Briefwisseling en aantekeningen. Deel 1

V.
Willem Bentinck aan de gravin van Portland.

[B.M., Eg. 1712]

Den Haag, 5 Febr. 1737.

The Prince and Princess of Orange went away yesterday morning. The Princess looks very well, and seem'd concerned at leaving the Hague, tho' she never had much pleasure here, and less this time than ever. Saturday at Leyden I sent to invite Jack¹⁾ to dinner, he refused coming having company of his own, but desired me to send him a dish for his company. I went to fetch him and found him quite undrest having rid out, and the Prince of Orange with him, who was come to Leyden to speak to Boerhave, and had taken it into his head to dine with Jack, who had sent to the Tavern to get something for the Prince, and they waiting very merrily for their dinner. So I invited 'em all to come and dine with

1) Een familienaam voor zijn jongere broer Charles.

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us, which they did, and afterwards the Prince rid home again. I must own that it is pity he is so ill advised in everything he undertakes¹⁾, for he does not want understanding nor sense......

You gave me Butler's Sermons²⁾ when I was last in England. I hear he has printed another work lately, and beg you would send me whatever he publishes, for I admire him much, and have not in many years read anything with more pleasure than his Sermons, I like 'em because they are not sermons.

The Brigadier Wassenaer has gone to North Holland to gain the votes of more towns for the Balliage. I wish him a good journey and don't envy him that pleasure, which I am afraid will impair his health for he will be forced to drink there, or will advance nothing.

1) Vgl. P. Geyl, Willem IV en Engeland, blz. 53, voor het oordeel van François Fagel en Horace Walpole later in ditzelfde jaar.

2) Joseph Butler (1692-1752) was ‘clerk of the closet of the Queen’ en zeer bij Carolina in de gunst. Later werd hij bisschop van Bristol en ‘dean of St. Paul's’.