Briefwisseling en aantekeningen. Deel 1

CXXIV.
Willem Bentinck aan de gravin van Portland.

[B.M. Eg., 1713]

Den Haag, 7 September 1745.

By the letter I received yesterday from you, I see by continuation that the same talk goes on still in London. And I cannot but be grieved to see the despondency of people who ought at least to keep a good countenance, if they would keep up the spirit of the nation, which will always be necessary in every circumstance, since dejection can never produce any good effect, and must often produce very bad ones. I flatter myself always that truth will at last make its way thro' the political world, as it generally does in common life......

I have been lately reading over again several of Sir William Temple's works, among others his Observations on these Provinces. I have been tempted to write down my remarks on this book. And I don't know what I may

[p. 139]

do some time or other. It is plain to one who reads it with attention that it is made up of pieces put together and writ not only at different times, but in different circumstances, some under the government of De Witt, some under the Prince of Orange; and these do not agree nor coincide with one another. It is plain that Sir Willaim Temple has been misled by Mr. de Witt in a great many things, who had shewn only the fine side of several things relating to this form of Government which Sir William Temple took for granted, without further examination and represents 'em in the same light exactly that the family and party of de Witt do their endeavour to make 'em appear at present using the same arguments, and almost the same words, to justify what is but too like the times of de Witt.

Before I forget it, I wish that when there comes into your memory any particulars or anecdotes relating to people, or things happen'd in those times, which you may have heard of Sir William Temple's own mouth¹⁾ that you would write 'em me, when you are at a loss how to fill a letter. What would Sir William Temple have said, if he was alive now and had heard an English Nobleman say that it signifys as little who is Emperor, as who is Lord Major of London?......

1) De gravin van Portland was zelf een dochter van Sir John Temple, Sir William's broer.