have plenty of news direct. The Emperor and the King were to meet at Dresden on the 23rd. Davoust commands at Dresden on the south side of the town. There had been great discontent among the people, a fracas had ensued, the French blew up the bridge and the Russians entered on the north side. They had passed the Elbe at Schandau and it was supposed that Davoust would be forced to withdraw. There is a list of I know not how many thousands of men marching against the French. The spirit of the entire German nation seems to be thoroughly roused. In short, everything seems to go on au mieux.

31st.—Frightful! you will exclaim, my dear mother, on unfolding this Patagonian sheet of paper. Frightful! especially as the dearth of news will not enable me to fill it. But this hotel produces nothing better or more orthodox, so I am fain to accept it from young Rumbold, who has had these enormous sheets cut, on purpose to write long letters to his mamma from the continent. He is the brother of George's late flame, and notwithstanding the rather abrupt breaking off of the match they have kept up an intimacy. Desiring to see Germany, and hoping also to see France, he is going out with George, and is staying at this hotel until G. gets his sailing orders. George left town by yesterday's mail and returns to-night- Lord Castlereagh having allowed him these two days to go into the country to take leave of his wife. I had taken leave of him myself, but the unexpected announcement of a levée keeps me in town till Saturday. I don't know why they try to make a secret of Sir

Charles' going to Germany, as everybody knows it. But I hear he has been telling people that he is going to Spain; it may be, 'tis to try his hand at diplomacy that he would thus mislead the world.

They do say in town, that part of the troops destined for America are stopped; but I believe the 41st have already sailed. Not even a transport is yet appointed for the conveyance of the artillery, and a writ has been issued to prevent Lord Moira from leaving the country; but I believe it is got over by his having raised money at a great loss.

According to present intentions, only the German Legion, and some cavalry and artillery will be sent to Hanover; and it will all depend upon a battle lost or won whether, when they go, they will remain there or not. Many people observe that hitherto, we have done nothing but rejoice at the good news.

The delay in despatching the mission is difficult for anybody not in the secret to account for. If George had been sent off, as was intended when he came in all haste to town, he would have been at Berlin by this time. Now, they all talk of going at the beginning of next week. I dare say it will be the end, and perhaps the beginning of the week after.

April 1st.—I kept this letter open, as so large a space in the gigantic sheet remained blank, to tell you of George's return. He came in at ten o'clock, and was afterwards in Grafton Street consulting till past midnight with Sir Charles. I had dined with the party which occasioned George so much emotion at Bath last year-Lady Rumbold, and her

daughters. They are pleasant and pretty girls, no doubt, but as in other respects the match was not desirable on either side, I see no great cause for regret and lamentation that the thing went off. There is plenty of society for those who seek it in London, but the season will not begin this year till after Easter, and will be at its height in June.

I dined on Thursday at Lord Dillon's-dîner fin.— I think there is an appearance of marriage there with Lord F. Beauclerk. I know of nothing else on the tapis, except that Sir William Scott, a judge, is to marry the dowager Lady Sligo. On Saturday morning I return to Brighton, having promised George some notes and instructions, which I hope will be at least useful to him, as supplementing those he will receive from the Office.

F. J. J.

Diaries.-Stevens's Hotel, April 3rd.—I have not learnt much at the Office this morning, not even when we are likely to start; but, from having accidentally cast my eye on a paper Cooke pulled out of his pocket and which I perceived related to me-I suppose to Sir Charles also, but mine was the only name visible-I infer that it must be very soon. This paper was evidently a draft of instructions. In the margin of it was written in Lord Castlereagh's hand, "Approved, and to be employed by General Stewart as circumstances may require."

I met Drake, as well as other expectants now on the look out, in Downing Street. This both surprised and

amused me, for he had called here in his phaeton, just after my brother left, and said he was going to Kew to buy merinos. As I told him I was going to Grafton Street-as indeed I was, but Sir Charles directly after sent me word that he would like better to confer with me in the evening-the meeting was unexpected, and to him it was evidently annoying. He had met with a friend, he said, and had been led to put off his purchase of merinos till another day. He found, too, that he had so much to do in town. that he should not get home so soon as he expected, and that, in fact and entre nous, he wanted to see Cooke before he went, as he thought he could give him a few useful hints. If these useful hints are to the effect that Government would do well to employ him again, I fear they will prove useless as far as he is concerned; for, notwithstanding the present changed and changing aspect of continental affairs, it is certain that the stupid conspiracy business of 1804, of which Drake was made the scapegoat of the ministry, will not tend to make his services acceptable to the present people, or himself, if an opening should offer, a desirable minister at any of the German Courts.

On my way I met Count Münster and went home with him to look at the "Moniteurs," which he has down to the 28th ult. No notice is taken by them of the entrance of the Russians into Hamburg, nor did I find that they contained anything of much interest, except an article from Utrecht, mentioning the arrival there of a great many wounded. This, as it

was unaccompanied by any explanation or observation whatever, may be connected with the idea Lord Liverpool yesterday threw out to my brother of a rising in Holland. The Dutch might make a powerful diversion in our favour; but I don't know if it is to be expected till the allied armies are come nearer to them.

The French régime was abolished throughout Brandenburg on the 15th. The King had divided his dominions, from the Elbe to the Russian frontiers, into four military governments, each with a civil and military commander-Massenbach is one of them.

D'Yorck entered Berlin on the 17th with his corps of forty thousand men under Wittgenstein's orders. His innocence had been publicly declared.

4th.-Sir Charles sent me word last night that the Russian troops had left Hamburg for the Weser; that the Mecklenburgers had entered it, and the Prussians were expected. The Cossacks had arrived at Lubeck, and the Elbe and Weser were reported free from the enemy.

Saxon, Westphalian, and Bavarian officers had entered the German Legion, publishing their reason for doing so in the Könige paper.

Stettin had been summoned the people were violent for capitulation, and a conference of four hours had been held with the governor. Immediate surrender was expected. A troop of Westphalian horse had deserted from Magdeburg and others were following. The Emperor left Breslau on the 19th, and the King of Prussia entered Potsdam on the 23rd.