LONDON,June 1,1767.
MY DEAR FRIEND:I received yesterday your letter of the 20th past,from Dresden,where I am glad to find that you are arrived safe and sound.
This has been everywhere an 'annus mirabilis'for bad weather,and it continues here still.Everybody has fires,and their winter clothes,as at Christmas.The town is extremely sickly;and sudden deaths have been very frequent.
I do not know what to say to you upon public matters;things remain in 'statu quo',and nothing is done.Great changes are talked of,and,I believe,will happen soon,perhaps next week;but who is to be changed,for whom,I do not know,though everybody else does.I am apt to think that it will be a mosaic Ministry,made up 'de pieces rapportees'from different connections.
Last Friday I sent your subsidy to Mr.Larpent,who,I suppose,has given you notice of it.I believe it will come very seasonably,as all places,both foreign and domestic,are so far in arrears.They talk of paying you all up to Christmas.The King's inferior servants are almost starving.
I suppose you have already heard,at Dresden,that Count Bruhl is either actually married,or very soon to be so,to Lady Egremont.She has,together with her salary as Lady of the Bed-chamber,L2,500a year,besides ten thousand pounds in money left her,at her own disposal,by Lord Egremont.All this will sound great 'en ecus d'Allemagne'.I am glad of it,for he is a very pretty man.God bless you!
I easily conceive why Orloff influences the Empress of all the Russias;but I cannot see why the King of Prussia should be influenced by that motive.