u? If anything is published that
is not a mere catch-penny, as it is called, I shall send it
directly. I believe the account of the D(uke) of G(rafton) and Nancy
is of that sort, but I know no more than the advertisement.

Almack's is extinct. I am writing from White's, which I have long
wished was so too.

Bad news from the Colonies. The P(rince) of Brunswick has another
son. The people are come from the Installation at Cambridge, but I
know no more of what has passed there than you see in the papers.
Harry pursues the Bladen, and March will be talked of for Lady
Harriot till he does or does not marry her. I wish it decided one
way or other. I own I have his happiness too much at heart not to be
anxious about it, and hate to have it in suspense.

Lord Farnham has distributed four hogshead of some vin de Grave,
which he had, among his friends, and they prefer it to that which
Wion (?) furnishes us with. I cannot help that, all things are good
and great and small, &c., by comparison. God bless you, my dear
Lord; I will come, as you have given me leave, as soon as my affairs
here will possibly permit it.

I write to-night for ten dozen more of vin de Grave.

CHAPTER 3. 1773-1777, 1779 AND 1780 POLITICS AND SOCIETY

Fox's Debts--Lord Holland--News from London--Interview with Fox--The
Fire at Holland House--A Visit to Tunbridge--Provision for Mie Mie
--County business and electioneering at Gloucester--Lotteries--Fox
and Carlisle--Highway adventures--London Society--Newmarket
intelligence--An evening in town--Charles Fox and America--Carlisle
declines a Court post--Money from Fox--Selwyn and gambling--A
Private Bill Committee--Selwyn in bad spirits--The Royal Society
--Book-buying--Political affairs--London parks--Gainsborough--The
Duchess of Kingston--Selwyn's private affairs--"The Diaboliad"--A
dinner at the French Ambassador's--Politics and the Clubs--In Paris
--Electioneering again.

A distinguished man of letters of the present day has called Selwyn
the father confessor of the society of his time: it is a tribute to
his friendliness and good sense, as well as to his good nature and
patience. Without them he could never have been the trusted adviser
of Carlisle in those financial difficulties in which the young
peer's friendship for Charles Fox involved him. It was in 1773 that
the crash came in Fox's affairs. His gambling debts had been
accumulating. The birth of a son to his elder brother--closing, at