They slept on Friday and Saturday nights on the bare benches
which were placed adong the wall ; and after fasting for more
than twelve hours, they were indebted to the charity of a
poor huissier for some biscuits and a glass of wine.
My dear Lord,



To Lord Auckland,

Whitehall, August 17th, 17»2.
Notwithstanding Lord Grenville's absence, we have been
doing considerable execution to-day. The French business
is at length arrived at such a pitch of enormity, that to suffer
Lord Gower and Lindsay to remain any longer at Paris was
little better than murder. They are both therefore directed
to come home, and have an instruction to leave behind them
a hint that, though we have been and mean to be at all



208 LADY SUTHEBLANirS INTBEPIDITY, [Chap. XIL

points extremely neutral, any personal attempt upon the
King and his family will raise strange sensations here.
I am vastly obliged to you for the fresh cargo of herrings*
you have the goodness to send me ; but I cannot think of
thus trespassing eternally on your bounty, and beg you will
not send me any more. As to Lady Elgin, I have known of
old her uncommon talents for the subaltern line of negotiation,
as well as all the benefits which have accrued to her from it.
The old quotation of Crvstidis et Pomis never could apply
better than she has had the dexterity to discover it will in
the quarter where she pays her adorations. The general
report is that she will be the next Lady of the Bedchamber.
Mr. Pitt has taken the Cinque Ports, as I hinted in my
last, and upon the same footing Lord North held them.
What is surprising, not a single libel has yet appeared upon
the occasion.
