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cumstances, it was impossible for me to consent to so great an expenditure upon a plan which I plainly saw had been partially taken up, and the whole of the subject not properly considered. No man would do so in his private affairs; and I still think it would be inexpedient, in the double light of expenditure and punishment, till the measures, to which I allude, have had a fair and effectual trial. Upon the change of ministry these measures were dropped; and a number of persons confined under the Vagrant Act were immediately set at liberty; who have made, if I am rightly informed, a material part of those who have infested London since.

I propose to be in London in about a fortnight; when I shall be very glad of the pleasure of talking to you upon this or any other subject.

I am, with great truth and regard, Sir,
Your most obedient, humble Servant,

LANSDOWNE.

Dear Sir,

LETTER XLIII.

FROM SIR GILBERT ELLIOT.*

Park Street, Feb. 10. 1786.

I thank you for the very excellent work t you have favoured me with. As I am writing to yourself I shall be more reserved than with any other man I can converse with on the subject; but you must just give me leave to wonder that you

*Afterwards Lord Minto.

† The work alluded to in the preceding letter.

should feel the least desire to conceal the name of the author. Your design is too honourable, I think, to leave you much anxiety about the performance, even if that were at all doubtful: but one is worthy of the other, and you know, from me, c'est tout dire. I do assure you, the perusal has given me the greatest pleasure, both from the certainty of the very high credit you must derive from it, and from the hope it affords me of seeing real and extensive good result, from our penal law and our administration of criminal justice being treated with your views, and by your pen. I entreat you to go on.

I send you the paper you desired, and some others which you may perhaps either have already or not want; but they may take their chance of serving you.

Believe me most sincerely, dear Sir,

Your faithful humble servant,

GILBERT ELLIOT.

LETTER XLIV.

FROM M. TARGET.

[Paris,] 19 Juin, 1786.

Recevez, Monsieur, tous mes remercîmens du bon ouvrage que vous m'avez envoyé. Je l'ai lu avec l'intérêt qu'inspire un grand objet social, et l'attendrissement que l'on ressent toujours à la

LETTER XLIV.

19 June, 1786.

Accept my best thanks, my dear Sir, for the excellent work you have sent me. I read it with the interest which a great social object must inspire, and with the feelings which must be always excited in read

lecture d'un écrit dicté par l'amour de l'humanité. Ces sentimens s'accroissent de tout ce que peut y ajouter l'amitié que vous m'avez marquée, et dont je conserve un précieux souvenir. Ecrivez, combattez toujours, Monsieur, pour la bienfaisance et pour l'utilité publique; c'est le meilleur emploi d'une vie qu'on perd toutes les fois qu'on ne la consacre pas aux choses utiles.

Je suis délivré depuis peu de jours d'une affaire dont toute l'Europe a parlé : vous savez sans doute que par arrêt du 31 Mai dernier, M. le Cardinal de Rohan a été déchargé de l'accusation, et a obtenu une victoire pleine; les mémoires que j'ai faits pour lui sont à Londres; il y en a même une traduction Angloise, que je désirerois avoir si cela étoit possible.

Je ne recommande point à votre zèle la cause de Mad. de Rochard, qui me remercie à chaque occasion du présent que je lui ai fait en vous indiquant pour défenseur. Je n'ai sûrement aucuns

ing what is dictated by the love of mankind. Much is to be added to these feelings from the friendship you have shown me, the recollection of which is most valuable to me. Continue, Sir, to write and to labour in the cause of benevolence and of public utility; it is making the best use of a life which, when not devoted to usefulness, is thrown away.

It is only a few days since I have been set at liberty from a cause which has engaged the attention of all Europe. You, no doubt, know that, by the decree of the 31st of May last, the Cardinal of Rohan has been freed from the accusation against him, and has obtained a complete victory; the defence which I made for him is in London; there is even an English translation of it, which I should wish to have if pos sible.

I do not beg you to be zealous in the cause of Mad. de Rochard, who takes every opportunity of thanking me for the present I made her in pointing you out for her counsel; no exertions of mine are

efforts à faire pour vous engager à la servir de toute votre justice et de tous vos talens.

Ne m'oubliez pas, je vous prie, auprès de M. Baynes que je remercie de sa lettre, et à qui je demande pardon de n'avoir pas répondu.

J'ai l'honneur d'être avec un attachement respectueux et un dévouement inviolable,

Monsieur,

Votre très-humble

Et très-obéissant Serviteur,

LETTER XLV.

TARGET.

FROM MR. BAYNES.

My dear Friend,

Trin. Coll. Camb., Oct. 3. 1786.

I should have been with you by this time, had not our Master and Seniors, by making the late election of Fellows exactly in the most improper as well as most unpopular manner possible, detained me in college a few days longer, for the purpose of endeavouring to effect some reform in the present mode of carrying on that business. How far we shall succeed, Heaven only knows. The particulars of what has passed I cannot now communicate, for many reasons.*

necessary to induce you to assist her with all your justice and all your

talents.

Pray remember me to Mr. Baynes, whom I thank for his letter, and whose forgiveness I ask for not having answered it.

I have the honour to be, &c. &c.

TARGET.

* See the history of Trinity College, which is appended to Bishop Monk's Life of Bentley, vol. ii. p. 423. 2d edit.

My time has been, on the whole, very agreeably spent. Our juniors form a very pleasant party : Cautley and Hailstone and Popple have been with us pretty constantly; Mansell, the Momus of our Pantheon, supplies us as liberally with puns, as Harry Gordon, our Ganymede, with his nectarean port. Alas, poor Gordon! for our Seniors, the other day, thought proper to displace him, after Christmas next, for an insult on some of their own body. We are all unanimous, and facetious, and merry; what can I say more?

Our evenings are filled up by the exertions of two companies of comedians, one from Norwich, the other from I know not where; but the latter is under the management of W. Palmer, of the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. Palmer and Edwin come down occasionally to W. Palmer's theatre. I am going thither, to-night, with some very handsome ladies; therefore, wonder not at my unusual brevity if I be obliged to conclude soon, as the hour is not far distant. Shakspeare and black letter muster strong at Emanuel. Farmer the master, Steevens, Isaac Reed, and Master Herbert, the editor of Ames, have taken up their quarters there. I have looked for Douce every day; but, alas! he does not come.

I

I shall come to law with redoubled fury. have ransacked all the libraries here for manuscripts, but find nothing of much consequence except old readings, which are, mostly, very difficult to read. I have done a chapter of Coke on · Fines, read a book of Cicero de Legibus, an oration in Greek, and newspapers and reviews "sauns

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