heroic mind
that exists. The speech beginning <o iroXXa rXaa-a
Kapbia, &c. is divine. Besides the two you have
read, and the four I have recommended, Hercules
Furens, Iph. in Tauris, Hecuba, Bacchse, and Troa
des, are all very excellent. Then come Ion, Sup-
phces, Electra and Helena ; Orestes and Andromache
are, in my judgment, the worst. I have not men
tioned Rhesus and Cyclops, because the former is
not thought to be really Euripides's, and the latter
is entirely comic, or rather a very coarse farce ;
excellent, however, in its way, and the conception of
the characters not unlike that of Shakespeare in
Caliban. I should never finish, if I were to let my
self go upon Euripides. In two very material points,
however, he is certainly far excelled by Sophocles :
1st, in the introduction of proper subjects in the
songs of the chorus; and, 2dly, in the manage
ment of his plot. The extreme absurdity of the
chorus in Medea suffering her to kiU her chUdren,
and of that in Phsedra letting her hang herself, with
out the least attempt to prevent it, has been often
and justly ridiculed ; but what signify faults, where
there are such excessive beauties ? Pray write soon,
and let me know, if you have read more of these
plays, what you think of them.
" If you do not go to Dublin before my brother
returns, you had better commission somebody to caU
at the Royal Hospital, for some books of which Mrs.
H. Fox took the charge for you, but which, as she

460 CORRESPONDENCE OF [.Etat. 54.
writes, she does not know where to send. I think my
brother's return a very bad symptom of the inten
tions of government with regard to poor Ireland ; but
that is a subject as fruitful, though not so pleasant,
as that of Euripides. " Yours, ever most truly, "C. J. POX.
"P.S. When you have read the two farewell
speeches of Medea and Alcestis to their chUdren, I
do not think you will say that Electra's is quite
unrivalled, though most excellent undoubtedly it is."

LETTER XIV. " St. Ann's Hill, Monday.
"My dear Sir,
" I enclose you a letter for Mr. G. Pon
sonby, to whom also I mentioned you in a letter I
wrote him a few days since, upon another subject.
We are very happy, indeed, to hear so much better
account of your health, than that which you gave in
your former letters. Now that you are settled in
Dublin, and hard at it with the law, I ought not,
according to common notions, to answer your ques
tions about Eschylus, &c., but I am of opinion, that
the study of good authors, and especially poets, ought
never to be intermitted by any man who is to speak
or write for the public, or, indeed, who has any occa
sion to tax his imagination, whether it be for argu
ment, for illustration, for ornament, for sentiment, or
any other pm'pose. I said nothing of Eschylus,

1803.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 461
because I know but little of him ; I read two of his
plays, the Septem apud Thebas, and the Prometheus,
at Oxford ; of which I do not remember much, ex
cept that I liked the last far the best. I have since
read the Eumenides, in which there are, no doubt,
most sublime passages ; but in general the figures
are too forced and hard for my taste ; and then there
is too much of the grand and terrific, and gigantic,
without a mixture of anything, either tender or plea
sant, or elegant which keeps the mind too much on
the stretch. This never suits my taste ; and I feel
the same objection to most parts of the Paradise Lost,
though in that poem there are most splendid ex
ceptions. Eve, Paradise, &c. I have heard that the
Agamemnon, if you can conquer its obscurity, is the
finest of aU ^schylus's plays, and I wUl attempt it
when I have a little time. I quite long to hear how
you are captivated with Alcestis, for captivated I am
sure you wUl be.
" Mrs. Fox desires to be remembered kindly ; we
have been a great deal from home these last two
months, twice at Lord Robert's, and at Woburn, and
Mr. Whitbread's ; we are now here, as I hope, to
stay with little interruption ; and very happy we are
to be here quietly again, though our parties were very
pleasant ; and I think change of air at this time of
the year is always good for the colds to which Mrs.
Fox is so subject.
" I was just going to end without noticing Pindar ;
I dare say the obscurities are chiefly owing to our
want of means of making out the aUusions ; his style

462 CORRESPONDENCE OP [^tat. 58.
is more full of aUusions than that of any other poet,
except, perhaps, Dante, who is on that account so
difficult, and as I think on that account only. The
fine passages in Pindar are equal to, if not beyond,
anything ; but the want of interest in the subjects,
and, if it is not blasphemy to say so, the excessive
profusion of words, make him something bordering
upon tedious. There is a fire in the celebrated passage
in the 2nd Olympic, which begins (to^os 6 ¦ttoXXu eiba>s
^vq, that is quite unequaUed in any poem whatever ;
and the sweetness in the preceding part, describing
the happy islands, is in its way almost as good. Pray
let us hear from you soon, that you are well, and
happy ; if you read the Herachdse of Euripides, pray
teU me if you are particularly struck by one passage
in Demophoon's part ; if you miss it, I wiU point it
out to you. " Yours sincerely, " c. J. POX.
" P. S. Woodlarks are said to be very common in
the West of England ; here we have a few, and but
few. The books which you left were sent by my
brother, but he not being able to find your direction,
brought them back." LETTER XV. " St. Ann's Hill, Tuesday.
"My dear Sir,
" I heard yesterday, for the first time, a
report that you had been very unweU ; pray lose no
time in writing me a line, either to contradict the

