for I confess that I began to be afraid that our hopes had prematurely risen too quick and too high. I wish I could separate from them the thought that ever comes into my mind, of the blood that yet must flow before Bonaparte, the scourge of the earth and of our days, is fully and finally put down. Even within the small circle of my acquaintance, I have known of many homes made desolate by this continual warfare; of many hearts doomed to life-long sorrow for the slaughtered victims of this one demonman's ambition.

At Sir Charles Stewart's mission I am not well pleased. I am quite tired of Generals being sent out as negotiators; and there never came any good of it yet. I did flatter myself when I heard that your brother was in town, that it was with a view to his following you shortly to Berlin. His acquaintance, we may almost say his friendship, with the King, his intimacy with Baron Hardenberg, his long residence in Berlin and knowledge of the language and people, would have pointed him out, I should have thought, to any minister who wished to send the person best suited for the office, as the one on whom his choice should fall. But Lord Castlereagh, I suppose, must be credited with more love for his brother than regard for the interests of his country, and with amiable weakness has given him the first and the best thing that came into his hands. Apropos of this, I must tell you how people's guesses sometimes show what is expected and what ought to be done. I give you my word of honour that I never opened

my lips on the subject to any human being; yet two days ago Mrs. Ford told me that, last week at her whist table, some of the dowagers mentioned that they had heard Mr. Jackson was in town, and that one lady answered, "Yes, and a friend writes me word it is expected he will be appointed to the Berlin embassy."

I have not yet got through that speech of Whitbread which you sent me. It is a very long one, to my palate, and we have already had so much of the self-same thing, that I confess to having become weary of it. We have been occupied, too, with reading of a different kind, and have just finished Mrs. Opie's novel, "Temper." There are some descriptions in it that are very entertaining, and the sentiments throughout are good; but I think that almost all the situations are unnatural, or not sufficiently accounted for. But this you will not care for now, and, besides, while I think of it I must give you a commission which, busy as you are, I hope you will execute, as it will not take up much of your time.

As the Duchess of Brunswick is dead at last, and we must all put on our black, I wish you would order Painter to make my short black gloves, and your sister's long black ones, as soon as he can, and to send them to you, when you can forward them to me under an Office cover. This death will prevent the Prince, probably, from holding a levée before you go; for of course the Duchess must be buried first, and everybody be in mourning. And even then,

who knows if the afflicted son-in-law will be over anxious to show himself in public. The struggle to get into mourning on Sunday has put all our friends here into a fuss, at least those who have not had the forethought to be ready for an event that has been some time looked for.

It is useless to ask when Sir Charles thinks of going, for I know too well the uncertainty of all human things, and particularly of all human things in the shape of a minister, to expect to such a question a definite answer. Many people in Bath talk of going abroad, and I am persuaded that to make a continental trip will soon become quite a mania, especially if the present contest should continue to promise as favourable a result as it does now. But some cautious and prudent persons have doubts of the final result; and, awed by Bonaparte's superior talents and former good fortune, waver in their belief of its proving successful, and so think it wiser and safer not to leave the shores of Old England and their own firesides till it can be done with more perfect ease and security. I am quite of their opinion. Qu'en dites vous? my dear George.

C. J.

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

Stevens's Hotel, March 27th, 1813.

I know you will be anxious, my dear mother, to hear of what is going on, though I know not what, or how often, George has written to you. and I are both very busy, though in a different

He

VOL. II.

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way. The late arrivals from the continent occasion a great bustle at the Office, and make the Government anxious to get off the mission on a great scale. George is very lucky to be the second person in it. Sir Charles Stewart seems very good-humouredly disposed, and they get on together in the best manner possible. I dare say that before long George will have an opportunity of acting en chef.

They will be off, at least so they say, next week, about the middle, and will go wherever the Emperor and the King of Prussia may be. The fighting will not take place till the summer, when Bonaparte will have got together something of an army, and then the civilians will go to the rear.

Things really are in so fine a course that unless they are most miserably mismanaged, or that Bonaparte is more than usually fortunate, there must be, I think, a general peace in the course of this year. I have little or no confidence in the doings of the people now in power, but they are greatly favoured by circumstances; and I see plainly that Castlereagh and Co. are determined to keep everything in their own hands. So much is this the case, that the present mission having risen, since their first idea of sending George to Berlin on an errand of inquiry, to one of as high importance as Lord Castlereagh can make it for his brother, a sort of an attempt was made yesterday to get rid of George. I was at considerable pains to keep him steady, and I am glad I was at hand to do so; for in the natural indignation he felt at the discovery of the underhand proceedings

that have been going on for some days, he was on the point of playing into their hands, and furnishing the opportunity that was desired for the gentleman who was prepared for the emergency, to step into his place. I hope all is now going on right again, and that a few more days will see them fairly off. The fact is, the present is considered as a fortunate chase, and everybody is wild to be in at the death. Royal dukes, Generals, all are for going to Hanover.

The theatres are closed, but will probably be open next week, except on the day of the funeral, which is not yet fixed. All parties are put off-but there are but few of them-and the Duchess is to lie in state. The royal dukes are out and about. Tomorrow everybody will be in mourning; those who are not will hardly dare to look out of window.

The Drakes are in town. We dined with them yesterday at the house of Mrs. Drake's brother. He has ten children, mostly daughters, richly ugly, but very musical; so we had the organ, piano, flute, and singing all the evening. It was pleasant enough. Lord Clinton was there; he told me that Lord De-la-Warr is about to marry one of the Duke of Dorset's daughters.

29th. I have been to Carlton House to-day, but could see nobody, not even M'Mahon, whom I most wanted to see. I also looked in at the Office and found them all over head and ears in business. George has no orders yet, but Wessenburg is arrived, and a Hamburg mail. The Danes have agreed to the neutrality of the Elbe;

so we shall