Politician. When are a foreign minister's credentials to be delivered?
Student. Upon his first admission into the presence of the prince, to whom he is sent, otherwise called his first audience.
Politician. How many kind of audiences are there?
Student. Two, which are called a publick audience, and a private audience.
Politician. What should a foreign minister's behaviour be when he has his first audience?
Student. He should bow profoundly, speak deliberately, and wear both sides of his long periwig before, &c.
By these few questions and answers you may be able to make some judgment of the usefulness of this politick treatise. Wicquefort, it is true, can never be sufficiently admired for his elaborate treatise of the conduct of an embassador in all his negotiations: but I design this only as a compendium, or the embassador's manual, or vade mecum.
I have writ so far of this letter, and do not know who to send it to; but I have now determined to send it, either to Dr. Arbuthnot, or the dean of St. Patrick's, or to both. My lord Clarendon is very much approved of at court, and I believe is not dissatisfied with his reception. We have not much variety of diversions: what we did yesterday and to day we shall do to morrow; which is, to go to court, and walk in the gardens at Herenhausen. If I write any more, my letter will be just like my diversions, the same thing over and over again. So, sirs, your most obliged, humble servant,