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 463
report, or to say that you are recovered, I know you
wiU excuse my having been so long without writing,
on the score of the constant business which I had in
London, and which you know me enough to know is
not very agreeable to my natm'e.
" I have now been here a little more than three
weeks, and hope soon to get again to my Greek, and
my History, but hitherto have had too many visit
ants to have much leisure. I have read Iphigenia in
Auhs since I last wrote, and think much more highly
of it than I did on the first reading. The scene
where the quarrel and reconciliation between the
brothers is, has always been blamed, on account of
the too quick change of mind in Menelaus ; but I
like it very much, and there is something in the man
ner of it that puts me in mind of Brutus and Cassius,
in Shakespeare. We have had no very good weather ;
but this place has been in great beauty, greater, if
possible, than ever. Is there any chance of your
coming to England? If there is, you know we
expect and insist that you come directly hither. I
hope that, with the exception of a few occasional
visits of two or three days, I shaU be here with littie
interruption, tUl the meeting of ParUament. Mrs.
Fox desires me to say everything that is kind for her.
She, too, says she has been too busy to write ; and
the truth is, that the company we have had here has
entu-ely taken up her time. Pray lose no time in
writing. " Yours, ever affectionately, " C, J. FOX,

464 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 56.
"P.S. I am sure it wUl give you pleasure to hear
that Grattan's success in the H. of C. was complete
and acknowledged, even by those who had entertained
great hopes of his failure.
" I do not know what interest your relations have
in the county of Down, nor what you have with
them ; but if their interest could be got in favour of
Mr. Meade, I should be very happy ; if you should
hear how the election is going on, I should be obhged
to you if you would mention it."

LETTER XVL " St. Ann's Hill, Widnesday.
" My dear Sir,
" It gives Mrs. F. and me great pleasure to
hear that you think you are getting better, and that,
too, in spite of the weather, which, if it has been with
you as with us, has been by no means favourable to
such a complaint as yours. The sooner you can
come the better ; and I cannot help hoping that this
air wUl do you good. Parts of the 1st, and still
more of the 2nd book of the ^neid, are capital in
deed; the description of the night sack of a town,
being a subject not touched by Homer, hinders it
from having that appearance of too close imitation
which VirgU's other battles have ; and the detaUs,
Priam's death, Helen's appearance. Hector's in the
dream, and many others, are enchanting. The Proem,
too, to ./Eneas's narration is perfection itseff. The
part about Sinon and Laocoon does not so much

1805] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 465
please me, though I have nothing to say against it.
Perhaps it is too long, but whatever be the cause, I
feel it to be rather cold. As to your friend's heresy,
I cannot much wonder at, or blame it, since I used
to be of the same opinion myself; but I am now a
convert; and my chief reason is, that, though the
detached parts of the iEneid appear to me to be equal
to anything, the story and characters appear more
faulty every time I read it. My chief objection (I
mean that to the character of ^neas) is, of course,
not so much felt in the three first books ; but, after
wards, he is always either insipid or odious, some
times excites interest against him, and never for
him. " The events of the war, too, are not striking ;
and Pallas and Lausus, who most interest you, are in
effect exactly alike. But, in parts, I admire Virgil
more and more every day, such as those I have
aUuded to in the 2nd book ; the finding of Andro
mache in the third, every thing relating to Dido;
the 6th book ; the visit to Evander, in the 8th ;
Nisus and Euryalus, Mezentius's death, and many
others. In point of passion I think Dido equal, if
not superior, to any thing in Llomer, or Shake
speare, or Euripides; for me, that is saying every
thing. " One thing which delights me in the lUad and
Odyssey, and of which there is nothing in VirgU, is
the picture of manners, which seem to be so truly
delineated. The times in which Homer lived un
doubtedly gave him a great advantage in this respect ;

466 CORRESPONDENCE OF [^tat. 5(i.
since, from his nearness to the times of which he
writes, what we always see to be invention in Virgil,
appears like the plain truth in Homer. Upon this
principle a friend of mine observed, that the cha
racters in Shakespeare's historical plays always
appear more real than those in his others. But,
exclusive of this advantage. Homer certainly attends
to character more than his imitator. I hope your
friend, with all his partiality, wUl not maintain
that the simile in the 1st ^neid, comparing Dido
to Diana, is equal to that in the Odyssey, comparing
Nausicaa to her, either in propriety of application,
or in beauty of description. If there is an ApoUo
nius Rhodius where you are, pray look at Medea's
speech, lib. iv. ver. 365, and you wUl perceive,
that even in Dido's finest speech, nee tibi diva
parens, 8fc. he has imitated a good deal, and espe
ciaUy those expressive and sudden turns, neque te
teneo, 8fc. ; but then he has made wonderful im
provements, and, on the whole, it is perhaps the
finest thing in all poetry.
Now, if you are not tired of aU this criticism,
it is not my fault. The bad weather has preserved
a verdure here, which makes it more beautiful than
ever; and Mrs. F. is in nice good health,. and so
every thing goes weU with me, which I am sure
you wUl like to hear ; but I have not yet had a
moment for history. I sent you, some weeks ago,
though I forgot to mention it in my letter, some
books you had left in England, by a gentleman
whose name, I think, is Croker. It was RoUeston

1805.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 467
who undertook to give them him, directed to you
in Capel-street. I added to them a duplicate I had
of MUler, on the EngUsh Constitution; a book
dedicated to me, and which is writte» on the best
and soundest principles ; but I fear it is more
instructive than amusing, as, though a very sensible
man, he was not a lively one.
" Yours very affectionately, "C. J. FOX.
"P.S. Even in the Ist book, ^neas says, 'Sum
pius JEneas, /amd super cethera notus.' Can you
bear this ? "

I have not inserted as I had intended the letters
of M. de Talleyrand and Mr. Fox, as they are given
in the Parliamentary Debates of 1806. On further
reflection, I thought it was unnecessary to copy papers,
which were so easily accessible. The perusal of the
letter marked No. 3, " Extract of M. Talleyrand's,"
of March 5, 1806, wiU convince any one that the
first overture for negotiations came from the French
government.

