‘After visiting most of the fine seats in Somersetshire &c. including Lord Radnor’s famous triangular house, I came to Salisbury, where I met several old acquaintances, and among the rest Mr. Windham, who published Doddington’s Diary, and who permitted me to look over the vast collection of Doddington’s private correspondence, and to copy what I pleased.
‘From Salisbury I came hither, having made nearly a thousand miles in my gig, without suffering the least inconvenience, either from weather or accident. Could I do better than to end, as it were, my tour with a visit to the "Monarch’s and the Muses’ Seats"?
‘The only public news that you can now think of abroad is whether we are to have peace or war; but I have heard here from very good authority that Thurlow, Lord Stafford, and Mr. Pitt are for peace, and that ’tis thought the latter will resign if things take a different turn.
‘Whitbread expended not less than 15,000l. in entertaining the King and Queen at his brewery. They left off working it three days before—new clothes—the floor carpeted, and three or four sets of china made on purpose at Worcester after the most beautiful models of Sèvres, that the Royal Family might be entertained separately, though in the same rooms. The King asked Whitbread what he paid for duties to the Crown, and his Majesty was not a little surprised to hear that he paid 52,000l. for the Brewery alone. You will say all that is kind for me to the Count and Lazowski. Madame de Polignac[[120]] &c., together with the French Ambassador, have been at the Terrace, where they were received by the King and Queen. At Bath the French ladies broke the standing rules by all going to the ball much too late, and on foot, which is not common, and one danced in coloured gloves.
‘You and I shall agree about the Liancourt Plough as well as most other things. The Duke’s ideas of farming resemble those of Mons. Baron, whose self-conceit is exceeded only by his ignorance, and who must inevitably starve, if he had to gain his bread by farming, and practised for himself.
‘Adieu. Ever faithfully yours,
‘J. Symonds.’
CHAPTER VIII
TRAVEL AND INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIPS, 1788-89-90
The Wool Bill—Sheridan’s speech—Count Berchtold—Experiments—Second French journey—Potato-fed sheep—Cost of housekeeping—Chicory—Burnt in effigy—Correspondence—Third French journey—With Italian agriculturists—Bishop Watson and Mr. Luther—Correspondence—Literary work—Illness—The state of France.
Early in the spring I was deputed by the wool growers of Suffolk to support a petition against the Wool Bill[[121]] which at that time made much noise in the agricultural world; and in which I united with Sir Joseph Banks,[[122]] who was deputed by the county of Lincoln for the same purpose. I was most strenuous in the cause. By this Bill the growers of wool were laid under most insufferable restraints by its patrons the manufacturers, under the false pretence which had upon so many occasions been listened to by the Legislature, that immense quantities of wool were smuggled to France; on the gross fallacy of which they made good use, in taking those measures which answered their only design, that of sinking the price.