L30/14/203/7

Sent from Baron Juel, The Hague (In French):

20 Jan 1775

From: 1775 To: 1775

Translation: My very dear Milord, Forgive me, my dear Sir, if I have left a small gap between receiving your dear letter of 19th December and which I received with real satisfaction, and my reply to it. I recognised My dear Lord Grantham in all the obliging things he said about my new decoration. Rest assured that I know how to appreciate this latest proof of your friendship, and that nothing in the world can change the affection in which I hold you. It cost me a lot to be obliged to leave my homeland and family, perhaps I would have regretted it less if I had not already spent some time in the Hague and in this country. I made the most of my holiday, and my return also made itself felt in that I had the most frightful journey. My successor has only written to me once since he took up his post so I have no idea whether he is happy in it, but I am surprised to hear that he is still living in the house just as I left it, and considering his means, he has surely enough to furnish it. As to the rest, it is quite inappropriate for a minister of the court to be so niggardly and that upsets me more than I can say. Thanks to your kindness I can now remember M. de Majorada/Mejorada, I wish that I could say the same of his wife, but I have only the vaguest memory of her. I fervently wish that their stay in Copenhagen will be pleasant. Society there, I dare say, is as one finds anywhere and Madame will find a good companion in the Marquise de Veval who is said to be very agreeable. The Charge d'Affaires, M. Lita, the nephew of the respectable M. Mazonis will, I believe, return to Spain when M. Majorada gets to Copenhagen. He is a young man of wit and intelligence but his behaviour here has been quite extraordinary. He must, of necessity be very bored here as he goes nowhere and is admitted nowhere, whereas when he arrived he went everywhere with the ministers. Prince Raffadali who is an acquaintance from Spain, is much changed, to his advantage. He speaks French as well as another and seems very young, having left off the wig. His friend the Abbe Monvoi, no longer wears the habit and it was no small surprise to me to see him as a dragoon with a sword and in uniform. If I am able to obtain another six months leave, I hope to spend it across the sea which laps these shores. Perhaps I will be able to meet friends? and Mr. Waddilove if he does not live way out in the provinces, could perhaps help me. But given my absence last year I must not think about that. However I will not give up the idea if I remain in the same case as at present. M. de Vivy has done me the honour of writing to me a few days ago. His son has been at college for some little time and he tells me that he gives them all kinds of comfort. There is nothing new of interest here. The Ministers of Vienna and Berlin amuse themselves by refuting the articles published by the Gazette, which seem to them to be too perspicacious and truthful. I embrace my dear Mr. Robinson a thousand times; please say as much to the good Sparre and tell him that I fear that the heat of the oven will force him to wear a second wig. His new colleague is expected here in the Spring and the old one is not going back to his country any more. Goodbye my dear Milord, excuse this scribble but provided that you are able to decipher it, it will convince you of my unalterable affection P.S. I have often thought about the bet we made at Vivy's house, it is certain that if I had tried to make a prediction about it, I would have been mistaken.

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Mejorada,
Mazonis,
Lita,
Waddilove,
Viry