Chapter XIV: Diary Continued, 1801-1803 (2)

_April 11._—Last Wednesday, Lord Carrington took me into his room and told me that his brother having the loan, he had spoken to him to write me down for 500_l._; and that the rise having been 4 per cent. he had directed it to be sold, and it would produce me 200_l._ clear of charges. I thanked him much. Such a thing never entered my thoughts, and consequently surprised me much. It was very kind and considerate, and I am certainly much obliged to him for it. Next evening he sent for me, and gave me a draft on Smith and Payne, 221_l._ 17_s._ 6_d._, for the rise was 4½ per cent. I was thankful to God for this, and meditated much on it. If God had not been willing it would not have entered his head, and I find it comfortable to attribute everything to God, as, indeed, everything ought certainly to be attributed, and the more we trust entirely to Him the better I am persuaded it is for us. This is the first lottery for many years that I have been out of, but meeting with a passage in some of Scott’s things against lotteries I would not put in, or have anything to do with it. If God pleases to give me money He has a thousand ways of doing it, and in these reflections I have had hard work to guard my mind against the temptation to consider it in the light of a reward which would be vile where there is no merit, no desert. I offend too daily and hourly to deserve anything but wrath at His hands, and this I cannot dwell on too much or too deeply. But for two years past of His infinite goodness He has made all money matters very favourable to me, and I thank Him for an uninterrupted stream of His bounty without let or hindrance, and this notwithstanding my sensual mind and many offences. I cannot be too grateful for so much goodness, and I pray Him to give me grace to be kind and charitable to others while He is so good to me. I think of these things with fear and trembling, lest they should throw my mind and conduct into an improper train.

Of late I have been ruminating on a short publication against the Deists, to consist merely of an attack on them to show the difficulties and absurdities of their system; it will consist chiefly of extracts. I have read Bogue,[217] and Fuller and Berkeley’s[218] ‘Minute Philosopher,’ and Leslie,[219] but none of them come up to my idea. It should be unmixed with a defence of Christianity, which should come in by way of appendix. I cannot get it out of my head, and shall certainly attempt it; the worst is I must read their works (_i.e._ of the Deists, &c.), which is bad, but I shall not do it without prayer to God to fortify me against their sophistries and delusions.

Yesterday morning I hoped and expected to leave London, but Lord Pelham, Secretary of State, has sent us the returns of acres cropped last year from the clergy of the Kingdom, and so a Committee to-day, and to-morrow Good Friday; for Saturday I have taken places. Thus, after twelve weeks in London, I lose four days. Very unlucky, and very disagreeable, and for such nonsense as disgraces common sense. He wrote a circular letter to all the clergy of the Kingdom last June for this purpose, and from 10,000 parishes received accounts from about a half. Precious ones, to be sure! A very probable matter that the farmers would give the number of acres sown with every sort of grain to the parsons; such attempts degrade Government in the eyes of the people. What opinion can they have of men’s abilities who expect thus to gain such facts?

I was in danger of returning to London without one entry in this Journal, but going up to wipe my dear Bobbin’s book has thrown my mind into a fit of melancholy that I know not how easily to get rid of; yet will it go too soon? I have been whitewashing the house, cleaning about it, and keeping all things in pretty good order to do justice to the place as well as I am able; but my dear child’s recollection brings forcibly to my heart the impression that it is the will of God I should have hardly any chance of this prosperity being kept in my family. My son has no children, nor likely to have any. Mary, no chance of marrying, so that my posterity ends with the next generation. The will of God be done, but human vanity and feelings will rise in the bosom, and they cannot rise without these unpleasant ideas forcing themselves into my mind. Bradfield has been ours 200 years, and I should have liked that my name and family might here have continued. But God has punished me for my sins; I can have nothing at His hands that I do not deserve. Blessed be His holy Name, be it my endeavour to submit to His will with resignation and cheerfulness.

Betsy and O. dined with me on Tuesday, but the day so bad I could not show her the round garden, which was got in very neat order. I have had a letter from the Duke of Liancourt in which he speaks of coming to England. I wrote to advise him against it, for he would, I fear, be very ill received. The Duke of Grafton read me a letter expressed in most indignant terms on the passage relative to him and his family in Mons. de Liancourt’s travels.[220] The new Duke of Bedford writes to desire me, in very kind terms, to go to the Woburn sheep-shearing; asks it as a sort of favour. I had some very fine days on coming down, but of late the weather has been cold, damp, and melancholy, but I never come without wishing to live here constantly. I cannot help wishing it, but I hope without discontent—that would be black ingratitude to God. He fixes me where I am; all, all things I am well persuaded come from His Almighty hand, and therefore a cheerful submission is one great article of a religious life. I brought down linen for the poor, but the number that want, and I cannot relieve, is melancholy: I think I have fixed straw work here, for above twenty-five have learned, and my splitting machines are all distributed. Some days since I sent off to Dunstable the first product of their work, and hope I shall have a good sale for the poor children.

