VI. Torke à Holdernesse

La Haye, 14 mars 1760.

.... The bailly de Froulay, tho whom the inclosed paper is addressed^), is an old soft speaking courtier,

') Jeanne], directeur et intendant des postes de France pour la Cour. Cf. Corresp. de Mnd. Du Deffand (éd. de Sainte Aulaire), table i.-v.

h Cf. Pol. Corresp. Friedr. d. Gr. t. XIX. p. 103, 106, 108, 110 etc.

1760. Mars— Avril] — 268 —

very devout but very well au fait of ail the interior of Versailles and upon an agréable footing, respected and esteemed by the French king and distinguished by him upon every occasion. He is personally known to the King of Prussia by the différent journeys he made to Berlin about the afiFairs of the order of Maltha and particulary in relation to the comanderies in Silesia, which the King of Prussia insists upon being filled up with his own subjects only and net by foreigners. Whether he is able to undertake the commission at présent, I can't tell; but if he does, it will be a strong proof of the French désire of peace. Your Lordship won*t be less surprized than amused with the apparition of Count S*^ Germain. If what he says is true, or only a 100^^ part of it, France must make peace and will not be oversanguine in her expectations. That he is well at Court I hâve long known, and 1 am convinced, and so is M"^ d'Affi*y too, that he is come with a private commission. He says Choiseul endeavours to hurt Madame de Pompadour, who hâtes him and who is betrayed by him, and he will fall like Bernis for it. They hâve given up, he says, ail thoughts of the Low Countrys, which was worked up by the late Dutchess of Parma, who wanted to get an establishment there for herself; but that France now feels, she must begin a new war against England and HoUand if she attempts it. He says: «Peut-être on voudroit brider un peu le Roi de Prusse, mais lui ôter la Silésie, jamais; au contraire on la lui garantiroit." It is impossible to recoUect half of this extraordinary conversation, the sum total of which is the désire of peace and some encouragement from us to abandon Austria, which is a word they dare not yet articulato, tho' it is at their tongues end. My share of the conversation was simple and

— 269 — [1760. Mars— Av.il-

uniform: civilities for those who were well inclined, particularly for the Lady *), in return for what he pretended to say to me from her; resolution to support our allies, ignorance upon the terras we should expect, but very strong upon the désire of peace, if France acted fairly and roundly. I could not go further and I thought there was no harm in going so far, because those sentiments might be safely published in every town in Europe; but I shall not be quite easy till I hâve an answer to thèse letters.