delight of men and women." (Carlyle, "French
Revolution," book lii. ch. 11.).

(276) George Bussey, fourth Earl of Jersey (1735-1805).

(277) John, second Earl of Ashburnham (1724-1812).

(278) William Digby, Dean of Clonfert (1766-1812).

(1789, Nov. 21?) Saturday night, Richmond.--I finished my short note
of to-day with saying that I intended to have wrote to you a longer
letter, but I sent you all which I had time to write before the post
went out. It is, I think, a curious anecdote, and I know it to be a
true one; I was surprised to find that the Duke had heard nothing of
it, but I suppose that his Highness the D(uke) of O(rleans) does not
find it a very pleasant subject to discuss, and if the allegation be
true, no one in history can make a more horrid, and at the same
time, a more contemptible figure, for I must give him credit for all
which might have been, as well as for what was certainly the
consequence of his enterprise. I hope that, for the future, both he
and his friend here will (to use Cardinal Wolsey's expression)
"fling away ambition. By that sin fell the angels. How can man then
hope to win by it?" And of all men, the least, a Regent. If I had
not been interrupted by the Duke's coming soon after I received the
paper, I should have myself wrote a copy of it for Caroline, because
I must not have a Welch Lady left out of the secret of affairs.
. . .

The Duke(279) looks surprisingly well. He came from London on
purpose to see us, and intended, I believe, to have stayed, at least
to dinner, but H(is) R(oyal) H(ighness) interfered, as he often does
with my pleasures; so the Duke dined at Carlton House--I do not say
in such an humble, comfortable society, as with us, but what he
likes better, avec des princes, qui sont Princes, sans contredit,
mais rien audessus. All in good time, as Me Piozzi(280) frequently
in her book, but what she means by it the Devil knows, nor do I
care. I only say, that her book, with all its absurdities, has
amused me more than many others have done which have a much better
reputation.

I heard the D. say nothing of his affairs in Scotland, of those in
France, or indeed hardly of anything else, and I, for my part, am
afraid of broaching any subject whatever, because upon all there is
some string that jars, and to preserve a perfect unison, I think it
best to wait than to seek occasions of offering my poor sentiments.
He is going again to Newmarket, to survey his works t