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MAJOR SEMPLE LISLE. 3I 



** new regulations into the army, both in regard 

 " to drefs and manoeuvres ; and had it not been 

 ** for fome manoeuvres of another nature, fach as 

 writing to the Duchefs of Kingflon, that he 

 would come by night with fome foldiers, and 

 " break into her houfe, unlefs fhe fent him a 

 " certain fum of money, &c. there is not a 

 " doubt but he would foon have been raifed to 

 ** the rank of a general officer, or appointed 

 " conful at whatever place he chofe." — He 

 goes on to fay, that, " After his difmiilion from 

 " the confidence of Prince Potemkin, on his 

 way to England, Major Semple laid the mer- 

 chants of Peterfburgh, Narva, Riga, &c. un-- 

 der contribution by a variety of impoftures.** 

 It is the eternal fate of falfhood to contradiifl 

 itfelf : and though I have given in the preced- 

 ing pages an account of my affair with the Du- 

 chefs of Kingflon, which I challenge earth or 

 hell to contradict, flill, as this worthlefs fcrib- 

 bier, who would tremble at my very fliadow, 

 may gain credit with fome, I will, in one mo- 

 ment, point out his abfurdities. Had I dared 

 to have threatened the Duchefs of Kingflon, as 

 he has alTerted, a well-founded complaint (to 

 which my own letter mufl have given an irre- 

 liftible weight,) would have procured me a ba- 

 nifhment for life to Siberia ; befides, this quar- 

 rel happened before I joined the Prince at Cher- 



fon ; 



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