not a little this impromptu dinner. impromptu dinner. The traiteur requested payment before I sat down, lest, as he wisely observed, we should be forced to decamp in the middle of our meal; but he promised to keep a good look out, and a watch for any sound that betokened the approach of the enemy. We however finished our dinner in peace, and continued undisturbed to so late an hour that we spread our cloaks to lie down.

30th.—Just as I had taken off my boots, a courier came in from Stralsund with letters and papers from England. They are the first I have received since I arrived on the continent, yet I fell fast asleep over them. I was soon awakened by an estafette from Sir Charles, recommending me to set out the first thing in the morning for Neisse, where he hoped very shortly to join me. Thus roused up, I once more looked at my letters, but tired nature would have her way, and again I fell asleep, but only to be again disturbed. This time it was by a messenger from the palace, to say that the enemy was very near, and that we must start without loss of time. It was four o'clock. We were up We were up and off in an hour; but before we left I saw for a few minutes the Russian General De Witt, who told me he should make a stand, and have a fight for it.

We have just got as far as Brieg, where we dine; and are lodged for the night in the same house as the Russian minister D'Alopeus. From him I heard of the Emperor having conferred on Sir Robert Wilson the order of St. George, of the third class. His Imperial Majesty it appears rode out with his suite to

see the troops in camp near Jauer. After going along the line, and at the moment when he was surrounded by his general and staff officers, he called Sir Robert Wilson to him, and addressed him in very flattering terms, saying, that he had appreciated, as they merited, his zeal, his gallantry and his services throughout the war, in testimony of which he had determined to confer on him the above-named order; and that he was desirous of doing it in the most gratifying manner. He then directed General Auguruski to take his cross from his neck and deliver it to Sir Robert, who was thus decorated in front of the Imperial army—a very great and gratifying compliment. Sir Robert received the cross until the pleasure of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent be known.

At Brieg I at last get time to read my own letters.

Mr. F. J. Jackson to George Jackson.

Brighton, May 16th, 1813.

Our life here, my dear George, is so uniform that I have very few events to record. The one subject that now engrosses everybody's thoughts is Bonaparte's account, just received, of his battles to the 5th. I can myself think only of them, and of those which we hope to hear of from the head-quarters of the Emperor and the King of Prussia.

It is evident, from Bonaparte's own statement, that the allied troops have so far done their duty; and if their chiefs will but make a stand, I shall not be at

all discouraged at his having got the country between Lutzen and the Elbe. I hope they will take up a position behind that river and attack him as soon as he crosses it. For the present, the north of Germany west of the Elbe, will be insecure, and I am uncertain whether this letter will reach you by that route.

We make here a thousand speculations upon Trogau, upon Austria; but it is useless to communicate them. Till we hear from your quarter we shall really know nothing. Lord Wellington was to begin his operations the first week of this month, and is very sanguine of driving the French out of Spain.

I suppose you have croakers with you as we have with us. Some of our blockheads had flattered themselves that Boney would give up the game without another struggle, and are therefore apprehensive of the event of the present conflict. Not so your humble servant. The Prussians and Russians will I believe make a good fight, and in the end conquer. They should be cheered on by everybody, in every way.

If we are withheld by any nonsensical tenderness toward Denmark from consenting to the taking of Norway by Bernadotte, we deserve to lose his cooperation, for we need not fear what hindrance the Danes can throw in our way. Destroy the lion and the jackall will soon fall. The offer which the Danes made to Hamburg, should not stop us from agreeing to the transfer, which a demi-official pamphlet, attributed to Madame de Staël, states as being intended to be made of Norway to Sweden. The co-operation of

Bernadotte would not be too highly purchased at that price.

I like very well the plan of dividing the north of Germany into departments, and Stein is an excellent man to be at the head of such a commission. What becomes of the little principalities would not signify, so that the military and financial interests, and the policy of the Allies be but well served. We are to suppose that at the end of the war Alexander will be very liberal; at all events, England has nothing to do with these details. We owe nothing to the little princes, and all we have to look to, is that the French be well beaten. I hope that whatever the allied sovereigns, in their wisdom, may propose for this purpose you show approval of, and that you are on the best terms with their ministers. As this letter goes at a venture, I have thought it well to write a portion of it in lemon.

Next month we go to town, when I shall be nearer the fountain head, and have more to communicate. At present we are living very quietly, and are thankful that there are few evening parties. When we dine out, we stay the evening in the same house, and there is much more conversation than in what is called company.

The Hollands are here, and enquire much after you. Her ladyship is the chief curiosity we have here just now. She is said to be in a bad state of health, and certainly she is sufficiently fanciful. I dined with them the other day, and met there Mrs. Beauclerk, the daughter of the Duchess of Leinster, and

whom I formerly knew as Miss Ogilvie; when she was the chief star in a very brilliant constellation of beauty that shone at the Wells in the summer of '97. She is still very handsome and elegant, and to my taste, is a far more attractive person than Lady Holland, who possesses a certain degree of cleverness, but not esprit of that quality for which she would fain have you give her credit; there is too much effort, a straining after effect in all she says and does; and the effect is not always what she wishes, or imagines it to be. She says she has had Berlin news from Vernon, whom I suppose to be with you, and that we therefore shall soon hear something of you.

F. J. J.

Mr. F. J. Jackson to Mrs. Jackson.

Brighton, May 23rd, 1813.

I have heard nothing of George, my dear mother, since the 27th of April, when he had just been presented to the King of Prussia. If he were en chef I should indeed be annoyed at his having sent no account of the battle; but I suppose Lord Cathcart and Sir Charles Stewart, who both ought to have been in it, have been a long while preparing their despatches, or have doubted of the possibility of sending them by Hamburg. But it is possible that Government may not choose to let anything received from them transpire, and have stopped all private letters from those who are of the mission or in their suite. I do not absolutely know that this