Your favor of April 22d and that of May 8th, are received. I will examine Mr. Fizeau’s accounts as soon as my friend Mr. Thaxter is a little better, who is now sick of a fever. I have attempted it alone, but I find a few little variations from my accounts, of no great consequence, which, however, perhaps Mr. Thaxter may clear up.

The arrangements of time and place mentioned in Lord Shelburne’s letter, cannot be a work of any difficulty; because, people whose dispositions for Peace are sincere, would be willing to go at any time to almost any Place, provided the work was not to meet obstructions there. But the question is whether his Lordship and his royal Master, have lowered their ideas of British omnipotence, and cleared their breasts of the old leaven of contempt for their enemies sufficiently to agree to the terms which will probably be expected. You know his Lordship personally, and therefore I can tell you no news of him; but I have taken some pains for fifteen or sixteen years, to inform myself of his character and sentiments, and from all I could ever learn, it seems to me, that his ideas of Great Britain and her enemies are at this hour as wild, as those of my Lord North were seven years ago. The change in his sentiments have not kept pace with the alterations in things. Mr. Fox appears to have much juster notions and sincerer dispositions, tho’ he is no Idol to me. If his Lordship’s sense was spoken by Mr. Oswald, viz to allow of our Independence, on condition of Britains being put into the State she was left in, by the Peace of 1763—this is a matter of negotiation with France and Spain, and we have nothing to say or do in it. But France and Spain must have more moderation than ever Britain had, if they agree to it. But perhaps he means also, that Britain shall remain in possession of Nova Scotia, Canada and the Floridas, as ceded to them by the Peace of 1763. If this is any part of his meaning it is a very serious affair for us, and for great Britain too, for the foundation will be laid by it, for her final ruin. She will be forever at war with the United States, must expend immense sums, in maintaining innumerable posts and fortifications, and garisons, and at last can no more hold it than her navy can rule the moon. We shall be in perpetual water it is true; but it will keep up a military spirit, which it is Britain’s interest, if she could but see it, to lay asleep.

For my own part, I don’t feel so much anxiety, about the part we have to act in the negotiations for peace, as I commonly have done, in matters even of less consequence, because I see, that France, Spain and Holland have so many just pretentions upon England, and the Ministry in England so divided, as well as the Nation, and the greater and more powerful part, so extravagant in their notions, and so afraid of making concessions, that I don’t expect the negotiation will advance so far, as that we shall have to enter very seriously into our claims, for sometime yet. The new Minister and new Admirals must try their hands first, to see if they can turn the fortune of the war, at least this appears to me to be the Earl of Shelburne’s design, with which he flatters the King. The King hates them all, but perhaps Shelburne the least; and the Nation don’t appear, notwithstanding the addresses to have much confidence in the new set. In short, I don’t believe that any one man or set of men, have so much of the confidence of the King and Nation, as to be able to make with safety to themselves, the sacrifices, which will be found indispensible at a peace.—not sent. I have &c