1804.) 
contradiction in. the ftatement of a fact, 
which is unpleafant even upon the jidle{t-oc- 
eafion, 
I meant to affert, that no previous condi- 
tion to forego all pretenfions to ulterior rank, 
under any circumftance, had been impofed-up- 
on me, or even fubmitted to me, in any 
thape whatfoever, on my firft coming into 
the fervice; and, with as much confidence 
as can be ufed in maintaining a negative, I re- 
peat that affertion. . 
When I firft became acquainted with his 
Majefty’s purpofe to withhold from me fur- 
ther advancement, it is impoifible to recolle& ; 
butthat it was fo early as the year 1793, I do 
notremember, and if your expreflions were 
lefs pofitive, I fhould add, or believe; but 
I certainly knew it, as you well know, in 
1795, and poflibly before, We were then 
engaged in war;, therefore I could not think 
of refigning my Regiment, if under other cir- 
cumftances, I had been difpofed todo it 5 but 
in truth, my rank in the nation made mili- 
tary rank in ordinary times a matter of little 
confequence, except to my own private feel- 
ings. This fentiment I conveyed to you in 
my letterof the ad, faying exprefsly, that 
mere idle, inactive rank, was in no fort my 
objeat. 
But upon the profpeé&t of an emergency, 
where the King was to take the field, and 
the fpirit of every Briton was roufed to ex- 
€rtion, the place which I occupy in the Na- 
tion, made it indifpenfable to demand a poft 
correfpondent to that place, and to the public 
expectation. This fentiment, I have the hap- 
pineds tro be affured, in a letter on this occa- 
fion, made a ftrong impreffion upon the mind, 
and commanded tha refpeét and admiration of 
one very high in Government. 
The only purpofe of this letter, my dear 
Brother, is to explain, fince that is neceflary, 
that my former oes meant not to give you 
the trouble of interceding as my advocate, 
for mere rank inthe army. Urging further 
my other more important claims upon Govern- 
ment would be vainly addrefiedto any perfon, 
who can really think that a former refufal of 
mere rank, under circumftances fo widely 
different, or the moft exprefs. waving of fuch 
pretenfions, if that had been the. cafe, fur- 
nifhes the lighteft colour for the anfwer 
which I have received to the tenders I have 
now nmiade of my fervyices. 
is Royal Highne/s 
R.. 
Your department, my dear Brother, was 
meant, if 1 muft repeat it, fimply as a chan- 
nel to convey that tender to Government, and 
to obtain either their attention to it, or an 
pen avowal of their refufal. 
lam, &c. &c, 
(Signed) 
the Duke of York, 
No. VI, 
Horfe- Guards, 
Dear Brother, ~ 
T have received 
and .ant forry to 
G. P. 
O&aber 13, 1803. 
our letter this morning, 
MonTHLY Mac. No. 109. 
Royal Correfpondence. 
nd that you think that I 
579 
have mifconceived the meaning of your firt - 
letter, the whole tenor of which, and the 
military promotion which gave rife to it, 
led me naturally to fuppofe your defire was, 
that I fhould apply to his Majefty, in my 
official capacity, tu give you military rank, to 
which might be attached the idea of fubfe- 
quent command, 
That I found myfelf under the neceflity of 
declining, in obedience to his Majefty,’s point- 
ed orders, as I explained to you in my letter 
of the 6th inftant. But, from your letter of 
to-day, I am to underftand that your object 
is not military rank, but that a poit fhould be 
allotted to you, upon the prefent emesgency, 
fuitable to your fituation in the State. 
This I conceive to be purely a political 
confsderation, and as fuch, totally out of my 
department; and as I, have moft carefully 
avoided, at all times, and under al) circum- 
{taiices, ever interfering in any, political 
points, I muft hope that you will not call 
upon me to deviate from the principles by 
which I have been inyariably governed, 
Believe me, my dear Brother, 
Your moft affeCtionate Brother, 
(Signed) FREDERICK. 
Prince of Wales. 
No. VII. 
Carlton Houfe, Oober 14, 1803. 
My Dear Brother, — Pigis 
It cannot but be painful to me, to be re- 
duced to the neceflity of further exolanation, 
on a fubjeét which it was my earned with to 
have clofed, and which was of fo clear and 
diftin€t a nature, as, inmy humble judgment, 
to have precluded the poilibility of either 
doubt or mifunderftanding. 
Surely there muft be fome ftrange fatality 
to ob{cure my language in ftatement, or leave 
me fomewhat deficient in the powers of expla-- 
nations, When it can lead your mind, my ~ 
dear Brother, to fuch a palpable mifconftruc- 
tion (for far be it from me to'fancy it wilfu!) 
of my meaning, as to fuppofe, for a moment, 
that I had unconneéted my obje&t with effici- 
ent military rank. and transferred it entirely to 
the view of a political flation, when you venture 
to tell me, ** my obje& is xot military rank, 
but that a poft fhould be allotted to me, 
upon the prefent emergency, fuitable to my 
fituation in the State. Upon what ground 
you cam hazard fuch an affertion, or up- 
on what principles you can draw fuch 
an inference, I am utterly at a lofs to de- 
termine ; for I defy che moft {ki ful Lo- 
gician, in torturing the Englifh language, to 
apply, wich fairnefs, fuch.a conftrudtion to any 
word or phrafe of mine contained in any one 
of the letters I have ever written oa this, ¢o 
me, moft interefting fubject. REA 
I call upon you tore-perufe the correfpon~ 
dence. In my letter of the 2d inftant, I told 
you unequivocally that ‘* 1 hope you knew me 
too well to imagine that idle, inaGive, rank 
was.in my. view,” and that fentiment I beg 
you carefully to obferve, Ihave in noinfance 
4F whatever 