The reader who has thus far foUowed the private
Letters of Mr. Fox, may feel a melancholy interest in
the account of his last Ulness, given by his nephew
Lord HoUand. I therefore transcribe the narrative
H H 2

468 THE LAST ILLNESS OF [^tat. 58.
from the " Memoirs of the Whig Party " pubUshed by
his son, the present Lord Holland.
"I had been struck, on my return to England,
with the cljange in Mr. Fox's countenance. The
cheerfulness of his spirits, and the charms of his
conversation, soon wore out the impression. He was,
however, more liable to slight indispositions than he
had been ; and, at the funeral of Lord Nelson, which
I attended with him, I observed that the length of the
ceremony, and coldness of the cathedral, overpowered
him in a way that no fatigue which I had ever known
him undergo had done heretofore. I attributed, how
ever, these slight illnesses to accidental causes, com
bined with habits of indulgence, which long and un
interrupted health had given him. I little suspected
that in his frame were lurking the seeds of a disorder
which, in one short year, was to deprive our country
and (is it an exaggeration to add ?) mankind of its
best hope and brightest ornament. The debates
during the Session had much fatigued him. He
had, once or twice, had recourse to medicine at the
suggestion of his friends and of his physician. Dr.
Moseley. But none of them, I believe, apprehended
(certainly I did not) any fatal disease, tUl Lord
Lauderdale, who was weU acquainted with the symp
toms of dropsy, from having attended his own father,
wlio died of that disorder, called our attention to the
swelling of his legs, and the faUing away about the
neck and chest. From this time, though naturaUy
sanguine, I was more observant. Mr. Fox's vigour,
appetite, and even spuits, were sensibly impaired.

1806.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 469
Having discovered that he was vexed with another
complaint* comparatively of slight consequence, I
was wUUng to ascribe the unusual thoughtfulness and
dejection of his countenance to a combination of
fatigue and meditation on the nature of a troublesome
disorder, of the remedy necessary to remove it, and of
the postponement of that remedy which was equally
necessary to a perfect cure.
" Early in June I dined and spent the day with
him, at the request of Mrs. Fox. He had been
attacked by rheumatism in the thighs, and by a very
imusual dejection of spirits. In consequence of my
observations on his appearance that day, I concurred
earnestly with Mrs. Fox in pressing him to consult
some other physician as well as Dr. Moseley, who,
though full of attachment to him, and not perhaps
devoid of skUl, was far from enjoying a high repu
tation. Sir Henry lialford, then Dr. Vaughan, had
indeed seen him once ; he had urged, very strongly,
the necessity of care, attention, and quiet ; but he
had advised no material alteration of medicines, and
did not seem, to me, to apprehend any immediate
danger of dropsy. In the meanwhile, Mr. Fox had
gone up to the House of Commons. His earnestness
about the aboUtion of the Slave Trade induced him to
continue his attendances longer than the advice of his
friends or his own judgment approved; but even
after he absented himself from Parliament, he wrote
Ms despatches with his usual perspicuity and ease, and
talked occasionally on public as weU as private
* Hydrocele.

470 THE, LA.ST ILLNESS OF [^tat. 68.
matters, with as much vivacity, earnestness, and
wisdom as ever. When, however, he gave Lord
Henry Petty and myself directions to draw out the
sketch of a treaty with Sicily, about which he was
particularly earnest, the exertion of attending to the
detail of the articles fatigued and oppressed him
exceedingly. That was the last business which he
could strictly be said to transact ; his exertions hence
forward were limited to signatures, occasional conver
sations with his colleagues, a few letters, which he
wrote himself, and others which he dictated. The
latter practice was to him entirely new. ' I thought
it ' (said he) ' very difficult ; but I soon found I could
do it weU enough, and it is a great relief.'
" At a very early period of the Administration, he
had told me that he looked forward some time or
other to retire from the office whicli he held ; that,
in the event of peace, the tiresome and unimportant
duties annexed to it would increase, that he would
then take some less active situation, or remain in
Cabinet without any, and give me the seals of the
Foreign Office, as he could, in that case, without in
delicacy, superintend all matters of importance, and
make opportunities of talking them over, when he
was so inclined, or avoid them, when he had a fancy
for literature or any other pursuit. This scheme, he
observed, would inure me to business ; and with that
contented tone of voice which always accompanied
his kindness, he added : ' It will be nice too, for it •
will secure my seeing you at St. Ann's when I am !
there.' Of these projects, though made for some

