GREENWICH,July 8,O.S.1751.
MY DEAR FRIEND:The last mail brought me your letter of the 3d July,N.S.I am glad that you are so well with Colonel Yorke,as to be let into secret correspondences.Lord Albemarle's reserve to you is,Ibelieve,more owing to his secretary than to himself;for you seem to be much in favor with him;and possibly too HE HAS NO VERY SECRET LETTERS to communicate.However,take care not to discover the least dissatisfaction upon this score:make the proper acknowledgments to Colonel Yorke,for what he does show you;but let neither Lord Albemarle nor his people perceive the least coldness on your part,upon account of what they do not show you.It is very often necessary,not to manifest all one feels.
Make your court to,and connect yourself as much as possible with Colonel Yorke;he may be of great use to you hereafter;and when you take leave,not only offer to bring over any letters or packets,by way of security;but even ask,as a favor,to be the carrier of a letter from him to his father,the Chancellor.'A propos'of your coming here;I confess that Iam weakly impatient for it,and think a few days worth getting;I would,therefore,instead of the 25th of next month,N.S.,which was the day that I some time ago appointed for your leaving Paris,have you set out on Friday the 20th of August,N.S.;in consequence of which you will be at Calais some time on the Sunday following,and probably at Dover within four-and-twenty hours afterward.If you land in the morning,you may,in a postchaise,get to Sittingborne that day;if you come on shore in the evening,you can only get to Canterbury,where you will be better lodged than at Dover.I will not have you travel in the night,nor fatigue and overheat yourself by running on fourscore miles the moment you land.
You will come straight to Blackheath,where I shall be ready to meet you,and which is directly upon the Dover road to London;and we will go to town together,after you have rested yourself a day or two here.All the other directions,which I gave you in my former letter,hold still the same.But,notwithstanding this regulation,should you have any particular reasons for leaving Paris two or three days sooner or later,than the above mentioned,'vous etes maitre'.Make all your arrangements at Paris for about a six weeks stay in England at farthest.
I had a letter the other day from Lord Huntingdon,of which one-half at least was your panegyric;it was extremely welcome to me from so good a hand.Cultivate that friendship;it will do you honor and give you strength.Connections,in our mixed parliamentary government,are of great use.
I send you here inclosed the particular price of each of the mohairs;but I do not suppose that you will receive a shilling for anyone of them.
However,if any of your ladies should take an odd fancy to pay,the shortest way,in the course of business,is for you to keep the money,and to take so much less from Sir John Lambert in your next draught upon him.
I am very sorry to hear that Lady Hervey is ill.Paris does not seem to agree with her;she used to have great health here.'A propos'of her;remember,when you are with me,not to mention her but when you and I are quite alone,for reasons which I will tell you when we meet:but this is only between you and me;and I desire that you will not so much as hint it to her,or to anybody else.
If old Kurzay goes to the valley of Jehoshaphat,I cannot help it;it will be an ease to our friend Madame Montconseil,who I believe maintains her,and a little will not satisfy her in any way.
Remember to bring your mother some little presents;they need not be of value,but only marks of your affection and duty for one who has always been tenderly fond of you.You may bring Lady Chesterfield a little Martin snuffbox of about five Louis ;and you need bring over no other presents;you and I not wanting 'les petits presens pour entretenir l'amitee'.
