me stay some time at Soissons: but as you have not fixed how
long, I wait for farther orders.

"One of my chief reasons for disliking Luneville was the multitude of
English there; who, most of them, were such worthless fellows that they
were a dishonor to the name and Nation. With these I was obliged to dine
and sup, and pass a great part of my time. You may be sure I avoided it
as much as possible; but MALGRE MOI I suffered a great deal. To prevent
any comfort from other people, they had made a law among themselves, not
to admit any foreigner into their company: so that there was nothing but
English talked from June to January.--On the contrary, my countrymen at
Soissons are men of virtue and good sense; they mix perpetually with the
French, and converse for the most part in that language. I will trouble
you no more upon this subject: but give me leave to say that, however
capricious I may have been on other subjects, my sentiments in this
particular are the strongest proofs I ever gave you of my strong and
hereditary aversion to vice and folly.

"Mr. Stanhope," our Minister, the Colonel or Brigadier-General, "is
always at Fontainebleau. I went with Mr. Poyntz," Poyntz not yet a dim
figure, but a brilliant, who hints about employing me, "to Paris for
four days, when the Colonel himself was there, to meet him; he received
me with great civility and kindness. We have done expecting Mr.
Walpole," fixed he in the Court regions; "who is obliged to keep strict
guard over the Cardinal," sly old Fleury, "for fear the German Ministers
should take him from us. They pull and haul the poor old gentleman so
many ways, that he does not know where to turn, or into whose arms to
throw himself." Never fear him!--

"Ripperda's escape to England,"--grand Diplomatic bulldog that was, who
took refuge in Colonel Stanhope's at Madrid to no purpose, and kindled
the sputtering at Gibraltar, is now got across to England, and will go
to Morocco and farther, to no purpose,--"will very much embroil affairs;
which did not seem to want another obstacle to hinder them from coming
to an accommodation. If the Devil is not very much wanting to his own
interests in this Business, it is impossible that the good work of
Peace, should go on much longer. After all, most young fellows are of
his party; and wish he may bring matters to a War; for they make but ill
Ministers at a Congress, but would make good Soldiers in a Campaign.

"No news from Madam "BLA