est la-disette de sujets papables'. The Duke of
swears that he will have Lord personally attacked in both Houses; but I
do not see how, without endangering himself at the same time.

Miss C------is safely arrived here, and her Duke is fonder of her than
ever. It was a dangerous experiment that she tried, in leaving him so
long; but it seems she knew her man.

I pity you for the inundation of your good countrymen, which overwhelms
you; 'je sais ce qu'en vaut l'aune. It is, besides, expensive, but, as I
look upon the expense to be the least evil of the two, I will see if a
New-Year's gift will not make it up.

As I am now upon the wing, I will only add, God bless you!

LETTER CCLXXXII

BATH, November 28, 1765

MY DEAR FRIEND: I have this moment received your letter of the 10th. I
have now been here a month, bathing and drinking the waters, for
complaints much of the same kind as yours, I mean pains in my legs, hips,
and arms: whether gouty or rheumatic, God knows; but, I believe, both,
that fight without a decision in favor of either, and have absolutely
reduced me to the miserable situation of the Sphinx's riddle, to walk
upon three legs; that is, with the assistance of my stick, to walk, or
rather hobble, very indifferently. I wish it were a declared gout, which
is the distemper of a gentleman; whereas the rheumatism is the distemper
of a hackney-coachman or chairman, who is obliged to be out in all
weathers and at all hours.

I think you will do very right to ask leave, and I dare say you will
easily get it, to go to the baths in Suabia; that is, supposing that you
have consulted some skillful physician, if such a one there be, either at
Dresden or at Leipsic, about the nature of your distemper, and the nature
of those baths; but, 'suos quisque patimur manes'. We have but a bad
bargain, God knows, of this life, and patience is the only way not to
make bad worse. Mr. Pitt keeps his bed here, with a very real gout, and
not a political one, as is often suspected.

Here has been a congress of most of the 'ex Ministres'. If they have
raised a battery, as I suppose they have, it is a masked one, for nothing
has transpired; only they confess that they intend a most vigorous
attack. 'D'ailleurs', there seems to be a total suspension of all
business, till the meeting of the parliament, and then 'Signa canant'. I
am very glad that at this time you are out of it: and for reasons that I
need not mention: you would