exercise of all the virtues, there is an economy of truth. It is
a sort of temperance, by which a man speaks truth with measure, that he
may speak it the longer. But as the same rules do not hold in all cases,
what would be right for you, who may presume on a series of years before
you, would have no sense for me, who cannot, without absurdity,
calculate on six months of life. What I say I _must_ say at once.
Whatever I write is in its nature testamentary. It may have the
weakness, but it has the sincerity, of a dying declaration. For the few
days I have to linger here I am removed completely from the busy scene
of the world; but I hold myself to be still responsible for everything
that I have done whilst I continued on the place of action. If the
rawest tyro in politics has been influenced by the authority of my gray
hairs, and led by anything in my speeches or my writings to enter into
this war, he has a right to call upon me to know why I have changed my
opinions, or why, when those I voted with have adopted better notions, I
persevere in exploded error.

When I seem not to acquiesce in the acts of those I respect in every
degree short of superstition, I am obliged to give my reasons fully. I
cannot set my authority against their authority. But to exert reason is
not to revolt against authority. Reason and authority do not move in the
same parallel. That reason is an _amicus curiae_ who speaks _de plano_,
not _pro tribunali_. It is a friend who makes an useful suggestion to
the court, without questioning its jurisdiction. Whilst he acknowledges
its competence, he promotes its efficiency. I shall pursue the plan I
have chalked out in my letters that follow this.

FOOTNOTES:

[22] "Mussabat tacito medicina timore."

[23] Mr. Bird, sent to state the real situation of the Duc de Choiseul.

[24] Boissy d'Anglas.

[25] "This Court has seen, with regret, how far the tone and spirit of
that answer, the nature and extent of the demands which it contains, and
the manner of announcing them, are remote from any disposition for
peace.

"The inadmissible pretension is there avowed of appropriating to France
all that the laws actually existing there may have comprised under the
denomination of French territory. To a demand such as this is added an
express declaration that no proposal contrary to it will be made or even
listened to: and this, under the pretence of an internal regulation, the
provisions of which are wholly f