xiv Portraits, Medallions, Artistic Work 165 



your last letter? It was very naughty of you. I 

 thought of nothing less than some shelves or perhaps a 

 whole floor of vases and crockeries had given way, and 

 that you had been carried down with them ! But on 

 reading a little further I found that it was only the 

 nation that was likely to flounder into a French war ; and 

 having been fully persuaded of this event for a long 

 time past, I recovered from my shock, and blessed my 

 stars and Lord North, that America was free}- I rejoice 

 most sincerely that it is so, and the pleasing ideas of a 

 refuge being provided for those who choose jather to 

 fly from than submit to an iron hand of tyranny. This 

 has raised so much hilarity in my mind, that I do , not 

 at present feel for our own situation as I may do the 

 next rainy day. We must have more war, and perhaps 

 continue to be beaten to what degree is in the womb 

 of time. If our drubbing keeps pace with our deserts, 

 the Lord have mercy upon us ! " 



Here is the state of Staffordshire in 1778. Wedg- 

 wood writes to Bentley as follows : " For some time 

 past the environs of Newcastle have rivalled those of 

 London for the number and audacity of highway 

 robberies, and Etruria does not yield at all to Turnham 

 Green. The workmen dare not go to their houses in 

 the evenings but in troops, and armed with clubs. On 

 Monday night last, there were three highway robberies 



1 This probably refers to the defeat of the British army Burgoyne 

 surrounded and capitulated at Saratoga thus thwarting the policy 

 of Lord North. 



