George Selwyn : $b His letters and his lifeSelwyn, George Augustus
History
George Selwyn : $b His letters and his life
Selwyn, George Augustus
Selwyn, George Augustus, 1719-1791; Selwyn, George Augustus, 1719-1791 -- Correspondence
I saw Charles last night, and by accident was alone with me (him);
he stretched out his hand to me with great good humour. I could have
asked him an abundance of questions, and could have reasoned with
him a great while. For although in that sphere he has much
superiority to me, he has not the faculty of persuading me in the
least of what I know to be without reason, and a great part of which
he knows to be so himself. However, I did not, for fear of betraying
a want of temper which could be of no use, and I asked him no
questions, lest he should interpret them ill, and think that I
wanted to deprecate his vengeance or solicit his favour. He must be
reduced to his former despair before I shall discuss these matters
with him pleasantly.
He spoke of all coming to a final issue now within a very short
space of time; he talked of the King under the description of Satan,
a comparison which he seems fond of, and has used to others; so he
is sans management de paroles. It is the bon vainqueur et
despotique; he has adopted all the supremacy he pretended to dread
in his Majesty. It seems a dream that I survey his figure, and know
his history. His talents are great, but talents alone never operated
in this manner.
When he said how few days we had to subsist, I uttered in an humble
voice, "Greek text"; I have forgot to write my Greek. To that he
said, "You are in the right--that is the only reflection which can
be suggested for your comfort, but it is next to an impossibility."
He talks of us so much as an Opposition, that even the Wine Surplus,
which we call a majority, is forgot, and I wonder he does not in his
sleep walk into St. James's with the seals of his new Government in
his hand. He told me that he would make me a Baronet, for my vote
to-morrow night. The Duke of Devonshire said gravely, "A vast price
for one vote only!" Charles Turner has seriously insisted upon it.
The Fish told Lord N(orth) the other night, after the Division, that
he had only three bottles left of that champagne which he liked so
much, and if he would come and dine with him they were at|his
service. Lord North replied, archly enough, "What! still, Mr.
Craufurd, may I dine with you?"
(1782,) March 21, Thursday m(orning).--In the midst of all that
multiplicity of distress and confusion in which I am at present, as
well as the public, I will not omit to let you know that, excepting
the cough, George is very well. . . . What happened yesterday in the
H(ouse) of C(ommons), of which you will by various channels know the
particulars, with many more in a few days, must for ever astonish
you, if you were not sufficiently apprised of the characters of the
persons concerned. I hear that the Duke of Montagu at Windsor, the
day before, told the King of the impossibility of continuing the
Administration.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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