Scott, make my best regards acceptable to him. There is no man I have
a higher opinion of, both as a public and private character.

You will long ago have had my letter; with one to Davison, desiring he
will pay for the alterations at Merton. I shall send you a letter for
the hundred pounds a month, to the Bank.




LETTER XLVIII.


Victory, June 6th, 1804.

Since I wrote you, my Dearest Emma, on the 30th and 31st May, nothing
new has happened; except our hearing the _feu de joie_ at Toulon, for
the declaration of Emperor.

What a capricious nation those French must be! However, I think
it must, in any way, be advantageous to England. There ends, for a
century, all republics!

By vessels from Marseilles, the French think it will be a peace; and
they say, that several of their merchant ships are fitting out. I
earnestly pray, that it may be so; and, that we may have a few years
of rest.

I rather believe, my antagonist at Toulon, begins to be angry with me:
at least, I am trying to make him so; and then, he may come out, and