_June 1: London._—I keep this Journal as I do everything else, lest good purposes be turned aside by trifles and want of resolution. This is the thanksgiving-day; and last night was the Union masquerade, and the coaches are now (5 A.M. in the morning) rattling, and one fool in some monkey dress has walked by my windows.

A letter from the Duke of Bedford asking me to go to Woburn, which I shall do, and then I hope to Holkham, where Mr. Coke will take me in his coach——and there I am on my ground for the survey of Norfolk; but it is not yet decided whether I am to do it. It is a duty I owe to God to use the vacation in the best manner I can, but I can ill afford to travel at my own expense, determined as I am, if possible, to pay 700_l._ of debts.

I should like to make a long journey in enquiries concerning the poor; I know not what would be best, and have prayed to God to guide me, but I am utterly displeased with myself in my religious pursuits. My mind is sensual, and my progress slow; may the mercy of the Almighty be shed on me in grace to mend. I have planned a new work, ‘Deism Delineated,’ and made some progress, but do not please myself. It must be done gradually as I read, and my time is fully occupied with many pursuits.

Post to Chesterford, and having received a letter from the present Duke of Bedford requesting me to meet Lord Somerville and Mr. Coke at Woburn in order to consult upon the best means of carrying the late Duke’s intentions into execution, especially in relation to the sheep-shearing, I set off accordingly, and got to Woburn at night, where I found Lord Somerville and Mr. Coke, and we considered the matter as well as the late Duke’s proposals to breeders. At the meeting the Duke’s attention was very pleasing, for he had great solicitude to arrange everything down to the minutest trifles in exactly the same manner as his brother had done on former occasions.

Before dinner, the first day, he came up to me and said, ‘Mr. Y., I beg you will take your old seat, and preside at one end of the table, for which purpose I have ordered a servant to keep your chair.’ Everyone remarked the extreme attention of the duke that all the business of the meeting should be well conducted.

_12th._—Heartily tired of London, and the scenes I have endured at home. I left town, and took Betsy’s new chaise, which I had bought for her (170 guineas) for Chesterfield, where her whole family were. It was a hurrying day.

Next morning, Sunday, to church, and in the afternoon, contrary to many feelings, to Baldock. No post-chaise to be had, so went on in my whisky to Shefford, then post to Woburn by particular desire of the Duke of Bedford, to concert matters with Lord Somerville and Mr. Coke for the shearing business. It was 11 P.M. at night before I arrived; nobody there except they and Cartwright.

On the Thursday, with Mr. Coke and Mr. Talbot, in Coke’s chaise to Brandon, and on Friday morning to Holkham.

Farmed on Saturday and too much on Sunday, so here have been two Lord’s days profaned. How difficult it is to be in the world and preserve oneself uncontaminated by common practices! At church, however, in the morning.

The sheep-shearing the four following days, at which I had never been before. He does it handsomely; 200 dined on plate.

The dinner better than at Woburn, I think from vicinity to the sea, which gives plenty of fish.

At the Holkham meeting, had I entertained my former feelings of pride and discontent, I should not have been too well pleased, for Mr. C. was personally civil and attentive; and yet he took not the smallest public opportunity of mentioning me, the Board, my report, or anything about it, though the occasion certainly called in reason for it. Once this would have mortified me, but now I value such matters not a straw. May God permit me to do my duty to Him, and as to what men think of me, I regard it less than the idle wind. I went to bed every night directly after coffee, between 9 and 10 P.M., and was up between 3 and 4 A.M.

[In London] at Mrs. Montagu’s.—Sir Sidney not there; Ryder, the Privy Councillor, and his brother and Montagu, had been at Paris, and we had little conversation except on Bonaparte, &c. They contended that every scrap of land is cultivated and much that was waste. Sir F. combated the idea, and urged reports of prefects, speeches, &c., as proving rents sunk, price of land fallen, produce as four to six, population lessened, and the price of labour risen, &c. &c. The last no proof of decline.

