Emin, anxious for re-employment, now addressed Mr. Pitt. The letter was
addressed to Mr. Pitt, Secretary of State.
“SIR,
“Though I never had the honour to be known to you, yet I have the
boldness to write. I have been over a great variety of the world,
and have seen much people, but I wanted to see men; for the Design
of my Travel was knowledge, and I thought knowledge of real men
was better than books, therefore I have turned my Eyes upon all
ways and at last had the great happyness of seeing and hearing you
in that potent House of Commons, and there I discovered like the
light breaking upon me, what my Friends had often told me, of your
great love to your Country and your wise Eloquence that conquers
more than the Sword of a Hero. I own I grew a little envious; for
I thought no man loved his country better than I have mine, but
I confess it that I am nothing, tho’ I have been sailor, porter,
slave, and suffered everything in every shape, to make my country
what you have made yours. This is my small merit and the only
recommendation I can make to you. Sir, I will observe that a cloudy
day in winter is light enough to see what is about us and to serve
common business, but permitt me to say no man is happy nor in good
spirit untill the sun shines out. Then there is joy upon all men’s
faces. Thus it is, great Sir, with me in this country, I along with
the rest in this happy land, find Benefit of the Light you give us
all by your great wisdom of governing, but I am not happy, and my
Life is dead untill I see the Vezirazam of England.
“If you do me this high Honour, you will see a poor soldier whose
only Fortune is a character with all people which I have been
amongst. I was a Porter for learning not for livlihood, and I was
honest in that low way. This is known when by the goodness of great
Souls I was raised from that. I was not idle nor ingreatefull; I
have been high and low and I was not bad. When I served the last
campaign in Germany, all the officers, both English and the German,
will say more of me than I dare think of myself. I have, Sir, in my
studies for my country, found the way to advance it, and do some
service to your noble Nation at the same time. My humble plan for
this good design I will do myself the Honour to show to you and be
instructed by your great Wisdom and to give me new rights in this
great matter. My scheme has two Qualities which make some laugh at
me, others seem to like me for it. Whatever it is, it is little
without your assistance. If you approve of it, I laugh at those
that laugh at me, at any rate I am resolved and nothing shall stop
me but Death, which is common to everybody, and an honest Heart
need not fear any. I am, with the greatest Respect and Veneration,
“Great Sir,
“Your most obedient most obliged
devoted humble Servant,
“J. EMIN.
“In the Month of March, 1758,
“To the R. H. William Pitt, etc., etc.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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