Chapter VI: Front Matter (6)

In answer to your questions about Pitt, I beg you to believe that,
however warm and sincere my friendship is for him, yet that it
would not stand one moment in the way, if I thought him acting
dishonourably or unfairly by you. I may, to-morrow, have time to
write more at large on that subject; but, in the meantime, let me
assure you that I am the grossest dupe in the world if that is the
case. I am impatient to hear the result of Monday.

Ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Whitehall, April 17th, 1789.
MY DEAR BROTHER,

I have the greatest pleasure in being able to acquaint you that
this unpleasant business of the lieutenant-colonelcy is now in a
way of being settled, so as, I hope, may be perfectly satisfactory
to you. I have just seen Mr. Pitt, and received from him the
agreeable information that he found the King entirely disposed to
do whatever might conduce to this object, and even _desirous_ of
explaining that the former difficulties had arisen only from his
actual engagements. It is not yet precisely settled in what mode
this should be done; because, Mr. Pitt finding the King in so
favourable a disposition on the subject, thought it better, on
every account, to avoid pressing him further than appeared
necessary. Two modes were, however, suggested in conversation
between them: the one, that General Ainslie should have Mackay's
regiment, by which means his lieutenant-colonelcy should be given
to Taylor, and so Nugent be appointed to Gwynne's; the other, that
the regiment should be given to Sir James Stewart Denham, which
would vacate his lieutenant-colonelcy for Nugent. A third was also
mentioned by the King, namely, the inducing Taylor, by the offer of
the Lieutenant-Governorship of Cowes, to exchange with Nugent. Any
one of these would, I flatter myself, answer your purpose; because
they would show the King's disposition to attend to your
recommendation, and that having been hampered by an actual
engagement to Taylor, he is now ready to accommodate his own
patronage in such a way as may, at the same time, provide for
Nugent. But what I think even better than all this, is the account
which Pitt gave me of the King's apparent manner of feeling on this
subject. I had, I confess, very much apprehended that, however
necessary it might be, in order to keep up your situation and
apparent weight with the King, to insist upon some such solution
for this business, yet that the doing this would leave a lasting
and most unfavourable impression on his mind, which might lead to a
renewal of this sort of contest on some future occasion. This
appears to be by no means the case, at present; and I am sure that
you will agree with me in thinking that although it might, in some
points of view, have been desirable that the whole arrangement
could have been concluded to-day, so as to put an end to all
appearance of suspense, yet that it would have been unwise, in this
state of things, to have pressed the King to this sort of
peremptory decision as to the mode of doing it, which he seemed
desirous of having an opportunity of revolving in his own mind.

It will now probably not be very long before whatever official
business you will have in this country, will pass through a medium
rather better disposed, and more attentive to you, than that of
your present correspondent; and if I do not grossly flatter myself,
a little attention on my part, to soothe the King's mind--which has
evidently been irritated on these points--will make all this sort
of business go smoothly, and to your satisfaction.

I am sorry not to have complied with your wish about the
promotions; but, on very mature reflection, I was persuaded that it
was risking too much, with regard to the principal and important
point, to mix with it any other business on which it was always
possible that some difficulty might arise in the King's mind. In
the course of the next week, I hope to be able to write to you on
that subject; but I trust you will not be unwilling to rely a
little on me with regard to the exact time, which I assure you I
will not delay, except I think I see very material reasons for it.
You must also make some allowance for the very great additional
delay which is created in all this sort of business, by the King's
residing wholly at Windsor, which gives Pitt fewer opportunities of
seeing him, and for a shorter time.

I mentioned to you, in my last letter, that Lodge Morres would be
immediately removed. I have desired that the letter notifying this,
may contain some such expressions as you mention; but I cannot
answer for this, because I cannot, as things now stand, interfere
in the wording of those letters, except by a very circuitous mode.

I also answered your question about Pitt, but I did it shortly; nor
indeed could any expressions that I could have used do justice to
the warm and anxious feeling which he has shown on this occasion. I
am inclined to impute this termination of the business, so much
more favourable than I had expected, almost entirely to his
judgment and address.

I have had the pleasure this morning of seeing Lady B. and your
children. You will have heard that she has had a feverish cold, but
I hope it has now quite left her. Your children are all well.

