Living he proved the favourite of the fair,
And dying drew from beauty’s eye a tear.
He was the gift of Ld. Henry.[21] He faithfully maintained the love for me his master felt whilst living. Peace to them both!
I viewed the dockyard and Mt. Edgecombe from it; I was too timid to venture in a boat across the Hamoaze. Many people came to dinner; Colonels of the Militia Regiments quartered at Plymouth, the celebrated Tommy Onslow,[22] who was full of jokes and puns. Some are good; to me he was entertaining, as I did not know his stock, but that is slender, and they are often repeated. Seeing him but once or twice did not exhaust them. Sir John Frederick[23] is a mild, gentlemanlike man; he has the manners of a man of the world, pleasant conversation, and a fair portion of information. Colonel Montagu[24] I saw but once. Ld. Bor. announced him as a superior man, and I was therefore prepared for something remarkable, tho’ his praises are often queerly bestowed, frequently for the love of paradox, to surprise by admiring what others disapprove. However, Col. M. appears to be clever: he launched forth upon the topics he is au fait of, and during a three-hours’ assemblage of people at and after dinner he gave the natural history of every bird that flies and every fish that swims. He is a man of bad temper, nor does it sound creditable to him that none of his officers speak to him, and they are upon the eve of bringing him to a Court-martial. He is separated from his wife, and might inherit an estate of his brother’s if he would be united to her; but the condition is too hard, and he renounces the possession of a benefit so encumbered.
DUKE OF SOMERSET
The Duke of Somerset[25] came over and stayed at two different times. He would have liked to have made a longer visit, but his mother was arrived at Plymouth, and she is a jealous bigot. He possesses a plain understanding and a mind in a progressive state of improvement. He reads and reflects and judges for himself, mixed with great diffidence and caution. He has had no advantage from an intercourse with the world. He lives retired, and it is quite singular to observe the impression a common, sensible remark, which might be made by anybody, makes upon him; he looks at one, pauses, and exclaims ‘Very true!’ in a sincere way, that manifests that he is struck with the justness of the observation, and that he admires the sagacity of the person. I perceived this during the conversation I had with him, and the points that struck him were merely such as any person at all au courant of common events would make, rather commonplace, tho’ true. His politics are just and temperate; his principles precisely those of a reflecting man, not actuated by any party motives, viewing things not men. He deprecates the inadvertencies of Opposition, as they have rendered themselves so obnoxious that they are dreaded in the country, and have been the means of throwing an unfounded popularity upon King and Ministers. He feels the necessity of abridging the power of the Crown, which he thinks has made rapid strides towards absolute, independent Monarchy. The first step to be taken, he thinks, is to obtain peace almost upon any terms, and the next to retrench the dangerous extension of prerogative this unfortunate war has given to the King. He has a taste for literature, rather free upon religious subjects, a great admirer of Gibbon—not his style, but his sentiments; many passages he knew by heart and repeated, tho’ from diffidence he could hardly finish a sentence, but that soon wore off. He seems well-read in polemics, knew the arguments urged on both sides in all the modern controversies, Parr, Travis, Curtis, Porson, Paley, Gisborne, etc. Upon the whole, I should be pleased to improve my knowledge of him. His brother[26] is a great mathematician and man of science. He would not come, but proposed solving an abstract problem with Mr. Playfair,[27] which had occupied him for some days.
MR. DUGALD STUART
On ye 25th we arrived here, Bowood, where we have found a numerous party. The Archbishop of Bordeaux,[28] a man who practises the piety and resignation his profession bids him teach. Tho’ fallen from a high dignity which he supported with honour, he has not been heard to utter an unavailing regret upon the past; he is truly respectable. His Grand Vicaire, L’Abbé Landrecelles, is also entitled to praise for his philosophy. Another Abbé, who is sensible, also was here. Indeed, the whole class of clergy have alone distinguished themselves by their conduct; they acted from principle, and are rewarded with universal esteem and respect. Mr. Dugald Stuart[29] and his wife, from Edinburgh, were here: he is reserved, and I did not hear him speak, but he is supposed deservedly to enjoy a high reputation. She is clever, well-informed, and pleasing.
I read Voltaire’s Memoirs, written by himself; I do not think any of his works abound with more genuine wit. The whole narrative of his connection with the King of Prussia is a chef d’œuvre, but tho’ he tells his own story, yet it is evident that he was in the wrong in their quarrel.
The Duke of York has met with a check in his attack on Alkmaer; he seems to have quarrelled with Abercromby,[30] as his official dispatch is silent in his praise. I fear the whole expedition will fail, and prove a useless waste of blood and treasure.