STA TE 
sooner have answered them, if I 
had not been for these three days 
past totally incapable of attending to 
business. 
I am very happy to learn that M. 
Talleyrand acknowledges your ac- 
counts of former conversations to 
be accurately correct; but when 
he does acknowledge this, I have 
no conception on what ground he 
can recede from what he said so dis- 
tinctly to your lordship before, 
upon the subject of Sicily : “** Vous 
Pavez, nous ne vous demandons 
rien,” are words that made the more 
impression on me, because, those 
contained in the latter clause of the 
sentence had been used by his ex- 
cellency in one of his letters to me. 
It was on the faith of the uéz possédetis 
being to be strictly observed as the 
basis, and particularly Sicily, on 
which satisfaction had been given to 
your lordship, that his majesty was 
induced to authorize your lordship 
to hold further conferences with M. 
Talleyrand. Any tergiversation or 
cayil therefore on that article, would 
bea breach of the principle of the 
_ proposed basis in its most essential 
part. To say that Hanover is an 
_-exception to the principle is in vain, 
~ inasmuch as Hanover is to be yielded 
expressly in honour of the crown ; 
while, on the other hand, the re- 
_ cognitions proposed with regard to 
the French empire and its depend- 
ants, are not only in honour of the 
- crown of France, but tend substan- 
tially to establish the solidity of her 
power. With regard to the com- 
plaint of the want of full powers ; 
to avoid all pretence of cavil on that 
account, [ am commanded by his 
majesty to transmit to you the in. 
strument accompanying this letter. 
PAPERS. 
But your lordship should fairly 
state to M. Talleyrand, that youare 
not authorized to make any use of 
them formally until M. Talleyrand 
returns to his former ground with 
respect to Sicily. Your lordship is 
directed further to ‘acquaint that 
ninister, that, if Russia offers to 
treat separately, it is only in the 
way in which we do; that is tosay, 
separately in form, butin substance, 
in concert with each other. And 
here you will recollect that this very 
circumstance was canvassed in your 
former conversations withM. Talley- 
rand, when that minister expressed 
himself clearly that there would be 
no objection on the part of France 
to such preconcert. 
The result of what I have stated 
to your lordship is this: 1st, ‘That 
Sicily is a sime gud non; on which 
subject, if the French minister 
recedes from his former answer, it 
isin vain that any further discus- 
sion should take place. It is clearly 
within his first opinion delivered to 
your lordship ; it is clearly within 
his last description of places which 
are reciprocally possessed by the 
two countries, and cannot in all 
probability be recovered by war. 
If, according to the hope con- 
ceived by your lordship, this matter 
should be arranged, you may open 
your full powers ; stating at the 
same time the determination of this 
court not to come toany final agree- 
ment without the consent of Russia, 
You will of course again vention the 
questions of Naples and Istria. If 
we could attain either of them, it 
would be well; but if we cannot, 
your lordship will not state these 
points as conclusive reasons against 
agreeing on preliminary articles, 
3A 3 provided 
725 
* You are in possession of it ; we ask nothing from you. 
