Horace Walpole: Peace is the sole event of which I wish to hear

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Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts

British writers on peace and war

Horace Walpole: Selections on war and peace

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Horace Walpole
From his correspondence

Peace is the sole event of which I wish to hear.

I believe summer-correspondences often turn on complaints of want of news. it is unlucky that that is generally the season of correspondence, as it is of separation. People assembled in a capital contrive to furnish matter, but then they have not occasion to write it. Summer, being the season of campaigns, ought to be more fertile: I am glad when that is not the case, for what is an account of battles but a list of burials?

The first and great piece of news is the pacification with Spain. The courier arrived on Thursday morning with a most acquiescent answer to our ultimatum: what that was I do not know, nor much care. Peace contents me, and for my part I shall not haggle about the terms.

As Providence showers so many blessings on us, I wish the peace may confirm them!

Methinks we western powers might as well make peace, since we make war so clumsily.

I am mighty glad that war has gone to sleep like a paroli at faro….