I must not forget to request you to offer my thanks to your young Tyrtæus for the admirable specimen of his classic powers which he has put into my possession. I shall have great pleasure in hearing of the celebrity which as a scholar it it will be his lot extensively to enjoy.

W. D.

The Duke of Bedford to Dr. Parr.

MY DEAR SIR,

Woburn Abbey, Dec. 16, 1812. I thank you for sending me a copy of the " Petition for Peace," which it is intended to send to the House of Commons from the town of Warwick. It is a well-drawn-up paper, full of sound incontrovertible doctrines, wholly free from any thing objectionable in the matter, and such as I should not hesitate to put my name to.

I do indeed most cordially agree with Mr. Whitbread and yourself, that it is most essential to correct the prejudices which unfortunately exist against peace, and to subdue that love of war which seems to be the fashionable infatuation of the day.

The only chance we have of turning men's minds towards a restoration of peace, is, by the sense of the people being expressed in firm but temperate language to her legislature. I am old enough to remember the close of the American War; and if the public voice had not then been so strongly and loudly expressed in favour of peace, and a change of men and measures, I firmly believe that the Court would have gone on with that unfortunate war till the country was utterly ruined. During the last war, too, that great and virtuous statesman, Mr. Fox, incessantly called upon ministers to restore to us the blessings of peace, and urged the people to petition Parliament in favour of that measure. If his warning voice had been listened to, we should have negociated with the enemy in the spirit of peace, and with our resources unimpaired, and not

* Benjamin Kennedy, who was visiting at Hatton when the Archbishop dined with Dr. Parr.

have waited till the distresses of the country, and the cries of starving manufacturers, compelled a weak administration to such a temporary popularity by concluding the hollow and insecure treaty known by the name of the Peace of Amiens.

What difference is there between the actual situation of public affairs, and that period of Mr. Pitt's administration where all the energies of Mr. Fox's mind were called forth to obtain the blessings of peace, that should induce us to abstain from pursuing now the same line of conduct which he then recommended and adopted? Times and seasons are fit for negoci-. ating with an enemy when we can do so with honour to ourselves, without derogating from our character as a nation, and without running the risk of impairng those resources which may enable us to prosecute a continuance of the war (if necessary) for the only legitimate end of all wars, a safe and honourable peace.

The Duchess begs to be kindly remembered to you, and unites with me in anxiously hoping that we may have the pleasure of seeing you at Woburn before the winter is over. Believe me, my dear Sir, with sincere regard, your very faithful servant, BEDFORD.

MY DEAR SIR,

Woburn Abbey, July 21, 1816.

Our friend Robert Adair left me only a few days ago, but I will immediately forward your letter to him. I think in going from Hatton to Norfolk you must pass very near to Woburn, and I own I cannot but regret that you should do so without giving me the pleasure of your company for a few days. It is so long since I have had the satisfaction of receiving you under my roof, that I should have been delighted by another opportunity of shaking hands with you at Woburn. Our excellent friend Coke is now here, and looking forward with pleasure to your visit to Holkham.

If I read your letter right, you say that my friend Dr. Hunt "will not fully escape the disgrace which belongs to Lord Elgin," &c. In justice to a worthy man, I must say a few words in his defence. If you allude to the transaction of the Tweddell Papers, whatever blame may appear to attach to

Lord Elgin, and some of those associated with him in this affair, I am quite convinced that Dr. Hunt is wholly free from censure. I know him to be a man of the strictest honour and integrity, and I am quite sure that no earthly consideration would ever induce him to lend himself to any act that had even a shadow of fraud or injustice belonging to it. I have frequently conversed with him on this subject, and think the plain statement of facts which he gave to the public, fully acquits him of any participation in, or knowledge of, the theft; if theft there was.

May I beg of you to present my compliments to Dr. Davy, who I had the pleasnre of meeting at Lord Holland's last winter.

My wife begs to be kindly remembered to you, and I remain, my dear Sir, with sincere regard, your very faithful Bedford.

servant,

P. S. Have the goodness to say when you return to Warwickshire, that I may know whether I shall be at home at the time.

I know not whether the intended Bill for the consolidation of the Clergy is printed, but I will make immediate enquiries respecting it.

