[6] He used this expression again soon after. Making Lord Orford Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, he told him, he was of a family that had always stood by him; hoped he would too, and not behave like those footmen of the Duke of Newcastle.
[7] [Sic in MS.] E.
[8] This sarcasm is most unmerited and absurd. The Prince had no means of sending men, arms, and ammunition, nor was it any part of his duty to do so. Even if it had been, a regard for religion and literature, and some liberality in rewarding genius, are surely not incompatible with a due attention to public affairs.—E.
[9] John Home.
[CHAPTER III.]
Expedition to surprise Rochfort—Officers employed—The Fleet off the Isle of Oleron—Council of War—Difficulties of the Enterprise—Conway proposes an Attack on Fouras—Failure of the Expedition—Affairs in the East Indies—Victory of the Prussians over the Russians—Convention of Closter Seven—The King disavows it—The Duke of Cumberland’s return—His reception at Court, and subsequent conduct—Resigns all his Employments—Affairs of Ireland—State of Parties—Inquiry into the Miscarriages at Rochfort—Court-Martial—Lord Mansfield becomes a Cabinet Minister—Victories of the King of Prussia—Sir John Ligonier made a Field-Marshal and a Viscount—Death of Princess Caroline.
The measure was settled in July; but it was the 8th of September before the Fleet sailed. The French, though they did not learn the specific spot of destination, had ample time for preparation; and having a chain of garrisons along the coast, and being never totally destitute of supernumerary troops, hoped to be able to draw together a sufficient body wherever the storm should fall. As the event occasioned much discourse, I shall be excusable for detailing it; yet I shall do it with brevity; and, as much proceeded from the personal characters of the commanders, I shall describe them shortly, and with the more satisfaction, as their faults flowed from no want of courage; on the contrary, they possessed amongst them most of the various shades of that qualification. Mordaunt, as I have said, had a sort of alacrity in daring, but from ill health was grown more indifferent to it. He affected not Mr. Pitt, and from not loving the projector, was more careless than he should have been of the success of the project, presuming, unfortunately for himself, that if it should appear impracticable, the original mover would bear the blame.
Conway, secure of his own intrepidity, and of no ostentation, could not help foreseeing that from the superiority of his talents to those of Mordaunt, the good conduct of the expedition would be expected from him. The more answerable he thought himself, the more he guarded against objections. Cold in his deportment, and with a dignity of soul that kept him too much above familiarity, he missed that affection from his brother officers, which his unsullied virtues and humanity deserved; for he wanted the extrinsic of merit. Added to these little failings, he had a natural indecision in his temper, weighing with too much minuteness and too much fluctuation whatever depended on his own judgment. Cornwallis was a man of a very different complexion: as cool as Conway, and as brave, he was indifferent to everything but to being in the right. He held fame cheap, and smiled at reproach. General Howard was one of those sort of characters who are only to be distinguished by having no peculiarity of character. Under these was Wolfe, a young officer who had contracted reputation from his intelligence of discipline, and from the perfection to which he had brought his own regiment. The world could not expect more from him than he thought himself capable of performing. He looked on danger as the favourable moment that would call forth his talents.