120 ROSENGARTEN — FRANKLIN' S BAGATELLES. [May 17, 



Portsmouth on Friday. The Irish bills of course will not pass, ministry 

 not being with them. Gov r . Johnstone had great hopes at going out, 

 but they have just heard here that America is not much inclined to ne- 

 gotiation, they say. I think they tell us W. Hartley makes the 20th am- 

 bassador you have had. I am very glad the first time I saw my friend, 

 that I had no connections ; and the second time that I scarcely shewed 

 an inclination to hear what, if I had been sent by my connections, I 

 ought to have heard. 



I think if Lord Chatham had remained well, that a change of minis- 

 ters would not have been distant ; for they know that he minds measures 

 more than men, and rather has a turn to take care of national grandeur 

 than national liberty, farther than as the latter assists the former ; all 

 which is in a great degree true. Under him therefore they thought they 

 could pension their creatures with sinecure places, leaving him the 

 general direction. 



Upon a conversation this morning with Col. B., I find that absentees 

 will at first be just as safe as inhabitants, personal care and exertion ex- 

 cepted, and therefore content myself with getting a letter to our gover- 

 nor, strongly desiring him to recommend our property to protection of 

 the conqueror, which recommendation he knows by experience will be 

 attended to. But as I wish to have two securities where I think them 

 possible, I shall beg the favor of you to get the same thing mentioned to 

 the parties concerned on your side, if you think it proper ; but as you 

 may not think it proper, to make the refusal easy and to prevent im- 

 proper communication being expected I hope you will never mention to 

 me in any way, the part you may take. Our parish is that of St. James : 

 I have a brother named Charles on the spot. As to our connections, 

 they are rank whig and American. I know you have nobleness enough 

 to excuse this application ; and consider it as not made wholly on my 

 part, but for the family. I am as ever, my dearest sir, your most devoted, 

 affectionate and grateful 



D r . P. & D r . Pe. 

 have had a correspondence 

 upon the latter' s metaphysical 

 writings, which will probably be 

 soon published, unless the distraction of the times 

 should withdraw attention to such subjects 



I have had some papers for the Duke De [Piece torn out of the paper.] 

 by me, but they are still in their old state, and I 

 have not had leisure to prepare them for him. — 



April 28, 1778. 



I dare say you have many such voluminous correspondents as my- 

 self: but you see how my pen runs to you. — The Frankfai Papers, Vol. 

 9, No. 93. 



