596 POLITICS OF THE DAY. [1807. 



excepting the conjectures as to Bonaparte not wish- 

 ing to detain the Court. This many people think 

 a refinement ; among whom are the Holland House 

 folks. But I may add that some persons lately re- 

 turned from Paris rather confirm it, by reporting 

 that the wish there was that the Court might escape. 

 I should be very glad to know your opinion upon this 

 part of the subject. 



" Every one is agreed that the choice of a minister 

 to Brazil is of infinite moment, and could not have 

 been worse made, It is conceived that Strangford 

 has been appointed in order to give eclat to the 

 management of the affair on our part, and to make 

 the country think that we did the business. This, 

 indeed, is quite of a piece with Gambier's peerage." 5 " 

 Ministers reverse the old rule, arid reward men, not 

 because they have performed important or difficult 

 services, but in order to give their services an air of 

 importance and difficulty. 



" You will perceive contradictory statements as to 

 Oudinot's marching towards Astrakan ; but I know 

 it for a fact that the directors believe he is. The 

 deputy-chairman said so at Hertford College last 

 week to Malthus, from whom I heard it. It is sup- 

 posed Oudinot will settle matters in Persia for an 

 attack upon India after some interval ; and the pro- 

 bability is they will enter the peninsula by the Puri- 

 jaub, for obvious reasons. Such a movement will 



* Admiral Gambler had just been raised to the peerage for his services 

 in the bombardment of Copenhagen and the removal of the Danish fleet. 



