of what's new.

The Master of B. (when we had last some talk of him together) was in
receipt, as I think I then told you, of a highly advantageous pension
on the Scots Fund. He next received a company, and was soon after
advanced to a regiment of his own. My dear sir, I do not offer to
explain this circumstance; any more than why I myself, who have rid
at the right hand of Princes, should be fubbed off with a pair of
colours and sent to rot in a hole at the bottom of the province.
Accustomed as I am to Courts, I cannot but feel it is no atmosphere
for a plain soldier; and I could never hope to advance by similar
means, even could I stoop to the endeavour. But our friend has a
particular aptitude to succeed by the means of ladies; and if all be
true that I have heard, he enjoyed a remarkable protection. It is
like this turned against him; for when I had the honour to shake him
by the hand, he was but newly released from the Bastille, where he
had been cast on a sealed letter; and, though now released, has both
lost his regiment and his pension. My dear sir, the loyalty of a
plain Irishman will ultimately succeed in the place of craft; as I am
sure a gentleman of your probity will agree.

Now, sir, the Master is a man whose genius I admire beyond
expression, and, besides, he is my friend; but I thought a little
word of this revolution in his fortunes would not come amiss, for, in
my opinion, the man's desperate. He spoke, when I saw him, of an
adventure upon India (whither I am myself in some hope of
accompanying my illustrious countryman, Mr. Lally); but for this he
would require (as I understood) more money than was readily at his
command. You may have heard a military proverb: that it is a good
thing to make a bridge of gold to a flying enemy? I trust you will
take my meaning, and I subscribe myself, with proper respects to my
Lord Durrisdeer, to his son, and to the beauteous Mrs. Durie,

My dear Sir,

Your obedient humble Servant,
FRANCIS BURKE.

This missive I carried at once to Mr. Henry; and I think there was but
the one thought between the two of us: that it had come a week too late.
I made haste to send an answer to Colonel Burke, in which I begged him,
if he should see the Master, to assure him his next messenger would be
attended to. But with all my haste I was not in time to avert what was
impending