Endorsed.
The reference to John Gilpin may be to a poem by William Cowper titled "The Diverting History of John Gilpin."
Volume 15 (MA 1272) of a 33-volume collection of the correspondence of Sir James Pulteney, his family and distinguished contemporaries. (MA 487, MA 297 and MA 1260-1290). The arrangement of the collection is alphabetical by the author of the letter. Items in the collection have been described individually in separate catalog records; see collection level record for more information (MA 1272.1-57).
Thanking him for his share of the pheasants; commenting, in detail and at length, on the conduct of the Prussians; saying "The conduct of the Prussians has been such madness, unless It has been occasioned by treachery in their Cabinet that, I think It must be to the latter, It has been owing - The very same People viz. Lombard, Haugwitz &c who all of a sudden nobody knows why or wherefore, entered the lists single-handed against an Enemy which they have never yet dared to engage with, at times when It was so much less formidable in itself & when They might have had the assistance of all Europe, were, as It was universally known, not only of opinion, that Prussia had always acted wisely, at a period no longer distance than three months ago, but maintained every where, at that time, that an offensive & defensive alliance with France to the most unlimited degree, was the only line of conduct for Prussia - This being the case the little system I have formed for myself is this - I think they did their best for the purpose of bringing about this same union with France which they had so much at heart; That they found the army against it, the nation against it, the King against it, partly from principle & partly from his being more afraid for the moment of his Country and his army than of the French - That they found it would be impossible, in consequence to affect it by ordinary means, & conceived that by conjuring up a quarrel & frightening the King by the approval of the French armies or if necessary by a commencement of hostilities They would remove the Effect which provided the completion of their wishes, by a fright of another kind & a negotiation supported by Bonaparte & his attendants - I am charitable enough to believe that their plan did not extend to an intention of making the King of Prussia pass his Christmas on the other side of the Oder and that they have been dupes of Bonaparte & events which were unforeseen by them - They do not perhaps deserve less to be hanged but I think it certainly more probably that like John Gilpin, They have been carried farther than they intended - I wish like him, They may get home at last."