MY DEAR SIR,

Woburn Abbey, Feb. 26, 1818. I thank you for the information you are good enough to send me respecting Mr. Fellowes' pamphlet. I have written for it, and recommended by such authority, I shall read it with pleasure. I believe you know that I am a very decided advocate for what is called Parliamentary Reform; but when Major Cartwright and others talk to me of" Annual Parliaments, and Universal Suffrage," I confess I look with horror at a measure, which, in my humble judgment, would be completely subversive of the liberties of the country. Property should undoubtedly be the basis of representation; and as you justly observe, it is now so different, that general freedom must be the result of such a principle, impartially and equitably acted upon-triennial is undoubtedly the duration I should prefer as the fairest medium, but I would not quarrel with you for a year, and

would, without any fears for the consequences, grant you quadrennial Parliaments.

I thank you, with all my heart, for your friendly offer to be at your post, should my son be attacked by the Tories in this county, but I am inclined to think the Government will not seriously attempt to disturb the present representatives of Bedfordshire, though they are unfashionable enough to be staunch Whigs.

Upon me, indeed, they have endeavoured to cast a stigma, by holding me out as unfit to be the representative of the King in this county; and by appointing Lord Grantham to the office of Lord Lieutenant, who has no residence in the county, not a single acre within it (except in expectancy), and is scarcely known to one gentleman in Bedfordshire. The reason assigned by Ministers is, that they could not possibly appoint me to an office which represents the King, after my subscription to Mr. Hone. I might perhaps have doubted the correctness of my own judgment in having done so, but when I saw the venerated name of "Samuel Parr” added to the list of subscribers, every doubt vanished. Ministers cannot, I think, have the hypocrisy to say (though God knows they have a sufficient quantity of this article) that I was encouraging blasphemy, by subscribing to the relief of this unfortunate printer. No man can have a greater detestation than I have of the foolish parodies he published, but I saw him the victim of persecution; I admired the bold and manly stand he made against a whole host of persecutors; and I was pleased with the public apology he made for his error in printing those parodies immediately on the conclusion of his trials, which did honour to his feelings as a man and as a Christian. With these sentiments strongly in my mind, when an industrious and honest tradesman, with a large family of children, are nearly starving, I can never repent of having sent a £100 to his relief, however I may have incurred the displeasure of the Prince Regent's Ministers. The mens conscia recti is, under all circumstances, the honest man's best support; and this amply consoles me for the vain attempt of the Government to disgrace me in my native county, and in the estimation of those amongst whom I live. Poor Hone shewed ample contrition

for his error, and we are taught, from the highest authority, that God will not despise a contrite heart. I fear our Ministers are not likely to shew any, for having basely and wantonly trampled upon the liberties of England.

Farewell, my dear Sir, and believe me always, with sincere regard and esteem, your very faithful servant, BEDFORD.

MY DEAR SIR,

Woburn Abbey, Jan. 17, 1820.

I thank you very sincerely for your kind congratulations on my return to England.

All you say of my son Lord John, is, indeed, most gratifying to my feelings.

I am, thank God! happy in my children; and the manner in which my sons conduct themselves in their legislative functions, is cheering to the breast of a father, who ardently loves liberty, and above all, sound, English, constitutional liberty, which the blood of our ancestors purchased for us, and which they transmitted to us, as our best inheritance. I have sent you a copy of John's speech on the Grampound corruption, and I sincerely hope and believe he is laying the foundation of a national reform in our representation, which may be productive of infinite benefit hereafter. The principle is admitted by the Government, through Lord Castlereagh; and unless his Lordship means to play a foul and unmanly trick (by no means improbable), Government must support this individual question of reform.

I am going to send one of my boys (the Duchess' eldest son) to your friend Dr. Maltby, and knowing your high opinion of him, his great classical attainments, and the probity and integrity of his character and conduct, I feel great satisfaction at the success of my application to Dr. M. to receive him. Wriothesley is an amiable boy, with great capacity for learning, and with no one fault that I have ever been able to discover, except that of indolence. He is intended for your profession, and I hope and flatter myself he will not discredit it.

I have lately sent some game to Hatton, which I hope was received in good order, and I beg you will believe me to be, with the truest regard and esteem, my dear Sir, your very faithful and obliged servant,

Bedford.