ss mediocrity. The Archbishop's brother,
and the new minister Villedeuil, and Lambert, have no will of their
own. They cannot raise money for the peace establishment the next
year, without the States General; much less if there be war; and their
administration will probably end with the States General.

Littlepage, who was here as a secret agent for the King of Poland,
rather overreached himself. He wanted more money. The King furnished it,
more than once. Still he wanted more, and thought to obtain a high bid,
by saying he was called for in America, and asking leave to go there.
Contrary to his expectation, he received leave; but he went to Warsaw
instead of America, and from thence, to join the * * * * I do not know

[* Several paragraphs of this letter are in cipher, A few
words here could not be deciphered.]

these facts certainly, but collect them, by putting several things
together. The King then sent an ancient secretary here, in whom he had
much confidence, to look out for a correspondent, a mere letter-writer
for him. A happy hazard threw Mazzei in his way. He recommended him,
and he is appointed. He has no diplomatic character whatever, but is to
receive eight thousand livres a year, as an intelligencer. I hope
this employment may have some permanence. The danger is, that he will
over-act his part.

The Marquis de la Luzerne had been for many years married to his
brother's wife's sister, secretly. She was ugly and deformed, but
sensible, amiable, and rather rich. When he was ambassador to London,
with ten thousand guineas a year, the marriage was avowed, and he
relinquished his cross of Malta, from which he derived a handsome
revenue for life, and which was very open to advancement. Not long ago,
she died. His real affection for her, which was great and unfeigned, and
perhaps the loss of his order, for so short-lived a satisfaction, has
thrown him almost into a state of despondency. He is now here.

I send you a book of Dupont's, on the subject of the commercial treaty
with England. Though its general matter may not be interesting, yet
you will pick up, in various parts of it, such excellent principles and
observations, as will richly repay the trouble of reading it. I send
you, also, two little pamphlets of the Marquis de Condorcet, wherein is
the most judicious statement I have seen, of the great questions
which agitate this nation at present. The new regulations present a
preponderance of goo