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 471
distant time, he had probably spoken to others ; for
when his disorder assumed a more alarming appear
ance, his colleagues offered some arrangement of the
sort. Lord Howick (Grey) came to him with a
proposal, which included a Peerage, if he liked it, to
save him from the yet more laborious duty of the
House of Commons. Mrs. Fox was in the room
when this suggestion was made. At the mention of
the Peerage, he looked at her significantly, with a
reference to his secret but early determination never
to be created a Peer ; and, after a short pause, he
said : 'No, not yet, I think not yet.' On the same
evening, as I sat by his bedside, he said to me : ' If
this continues (and though I don't fear any immediate
danger, I begin to see it is a longer and more serious
business than I apprehended), I must have more quiet
than with my place I ought to have, and put the plan
I spoke to you about, sooner in execution than I
intended. But don't think me selfish, young one.
The Slave Trade and Peace are two such glorious
things, I can't give them up, even to you. If I can
manage them, I will then retire.' He then talked
over some arrangements connected with that scheme,
and his own situation in the Cabinet without office,
and added : ' The peerage, to be sure, seems the natural
way, but that cannot be. I have an oath in Heaven
against it ; I wUl not close my politics in that foolish
way, as so many have done before me.'
" His disorder was pronounced to be dropsy, when
Sur Henry Halford (Vaughan) was caUed in for the
second time, and allowed to examine him more

472 THE LAST ILLNESS OP [^tat. £8.
strictly than he had hitherto permitted him or any
other physician to do. Though neither impatient
nor desponding in sickness, Mr. Fox had little confi
dence in medical skUl, and less curiosity even, on
subjects connected with the health and management
of the human body, than on any other. He was,
consequently, very averse to relate symptoms which
put him to no immediate inconvenience. He would
not have been easily prevailed upon to take any
strong drugs, or to submit to any regimen or disciphne,
upon the apprehension of remote danger ; for whoever
had been his medical attendant would have found it
difficult to obtain credit with him for much foresight
on such subjects. I mention this, because it after
wards appeared that the seeds of his disorder had
been laid full two years before. A severe pain in his
side, which attacked him at Cheltenham in 1804,
proceeded, no doubt, from that affection in the liver
which ultimately brought him to the grave. It
would, however, have required great sagacity in any
physician, even with a willing and confiding patient,
which Mr. Fox never was, to detect the latent cause
of his illness at that period ; and it would even then
have been stUl raore difficult to persuade Mr. Fox of
his sagacity, and of the truth of his apprehensions,
and of the necessity of submitting to severe discipline
to remove a complaint, the existence of which was
conjectured by his physician, but not proved by his
own sensations. The detaUs of the progress and
management of Mr. Fox's disease cannot, I am aware,
be very interesting to the world ; but I have

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 473
mentioned these circumstances injustice to his friends
and his physicians, lest the rumours circulated at the
time should lead any future biographer or historian
to imagine that his death was occasioned by neglect
or mismanagement. If there were any neglect in the
commencement of his disorder, it arose from his
habits, opinions, and character, and was entirely his
own : if there were any mismanagement, it was of a
kind that the eminent physicians latterly called in.
Sir Henry Halford, and Dr. Pitcairn, and his friend
Mr. Hawkins the surgeon, never discovered nor
corrected. " Soon after the serious nature of his disorder had
been ascertained. Lord Yarmouth abruptly and
unadvisedly produced his full powers at Paris ; the
Cabinet, in consequence, named Lord Lauderdale to
conduct the negotiation. My uncle's intention had,
at one time, been to send me or General Fitz Patrick.
In his then state of health, I should certainly have
decUned it ; but I own that I was weak enough to
feel two minutes' mortification, on Lord Howick's
(Lord Grey) not giving me the option. I felt this
more sensibly when, on approaching my uncle's
bedside after he had heard of, and sanctioned, Lord
Lauderdale's appointment, he said, with a melancholy
smUe of affection that I can never forget — ' So you
would not leave me, young one, to go to Paris, but
liked staying with me better— there's a kind boy.'
He thus gave me credit for refusing what had never
been offered to me, and I did not like to explain the
circumstances for fear he might misinterpret my

474 THE LAST ILLNESS OP [^tat. 58.
explanation into an expression of disappointment at
not going. I answered : ' Why, I hope I may be
useful to you here ; and I am sure, if you hke my
being here, it would be very odd if I did not prefer
staying.' " From this period, in addition to frequent caUs iu
the morning, I regularly attended his bedside for an
hour or two every night after his visitors and secre
taries had retired. Mr. Trotter, Mrs. Fox, or my
sister, generally read to him during the day. The
books he chose were chiefly novels. When he
wished to hear anything else, he expressed that wish
while it was my sister's turn, with whose reading he
was very naturally delighted, or he reserved it tUl
the evening for me. ' For ' (said he) ' I like your
reading, young one, but I hked it better before I
had heard your sister's. That is better than yours I
can tell you.' I noticed that he was growing to love
his niece more and more every day. Various acci
dents had prevented his seeing much of her till the
year 1803. All her exceUent qualities, both of head
and heart, came upon him at once, and endeared
her, as well they might, most sincerely to her uncle.
" I read the whole of Crabbe's ' Parish Register '
over to him in MS. Some parts he made me read
twice ; he remarked several passages as exquisitely
beautiful, and objected to some few, which I men
tioned to the author, and which he, in almost every
instance, altered before publication. Mr. Fox
repeated, once or twice, that it was a very pretty
poem ; that Crabbe's condition in the world had

