comprehend. I can conceive the intimacy between you. Your delicacy
of temper, ten thousand nuances de sentiments. But I can never
conceive that all feeling, all the principle, &c., should be of one
side only. If you don't press it, he will not think it pressing, and
will say so; that must depend upon what you choose to reveal. He may
not think you want it, or may think that all mire in which he
wallows is as indifferent to you as to him. Je me perds dans toutes
ces reflections. My God, if they did not concern you, I should not
care who were the objects of them.

(119) "The Early History of Charles James Fox," p. 460.


1775, Aug. 1, Tuesday afternoon, from your own house, below stairs.
--I came from Richmond this morning on purpose to meet Gregg here to
dinner, and we have had our leg of mutton together; a poor epitome
of Roman greatness. I believe, as Lord Grantham told me, few have
so little philosophy as I have. You have a great deal, having a much
more manly understanding. . . .

I have been misunderstood about Stavordale, because just what you
tell me you approve of is what I meant to propose, or if I had any
conception beyond it, it was from a sudden thought which I retract.
I have said a few words to Charles, but I do not find that he has
more intercourse with him than you have. He says that there can be
no doubt of the validity and payment of the debt, and there is no
anticipation of it. But it is not to be expected that Charles should
think more of Stavordale's debt than his own. He lost in three
nights last week 3,000, as he told me himself, and has lent Richard
God knows what; the account, and friendship, and want of it, between