ssession of all America by the spring. By the news of
Fort St. John's and Chambley, and the investiture of Quebec, their
diligence and activity is wonderful, and it must end in the
possession of all N(orth) Am(erica). They have taken a store-ship,
and have several ships at sea. De peu a peu nous arrivons; if they
go on so another year--fuit Ilium et ingens gloria--we shall make
but a paltry figure in the eye of Europe. Come to town, and be
witness to the fall, or the re-establishment, of our puissant
Empire. . . .

Little of Selwyn's correspondence in 1776 and 1777 has been
preserved. Possibly he wrote less, and made a long stay at Castle
Howard. "I have more bon jours and bon soirs for her en poche,"
referring to his little child-friend, Caroline Howard, "than I shall
be able to give her during the whole time I shall stay at Castle H."
For the despatch of political news he trusted, as he often did, to
Storer. "I hope that Storer gives you a more particular account of
what is said in the House than I can do. What is he employing
himself about? Why won't he attempt to say something? What
signifies, knowing what Cicero said and how he said it, if a man
cannot open his mouth to deliver one sentence of his own?" But
Storer, like many able and cultivated men, was more critical of his
own powers than those who want both talent and knowledge. He was
not, however, altogether neglectful of Selwyn's wishes, and he
presently sent Carlisle some political news, but of no great
interest.

Selwyn himself was in somewhat low spirits, he was as we know
troubled by Mie Mie's parents, and he longed for the society of
Carlisle and his family.

(1777, Feb.) Tuesday night.--. . . As to my own situation I cannot
say it is a happy (one), although I have so much more than I could
have expected. I have, indeed, for the present all I ever wished,
but I have also the strongest assurances given me that at all events
things shall continue for some time in the state in which they now
are. But whoever upon that concludes that I must be easy is either
ignorant or indifferent to the feelings of mankind. The bare
possibility of be[ing] rendered so unhappy as I should be made upon
a change of their resolution, or from the operations of caprice and
travers, I say the mere apprehensions of that, even slightly
founded, prevent my mind from being in that equilibre which is
absolutely necessary to my tranquillity. We are, I say, at present
going on v