1806.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 476
improved since he wrote the ' VUlage,' and his view
of life and of mankind had improved likewise. The
' Parish Register ' bore marks of some little more in
dulgence to our species ; though not so many as he
could have wished, especially as the few touches of
that nature are beautiful in the extreme. He was
particularly struck with the description of the
substantial happiness of a farmer's wife. He did
not, however, observe, what was nevertheless quite
true, that the improvement in Mr. Crabbe's fortune
was, in a great measure, owing to himself. WhUe
Lord Thurlow was in office, he overcame his re
luctance to asking favours of a political enemy, and
urged that Chancellor to encourage genius by giving
Mr. Crabbe some preferment. Lord Thurlow did
something for him ; and the Duke of Rutland, who
had been applied to by Lord John Townshend, did
more. His success in the Church, though very
moderate, seemed for awhile to check rather than
animate his ardour for poetry. He passed several
years without pubUshing anything; and it was not
till after an accidental conversation with Mr. Fox,
who met him whUe shooting in Suffolk,* that he
confessed that he had written some poems, but never
printed them, and agreed to send them in M^. for
Mr. Fox's perusal and judgment. These were' the
poems which I read to Mr. Fox.
" The rest of my time with him was chiefly passed
in conversation. Immediately after Lord Lauderdale's
departure for Paris, we had many discussions on the
* At Mr. Dudley North's.

476 THE LAST ILLNESS OF [^tat, 58.
negotiation. The demand of the French that we
should give up SicUy, irritated and disappointed him
exceedingly. He considered it not only as an in
admissible pretension, but as an indication of bad
faith and insincerity on the part of the French Govern
ment. Indeed, when I somewhat foolishly imagined.
that an equivalent might be found for the King of
Naples — that a retreat either in South America, or on
a large pension, might be offered to the King of
Sardinia, and a kingdom of islands formed of Sardinia,
the Balearic islands, and some other small islands in
the Mediterranean as an exchange for Sicily, he
answered me by saying, ' No, no ! Bad as the Queen
and Court of Naples are, we can, in honour, do nothing
without their full and bond fide consent ; but even
exclusive of that consideration, and of the great im
portance of Sicily, which you, young one, very much
underrate, it is not so much the value of the point ia
dispute, as the manner in which the French fly from
their word, that disheartens me. It is not Sicily,
but the shuffling, insincere way in which they act,
that shows me they are playing a false game ; and
in that case it would be very imprudent to make
any concessions, which by possibility could be thought
inconsistent with our honour, or could furnish our
aUies with a plausible pretence for suspecting, re
proaching, or deserting us.' He generaUy used to
break off such conversations very abruptly by saying,
' And now no more politics.' In truth, he seldom
allotted more than a quarter of an hour to such topics.
"There was, indeed, one subject relating to

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

477

patronage on which he was extremely uneasy: he
thought, that till he had provided for the person whom
I allude to, he had left undischarged a long arrear
of obligations. That person, by very obtrusive and
unreasonable conduct at the formation of the Ministry,
had embarrassed, irritated, and even exasperated him.
But it was not easy, even by misconduct, to cancel
a debt of gratitude in the mind of Mr. Fox, if he
thought that he had ever contracted it. He was
miserable tiU he could requite the former zealous
services of this person,
" When Lord Howick very handsomely devoted a
place in his gift to that object, Mr. Fox was per
fectly satisfled ; he told me more than once after that
arrangement was completed, that he had nothing of
the same sort on his mind, no reason to complain of
others, or to reproach himself. Indeed throughout,
he seemed to me pleased and gratified with the
conduct of his coUeagues both about men and
measures. " There were indeed two votes during the Session,
of which he did not cordially approve — the income
tax, and the additional allowance to the Royal brothers.
' I suppose,' (said he, of the first) ' it is necessary, for
those who are most conversant with financial matters
tell me so, and no man, I think, would like to pro
pose it unless he thought so.' To the additional
income of the Princes, he found the Government
pledged, and he observed that he could hardly with
hold or obstruct a favour to the younger Princes, who
had supported bis Opposition, and were now support-

478 THE LAST ILLNESS OF [^tat, 68-
ing his Ministry, which his predecessor, Mr. Pitt, had
promised them, when arrayed against him, to grant.
Indeed, his objection was not to the allowance, but to
the fund from which it was to be derived. The
King's Civil List ought, he thought, to have defrayed
it. Since I have spoken of the concurrence of opinion
on most subjects, both of principle and detaU,
between him and his coUeagues during his life, I
owe it to those who survived, and to myseff to add,
that with the exception of one, I knew of no measure
adopted subsequently by Lord GrenvUle's adminis
tration, to which, from my knowledge of his principles
and feelings, I think he woiUd have been averse. To
the dissolution of Parliament, I think he would have
been. The motives which induced Lord GrenviUe's
Cabinet to adopt it will be mentioned hereafter ; and
it must be acknowdedged, that the ratio suasoria for
it became stronger after the event which deprived the
Government of its chief assistance in the House of
Commons. On all public matters he had more
repugnance, during the latter part of his Ulness, to
talk, than his colleagues had reluctance to consult
him. The truth is, that they sought every opportunity
of doing so, and I never observed the least indifference
to his opinion, even when he was quite disabled from
enforcing it ; or the slightest neglect of any advice he
gave, much less of any request which he was disposed
to make.
¦ " Numbers of letters were written from every
quarter of the kingdom to suggest the means of
preserving his life. The warmth and eagerness with

