I MY LORD, Winchester, Sept. 14, 1762. Left Winchester, with lord * Effingham's leave, on the fecond of August, and did not return to this city till the 12th of this month. My drum-major brought me your lordship's letter yefterday. I now return it with the feal unbroke, as the clearest demonstration that I never have read the contents of it. I fuppofe they are the fame with the letter I had the honour of receiving and anfwering by Mr. Secker. I am, my lord, Your lordship's most obedient, humble fervant, JOHN WILKES. Directed to Earl Talbot. * Commander in chief of the troops in and near Winchester. SIR, Suppofe you have by this time found the letter I wrote directed to you at Winchester, and that hath acquainted you why I addreffed myself to Mr. Wilkes, to enquire if the North Briton of the 21st of Auguft was written by him. I well know every gentleman who contributes to fupport periodical papers by his pen, is not answerable for all the papers that appear under the title of that which he affifts, but I cannot conceive that any man fhould refufe to affure a perfon who hath been the object of the wit of any paper, that he was not the author of a paper he did not write. Every man's fenfe of honour ought to direct his conduct; if you prefer a perfonal engagement to the denying being the author of a paper that hath been fo free with my name, I, who who am publickly affronted by that paper, cannot in honour avoid requiring the fatisfaction you feem most defirous to give. Be pleased to write or fend to me as foon as you liave determined what part you will act. I fhall be in London Thursday and Friday next, and this day fe'ennight, after which I fhall not be in London till Thursday the 23d. . I am, Sir, your humble Servant, TALBOT. Bolton-Street, Sept. 12, 1762. -Directed to Col. Wilkes. MY LORD, Winchester, Sept. 16, 1762. Had not till yesterday the honour of your lordship's letter of the 12th, and embrace this earliest opportunity of acknowledging it. Your lordship has not yet, in my poor idea, afcertained the right you claim of interrogating me about the paper of the 21st of August, and I will first know the very good authority on which I am thus queftioned, before I will return any anfwer whatever. Your lordship defires me to write or fend to you as foon as I have determined what part I fhall act. I intended my first letter fhould have made that fufficiently clear. I am, my lord, Your lordship's very humble fervant, JOHN WILKES. Directed to Earl Talbot. SIR, I Have this inftant received your's of the 16th. It is your own declaration before men of truth and honor, that you occafionally affifted the paper called the North Briton with your pen, that is the foundation of my interrogating you about the North Briton of the 21ft of August—and whatever may be your idea, mine is that when a gentleman owns himself an occafional author of an anonymous fatirical paper, any perfon by name ridiculed in fuch an hebdomadal performance hath a right to afk the occafional avowed writer, if he was the author of the offending paper. You may now, Sir, anfwer my queftion or not, I have offered to put myself upon that footing with you that became a man who hath spirit, and is in fluenced |