letters to his son, 1756-58- 第12部分

Prince　Ferdinand　of　Brunswick　is　most　certainly　to　have　the　Garter；　and　I　think　I　have　secured　you　the　honor　of　putting　it　on。　　When　I　say　SECURED；　I　mean　it　in　the　sense　in　which　that　word　should　always　be　understood　at　courts；　and　that　is；　INSECURELY；　I　have　a　promise；　but　that　is　not　'caution　bourgeoise'。　　In　all　events；　do　not　mention　it　to　any　mortal；　because　there　is　always　a　degree　of　ridicule　that　attends　a　disappointment；　though　often　very　unjustly；　if　the　expectation　was　reasonably　grounded；　however；　it　is　certainly　most　prudent　not　to　communicate；　prematurely；　one's　hopes　or　one's　fears。　　I　cannot　tell　you　when　Prince　Ferdinand　will　have　it；　though　there　are　so　many　candidates　for　the　other　two　vacant　Garters；　that　I　believe　he　will　have　his　soon；　and　by　himself；　the　others　must　wait　till　a　third；　or　rather　a　fourth　vacancy。　　Lord　Rockingham　and　Lord　Holdernesse　are　secure。　　Lord　Temple　pushes　strongly；　but；　I　believe；　is　not　secure。　　This　commission　for　dubbing　a　knight；　and　so　distinguished　a　one；　will　be　a　very　agreeable　and　creditable　one　for　you；　'et　il　faut　vous　en　acquitter　galamment'。　In　the　days　of　ancient　chivalry；　people　were　very　nice　who　they　would　be　knighted　by　and；　if　I　do　not　mistake；　Francis　the　First　would　only　be　knighted　by　the　Chevalier　Bayard；　'qui　etoit　preux　Chevalier　et　sans　reproche'；　and　no　doubt　but　it　will　be　recorded；　'dans　les　archives　de　la　Maison　de　Brunswick'；　that　Prince　Ferdinand　received　the　honor　of　knighthood　from　your　hands。

The　estimates　for　the　expenses　of　the　year　1759　are　made　up；　I　have　seen　them；　and　what　do　you　think　they　amount　to？　　No　less　than　twelve　millions　three　hundred　thousand　pounds：　a　most　incredible　sum；　and　yet　already　subscribed；　and　even　more　offered！　　The　unanimity　in　the　House　of　Commons；　in　voting　such　a　sum；　and　such　forces；　both　by　sea　and　land；　is　not　the　less　astonishing。　　This　is　Mr。　Pitt's　doing；　AND　IT　IS　MARVELOUS　IN　OUR　EYES。

The　King　of　Prussia　has　nothing　more　to　do　this　year；　and；　the　next；　he　must　begin　where　he　has　left　off。　　I　wish　he　would　employ　this　winter　in　concluding　a　separate　peace　with　the　Elector　of　Saxony；　which　would　give　him　more　elbowroom　to　act　against　France　and　the　Queen　of　Hungary；　and　put　an　end　at　once　to　the　proceedings　of　the　Diet；　and　the　army　of　the　empire；　for　then　no　estate　of　the　empire　would　be　invaded　by　a　co…estate；　and　France；　the　faithful　and　disinterested　guarantee　of　the　Treaty　of　Westphalia；　would　have　no　pretense　to　continue　its　armies　there。　I　should　think　that　his　Polish　Majesty；　and　his　Governor；　Comte　Bruhl；　must　be　pretty　weary　of　being　fugitives　in　Poland；　where　they　are　hated；　and　of　being　ravaged　in　Saxony。　　This　reverie　of　mine；　I　hope　will　be　tried；　and　I　wish　it　may　succeed。　　Good…night；　and　God　bless　you！









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