1806.] CHARLES JAMES POX. 479
which they were urged, expressive of the public
interest taken in his recovery, were gratifying in the
extreme. One remedy, an exterior appUcation of
snaUs and (I think) colewort to the belly, was, with
the permission of the physicians, tried for a day or
two. At first, it seemed to relieve him, but its effects
soon subsided, and the unfavourable symptoms
recurred and increased. His pulse and stomach
would no longer bear much mercury. On the other
hand, the state and distension of his skin were such,
as to deter the physicians from allowing it to be
rubbed in, a mode of applying it for which Mr. Fox
had some predilection. At length the water had
accumulated so much, that the operation of tapping
became necessary. I was requested to apprise him
that, though neither painful nor dangerous, it could
only be rendered useful by keeping both his body and
mind in a state of the greatest tranquiUity for two or
three days afterwards. If therefore be had any subject
on which he felt anxious, or any directions to give in
case his complaint should take a more unfavourable
turn, it would be prudent to mention every such
cu-cumstance before the operation. He had, at an
earlier stage of his iUness, exacted from me a promise
to apprise him of any approach of danger, and added
with emotion, ' We are neither of us children, and it
would be ridiculous to conceal anything:' he then
resumed his gaiety, and added, ' I don't mean to die
though, young one ; and above all not to give the
thing up, as my father did.'
" It was, I beUeve, at that period that he spoke to

480 THE LAST ILLNESS OF [iETAT. 58.
me about the Fox- Glove. He expressed a strong re
pugnance to it, but added emphatically, ' I do not
mean, however, that I will not take that too, rather
than leave anything untried ; but I prefer some of
these quack medicines, and if it once comes to the
Fox-Glove, I shall think very ill of it indeed.' He
never took it. When in one of our most despondent
moments, it was suggested. Dr. Vaughan said, ' It
would be of no service ; it ought not even to be tried
in this case.' This opinion probably arose from the
intermission of the pulse, which the physicians had
observed with some dismay, on administering drastic
medicines in an early stage of the complaint. I wrote
down, in 1811, my recoUection of Mr. Fox's own in
junctions and wishes on the subject of the Fox- Glove,
and they prove that Mr. Trotter, his secretary, in his
insinuations against the family and the physicians for
allowing medicines too strong to be administered,
was as unwarranted in his conjectures on Mr. Fox's
own notions and wishes, as he has been shown by a
letter of Dr. Moseley to be incorrect in his supposition
of facts." To return to my narrative : I told him about an
hour before the first operation was performed, that
there was neither pain nor immediate danger to be
apprehended, but that great quiet of mind and body
was deemed necessary to give the operation all its
beneficial consequences ; that the efforts of the cori'
stitution to support the frame after a large portion
of water was suddenly drawn off, required the very
utmost repose ; and that any exertion, mental or

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 481
bodily, soon afterwards, would impede the endeavour
of the constitution to resume its tone. He under
stood me. He gave me directions where to find his
WUl. The situation and feelings of Mrs. Fox seemed
to be the chief, and indeed the only, occupation of
his mind on that occasion, and on every other where
he spoke of the probability of his disease terminating
fataUy. He could speak of nothing regarding her
vrithout strong and sensible emotion. He contrived,
however, to explain his wishes and expectations about
a provision for her after his death. They were as
nearly fulfilled as the state of the pension laws would
admit. He had hardly finished what he had to say
on that painful subject, when he abruptly said, ' Now
change the conversation, or read me the 8th Book of
VirgU.' I did so. He made me read the finest
verses twice over, spoke of their merits, and compared
them with passages in other poets, with aU his usual
acuteness, taste, memory, and vivacity. He had no
desire that I should be present at the puncture, and
I declined it from a dislike to the sight of any
operation. It was hardly over, however, when he
called me into the room, and telling me that it was
right, and might some day or other be useful to me
to know what the operation of tapping was, he sat
looking at the water as it spouted from him, and with
good humour, and even pleasantry, commented on
the figure he made.
" For some few days he seemed to revive. With
the propensity to deceive ourselves, which seems to
haunt a sick room, we began to entertain some faint
VOL. IT.

482 THE LAST ILLNESS OP [Mtat. 58.
hopes that the medicines and treatment might ward
off the necessity of a second operation. In this in
terval, he took, if I mistake not, one or two airings ;
and in a few days he was removed to Chiswick. The
weather was fine, and the garden through which he
was, wheeled, and the pictures, and large apartments
of that magnificent viUa, seemed to refresh his spirits,
A remark of Bacon quoted in the Spectator, that
poetry, sculpture, painting, and aU the arts of imi
tation, relieve and soothe the mind in sickness, while
other occupations fatigue and harass it, struck him
exceedingly. He applied it, no doubt, to his own
situation, and after some reflection, he observed, that
he could not see the reason, but acknowledged the
truth of it. He found the employment of the mind
in the contemplation of a landscape, or the perusal of
a poem, refreshing ; and all other exertion in business,
private or public, irksome.
" It was not long ere he was tapped a second
time. In the morning of the 7th of September, he
grew much worse, and Mrs. Fox sent for me over to
Chiswick, which I did not quit tiU after the ter
mination of his iUness. One day he sent for me, and
reminded me of my promise, not to conceal the truth.
I told him that we had been much alarmed, but
that he was better. I added, however, that he was
in a very precarious state, and that I must acknow
ledge his danger, though I perhaps over-stated it
from a fear of allowing myself to deceive him after the
promise I had given. He then repeated the injunc
tions he had given me before, and said once or tvrice.

