inclosed copy. The other part of the King of Prussia's letter related to an offer made by the Great Duke's minister at Hamburgh to Prince Henry of Prussia, by the canal of one M. Bielfield (1), to send Pechlin to Petersburgh, with a million of crowns, to negotiate for the King of Prussia at that court; and, upon an assurance that the Great Duke would himself be a négotiateur pour le Roi de Prusse, Pechlin is gone, and (as I understand) with the million of crowns. (2) Knyphausen lays

(1) "Baron Bielfield," says Mr. Mitchell, in a letter to Mr.Keith, the British minister at St. Petersburgh, "is the son of a Hamburgh merchant, was created baron by the King of Prussia, and was preceptor to Prince Henry and Prince Ferdinand of Prussia. I hear he is an honest man and a speculative politician, having lately published two volumes in quarto upon that subject-which I have not read." Besides his "Institutions Politiques," the baron wrote " Progrès des Allemands dans les Belles Lettres," "Lettres Familières," and "Erudition Universelle." Of the two last there are English translations. He died in 1770.

(2) The following extracts from the Mitchell MSS. throw considerable light on this extraordinary mission:

Mr. Mitchell to Mr. Keith, Friburg, March 6:- "It has been suggested to the King of Prussia, that the court of Petersburgh is certainly to be bought; that the Great Duke is well disposed, and can be useful; that a million of crowns will be necessary for this service; and that the English minister at St. Petersburgh is so narrowly watched, that he cannot act in that affair without raising suspicions: to avoid which, it is proposed to send Colonel Pechlin (formerly an officer in the Great Duke's service, and still much connected with that prince), to Petersburgh, upon pretence of soliciting an employment for himself.

"This gentleman, besides the connection he has with the Great Duke, is well acquainted with the court of Russia, and it is thought may be of service. His Prussian Majesty is therefore willing to give a valuable gratification to Colonel Pechlin

a great stress upon these two events, particularly Voltaire's letter, with his word employé. I hope at my return to find you perfectly recovered in health and strength; and am, dear Sir,

Your most affectionate, humble servant,

HOLLES NEWCASTLE.

for his trouble; but as he does not think it safe to trust him with the disposal of one million of crowns, it is proposed to put the money entirely under your direction; that is to say, that Pechlin should have no power to dispose of any sum, without your previous approbation.

"As the King of Prussia's intention is not to throw away this very large sum in bribing of low or insignificant people, you will refuse your concurrence if Pechlin should adopt a plan of this sort; but if you think that the court of Russia can be really gained, and effectually reconciled to Prussia, his Prussian Majesty at present seems willing to bestow the whole sum. return for this mark of confidence on the part of his Prussian Majesty, it is expected that you will be particularly attentive to all the motions and operations of Pechlin, and that you will write freely and frequently your opinion as to his capacity and conduct."

In

Mr. Mitchell to Lord Holdernesse, March 19:- "Colonel Pechlin, I hear, by this time is set out for Petersburgh, by the way of Sweden, and it is reckoned he may be there in about four weeks hence. I cannot help saying, that I look upon the whole affair as a wild scheme of a needy projector, who wants to go to Petersburgh at the expense of his Prussian Majesty." -July 25: "Mr. Keith writes me, that he never saw M. Pechlin but twice; that he had very little conversation with him, and that Pechlin gave for the reasons of his sudden departure, that the people of Petersburgh were very intriguing and full of suspicions, as well with regard to his arrival as to his stay. Mr. Keith is of opinion that, at this juncture, nothing could be done; and has therefore desired that the credit furnished him upon Amsterdam may be withdrawn, as there is no probability at present of his being able to make use of it for the purposes for which it was lodged."

[Enclosure.]

MINUTE WITH THE PRUSSIAN MINISTERS.

March 13, 1760.

