People now seem by
their discourse to despair more of that cause than ever. There has
been wretched management, disgraceful politics, I am sure; where the
principal blame is, the Lord only knows; in many places, I am
afraid.
The Duke of Gloucester is going to-morrow, as I hear, to Brussels,
to meet the Emperor. I hope for our sake that they will be deux
tetes dans le meme bonnet, but la difference en est trop evidente.
That between our master and his son is not less, if report says
true. They have great reason to be uneasy, I believe, but they must,
when they reflect, think, that their own conduct has been very much
the cause of it, and that they either have not read history, or
forgot it.
The Pharo bank goes on, and winning; cela s'entend. The winnings are
computed to be 30,000. Each of the bankers, to encourage him in his
application and to make him as much amends as possible for the waste
of his constitution, is entitled to a guinea for every deal from the
bank; and so our Trusty is in a way of honest industry, dealing at
the pay of a guinea every ten minutes. There is also an insurance
against cards coming up on the losing side, which is no
inconsiderable profit to the underwriters.
Offly has had unexpectedly fallen to him, by way of legacy, an
estate of some hundreds a year, which enables him to punt till past
five in the morning.
I had a very pleasant day yesterday at Gregg's, and as often as I
mention these excursions I have a long dissertation from the Duke
[of Queensberry] upon the folly of having a country house at above
ten or fourteen miles distance from London; which reflections will
end in nothing but a condemnation of what he has, and never procure
the enjoyment of that which I am sure he would like above all things
if he had it.
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