1806,] CHARLES JAMES POX, 483
'You have done quite right— you wiU not forget
poor Liz : what wiU become of her ! ' As he had
now been twice apprised of his danger, and seemed
to me to have said aU that he wished, I henceforth
endeavoured to encourage his hopes as much as I
could, and infinitely beyond my own judgment of his
sUuation. He was, however, somewhat stronger and
easier that night ; he conversed more than he had
done for some time : seeing his servant in the room,
he spoke to me in French, and his thoughts stUl
dwelt exclusively on Mrs. Fox. 'Je crains pour
elle,' said he ; ' a't'elle la moindre id^e de mon
danger ? si non, quelle souffrance pour elle ! ' I
answered him (what was indeed the truth) that she
was sufficiently aware of his danger to prevent the
worse termination of his illness being a surprise ; but
that she had not been so desponding that morning as
my sister. General Fitz Patrick, and others ; and I
ventured to add, ' et a cette heure vous voyez qu'eUe
avait raison ; for in spite of what I then said to you,
" dabit Deus his quoque finem." ' 'Ay,' said he,
with a faint smUe, ' but finem, young one, may have
two senses.'
" Such was our last conversation. He spoke,
indeed, frequently, in the course of the next thirty-
six hours, and he evidently retained his faculties
unimpaired ; but he was too restless at one time, and
too lethargic at others, to keep up any conversation
after that evening, which I think was the llth of
September. About this period of his Ulness, Mrs.
Fox, who had a strong sense of religion, consulted
I I 2

484 THE LAST ILLNESS OP [.Etat, 58.
some of us on the means of persuading Mr. Fox to
hear prayers read by his bedside. I own that I
had some apprehensions lest any clergyman called in
might think it a good opportunity for displaying his
religious zeal, and acquiring celebrity by some exhi
bition to which Mr. Fox's principles and taste would
have been equaUy averse. When, however, Mr.
Bouverie, a young man of excellent character, with
out pretension or hypocrisy, was in the house, I
seconded her request, in the full persuasion that
by so doing I promoted what would have been the
wishes of Mr. Fox himself. His chief object through
out was to soothe and satisfy her. Yet repugnance
was felt, and to some degree urged, even to this, by
Mr. Trotter, who soon afterwards thought fit to
describe with great fervour the devotion it inspired,
and to buUd upon it many conjectures of his own
on the religious tenets and principles of Mr. Fox.
Mr. Bouverie stood behind the curtain of the bed,
and in a faint but audible voice read the service.
Mr. Fox remained unusuaUy quiet. Towards the
end, Mrs. Fox knelt on the bed and joined his hands,
which he seemed faintly to close with a smUe of
ineffable goodness, such as can never be forgotten
by those who witnessed it. Whatever it betokened,
it was a smile of serenity and goodness, such as
could have proceeded at that moment only from a
disinterested and benevolent heart, from a being
loving and beloved by all that surrounded and by
all that approached him. From that period, and not
tiU that period, Mrs. Fox bore her situation and

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX.

485

apprehensions with some fortitude; and I have no
doubt that her confidence in religion alone enabled
her to bear the scene which she was doomed so soon
to undergo.
"During the whole of the 1 3th of September, no
hopes could be entertained. For the last two hours
of his existence his articulation was so painful and
indistinct, that we could only occasionally catch his
words, and then very few at a time. The small
room in which he lay has two doors, one into the
large saloon, the other into a room equally smaU
adjoining. In the latter Mrs. Fox, during the last
ten days, constantly sat or lay down without un
dressing. Her bed was within hearing, and indeed
within a very few feet, of that of Mr. Fox. The
doors were always open, for the weather was ex
tremely hot. Of those who had access to him during
the last melancholy days, it was at any one moment
a mere accident who were actuaUy in the bedchamber
with him, who were pacing the adjoining rooms, or
giving vent to their grief in the distant corners of
the apartments. Each was actually by his bedside
during some part of the day, and all, of at least
seven or eight * persons, were constantly within call
of the room in which he lay, or in attendance upon
him. The impression, therefore given, (whether in-
* " Mrs. Fox, Miss Fox, Miss Willoughby, Lady Holland, General Fitz
Patrick, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Trotter, Dr. Moseley, or one of the other
physicians, aud often all three, and myself : other intimate friends, such
as Lord Robert Spencer, Lord John Townshend, Lord Fitzwilliam, fre
quently called. Some, I think, approached his bedside, all were admitted
• and stayed in the adjoining apartments for a considerable space of time."

