I feel confident that the use which I shall make of these letters, can in no possible manner compromise any person, nor hurt the feelings of any one of the writers. You will indeed perceive by the first volume,

that where the narrative is drawn from original materials, no reference either general or particular, is made to the authorities; neither have I any where specified the sources to which I have had access. My reason for this was twofold, – first because some of the communications were confidential, – & secondly because it behoved me, where I was not writing from unpublished documents, to take upon myself the sole responsibility.

The only person likely to have any uncomfortable feeling in the perusal, is Sir Robert Wilson,

& that discomfort will arise not from any thing which is said of him, but from the comparison which he himself will make between what he then was, & what he is now. It is not my business to hint at this. I shall do him full justice for the good service which he performed; & do it the more willingly, because it was neither generally understood nor sufficiently rewarded.

I am very cautious with regard to others, however little I may be thought so as concerning myself. But do me the favour to look at the proof sheets in their progress, & I will alter any passage in which you may think I have made an indiscrete use of these materials. – I shall go to press, as soon as Murray obtains for me Olivarez’s History of the War in Catalonia.