GEORGE SELWYN AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES; WITH MEMOIRS AND NOTES. BY JOHN HENEAGE JESSE, AUTHOR OF "MEMOIRS OF THE COURT OF ENGLAND DURING THE REIGN VOL. IV. LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET, 1844. GEORGE SELWYN AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES. THE REV. DR. WARNER TO GEORGE SELWYN. DEAR SIR, Wednesday evening, January 20, 1779. YOUR poor spy at Paris has just crawled out of bed to have it made, and to tell you (having no quilted jacket to write with in bed, nor any nurses but the porter of the hotel, and the Savoyard at the gate,) that the foolish little fever, consequent upon a most severe cold, is subdued, and that he intends to get up to-morrow like a man. But are you not, sir, monstrously pleased (I hope you are, sir, because I am,) with the mot of old Patris, that Madame de Sevigné tells us of, who, still in his bed, upon being congratulated by his friends upon his recovery from an illness, answered coolly, "Est-ce la peine de se r'habiller!" I crawled out of bed, I say, to tell VOL. IV. B you that I have nothing to tell you but what might have waited till next post; and you would have forgiven me, I know, if I had been silent. West and Lowe, the prisoners at Aix, are come upon me. I have vowed and swore that I am sure you are hard at work for them, but that nothing can be done till a cartel is settled. Windsor, the gallant captain, who fought his ship so well, is gone home, they tell me, upon his parole, and they think they ought to do the same. Pray tell me what I shall say next. [Captain Windsor, "the gallant captain" alluded to in this letter, was the Hon. Thomas Windsor, second son of Other Lewis, second Earl of Plymouth. The spirited action, referred to by Dr. Warner, deserves a passing notice. Captain Windsor, being in command of the Fox frigate, of twenty-eight guns, had been despatched to reconnoitre the movements of the French fleet. Whilst thus employed he fell in, on the 10th of September, 1778, with a French ship and a sloop, to which he gave chase, and during which he was borne down upon by a large French frigate mounting thirty-four guns, and in every respect vastly superior to his own vessel. Captain Windsor, however, gallantly engaged his adversary; and though eventually compelled to Istrike his colours, it was not till he had fought a hot and spirited action, which lasted three hours |