Ryder, on corn, observed that the same fact of wheat being dearer in peace than in war is found in the French prices annexed to Arnold.[221]

They would not be introduced to Bonaparte. Fox had much conversation with him, and he plainly urged the fact that Wyndham was concerned in the infernal machine, asserting that he had the proof. Sir F. says that this proof was one George, being much with W., and afterwards going on the expedition to Quiberon. A party was taken amongst whose papers (on the arrests for the infernal machine) were letters on that conspiracy to or from George, which combination was Bonaparte’s _proof_. The Government, [he says, is] the completest military despotism that ever was in the world.

At the theatre some Frenchmen finding Montagu was English, spoke much of me; and said they wanted of all things that I should come and examine France a second time under the new _régime_.

Dined with Swirenove, the Russian chaplain of the embassy, greatly employed by the nobility of that Empire in agricultural commissions. Patterson, bailiff to Lord Hardwicke, is going to Russia, and left me to make a bargain for him, which I did. He is to have 100 guineas first year, and increasing 20 yearly till 200 guineas; 60 for his son-in-law, and 20 for his daughter, and 25 for a ploughman. Count Rostopchin, at Woronowo, near Moscow, who has an immense estate, is the man. A Russian count there, Benwakin, I think, [he named] whose peasants pay him 30 roubles a year; but paper money so multiplied and at 50 per cent. discount, that all prices are greatly risen nominally. The Emperor’s going to farm so largely has already had a great effect in turning the attention of the nobility to it. My annuity yesterday remitted from Ireland, 72_l._[222] Thank God for that uninterrupted stream of His bounty which I have enjoyed of late years without let or hindrance, and which my vile ingratitude returns so badly.

Lord Winchilsea called yesterday, and sat an hour with me. He is, I believe, one of the very best of the nobility, and a really respectable moral character, and benevolent to the poor.

_August 22: Bradfield._—Here is a blank of many weeks, which shows once more how difficult it is to keep journal resolutions. After a long tour in Norfolk, which would have afforded much pleasure had not business occupied all my time, I met Betsy and O. at Harleston, on the 9th.

War much talked of. The militia calling out. These things, whatever the event, are certainly God’s providences. His will be done. But when I consider the almost universal vice and iniquity of the kingdom, the amazing protection and blessings which have been showered down on us, and the vile ingratitude to God which pervades all ranks in an utter forgetfulness of Him, or contempt of His judgments, I must own I tremble at the thought.

I have lived some time without making a will, which has been very wrong. I am under such complex settlements that I do not understand what power I have; and Gotobed’s draft was so full of law jargon, that I understand nothing of it. I wait no longer, but have made one plain and simple, and such as I hope, with the blessing of God, will not nor can be misunderstood. I have disposed of what I have to the best of my conscience, that is, if I was to die at Christmas. Here is only 300_l._ to be made up by sale of timber, ‘Annals,’ &c. &c., but a farm auction would produce more than 900_l._, and rents are always behind, some over due. I pray to God for better economy, and much hope, by a fresh and careful attention to my farm and ‘Annals,’ to bring things speedily to a better account.

I forgot 100_l._ due to me from the Board for Norfolk Report, so that I evidently leave enough for all demands, probably without cutting any timber.

I have never lived so well with Mrs. Young as for five weeks past.

War! To look into futurity is idle. The event is in the Lord’s hand, and will depend on the number and piety of true Christians amongst us, and not be governed by fleets and armies. France is so unprepared at sea, that no war ever opened in that respect with better prospects. But this is the arm of flesh, and may mark the vanity of all trust in such circumstances.

The following letter to A. Y. may fitly close the chronicle of this year:

‘Drinkstone: Dec. 8, 1803.

‘Sir,—A letter from Lord Euston to Sir Charles Davers recommends
that in case of invasion all horses and draft cattle that cannot
be driven out of the reach of the enemy be shot; and that all the
axle-trees or wheels of all carriages likely to fall into the
enemy’s hands be broken, the fullest assurance being given of
complete indemnification, provided no horses, draft cattle, or
carriages of any description fall into their hands through
negligence or want of proper exertion on the part of the owners.

‘All other stock is to be left for the use of the troops, unless
there be evident danger it may fall into the invader’s hands, in
which case the measures formerly determined upon must be resorted
to.

‘I am, Sir,
‘Your obedient humble servant,
‘JOSHUA GRIGBY.’

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Footnote 200:

_The Elements of Agriculture._

Footnote 201:

Mrs. Oakes, _née_ Betsy Plampin.

Footnote 202:

_A Collection of Theological Tracts_, by the Bishop of Llandaff, 6
vols.

Footnote 203:

This seems to have been an anticipation of table-turning.

Footnote 204:

Samuel Horsley, born 1733, died 1806, Bishop of St. Asaph’s, St.
David’s, and Rochester; celebrated for his controversy with Dr.
Priestley.

