‘Just fancy into what hands the King and the royal family have fallen! It is whispered by profound politicians or great enemies to Lord Bute, that the latter, who is allied to the house of Stuart, is, from the bottom of his heart, deeply attached to the Pretender; that he very ably serves this old master whilst shaping the conduct of the King of England as he does, which may in the end result in the Crown being lost to the House of Hanover. God alone is able to search the heart of this Scotchman. I consider Lord Bute to be as clever as he is shrewd; I certainly consider him even more shrewd than he is clever; but, notwithstanding his skill at intrigue, which I admit, I do not think he has a very bad heart—were it so, we should be forced to acknowledge that there never existed a more cunning rascal. It must, however, be admitted that we find, especially in the history of Scotland, traits of character still more odious. Ambition or religion is capable of the greatest crimes, even more than of the greatest virtues. You may make what reflections you please on the above, but I think it my duty to communicate to you the opening before me, upon a subject of such importance. ‘I am, &c.’ ‘P.S.—A few evenings ago the Duke of York, not very particular in his love affairs, was surprised with a lady by her husband, a captain, who wounded him slightly on the shoulder with a stroke of his sword, so that he has had to keep his room for some days; but this affair was hushed up immediately. His brother, the Duke of Gloucester, has fallen violently in love with the young dowager Lady Waldegrave, and as it is feared he might contract a secret marriage, it is arranged that he is to travel abroad with the Duke of Brunswick, who will return to England to conduct his consort to Germany. So far as this duke is concerned, he does not live on good terms with the Princess Augusta, his wife, who, however, is jealous of her husband. Persons in the palace have assured my friend that the prince’s love for his wife has cooled because he has discovered that she has an issue on the leg, and that their two children are already attacked with the King’s evil, that is to say, scrofula, of which the King’s younger brother has lately died.’ De Broglio lost no time in replying. He desired D’Eon to seek to discover, by diligent research, in which he was to observe the greatest circumspection, what prospect there would be of success were the restoration of the Stuarts to be attempted; and he further wished to know whether it would be dangerous to sound Lord Bute as to his secret intentions, or whether it would be better to watch and wait. The Chevalier recommended the latter course, saying that according to his judgment men and things were not sufficiently matured.[239] [Sidenote: THE CHEVALIER SLANDERED.]