On this day, at his house in Paris, the Duc de Croÿ once again receives Mr. Swinton, the proprietor of the Courier de l’Europe. It turns out that Swinton hardly understands a word of what is in it, knowing very little French. His editor does everything and he regards it simply as a business investment. Croÿ informs him of an article reporting a speech in parliament given by the Duke of Richmond in which the peer claims that in the French Council of State only M de Sartines is in favour of war. Sartines is stung by this allegation and it is believed that that is why he is trying to stop the distribution of the Courier. Croÿ, of course, has the 27 March edition given to him by Swinton a few days ago. Swinton says that the shipment of the new edition has been stopped at customs in Dover because it is supposedly too heavy. Croÿ tells him everything he has done at his end to keep the lines of communication open, by which Swinton is very gratified.
Commentary:
Please see yesterday’s post for details of Croÿ’s interventions in favour of keeping the cross-Channel communications open via the packet boats even with Britain and France inches from open war. Our diarist believes that the distribution of the Courier de l’Europe, which is printed in London, should be allowed to continue in France because it is an invaluable source of information about what the political class in London is thinking and doing.
The Duke of Richmond, once ambassador in Paris, is a prominent member of the Whig opposition. He takes a conciliatory attitude towards the American rebels and does not think Britain should make war against them.
Pictured: Charles Lennox (1735-1806), 3rd Duke of Richmond, Lennox, and Aubigny, by Romney.
The Duke of Richmond is unique among British dukes at this date in that he holds 3 dukedoms in 3 different countries: he is Duke of Richmond in the English peerage, Duke of Lennox in the Scottish peerage, and Duc d’Aubigny in France. The first two were created by Charles II for his son by Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth. Louis XIV then made his English cousin’s mistress Duchesse d’Aubigny in her own right.
Pictured: Louise de Keroualle (spelling varies), Duchess of Portsmouth and Duchesse d’Aubigny, the only woman in history to hold both an English and a French dukedom in her own right.
If you have questions that I have not addressed in the commentary, please ask in the comments.