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PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AND ORME, PATER-

NOSTER-ROW.

1810.

T. Bensley, Printer,

Bolt Court, Fleet Street, London.

ما السلام

02041195,5,

The following Letter was sent to the Right Ho-
nourable the DOWAGER COUNTESS of CHAT-
HAM, with the Copy of the first edition of this
Work, in two volumes Quarto.

(COPY.)

Herts,

December 5, 1791.

"MADAM,

"I beg your Ladyship's pardon for trespassing upon your retirement. It is to solicit, Madam, the honour of your acceptance of these Volumes. Although they contain but a weak, yet it is a well-intended effort to do justice to a great and splendid Character.

"From your Ladyship's noble Brother, the late EARL TEMPLE, I received the most interesting part of these Anecdotes; his Lordship honoured me with his friendship and esteem many years. From the first LORD LYTTELTON, the late LORDS FORTESCU, and CARYSFORT, RIGHT HON. W. G. HAMILTON, RIGHT HON. R. RIGBY, GOVERNOR POWNAL, Mr. CALCRAFT, Mr. Rous, and a number of other Noblemen and Gentlemen, I received the remainder.

"After much labour and expence, I now presume to lay the work before your Ladyship; humbly hoping that it will be honoured with your approbation, and that I may have your Ladyship's permission to subscribe myself, "Madam,

"Your most obedient, and

"most humble servant,

3-24-34

****

LADY CHATHAM'S ANSWER.

"SIR,

(COPY.)

Burton-Pynsent, Dec. 15, 1791.

"I have received the obliging present of the books, which you sent to me; the subject of which is so interesting to my feelings. I cannot delay desiring you to accept of my sincere thanks for this mark of your attention. The sentiments expressed by you of the abilities and virtues of my late dear Lord, are a sort of assurance to me, that I shall find his character, and conduct, painted in those colours, that suit the dignity, and wisdom, that belonged to them: the retracing of which, will certainly afford me the highest satisfaction, mixt with the deepest regret, that Myself, his Country, Family, and Friends, have suffered by his death.

"I remain, Sir,

"Your obliged and most humble servant,

"HESTER CHATHAM."

PREFACE.

Ir any apology is thought necessary for offering these volumes to the British Nation, it is presumed, that a candid confession of the writer's motive, will not be unfavourably received by those, to whom it is most respectfully submitted.

Had a similar work been executed by any of those persons, who are more capable, and more conversant with the period, and with the conduct of the noble Earl, than the Editor, the attention of the Public would not have been solicited to this humble attempt. It is now almost fourteen years since Lord Chatham's death, and the writer has not heard that any intention to offer a similar work has been in the contemplation of any such person.

Every period in history is interesting: Undoubtedly some periods more than others; and, perhaps, none more than that of these volumes. But truth is so seldom the first object of the

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