commands.

The accident that had like to have happened to you and Charles(5) ma
fait glacer le sang. I hope it was not Robert that was so heedless.
But that, the wild boars, the Alps, precipices, felouques, changes
of climate, are all to me such things as, besides that they
grossissent de loin, that if I allowed my imagination its full
scope, I should not have a moment's peace.

I shall think no more of anything that may happen unfortunately
either to you or me for the next twelve months, than I do in passing
from Dover to Calais of the one-inch plank that is between me and
Eternity. I have assured myself that as long as the time will appear
in passing now, I shall think some time hence its progress not so
slow, and I will not add imaginary to real evils, by supposing it
possible that I shall not meet you again.

I came down here on this day sevennight, and could I have walked
Out--but the deep snow has prevented that--I should have passed my
time among my workmen tolerably well.

Lord Lisbourne(6) and Williams(7) were to have come with me, but
disappointed me. His lordship was hunting a mare's nest, as they
say, and fancied he should be this week nominated either of the
Admiralty or Board of Trade. He is fututo de, and Lord Ch[arle]s
Spencer(8) is of the first, and no vacancy in the other.

Vernon(9) has Fanshaw's place at the Green Cloth, and this Greasy
Cook dismissed with a sop, but of what sort I know not; however, he
thinks himself happy that a dish-clout was not pinned to his tail.