ell you that the King is so too； and he said； but three days ago； to Monsieur Munchausen； HE （meaning you） SETS OUT VERY WELL； AND I LIKE HIS LETTERS； PROVIDED THAT； LIKE MOST OF MY ENGLISH MINISTERS ABROAD； HE DOES NOT GROW IDLE HEREAFTER。 So that here is both praise to flatter； and a hint to warn you。 What Lord Holderness recommends to you； being by the King's order； intimates also a degree of approbation； for the BLACKER INK； AND THE LARGER CHARACTER； show； that his Majesty； whose eyes are grown weaker； intends to read all your letters himself。 Therefore； pray do not neglect to get the blackest ink you can； and to make your secretary enlarge his hand； though 'd'ailleurs' it is a very good one。
Had I been to wish an advantageous situation for you； and a good debut in it； I could not have wished you either better than both have hitherto proved。 The rest will depend entirely upon yourself； and I own I begin to have much better hopes than I had； for I know； by my own experience； that the more one works； the more willing one is to work。 We are all； more or les； 'des animaux d'habitude'。 I remember very well； that when I was in business； I wrote four or five hours together every day； more willingly than I should now half an hour； and this is most certain； that when a man has applied himself to business half the day； the other half； goes off the more cheerfully and agreeably。 This I found so sensibly； when I was at The Hague； that I never tasted company so well nor was so good company myself； as at the suppers of my post days。 I take Hamburg now to be 'le centre du refuge Allemand'。 If you have any Hanover 'refugies' among them； pray take care to be particularly attentive to them。 How do you like your house？ Is it a convenient one？ Have the 'Casserolles' been employed in it yet？ You will find 'les petits soupers fins' less expensive； and turn to better account； than large dinners for great companies。
I hope you have written to the Duke of Newcastle； I take it for granted that you have to all your brother ministers of the northern department。 For God's sake be diligent； alert； active； and indefatigable in your business。 You want nothing but labor and industry to be； one day； whatever you please； in your own way。
We think and talk of nothing here but Brest； which is universally supposed to be the object of our great expedition。 A great and important object it is。 I suppose the affair must be brusque； or it will not do。 If we succeed； it will make France put some water to its wine。 As for my own private opinion； I own I rather wish than hope success。 However； should our expedition fail； 'Magnis tamen excidit ausis'； and that will be better than our late languid manner of making war。
To mention a person to you whom I am very indifferent about； I mean myself； I vegetate still just as I did when we parted； but I think I begin to be sensible of the autumn of the year； as well as of the autumn of my own life。 I feel an internal awkwardness； which； in about three weeks； I shall carry with me to the Bath； where I hope to get rid of it； as I did last year。 The best cordial I could take； would be to hear； from time to time； of your industry and diligence； for in that case I should consequently hear of your success。 Remember your own motto； 'Nullum numen abest si sit prudentia'。 Nothing is truer。 Yours。
LETTER CCVII
BLACKHEATH； September 23； 1757
MY DEAR FRIEND： I received but the day before yesterday your letter of the 3d； from the headquarters at Selsingen ； and； by the way； it is but the second that I have received from you since your arrival at Hamburg。 Whatever was the cause of your going to the army； I approve of the effect； for I would have you； as much as possible； see everything that is to be seen。 That is the true useful knowledge； which informs and improves us when we are young； and amuses us and others when we are old； 'Olim haec meminisse juvabit'。 I could wish that you would （but I know you will not enter in a book； a short note only； of whatever you see or hear； that is very remarkable： I do not mean a German ALBUM stuffed with people's names； and Latin sentences； but I mean such a book； as； if you do not keep now； thirty years hence you would give a great deal of money to have kept。 'A propos de bottes'； for I am told he always wears his； was his Royal Highness very gracious to you； or not？ I have my doubts about it。 The neutrality which he has concluded with Marechal de Richelieu； will prevent that bloody battle which you expected； but what the King of Prussia will say to it is another point。 