H. WALPOLE A SON FRÈRE
Paris, January 31, 172*.
Dbar Brother,
If some hasty expressions fell from my pen, last night, you must attribule it to the disorder I was in, upon the receipt of your letter of the 12 th and 13 th,which struck me ail of a heap : my heart was full, and is slill so, even ready lo burst; and upon mature thoughts of a restless night, my sentiments are still the same, that the step you hâve taken to make me more easy *, and some amends for not getting Schaub recalled, will make my situation more uneasy, and less capable to act for the service of his majesly, of my friends, and myself.
Whether you were able to succeed in the at-
1. 11 venait d’étre nommé envoyé extraordinaire et ministre plénipotentiaire, ce qui le mettait avec sir Luke Schaub sur le pied d’une égalité parfaite.
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tempt for recalling Scbaub, and whether tbat success migbt not be attended witb tbe ill conséquences you apprebended, you certainly are tbe best judges. But to tbink tbe cbaracter you bave obtained will give sucb marks of distinction as must bring ail tbe crédit and confidence of tbe court and ministers to center in me, is tbe weakest of imaginations; for it cannot fait of baving, if 1 take it upon me, a quite contrary eflect .
A minister tbat is occasionally sent to act bere, by virtue of a letter of cachet, as plenipotentiary for bis master, is considered as baving tbe crédit and perbaps tbe secret of bis court, and is regarded accordingly ; but as soon as he is invested witb tbe lowest cbaracter, tbat is admilted bere, tbe friends under wbose protection be is sent, are looked upon as not baving tbe cbief interest al borne, or as baving a mean opinion of tbe person tbey send. Tbis is so true, tbat no crowned bead, nay no republic, ever employs a minister in France, tbat tbey intend sball bave crédit, but tbat tbey make bim embassador extraordinary, or let bim act as plenipotentiary by virtue of a private letter; tbat of a public envoy being no ways considered or respected bere. Tbis may look like pride or partia-
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lity in me; but I am afraid the application is too strong in the présent case, with this dilTerence only, lhat the crédit and confidence I had at first by a privale letler, is by the continuation of Schaub, and the support he bas met with from friends at home, displayed in a proper manner, byhis airs and insolence, already bccome doubtful and precarious, and, should I take upon me the public character of envoy, whill be sunk to nothing; so that I cannot possibly rest any longer here, in either capacity, with honour, or be of any use at ail.
For some time the circumstance of being related to lord Townshend and you, and of being known to several foreign ministers of the first rank, lhe little réputation of my own, as to foreign affairs, gave me immediately crédit and attention, and, in the minds of ail sensible persons, foretold with pleasure the fall of Schaub; but he having had time to recollect himself, his being engaged in a transaction that his majesty bas secretly much at heart, lias suspended the judgment of people, and begins to make them imagine it a doubtful case : who bas the crédit at home, Townshend or Carteret, or who the crédit abroad, Schaub or Walpole. Several little incidents, too trifling in lhemselves to name, which he impro-
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ves to his own advantage, and which I scorned to take notice of, thinking the cssential stroke would corne at last, hâve contribuled to this opinion; and however mortifying this honour done to me may be to Schaub’s patron, Schaub himself will despise il; for as it is in itself here no great honour, he will say with justice, it only puts me upon an equal foot with him ; he has already the pay of it, and nothing but his heing a foreigner has hindered his having that and a greater character too. That as I had at fîrst only a full power to sign the accession of lhe king of Portugal, so I hâve now the character of Envoy, to enable me to act in some cases where he cannot; but the secret is slill with him, and that will be soon seen. This is his language, and I am afraid the conséquence will prove it too true; and you yourself will be startled when you read in the inclosed paper, marked n® 1,’ concerning an intrigue I hâve diseovered carrying on, and is to be put in execution by count de Buy.
The circumstance of that gentleman’s heing sent as ambassador to England, and of my heing declared about the same time envoy exlraordinary in France, will conQrm ail I bave said, and expose my relations and me to the greatest degree. The pitiful circumstance of ail the dispat-
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ches wrote to us bolh jointly being carried ( I suppose by private intimation to the messengers) to Scbaub directly to Versailles, being opened by bim first, and communicated to Morville, or other ministers there, before 1 know any thing of the matler; the dispatches for Spain and Cambray being inclosed to bim, perused by him, forwarded by him, and made such use of as he shall think fit, wilhout my communication or knowledge, I bave thought hitherto below me to take notice of, and ’tis too late to do it now.
Hæ nup-æ séria ducuiil
In mala
In short, I am delermined not to deliver my credentials, but bave wrote a letter to lord Carteret acknowledging Ihc receipt of tbem, and bave given such a lurn to it thaï I dare say you will not be uneasy at it, and therefore I send you a copy inclosed. His letter, by the bye, was the most dry, not to say the most impertinent, I ever read from a secretary of State to a minister; but that don’t trouble me at ail. I bave wrote a letter to you, marked n** 3, on this occasion, thaï perhaps you may not think it amiss to bc imparted to his majesty, although it is conceived in terms as designed only for yourself.
{Walpole papers.)
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(Pagf 191.)
