for not complying with them. In the present state of things, if I were to write again, I must be as silly as any of the horned cattle, that run mad through the city, or as any of your wise aldermen. I meant the cause and the public. Both are given up. I feel for the honour of this country, when I see that there are not ten men in it, who will unite and stand together upon any one question. But it is all alike, vile and contemptible. You have never flinched that I know of; and I shall always rejoice to hear of your prosperity. If you have any thing to communicate (of moment to yourself) you may use the last address, and give a hint1. SIR, No. 64. I HAVE troubled you with the perusal of two letters, as that of the prior date accounts for the delay of not sending the books sooner; and this acquaints you that I did not get them out of the bookbinder's hands till yesterday; nor though I desired them to be finished in the most elegant manner possible, are they done so well as I wished. But, Sir, if the manner of the contents and index are not agreeable to you, they shall be done over again according to any directions you skall please to favour me with.-With respect to City politics, I fear the breach is too wide ever to be again closed, and even my friend Mr. Wilkes lost some of his wonted coolness at the late election on Sawbridge, Oliver, &c. scratching against him2. I hope you will believe that how ever agreeable to me it must be to be honoured with your correspondence, I should never entertain the most distant 1 This letter was thus noticed in the answer to correspondents in the P. A. March 8, 1773. "The letter from AN OLD FRIEND and CORRESPON DENT, dated Jan 19, came safe to hand, and his directions are strictly fol lowed. Quod si quis existimat, aut, &c.” 2 Mr. Wilkes and Mr. Townshend were, after a sharp contest, returned to the court of Aldermen for them to make their election of one of these gentlemen to the mayoralty for the year 1772, when their choice fell upon Mr. Alderman Townshend, in consequence of Sawbridge and Oliver scratching wish that one ray of your splendour should be diminished by your continuing to write.-Mr. Wilkes indeed mentioned to me the other day that he thought the East India Company a proper subject; and asked if I could communicate any thing to you, to which my reply was that I could not tell, (as I did not know whether you might chuse to be intruded upon.) You will perceive by the papers that two persons have forced themselves upon us, who, without a tythe of Mr. Wilkes's abilities, imagine the public will look up to them as their deliverers; but they are most egregiously mistaken, as every one who possesses a grain of common sense hold them in almost utter contempt. You will probably guess who I mean, and were I capable of drawing a parallel, I should borrow some part of it from Shakespeare's Iago and Roderigo.Should it please the Almighty to spare your life till the next general election, and I should at that time exist, I shall hope you will deign to instruct me for whom I should give my vote, as my wish is to be represented by the most honest and able, and I know there cannot be any one who is so fit to judge as yourself. I have no connexions to warp me, nor am I acquainted with but one person who would speak to me on the subject, and that gentleman is, I believe, a true friend to the real good of his country; I mean Mr. Glover, the author of T.eonidas. As I thought serjeant Glynn deserving of something more than the mere fees of his profession, for the pains he took upon my trial, I have made a purchase of a small freehold at Brentford by way of qualification, in order to convince him, if he should offer himself at the next election, whenever it should happen, that I hold his services in grateful remembrance. But I am since informed that it is not his intention, and that Lord Percy is to be joined with Sir W. B. Proctor, scratching against Wilkes. The candidates for that office, with the number which they polled, were as under: who is to be supported by the Duke of Northumberland's interest. I have heard much of a most trimming letter from Mr. Stewart to Lord Mansfield on the Douglas cause, but cannot possibly get a copy, which probably would be a good letter to print. If, Sir, you should not disapprove of the Contents and Index, I thought of advertising them in the manner of the enclosed form, if I have your permission so to do, but not otherwise. May I beg the favour of a line in answer? Believe me, Sir, to be, with gratitude and respect, Your much obliged humble servant to command, HENRY SAMPSON WOODFALL. Sunday, March 7, 1773. |