He was our only ally； at present； probably we have not one in the world。 If the King of Prussia can get at Monsieur de Soubize's； and the Imperial army； before other troops have joined them； I think he will beat them but what then？ He has three hundred thousand men to encounter afterward。 He must submit； but he may say with truth； 'Si Pergama dextra defendi potuissent'。 The late action between the Prussians and Russians has only thinned the human species； without giving either party a victory； which is plain by each party's claiming it。 Upon my word； our species will pay very dear for the quarrels and ambition of a few； and those by no means the most valuable part of it。 If the many were wiser than they are； the few must be quieter； and would perhaps be juster and better than they are。
Hamburg； I find； swarms with Grafs； Graffins； Fursts； and Furstins； Hocheits； and Durchlaugticheits。 I am glad of it； for you must necessarily be in the midst of them； and I am still more glad； that； being in the midst of them； you must necessarily be under some constraint of ceremony； a thing which you do not love； but which is； however； very useful。
I desired you in my last； and I repeat it again in this； to give me an account of your private and domestic life。
How do you pass your evenings？ Have they； at Hamburg； what are called at Paris 'des Maisons'； where one goes without ceremony； sups or not； as one pleases？ Are you adopted in any society？ Have you any rational brother ministers； and which？ What sort of things are your operas？ In the tender； I doubt they do not excel； for 'mein lieber schatz'； and the other tendernesses of the Teutonic language； would； in my mind； sound but indifferently； set to soft music； for the bravura parts； I have a great opinion of them； and 'das； der donner dich erschlage'； must no doubt； make a tremendously fine piece of 'recitativo'； when uttered by an angry hero； to the rumble of a whole orchestra； including drums； trumpets； and French horns。 Tell me your whole allotment of the day； in which I hope four hours； at least； are sacred to writing； the others cannot be better employed than in LIBERAL pleasures。 In short； give me a full account of yourself； in your un…ministerial character； your incognito； without your 'fiocchi'。 I love to see those； in whom I interest myself； in their undress； rather than in gala； I know them better so。 I recommend to you； 'etiam atque etiam'； method and order in everything you undertake。 Do you observe it in your accounts？ If you do not； you will be a beggar； though you were to receive the appointments of a Spanish Ambassador extraordinary； which are a thousand pistoles a month； and in your ministerial business； if you have no regular and stated hours for such and such parts of it； you will be in the hurry and confusion of the Duke of N…； doing everything by halves； and nothing well； nor soon。 I suppose you 'have been feasted through the Corps diplomatique at Hamburg； excepting Monsieur Champeaux； with whom； however； I hope you live 'poliment et galamment'； at all third places。
Lord Loudon is much blamed here for his 'retraite des dix milles'； for it is said that he had above that number； and might consequently have acted offensively； instead of retreating； especially as his retreat was contrary to the unanimous opinion（as it is now said） of the council of war。 In our Ministry； I suppose； things go pretty quietly； for the D。 of N。 has not plagued me these two months。 When his Royal Highness comes over； which I take it for granted he will do very soon； the great push will； I presume； be made at his Grace and Mr。 Pitt； but without effect if they agree； as it is visibly their interest to do； and； in that case； their parliamentary strength will support them against all attacks。 You may remember； I said at first； that the popularity would soon be on the side of those who opposed the popular Militia Bill； and now it appears so with a vengeance； in almost every county in England； by the tumults and insurrections of the people； who swear that they will not be enlisted。 That silly scheme must therefore be dropped； as quietly as may be。 Now that I have told you all that I know； and almost all that I think； I wish you a good supper and a good…night。
LETTER CCVIII
BLACKHEATH； September 30； 1757
MY DEAR FRIEND： I have so little to do； that I am surprised how I can find time to write to you so often。 Do not stare at the seeming paradox； for it is an undoubted truth； that the less one has to do； the less time one finds to do it in。 One yawns； one procrastinates； one can do it when one will； and therefore one seldom