permission to put his wrongs on paper, because his bashfulness
would not suffer him to explain himself by word of mouth. His
grievances were intolerable. Other people got grants of royal
domains; but he could get scarcely any thing. Other people could
provide for their dependants; but his recommendations were
uniformly disregarded. The income which he derived from the
royal favour might seem large; but he had poor relations; and the
government, instead of doing its duty by them, had most
unhandsomely left them to his care. He had a sister who ought to
have a pension; for, without one, she could not give portions to
her daughters. He had a brother who, for want of a place, had
been reduced to the melancholy necessity of marrying an old woman
for her money. Russell proceeded to complain bitterly that the
Whigs were neglected, that the Revolution had aggrandised and
enriched men who had made the greatest efforts to avert it. And
there is reason to believe that this complaint came from his
heart. For, next to his own interests, those of his party were
dear to him; and, even when he was most inclined to become a
Jacobite, he never had the smallest disposition to become a Tory.
In the temper which this letter indicates, he readily listened to
the suggestions of David Lloyd, one of the ablest and most active
emissaries who at this time were constantly plying between France
and England. Lloyd conveyed to James assurances that Russell
would, when a favourable opportunity should present itself, try
to effect by means of the fleet what Monk had effected in the
preceding generation by means of the army.63 To what extent these
assurances were sincere was a question about which men who knew
Russell well, and who were minutely informed as to his conduct,
were in doubt. It seems probable that, during many months, he did
not know his own mind. His interest was to stand well, as long as