all was well; when it had to become Walpole and Townshend, all
was not well!" said Walpole afterwards.

Things had already gone so far, that Townshend brought Chesterfield over
from the Hague, last Autumn;--a Baron de Montesquieu, with the ESPRIT DE
LOIS in his head, sailed with Lord Chesterfield on that occasion, and
is now in England "for two years;"--but Chesterfield could not be made
Secretary; industrious Duke of Newcastle stuck so close by that office,
and by the skirts of Walpole. Chesterfield and Townshend VERSUS Walpole,
Colonel Stanhope (Harrington) and the Pelhams: the Prussian Match is
a card in that game; and Dr. Villa's eloquence of truth is not lost on
Queen Caroline, who in a private way manages, as always, to rule pretty
supreme in it.

There lies in the State-Paper Office, [Close by Despatch (Prussian):
"London, 8th February (o.s.) 1729-1730."] without date or signature, a
loose detached bit of writing, in scholastic style, but brief and to the
purpose, which is evidently the Memorial of Villa; but as it teaches us
nothing that we do not already know, it need not be inserted here.
The man, we can perceive farther, continued useful in those Official
quarters, answering questions about Prussia, helping in the St.-Mary-Axe
decipherings, and in other small ways, for some time longer; after which
he vanishes again from all record,--whether to teach English farther,
or live on some modicum of pension granted, no man knows. Poor old Dove,
let out upon the Deluge in serge gown: he did bring back a bit of olive,
so to speak;--had the presage but held, as it did in Noah's case!

In a word, the English Sovereignties and Ministries have determined
that an Envoy Extraordinary (one Hotham, they think of), with the due
solemnity, be sent straightway to Berlin; to treat of those interesting
matters, and officially put the question there. Whom Dubourgay is
instructed to announce to his Prussian Majesty, with salutation
from this Court. As Dubourgay does straightway, with a great deal of
pleasure. [Despatches: London, 8th February; Berlin, 2d March, 1780] How
welcome to his Majesty we need not say.

And indeed, after such an announcement (1st March, 1730, the day of
it), they fell into cheerful dialogue; and the Brigadier had some frank
conversation with his Majesty about the "Arbitration Commission" then
sitting at Brunswick, and European affairs in general. Conversation
which is carefully preserved for us in the Br