Page:History of New South Wales from the records, Volume 1.djvu/482

 368 PRIVATE AFFAIRS. 1790 I have received two letters to-day from our friend Phillip, dated "Our Mend the 14th and 15th of last April. He writes in good spirits and ^ represents the new settlement as having nearly overcome its difficulties. This is a much better account than I could have expected. He has made three requests. The first is for the rank of master and commander for the officer who brings his despatches, intercedes whom I suppose to be Lieutenant King of the Syrias, but he does f riendL i^ot name him. The second is some provision for the Commissary^, whom he commends much and represents as a dying man — two strong arguments in his favour ; but he does not name him neither. The last is leave to return home for the regulation of his private Thinks least affairs. He makes his last request with much the least eamest- of iiiraseif. ^^^ ^£ ^^^ ^£ ^j^^ three. IVobably they may be contained in his official despatches, but I trouble you with them for Lord Gran- ville's information, in case he shotdd have omitted them. I should likewise be much obliged to you if you would inform Lieutenant King (as I take it for granted he is, like all other seamen, under your protection) that I shall be very glad to see him whenever he can let me have that pleasure. I shall be in town to-morrow, and will, if it is not inconvenient, avail myself of your King asked obliging offer and dine with you. If Mr. King could breakfast to breakfast, ^j^j^ ^^ ^^ Thursday, he would obHge me very much. The two letters from Phillip received by Sydney in De- cember, 1790, had been brought to London by Lieutenant King, who had been recalled from Norfolk Island for the purpose of being sent to England.* He had sailed from Sydney Cove on the 17th April in the Supply, bound to Batavia for provisions. King's account of his friend in his old age, when he was ^' quite a cripple, having lost the entire use of his right side," represents him as even then Phillip's enjoying good spirits ; " his intellects are very good, and spSte.- his spirits are what they always were." That was some evidence of the triumph of mind over matter; but if he wrote his letters of April, 1790, to Sydney in good spirits, his self command was nothing less than supreme* Ten ♦ Ante, pp. 188, 193. Digitized byCjOOQlC