LETTER XLIII.
February 17.
OUR minister and I don't seem as if we should continue much
longer together: his manner of treating a subject, and of doing
business, is so absurd, that I cannot help contradicting him very
often, and doing things my own way; and then, of course, he
thinks them very ill done. {124} He mentioned something of this
kind lately in a letter to court, and I had a reprimand from the
minister there -- very gentle indeed -- but still it was a
reprimand; and I had resolved to resign, when I received a
private letter, before which I humbled myself, and adored the
wise, the noble, the exalted genius which dictated it -- which
endeavoured to soothe my painful sensibility -- expressed an
approbation of my schemes, and an opinion of their weight and
influence -- condescending to inquire into business, as well as
to examine the ideas of an impetuous young man. How I am
exhorted, not to extinguish this fire, but to soften it, and keep
it within due bounds, that it may be productive of good! So now I
am no longer at variance with myself, but settled, determined --
at least for a week to come. Content and peace of mind are
valuable things, my dear friend; but if they are precious, they
are also transitory.
