WE E now again advert to some matters which could not be noticed before, without interrupting the narrative. Not long after the conclusion of the Triple Alliance, De Witt lost his wife. Temple's condolence was judicious, and De Witt's reply appropriate; both letters are, without being cold or stiff, such as sensible men would write, on an occasion in which there is too much temptation to indulge in affectation of style and sentiment. They, perhaps, have not peculiarity enough for repetition here.t It would appear that the two statesmen had a sincere regard for one another; and it is not easy to understand why Lady Giffard, in mentioning their intercourse on the occasion of the Triple Al * July 3d and 27th, 1668; i. 432. and 493. liance, observes, With this began, I will not say friendship, but a trust and confidence between Temple and M. De Witt, from the experience as well as assurance of truth and fairness in their dealings, which helped much to the ease and despatch of those they were engaged in." Temple continued to feel, as ambassador, the inconvenience from the irregularity of his receipts, to which he had been accustomed. The evil was now aggravated by retrenchments in diplomatic allowances. "I must acknowledge your favour in the offers of taking care of me upon the service of the establishments for ambassadors; for, if it were my talent either to ask or complain, I doubt I should have as much reason as another man, in a place where, by all men's consent, the same train of living will cost full a third part more than either at Paris or London; and, for the necessity of appearing, the late ambassadors of France, Spain, Sweden, and Portugal, have brought it as high as any other court, by the number of liveries, and keeping public titles: whereas Sir Dudley Carleton, the last English ambassador, here kept no page, and but two footmen, and one coach and four horses, and had his house allowed him by the States, which is to cost me 2001. a year." After comparing his establishment with that of D'Estrades, he adds, that if they do not all consent to reduce, he will live on as he has, and trust to the King's mercy, as he did at Aix. "Since the King thought such retrenchments necessary, I was content to give the example, and would go through with it, so long as my own fortune would bear me out without ruin. But in case the establishment be broken for other persons, I will not believe the King will break the absolute promise he made me (as the commissioners likewise did), that I should share with them to the full in the advantage of it, which is all the pretension I can recommend to my friends' justice and favour; for, in such a distinction, the dishonour of it will be yet more sensible than the disadvantage.* To solicit the King's ministers for what was due to her husband, appears to have been the principal occupation of Lady Temple, who remained for some time in England after he went to the Hague †, and afterwards made occasional trips. Lady Temple's entreaties at last procured from the King some boon, the nature of which is not explained. "I am ill at asking," says Temple, in allusion to it, "but never was so at acknowledging; therefore your lordship may justly believe all of that kind, which another would say, and instead of that trouble from you, I will beg another favour, which is that of assisting me in making those humble acknowledgments I owe to his Majesty upon this occasion, by assuring him, that though what he pleased to do was only what he promised, yet I esteem it as if it were properly a new grace." + Although so "ill at asking," Temple solicited Lord Arlington's good offices, to obtain for him a present from the Spanish government, on the oc * Nov. 4. 1668. Jones, p. 27. † See Arl. 365. 396. June 18. 1669. casion of his mediation at Aix.* We know not with what success this application was made. For many years such presents, generally in the shape of a snuff-box, with the head of the sovereign set in diamonds, were interchanged on the ratification of treaties. For a short time, under peculiar circumstances, this practice went too far; but it is not clear that the virtue which lately effected the abolition of it, is not, in Temple's words, rather formal and peaking †, though the minister ‡, by whom it was brought about, may not be of that character. We have seen that Temple continued to correspond with Arlington; but the heartiness and freedom of the correspondence exhibited some indications of decay. We have somewhere cited words supposed to have been used by Lord Arlington, expressive of the similarity of disposition between him and Temple. It would be difficult to say wherein the similarity consisted; the one being eminently manly and sincere, though touchy and tenacious; the other a double-dealer, through easiness and weakness of disposition. Yet Arlington, probably, had not only a good opinion of Temple, but much regard for him, though he might possibly feel some of the awe with which an upright man inspires a conscious deceiver. Within one year after the Triple Alliance, Sir John Trevor being Secretary of State, and having * April 1670. the department to which Temple's mission belonged, Arlington seemed to his sensitive correspondent to desire to discontinue or narrow their correspondence. "I easily perceive," writes Temple on this occasion *, "by one I lately received from your lordship, that the more I write to Sir John Trevor in the course of my business here, and the less to your lordship, will not displease you; but that my correspondence is in time wholly to be devolved that way; which, if it be for your ease, I have reason to be satisfied with; and, having written at large to him this post, shall not trouble your lordship about anything that has passed in my business since my last; and shall govern myself in that matter as you shall think fit to command me. Sir John Trevor is a person I have much reason to honour, both for what belongs to his person and his charge; and I doubt not that the King will be very well served, and your lordship very well assisted, by him; but yet he is not my Lord Arlington, and much less so to me; and therefore, whatever comes of my correspondence, I will tell your lordship beforehand, that whenever you would turn off my dependence from your lordship to him, or to any other person, you will do me the favour to break off all other engagements likewise whereunto you have brought me, and to leave me just where you found me. For, besides other resemblances of love and court, that, * Hague, Jan. 15. 1669. Sel. Let. 108. See Arl. 376. |