THE Prussian ministers declare that the King, their master, desires that a separate negotiation between his Majesty and the court of France may be entered into; on the supposition, however, that the King, their master, shall be included in the separate peace to be made with France; but if his Prussian Majesty shall not be so comprehended, they shall then think any such separate treaty a contravention of the treaty between his Majesty and the King of Prussia: and they are firmly of opinion, that by what M. d'Affry has said to M. de Hellen, particularly "vous y trouverez votre compte," the court of France understands it in that sense; and they propose, "que M. Yorke soit autorisé à continuer les pourparlers avec M. d'Affry, de la manière qu'on jugera être la plus convenable: bien entendu que la base de toutes ces démarches sera toujours fondée sur ce principe, que le Roi de Prusse doit être compris dans la négotiation don il est question."

They gave me a copy of Voltaire's letter. (')

(1) This copy of Voltaire's letter to Frederick appears not to have been preserved; but in one from Mr. Mitchell to Lord Holdernesse, of the 31st of July, there is this passage: Two days ago, happening to dine with the King of Prussia alone, I took the liberty to observe, that some late letter his Prussian

The emissary of the King of Prussia is gone to Bailiff Froulay. They read me a letter containing a proposal from the minister of the Great Duke of Russia, for sending an emissary (M. Pechlin) to Petersburgh; and that the Great Duke would be the negotiator for the King of Prussia. A million of

Majesty had written, which had fallen into the French minister's hands, seemed to have given great offence. His Prussian Majesty replied, I have wrote no letter but one to Voltaire.' I ventured to say, 'Perhaps your Majesty may have in that letter made use of some strong expressions with regard to the Duke of Choiseul:' he answered, No, I think I made use of this proverbial phrase, that the Duke was possessed by ten millions of Austrian devils;' that as to the rest, he had told Voltaire he would keep to his alliance with England, and that if the French had a mind for peace, they must speak out plainly; and he said that this letter to Voltaire was an answer to one he had received from him, in which Voltaire had assured him, that the French ministry were perfectly well disposed towards a peace. I think it proper to acquaint your lordship minutely with every circumstance concerning this affair, which I wish may agree with the accounts received from other parts; but I cannot help adding, that the King of Prussia's correspondence with Voltaire has, on this and on former occasions, given me some uneasiness and suspicions; for I believe the court of France make use of the artful pen of Voltaire to draw secrets from the King of Prussia; and when that prince writes as a wit to a wit, he is capable of great indiscretions. But what surprises me still more is, that whenever Voltaire's name is mentioned, his Prussian Majesty never fails to give him the epithets he may deserve: which are, The worst heart and greatest rascal now living:' yet with all this he continues to correspond with him. Such, in this prince, is the lust of praise from a great and elegant writer; in which, however, he will at last be the dupe: for by what I hear of Voltaire's character, he may dissemble, but never can nor ever will forgive the King of Prussia for what has passed between them."- Mitchell MSS.

crowns this emissary is to have.

The King of

Prussia has given the money, and Pechlin is set out for Petersburgh.

STANIER PORTEN, ESQ. (1) TO MR. PITT.

SIR,

Surrey Street, April 28, 1760.

IN obedience to your commands, I have the honour of laying before you what I have learnt and can recollect concerning their Catholic Majesties, as also the characters of those who have accompanied them to Spain from Naples.

(1) The writer of this interesting picture of the court of the King of the Two Sicilies had been for some years British resident at Naples. He was the son of a London merchant; his youngest sister was the mother of Gibbon, and his eldest the aunt Catharine whom he describes as the affectionate guardian of his tender years, the true mother of his mind as well as of his health, "to whom," he says, "I owe the first rudiments of knowledge, the first exercise of reason, and a taste for books, which is still the pleasure and glory of my life." In 1763, Mr. Porten was made consul-general at Madrid, and in 1772 appointed under secretary of state in the foreign-office, and received the honour of knighthood. "You remember," says Gibbon, in a letter to his mother-in-law, of the 24th of May, 1774, "an agreeable woman, Miss Wiebault; the under secretary is seriously in love with her, and seriously uneasy that his precarious situation precludes him from happiness: we shall soon see which will get the better, love or reason; I bet three to two on love." A few days after the date of this letter, Sir Stanier was appointed keeper of the state-papers at Whitehall, and in December he married the lady alluded to. He died in 1789, leaving two daughters; whom Gibbon, by his last will, constituted his heirs.