'over, and everything private as well as

public passed off very well.

'His Royal Highness (the Duke of York) 'came on Tuesday, the 21st, to review the troops at Canterbury and Barham Downs.

I went there to pay my respects to him, ' and after the review attended him to Dover, 'where I dined with him, and returned to my

quarters late that night. The Duke saw the troops, &c. at Dover, on Wednesday;

came over here, dined with me at seven 'o'clock, and slept at your friend Mrs.

Wood's. Our review was at seven o'clock

' on Thursday morning. At first the day 'lowered,-rained a little, and threatened more; but at last cleared up, and was very 'fine. I took advantage of some ground upon the right of the camp, in the direction ' of Cheriton Church, which is woody and 'broken, and placed the troops upon it, so as 'to have a very good effect. We there fought ' a battle, and the troops did their parts well.

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'from that which you saw; it was different and better than any the Duke had seen, ' and was much applauded, both by the ladies and the military connoisseurs: in short, we came off with flying colours.

'After breakfasting with me, his Royal Highness reviewed two other corps; got a 'magnificent dinner-breakfast, at three o'clock, 'from Lord Salisbury, whose regiment was ' reviewed, and returned to dine with me at 'nine o'clock. Next morning he saw my regi'ment exercise singly, and allowed it to be perfect; then breakfasted, and set off for 'Sussex. I accompanied him the first ten

miles. My two dinners and two breakfasts ' were well managed by Mrs. Lee and François; it was left to them solely; I inter'fered not, only stinted them in nothing,

Notwithstanding all the honour, and all the flattering compliments, still the four 'days' attendance completely wore me outI rejoiced most heartily when they were I shall write to

' over.

'Graham this day. I should have sent you this history yesterday, but on Saturday, as 'you know, we have no post.

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'God bless you, my dear Mother; love to Jane, and

'Believe me, most affectionately,

'JOHN MOORE.'

'Canterbury, March 27th, 1806.

'My dear Mother, I left London early 'yesterday morning, and got down here to dinner at six o'clock. I expect to return to Town in the course of eight or ten days, to

sit upon a military board. I shall hope then 'to be able to give you a day or two at Cob· ham; this last time it was not in my power. You know how tired I have for some time 'been of my employment here. I see little ' prospect in England of ever being occupied in any manner more important. I never 'believed much in invasion, and now less • than ever.

I therefore turned my thoughts to India, as the greatest and most important com

'mand that could fall to a British officer ;

and the present I thought the moment of all

others I could be best spared from home, as 'I shall be back from it before Europe could 'so far recover from its late disasters as to ' render any combination for action possible.

'I communicated my wishes to the Duke of York; they have been since communicated to ministers,-and the principal objection. which has been made has been flattering; 'that they do not wish me to go so far from 'this country. Lord Lauderdale's appointment has been an additional inducement to 'me to wish to go to India. The leaving 'you, you may believe, has had its full weight, but it will be for three or four years 'at most, during which time I shall, instead ' of being occupied with trifling details, be

employed in the direction and management ' of a large army, and in the defence of the 'most important colony any nation ever had. 'As a professional exercise, it will be of much

use; and I shall return, still not an old man, ' with an independent fortune. As comman

der-in-chief, independent of the chance of prize-money, from my appointments alone, 'I shall be able to save, yearly, from 8000l. ' to 10,000l.

'It is by no means certain that I shall suc'ceed in getting the appointment; if I do ' not, I shall easily console myself. I did not say anything to you of it before, because until there was more chance of its taking place it was needless to plague you. My 'love to Jane.

'Believe me, my dear Mother,

'My dear Mother,-After a tedious passage of a month from Gibraltar, of seven weeks and three days from Portsmouth, I arrived 'here yesterday.

The frigate in which I came sails this forenoon on her return, and I seize a hurried 'moment to tell you I am well.