future ages a perfect picture of our time, and as interesting as Clarendon.' The last letter which I ever received from Sir George Osborn, written from his residence in Charles street, Berkeley square, on the 8th of May, 1818, contains still stronger attestations to the accuracy and fidelity of my Memoirs. He mentions in particular, with warm approbation, my character of Lord North, as well as my account of the peace of 1783, and of the coalition;' adding 'Say with Milton, "Graiorum laus est suis potuisse placere, Sit mea temporibus displicuisse meis."' This letter may be considered as expressing his dying opinions. He expired on the following 29th of June. I cannot too highly value such recognitions, which outweigh a volume of invective. It required indeed no little manliness of mind, and independence of character, to deliver testimonies so strong under his hand, addressed to a person in my situation." Including Original Anecdotes of the most distinguished Political and Literary Personages, Wits, and Beauties of the latter part of the reign of George the Third, and of the Regency. "These Memoirs embrace the period from 1784 to 1789; and the work is one of the most singularly interesting books lately published. It is a large octavo, filled with notes upon occurrences, and portraits of men who figured in English society during that period. We commend it as intensely interesting to those at all familiar with English history."-Evening Gazette. "We are well pleased, and sure we are the reading public will be well pleased, again to meet the gossiping, amusing, anecdote-telling Sir N. Wraxall, whose foreign travel and intimacy with leading persons in most walks of life at home, enabled him to pick up so much intelligence, and whose talents were so peculiarly adapted to the task of communicating, in an agreeable and entertaining manner, the intelligence he acquired.”—London Literary Gaz. 58-228 47 OF MY OWN TIME. PART THE FIRST, FROM 1772 TO 1780. PART THE SECOND, FROM 1781 TO 1784. BY SIR N. WILLIAM WRAXALL, BART. AUTHOR Igitur ubi animus requievit, non fuit consilium socordia atque desidia bonum otium PHILADELPHIA: CAREY, LEA, AND BLANCHARD. 1837. PREFACE. It is my intention, in continuation of the present work, to publish the Third Part of these Memoirs, which circumscribes the space of full five years, from the 25th of March, 1784, down to April, 1789. The last-mentioned year may be considered, under every aspect, as one of the most important that took place in the course of the eighteenth century. First, as in it we witnessed his majesty's happy recovery from that great attack, which involved this country in temporary confusion, overturned for a time the administration, and threatened for ever to bereave us of the blessings of his government. Secondly, as having originated, a few months later, the calamity of the French revolution: an event which may be said to stand preeminent for atrocity in the history of modern ages, and which, in its results, has covered Europe with desolation. The year 1789 forms, therefore, a period from which dates a totally new order of public affairs; and beyond it I have no design of continuing the Historical Memoirs of my own Time. LONDON, 2d April, 1815. N. WILLM. WRAXALL. 2 PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. EVERY man who undertakes to write history, must, from the nature of human things, be unintentionally liable to commit errors, however anxiously desirous he may be of relating only facts: an observation which applies with still greater force to those who write on contemporary or recent events, where the passions or interests of men become blended with, and are affected by, the account given of almost all transactions. When Mezeray, who wrote the History of France, was informed of an error that he had committed, "I could point out a hundred," replied he, " which I have made in the course of the work, while you only mention a single instance." Such is the nature of all composition which regards historical facts. Having received from count Woronzow, under his hand, the assurance that I have been in an error with regard to him, and that I have misstated the circumstances relative to the first princess of Wirtemberg, in which he is mentioned; my respect for count Woronzow's public, as well as private character, and my implicit confidence in his veracity, has induced me wholly to omit in the present edition, both the passages where allusion is made to him. Not doubting, that however authentic I always have considered the sources from which I formerly derived the information in question, the account given me must have been erroneous. I am likewise desirous of correcting an error relative to lord Sher borne, having seen a letter from that nobleman, of recent date, in which he gives a short but distinct account of the facts that preceded his elevation to the peerage, at Mr. Pitt's recommendation: disclaims having either solicited, or attempted to bargain for it; and after relating the particulars of his interview with the first minister, on the occasion of his being mentioned to the king for a peerage, adds, "there never was one word between Mr. Pitt and me, respecting a peerage, before that day." To such testimony I most readily yield; but I have not been able to alter the relation given of the transaction, in the present edition; that passage, in consequence of the rapidity with which the first edition of this work has sold, having been already printed, before I saw lord Sherborne's letter. There are, besides these two errors, some others of inferior consequence, scattered throughout the volume, which I have altered or corrected in consequence of subsequent information; truth being the only object of my respect and pursuit. CHELTENHAM, 1st June, 1815. N. WILLM. WRAXALL. |