Footnote 205:

The _Anti-Jacobin_, or _Weekly Examiner_, was started by Canning,
J. H. Frere, and others; the editor was W. Gifford. It ran from
November 20, 1797, to July 9, 1798.

Footnote 206:

I print this as written, but can find no allusion in works of
reference to the circumstance mentioned.

Footnote 207:

C. de l’Héritier, born 1746, died 1800; botanist, and member of
the Académie des Sciences.

Footnote 208:

Cornelia Knight, author of _Dinarbas_, a continuation of
_Rasselas_, 1790, and other works.

Footnote 209:

Celebrated French geologist. Accompanied Napoleon to Egypt; on his
return was taken prisoner and confined at Messina by the King of
Sicily; on peace being made with Naples was liberated.

Footnote 210:

Robert Smith, son of a banker at Nottingham; M.P. for that town
from 1770 to 1796; supporter and friend of Pitt; raised to the
Irish peerage in 1796, to the English peerage in 1797.

Footnote 211:

Mrs. Orbell Oakes, the beautiful Betty Plampin of former
flirtations, is ‘the friend’ henceforth constantly alluded to.

Footnote 212:

Isaac Milner, 1751-1820, son of a poor weaver (brother of the no
less remarkable Joseph Milner), Dean of Carlisle, and Professor of
Mathematics at Cambridge.

Footnote 213:

John Russell, sixth Duke, ‘the great Duke of Bedford,’ who did
so much for agriculture, and in 1830 rebuilt Covent Garden
Market at a cost of 40,000_l._ Died 1839.

Footnote 214:

J. Overton, officer in the Excise; made telescopes, and had a
private press, where he printed books, mostly theological. Died
1838. See _Annual Register_ for that year.

Footnote 215:

L. W. Otto, Count of Morlay, was a German diplomatist in the
French service, and lived 1752-1817. See Didot, _Biographie
Universelle_.

Footnote 216:

This was not, perhaps, impossible. See the following note from the
_Daily News_ Paris correspondent three or four years ago:

‘An account of Napoleon I.’s visit to Breda in 1810 is now
appearing, for the first time, in the _Débats_, and is deeply
interesting. It will be seen that Napoleon I. at the zenith of his
power was on the point of becoming a Protestant.

‘The Emperor, after receiving several Deputies, went up to the
Catholic Vicar, who had written a speech, and proceeded to read
it. The Emperor, without replying, asked where were the Protestant
ministers. Then M. Ten Oever, in his robes, followed by the entire
Protestant clergy, was presented by the Prince de Wagram, and read
an address. The Emperor remarked with satisfaction that the
Protestant ministers wore their robes. Then, turning to the Roman
Catholic clergy, he asked, “How is it that you are not wearing
your frocks? What! I come to a Department [Holland had been
annexed to France] where the majority are Catholics, who were
formerly oppressed, and who have received more liberty from the
King, my brother, and myself, and your first act is to show me
disrespect! I have always found my Protestants faithful subjects.
I have six thousand at Paris and eight hundred thousand in my
empire, and I have no cause for complaint against a single one.
Fools that you are! _If the Concordat had not been accepted by the
Pope, I should have turned Protestant, and thirty million
Frenchmen would have followed my example._ [The italics are my
own.] You have calumniated Protestants, representing them as men
teaching principles contrary to the rights of sovereigns. I have
no better subjects. They serve in my palace in Paris. It was not
Luther, nor Calvin, but the German princes who declined to submit
to your fanatical yoke. The English were quite right to part
company with you. You would like to set up scaffolds and stakes,
but I will prevent you. All authority comes from God.”’

Footnote 217:

D. Bogue, D.D., _On the Divine Authority of the New Testament_,
1801.

Footnote 218:

Bishop of Cloyne, _Alciphron; or, the Minute Philosopher_, 1732.

Footnote 219:

C. Leslie, died 1722, author of _The Rehearsals: Tracts against
the Deists and Socinians_, 4 vols.

Footnote 220:

_Voyage en Amérique_, 2 vols. 1800. It seems that the French
_émigrés_, after being most hospitably treated in England, showed
little return in the way of graciousness. See _Letters of Maria
Josepha Holroyd_; also the _Jerningham Letters_.

Footnote 221:

Ambrose Marie Arnault, French economist, 1750-1812. See Vapereau.

Footnote 222:

See Chap. IV. ‘Ireland,’ for this curious bargain, by which A. Y.,
instead of a sum total of 700_l._, in 1776 was to receive 72_l._
per annum!

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