THE PAGET PAPERS.*

The Paget Papers will be regarded by historians occupied with the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars as a mine of valuable material for arriving at the true "inwardness" of English foreign policy during the period between the out- ! Th. Paget Papers: Diplomatic and other Correepotulence of the Right Hon. &iv Arthur Paget, 6r.c.B., 17944907. Arranoed and Edded by lits Son, the Right Hon. Sir Ationstin Paget, G.O.B. With Notes by Mrs. J. R. Green. Twenty-four Portraits. In 2 vols. London: William Heinemann. break of hostilities and the beginning of that uprising of the nations which overthrew the French Empire. But though they are primarily historical documents, the letters in the present volume, supplied as they are with fall notes by Mrs. J. R. Green, will also afford entertainment to the general

reader,—provided that he is historically minded, and likes to read between the lines of the treaties and negotiations set forth in the text-books. In the text-books and general historical narratives that deal with the epoch in ques-

tion, one hears how Pitt endeavoured to form his coalitions against France, how he granted subsidies to this and that Power, and how his diplomatists laboured to smooth over the rivalries between the various European States, and to make them forget their jealousies and selfish plans of aggrandisement, and join heartily in withstanding the Jacobin crusade. These expressions, however, convey but a vague and feeble notion of what really happened. The Paget Papers allow us to realise their true meaning, and to see at close quarters the weak and wrangling Kings and their petty-minded Ministers. One does not know whether to feel more of pride or disgust when one reads of the able young English diplomat standing up among the squabbling and

snarling dogs, each eager to get from him a good handful of Pitt's provender ;—of pride in the clear-headed and far-seeing Envoy who did his best to get some work out of the pack, and of disgust at the men who, while they prated about the terrible doings of the Jacobins, were in reality only thinking of what was to be their share of the plunder. Take, for example, these words in one of the earliest letters of the collection—a letter from Paget to Lord Grenville :—

"[Cypher.] I have not been able to forbear mentioning to Count Haugwitz the extreme pain I felt that such immense sums of money should pass through my hands into this Treasury, without, as I had as yet been able to perceive, producing any ostensible good effect. He recurred to his old argument and assured me that without it not a Prussian regiment would at this moment be from home, and begged that I would repeat to Your Lordship that it was not mistrust on his part in the English Government (of which he was accused during the negotiation at the Hague) when he insisted upon the actual payment of the subsidy before the troops could march, but a too intimate knowledge of the state of the finances of this country This Court, however, is too notorious for intrigue of every sort not to leave room for suspicion. [Cypher ends.]"

Here is another entry which shows the sort of thing which was constantly going on during the first coalition :—

" [Cypher.] This retreat of the Austrians is sadly complained of here, and has certainly given rise to the foulest suspicions

in the minds of military men." These extracts will give our readers an idea of the matter to be found in the section of this work which deals with Prussia and Germany. When the scene changes to Italy, and Sir Arthur Paget is accredited to his Sicilian Majesty, we see, instead of jealous squabbling& and intrigue in face of the enemy, the most hopeless picture- of ineptitude, inefficiency, and corruption. Here is our Envoy's

account of the state of the Kingdom of Naples in the year 1800 :— "When, My Lord, I look around me and reflect upon the persons employed in the different departments of this Govern- ment I do not understand how the thing goes on at all. The fact. is that General Acton will not employ People who are not blindly devoted to him, and he has certainly brought himself to think that this is a well governed State. I always return to a position I formerly made. There is neither Army, Navy, Commerce, Justice. Agriculture, Religion, or Roads in these Kingdoms. And as long as General Acton remains at the head of affairs I despair of seeing any change for the better in them. He will listen to none but. those who flatter him. At the same time there is not a Man in these Kingdoms fit to hold his situation. Your Lordship will naturally expect to see the Armistice followed by a Peace equally disgraceful and ruinous."

We cannot find space to do more than note Sir Arthur Paget's reflections upon the attempt made by Lady Hamilton to make his position at Naples difficult and disagreeable, and his curious remarks as to the great sums lost by Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton at the card-table ; but we must mention that this section of the book provides a most interesting pic- ture of the Mediterranean and its politics during the earlier part of the war. It is curious to note the great part played by Russia. And no wonder. Russia at this time had a large fleet in the Mediterranean and a power- ful army in North Italy. Egypt occupies a large share

of attention in the negotiations of the period, and it seems that we were at one time half-inclined to keep what we had won. Sir A. Paget alludes to a memorandum as to a

Russian advance on India via Persia drawn up by the former French Consul at Cairo. Was this, we wonder, the father of

f. de Lesseps ? Among the Mediterranean papers are some delightfully good-tempered, illiterate, but yet most sensible, letters written by Lord Keith, who seems to have been an English sea-dog of the best type.

Considering the complexity of the subject, we shall not attempt to unravel any of the diplomatic tangles set forth in the letters. It will conduce more to the entertainment of our readers to dwell upon their personal side. The most interesting from this point of view are undoubtedly those by the Prince of Wales, afterwards Regent and George IV. They afford a striking picture of that clever but ill-bred and disreputable man. His blowzy, unctuous, liquorish personality is breathed from every line of these strange letters. They positively reek of brandy, stuffy -dissipation, and corpulent dandyism. The following letter written from Belvoir Castle, though long, shall be quoted -entire. It is one of the most nauseous we ever remember to have read :— "From H.R.H. the PRINCE OF WALES to the Hon. A. PAGET,

January 7, 1799.

