ecommend to your careful
Perusal. I have sent my Letter unsealed in order that if you think it
worth while you may read it, which would oblige me. You may begin with
those words in the 1st Page, 'Now for your Book:' which you will see are
legible, being transcribed by a Friend. The rest, in my own hand, is
only an Apology for not writing sooner; save that there are two Sonnets
which if you like you may glance your eye over. Do not forget to put a
wafer on the Letter after you have done with it.

Will you excuse me if I find myself unable to forbear saying, upon this
occasion, a few words concerning the conduct pursued with respect to
foreign affairs by the Party with whom you act? I learn from a private
quarter of unquestionable Authority, that it was Lord Grenville's
intention, had he come into power as he lately expected, to have
recalled the army from Portugal. In the name of my Country, of our
virtuous and suffering Allies, and of Human Nature itself, I give thanks
to Providence who has restored the King's health so far as to prevent
this intention being put into practice hitherto. The transgressions of
the present ministry are grievous; but excepting only a deliberate and
direct attack upon the civil liberty of our own Country, there cannot be
any thing in a Minister worse than a desponding spirit and the lack of
confidence in a good cause. If Lord G. and Mr. Ponsonby think that the
privilege allowed to opposition-manoeuvering justifies them in speaking
as they do, they are sadly mistaken and do not discern what is becoming
the times; but if they sincerely believe in the omnipotence of
Buonaparte upon the Continent, they are the dupes of their own fears and
the slaves of their own ignorance. Do not deem me presumptuous when I
say that it is pitiable to hear Lord Grenville talking as he did in the
late debate of the inability of Great Britain to take a commanding
station as a military Power, and maintaining that our efforts must be
essentially, he means exclusively, naval. We have destroyed our enemies
upon the Sea, and are equally capable of destroying him upon land. Rich
in soldiers and revenues as we are, we are capable, availing ourselves
of the present disposition of the Continent, to erect there under our
countenance, and by a wise application of our resources, a military
Power, which the tyrannical and immoral Government of Buonaparte could
not prevail against, and if he could not overthrow it, he must himself