e heartily
congratulated Pitt on the surrender of Valenciennes, which sanguine
persons hoped might hasten the end of the war. But, he added, "I own my
most sanguine expectations cannot reach the notion of our being able to
bring down the power of France in one campaign to the level to which I
think it must be reduced for our safety and for that of the rest of the
world. H.R.H. the Prince of Wales has been pleased to be most gracious
to me.... I suppose you have heard of his dinner on the capture of
Valenciennes. We sat from five till half-past ten, and many were very
drunk, particularly H.R.H. He really did the honours most admirably...."
In the next letter, of the early part of August 1796, Mornington sends a
quatrain of Latin Elegiacs which he had composed at Dundas's house, on
the exploits of Wurmser in relieving Mantua, of Davidovitch at Roveredo,
and Quosdanovitch at Brescia (not Verona), which seemed to presage the
ruin of Bonaparte.

Mantua Vurmisero gaudet, Rovereda Davido,
Et Verona tibi, Quosdanovice, patet.
Vae mihi (raptor ait Gallus) ne forte per Alpes
Heu! Bona pars in rem cogar abire malam.[617]

For some time Mornington had felt the charm of Indian history; and the
blend of energy with romance in his being may have prompted Pitt's
selection of him as Viceroy in 1797. After a most tedious voyage he
reached the Hooghly in time to foil the blow which Tippoo Sahib,
Bonaparte's prospective ally, aimed at Madras. In his letter to Pitt,
written there on 20th April 1799, he expressed a hope of the capture of
Seringapatam, and continues thus: "I assure you that my nerves are much
strengthened by all the exertions which I have been obliged to make, and
in this land of indolence I pass for rather an active, stout, hardy
fellow and can now fast till four o'clock (save only a bit of biscuit
and a glass of port). I am happy to hear that you are better than you
have ever been in your life. There is no comfort in mine but the distant
hope of seeing you all again safe, well, and quizzing in England. I have
only one request to make to you if you do not mean to abridge either my
doleful days or the period of my Government--do not suffer that
_cantancerous_ [_sic_] fellow, Sir J[ames] Craig, to be made
commander-in-chief in Bengal. Send me a sober discreet decent man, but
do not allow the etiquette of throwing inkstands to be revived at the
Council Board."[618]

On 12th May, after announcing to Pitt