HUME. 225 



ment in the room of Sir Charles ; and Marshal Con way 

 being Secretary for Foreign Affairs, he prevailed over 

 Sir Charles's family interest. Mr. Hume was appointed 

 2d July, 1765 ; and, on Lord Hertford's immediately 

 after being removed to Ireland as Lord-Lieutenant, he 

 became Charge d'Affaires until the Duke of Richmond's 

 arrival as Ambassador in the month of October. By 

 Lord Aberdeen's kindness I have been allowed to 

 examine the correspondence of the Embassy with Mar- 

 shal Conway during these four months ; and it is 

 highly creditable to the philosopher's business-like 

 talents, and his capacity for affairs. The negotiations of 

 which he had the sole conduct related to the impor- 

 tant and interesting discussions of Canada ; matters 

 arising out of the cession by the Peace of Paris ; and to 

 the demolition of the works at Dunkirk, also stipulated 

 by that treaty. His dispatches, some of them of great 

 length, most of them in his own hand, are clearly and 

 ably written. The course which he describes himself 

 as pursuing with the very slippery and evasive minis- 

 ters against whom he had to contend, particularly the 

 Due de Praslin, appears to have been marked by firm- 

 ness and temper, as well as by quickness and sagacity. 

 His memorials, of which two or three are given, 

 show a perfect familiarity with diplomatic modes and 

 habits, and they are both well written and ably 

 reasoned. His information must have been correct ; 

 for he obtained a knowledge of the secret proceedings of 

 the Assembly of Clergy, which, though convoked for 

 the purpose of obtaining the usual don gratuit, chose 

 to enter upon the discussion of all the clerical griev- 

 ances, while they kept their deliberations carefully 



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