1901.] ROSENGARTEN — FRANKLIN 's BAGATELLES. 117 



" Our case bad enough, but wished he could see daylight in the propo- 

 sition. France had taken our trade our fairest flower, and it was 

 saying to France ; insult us, take all we have, but don't make war 

 with us. Did not indeed know the means [had such as we had, we 

 must use them] : but if we must die, would die decently. Had stood 

 irruptions of Danes and of Normans, of Armada & Scotch rebels. 

 Would not then extinguish and put out the glories of that throne (point- 

 ing to it). 



" Knew he should be favorably interpreted : — whatever else he was 

 thought, should be thought sincere." 



These are all the expressions that have occurred to me ; and if a 

 variation was observed by others, I have inserted it. I suppose you 

 know that the debate-writers for the newspapers are seldom very exact : 

 Indeed they are low people, hear indistinctly, and know neither the 

 history of men, parties, or opiniofis ; and therefore are always blunder- 

 ing. As to the order of sentences it cannot be expected that I should 

 preserve it, but I have reported as faithfully as I could. His voice was 

 often low and did not then reach the bar. The Duke of Richmond 

 (who by the by is greatly improved, and will make a remarkable figure 

 in this country, having much English stuff in him, and though not a 

 soaring mind, yet very capable of business and detail, which he will 

 conduct with industry, honor & courage), the Duke of Richmond I say, 

 spoke pretty well in reply, but it was rather commonplace, and what had 

 chiefly fallen from him in former debates. There was a little harshness 

 & sternness in it, which he cannot always keep under even to his 

 domestics, but on the whole it was neither bitter nor formidable. I had 

 observed Lord Chatham shifting his crutch from one hand into the 

 other once or twice, but did not observe that he made any exertion to 

 get any thing out of his pocket, which they tell me was the case (feeling 

 for a handkerchief with a tug ;) but on a sudden he disappeared, and 

 was carried out of the house without sense, and like a corpse ; and did 

 not recover for almost an hour. He looked very ill at coming in at first ; 

 but did not speak so feebly as on the 30th of May, 1777, when he told 



L d S to be prepared for the worst, for he did not know what might 



happen. In July or August last he fell off his horse in a fit, but recov- 

 ered so as to go through much business in the beginning of the sessions. 

 I think about fifteen or twenty voices cried out after the bustle was over, 

 go on, go on; at which I was hurt; and they told me the Duke of 

 Richmond spoke of being obliged to attend his militia ; which is pos- 

 sible enough. When L d Chatham was told by D r Addington, that the 

 Rockinghams said, the Duke of Richmond had killed him: "Another 

 time," said Lord Chatham, sternly and firmly. 



April 8th : L d Shelburne came to the house and resumed the debate ; 

 and made a prodigious impression upon the Duke of Richmond ; who 



