L30/14/203/11

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

2 Jan 1778

From: 1778 To: 1778

Translation: My Dear My Lord, I owe you humble and belated thanks for the letter you honoured me by sending on 1st May, last year. It arrived at a moment when I was plunged in the deepest grief at the loss I had just suffered on the decease of a dear and respected Mother. The sad duties that followed took me over completely at a time when I wanted to write to my friends. I know from happy experience, My dear my Lord, that you do not measure friendship by outward show, thus I deem unnecessary long excuses for my lengthy silence. However, I hasten to bear witness to my joy and infinite pleasure upon learning of the complete recovery of your dear brother, whose critical condition gave me great anxiety. At last I share with you the satisfaction that this event brings and I beg you to give a thousand fond wishes from me, to the dear convalescent. I have been back at my post for two months, but between friends, I must confide to you that it will only be to the end of March that I will continue to carry out my duties. The pressing law of necessity obliges me to give up permanently, a career that I would have pursued with pleasure if the death of my mother did not oblige me to watch over my own affairs at close quarters and to get to know how to administer the estates, having lost the thread after a long absence from the country. You will not refuse me the hope, My dear my Lord, of the pleasure of receiving news of you, although I shall be living in the country the Post arrives there very regularly, but it will never be more welcome than when it brings me your letters. My estates are situated on the island of Fyhn; and are called Raunholt, near to the town of Odensee, where all my letters arrive. There are some glimmers of hope that the lower Baltic may perhaps remain calm but I cannot give you this hope for certain. You know that the others behave like weathercocks and are easily impressed, mostly contrary to there own interests. I also know, on very good authority, that there finances and that they need the Peace to continue. The Count of Rechtern is still in Amsterdam, in the bosom of his family. I have still not seen him since his arrival. My Lord and Lady Hope spent part of the winter here and are only now returning to Scotland; apart from that the only one of your compatriots here is Mr Powel Carew. "I would find myself very happy indeed if I have the opportunity to talk with you My Lord; Great many things should be said; how I must now put and confined in silence But I will not despair still to might your Lordship in some parts in Europe; my Heart is certainly full of such an idea; and it would grow in sorry; if I should by settled at Home in such a Manner that obliged my to remain in my Mother country. The Spanish Minister how reside at this place, marked himself great hop to be employed at that Court of Lisbon: it is a friend of My, and a man of very good character, but I fear he mistaked himself. He had a great protector in the King's Lord Chamberlain." [In English] Enough of this chatter My dear my Lord, bit grant me I beg of you, the justice of believing that I can add nothing on the subject of the inexhaustible respect and affection which I have sworn to you for life. Having the honour to be, Your very faithful friend and servant, Juel.

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Juel,
Rechtern,
Hope,
Carew

DEATH, The Hague, Amsterdam