Though I wrote you, my dearest Arthur, a Letter of sixteen or eighteen Pages about six Weeks ago, and though I have received no answer to it as yet, still I cannot help writing a few Lines to you from this place, amidst all its bustle & confusion. The Lads * of the Mansion on the Birthday was dressed more superbly, look'd more nobly, dens is grand genre, as it should be, & more beautifully than I have seen her for months & indeed almost I may say years, & she did the honours of that immense fête in a manner that no one but herself knows how to do. I really figured to myself what with the Ancient appearance of the Castle, the prodigious con- course of the Natives without, & the numbers of the bettermost sort within doors, together with the Illuminations, the Music, the noise & the bustle, that I was transported in a dream to some of those scenes which we have read the description of having existed .in the days of Chivalry. But to return to the Lady of the House, though she exerted herself to the utmost, still it was evident that there was a gloom that bung about her, which she could not conquer & which deadened every pleasing event that took place, A which she would have supremely enjoyed under other circum- stances. I am almost the only person, she tells me, that she can venture to talk to. Of course I need not add, my dear friend, that we have had much, much conversation. On my Soul I think I never did see any Creature in all my Life so perfectly attached as she is, indeed my dear Arthur you never will be able to shake it off; I almost, from the manner in which she talks of you, the animation, the passion with which she dwells upon your name, & upon every circumstance that regards you, should think you to blame were you to attempt ever to break through it, as I am con- fident it would cost her, her life; & I am persuaded you never -could nor would forgive yourself. She is beginning to get one of her nasty Coughs again, pray write & preach up Sir Walter and everything that is proper, but I am afraid there is but one remedy that could be of any essential avail and that would be yourself. Why that should not be the case, my beloved Arthur, I Scan not really see; why bury ycurself alive so loved, esteemed, & liked as you are by all that know you ; why not entirely decline the Line you are in, & by adhering to the parliamentary Cause, look, through the interest of your friends, besides your own abilities, forwards to an honourable situation at one of the Boards, which perhaps though not quite equal in point of emolument to what you may in a year or two meet with as a foreign Minister, still you will enjoy your friends, they will enjoy you, which must 'be quite out of the question as long as you are to be one of the sanctioned Spies, 4. hidden lamps of Lord Grenville. Weigh this well over, & let me know your sentiments, the less you hesitate now, I am confident, the better it will be for you, & the appoint- ment of Mr. Grenville to Berlin I should hope might furnish you with a sufficient excuse. Indeed, indeed, dear Arthur, you know not also how I miss you each hour of the four & twenty, & all that your friends can say that inspires them with any pleasing feelings in their convivial moments, is, either don't you remember dear Arthur's saying so, or doing so, or how be would like to be with us, or what would Arther say or think, or how would be act -upon such & such a circumstance. 1 expect there is no explaining or telling you how we all feel about you. Therefore you ought a little to weigh, at the same time that you consider for yourself, what so deeply interests & concerns the happiness of your friends. After this long prosing Sermon which I hope you will forgive ma for, my dear Arthur, though you may rate it a bore, I must write 'you in order to extort a smile before! conclude some little account of Chig Chig '—the familiar name of Mr. Chester, who VMS in the intimate • set' of the Prince of Wales.—A. P.]—he arrived on the Saturday in the hest Week, from Ireland, on Sunday be dined with me & a party to commemorate how happy we used to be with you last year, & hope to be for many many years to come, the party were, viz., Bathurst., Brummell, Chig, & Bob Mongomery. After the first Glass after dinner every Round was a Bumper to you in the very best Claret I had ; Chig thought it too weak. Of course stronger, the old Queen's House Claret, was produced for • Duchess of Rutland, the wickw of Charles, fourth Duke, who di. d in 1787; daughter of Cho.: les. fourth Duke of Beatify:IL During ha res.dsnce in England Mr. Paget had bee. paying his addresses to the Duchess, but the °ourl snip vii eventually broken :,ff. him which he swore was the b-pup-pup-pup-pest Cha-a-a-teau Margeau be had ever ta-a-asted, & tumbled about ten o'clock smack on his face, and was obliged to be carried cif between two Servants. The rest were bad enough, God knows, except myself, though my every Glass was a Bumper to your health, I can safely swear I never flinched one, dear Arthur, & you well know lam not even upon indifferent occasions a Shirker. Since that day, the old Girl [i.e., Chig] has never ceased being tipsy twice a day, first at dinner & on—but after supper—for she always makes a regular supper first –tic a couple of Bottles of iced Champagne, after a couple of quarts of Small Beer which She calls, you know, a Swig of Beer, has completed about six in the morning the old Gentle- woman since she has been with us here. Upon my Word, I am quite ashamed of the length of this Scrawl. I will therefore only say that there is no one existing, my dear Arthur, who loves you more truly or sincerely than your ever affectionate Gitorma. BELVOIE CASTLE, Jany. 17th, 1799.

Many happy years to you, My dear Arthur?'

How Sir Arthur Paget, who was clearly a manly English gentleman, must have shrank from these beery confidences. No wonder he was obliged to break off his understanding with the Duchess of Rutland. How could he do otherwise after her praises had been hiccoughed into his ear by the devoted friend of old Chig ? There are several other equally unpleasant letters by George IV. in this volume. But objec- tionable and disagreeable as they are, it is impossible to deny their cleverness. The Prince was no fool, and his power over the pen was ten times greater than that of his father. George III. had nothing like the literary ability of his disso- lute and undutiful son.