486 THE LAST ILLNESS OP [^tat, 58.
tentionally or not, I cannot say) with respect to the
persons present at his death, in Mr, Trotter's book
is quite incorrect. The last words which he uttered
with any distinctness were, ' I die happy ;' and
'Liz,' the affectionate abbreviation in which he
usually addressed his wife. He attempted indeed
to articulate something more, but we none of us
could accurately distinguish the sounds. In very
few minutes after this fruitless endeavour to speak,
in the evening of the 13th of September, 1806, he
expired without a groan, and with a serene and
placid countenance, which seemed, even after death,
to represent the benevolent spirit which had ani
mated it.
" With some pain to myself, and with some hazard
of wearying those who may at any distance of time
peruse these Papers, I have thus related aU the minute
particulars concerning the last Ulness and death of the
best and greatest man of our time, with whom the
accident of birth closely connected me, from whose
conversation and kindness I derived the chief delight
of my youth, and veneration for whose memory fur
nished me with the strongest motive for continuing
in public life, as well as the best regulation for my
conduct therein. I noted down these detaUs, cur-
rente calamo, without stopping to select a word, or
polish an expression, in the year 1811, five years and
a few weeks after the period of his death. I did so
because I was then fresh from the perusal of a book
written by his secretary, Mr. Trotter, in which the
author, possibly without any evil intention, conveys

1806.] CHARLES JAMES FOX. 487
very false impressions of the opinions of Mr. Fox,
and stiU more so of the conduct of his relations and
friends. If a consciousness of being beloved and
almost adored by aU who approached him could ad
minister consolation in the hour of death, no man
could with more reason or propriety have closed his
career with the exclamation of — 'I die happy!' for
no man ever deserved or obtained that consolation
more certainly than Mr. Fox.
" His character could be best delineated by a narra
tive of the leading events of his public life, by a
reference to bis speeches and writings, by a publi
cation of many of his private letters, a description of
his domestic life, and such fragments of his conver
sation as the memory of his friends might supply.
Such a work I have long meditated. If I have
leisure and health, I trust that I shall, some day,
accomplish it in a way, I wUl not say worthy of the
subject (for to that I do not aspire), but, at least, in a
manner which shall do him no discredit, which shall
offend against no one principle which I have imbibed
from him, and which shall give no unnecessary pain
to any one, and, above all, none to such as command
my regard and affection, by having shared some por
tion of his."

POSTSCRIPT.

In the volumes now brought to a close, I have
printed the materials which Lord Holland had
coUected, with a view to illustrate the life of his
uncle. I hope to be able soon to execute in some degree
the design which Lord HoUand had formed, of giving
a connected narrative of Mr. Fox's life, with extracts
from his speeches.
In concluding these volumes, however, I propose
to point out shortly the main principles and the chief
measures of which Mr. Fox was the foremost
champion. 1. Mr. Fox held the doctrine that the King ought
always to be guided by the advice of Parliament, in
opposition to the opinion, that he might rule without
regard to party connection, by separate influence and
by innate authority. Although his views may seem
to have been defeated in 1784, yet they have in the
end prevailed, and are now the established practice
of the Constitution.

490 POSTSCRIPT.
2. Mr. Fox maintained that theory of rehgious
liberty which requires that religious faith should not
be made a qualification for office or for seats in
Parliament. Although he failed during his lifetime
in emancipating either Protestant Dissenters from the
fetters of the Test and Corporation Acts, or Roman
Cathohcs from the disabling statutes of Charles the
Second, yet his efforts were not unfruitful, and in
1828 and 1829, both these kinds of disabUity were
removed. 3. The African Slave Trade which Mr. Pitt at
once denounced and extended, received its death
blow from Mr. Fox at the termination of his life.
The abolition of slavery was a corollary of that act.
4. Parliamentary Reform, which Mr. Fox sup
ported in 1782, 1783, 1785, and 1797, was finaUy
accomplished by his friend and disciple Lord Grey,
in 1832.
5. Economical Reform had its chief promoter in
Mr. Burke, but Mr. Fox contributed his powerful aid to
the destruction of the corrupt system which flQurished
during the ministry of Lord North, and which Lord
North had inherited from his predecessors.
6. The most powerful speeches of Mr. Fox, both
in youth and middle age, were made in favour of
Peace.. Not that the great orator was for peace at
aU times, and at any price. When France attempted
to destroy the independence of Holland, in 1787,
Mr. Fox applauded the vigour with which Mr. Pitt
resisted the design. When Napoleon, flushed with
the victory of Austerlitz, burst all the bounds of

POSTSCRIPT. 491
moderation, Mr. Fox preferred the continuance of
the war to dishonourable concession. StiU the
favourite predUection of his heart, was love of peace.
Neither the pride which carried the nation forward in
the assertion of dominion over America, nor the passion
which sought to punish the crimes of the French
people by the invasion and desolation of France, led
him away from the great aim of honourable peace.
This disposition left him in a small minority in the
House of Commons at the beginning of the American
war, in a still smaller minority at the commencement
and during the course of the French war. The loss
of all prospect of power, the invectives of vulgar
politicians, he was content to bear ; the loss of friends,
dearly loved, and of the national confidence, honour
ably acquired, were sacrifices more painful to his
heart. But he never faltered, and never swerved
from his purpose. The nation, inflamed by animosity,
lifted up by arrogance, and deluded by the eloquence
of men in power, assaUed him as an enemy to his
country, because he opposed measures injurious to
her interests, and inconsistent with the great laws
which regulate the relations between man and
man. In this deluge of foUy and of fury, he sought
in a return to literary pursuits an occupation and an
amusement. Other times may see the renewal of
wars as unjust and as imprudent as those which Mr.
Fox opposed ; but whUe the many wUl be carried
away by the prevaUing hurricane, those who can keep
their feet wUl recur to his example as that of a great
man who preferred the welfare of his country, and

492 POSTSCRIPT. '' " . . '
of mankind, to the power and popularity which were
acquired by the wantom sacrifice of human life, and
the disregard of justice, charity, and mercy. By
such his memory wiU be revered to aU futm'e
generations.

* THE END.

BKADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERa, WHITEFRIARS.