Adieu, my dear brother. I cannot express to you what a weight is
removed from my mind by the success of Pitt's journey.

Ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

The promotions and creations glanced at in these letters were recommended by Lord Buckingham as proper marks of His Majesty's sense of the services rendered to the Government during the late crisis in Ireland by some influential men in both Houses of Parliament. As those who had abandoned the Administration were dismissed, it was no less an act of justice that those who had supported it should receive some testimony of the King's approbation, and the Lord-Lieutenant's _carte blanche_ embraced this dispensing power on both sides. Some alarm was felt by the Cabinet at the list of promotions and creations (nineteen in number) forwarded on this occasion for the royal sanction. The increase of the peerage was, perhaps, the only point on which Mr. Pitt's Government was vulnerable, for, although he exercised the greatest caution in his selections, and introduced them by degrees, instead of making them in batches, as the peculiar circumstances of Ireland at this moment demanded, it was felt to be the objection which, of all others, operated most injuriously against the character and popularity of his Administration. His Majesty's engagements, too, enhanced the embarrassment. Whenever any proposition for honours or appointments, naval, military, or civil, was submitted to him, it was certain to be obstructed by some obligation he had previously laid himself under by promise to different persons. In the present instance a difficulty of this kind interposed. Two peerages were already engaged in advance, and the arrangement of the Irish list depended entirely on the nature of the pledges to which His Majesty had committed himself in these cases. Mr. Grenville writes that Mr. Pitt was to see His Majesty on the subject in two or three days. "He will then endeavour to find out whether the King's engagements were so positive and absolute as to Lords A. and C. as to lay him under the absolute necessity of conferring this honour on four persons in order to be able to reward the services of two." It may be presumed that these engagements were not absolute, or, at all events, that they were not suffered to interfere with Lord Buckingham's list, as all the persons he named, with the exception of two or three, who were excluded on special grounds, received the honours to which he recommended them.

Amongst these was Mr. Fitzgibbon, Poor old Lord Lifford, who had kept his seat, and exerted himself indefatigably to the last, died on the 28th of April. The labours of that terrible session proved too much for his declining powers, and he finally sank under them. The opportunity to which Mr. Fitzgibbon had been so long looking forward was now thrown open to him. Lord Buckingham pressed his claims earnestly on the Government, recounting the signal obligations he had laid them under on the Regency question, tracing his career, and depicting his character in terms of the highest eulogy. The appointment rested with Thurlow, whose humours required to be waited upon, and who was suspected, moreover, to be unfavourable to Fitzgibbon. Much delay and suspense consequently ensued, and it was not until June that the patent was made out. Fitzgibbon was immediately created a Baron. From that point his promotion in the peerage advanced rapidly. In 1793, he was created Viscount Fitzgibbon; and in 1795, Earl of Clare.

The King's recovery now enabled Ministers to resume those measures which the late unhappy suspension of public affairs had so grievously interrupted. One of the first subjects that called for consideration was the abolition of the Slave Trade. Mr. Wilberforce had succeeded in raising such an excitement throughout the country about his forthcoming motion, that the West India interest took alarm, and desired to know whether it was the intention of Government to adopt the measure. But Mr. Pitt, who had not yet pledged the Administration to any step beyond that of inquiry, maintained a reserve on this point, which the enthusiasm of Mr. Wilberforce may be said to have forced upon him. A letter from Sir William Young touches on this matter; and alludes, also, to some unseemly conduct on the part of the Princes, which is spoken of in a similar spirit of deprecation in other letters. The circumstances that rendered their proceedings on this occasion the more conspicuous and objectionable were, that the ball at White's Club, referred to, was given in honour of His Majesty's birthday, and happy restoration; and that the Queen had signified her intention of being present.

SIR WILLIAM YOUNG TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Stratton Street, April 22nd, 1789.
MY DEAR LORD,

The week passed hath not afforded an item of information worthy the
sending you. I have now a circumstance or two to mention in the
political line, and a little scandal to garnish it with, of a sort
"_quod predetendici potuisse, et non potuisse refelli_." Of
business in the first place. Steele told me yesterday, that on Mr.
Fox's motion this day to repeal the Hop-tax, it was meant to give
it up with the best grace possible. The next piece of Parliamentary
intelligence is respecting the Slave Trade; a committee from the
planters and merchants of the West Indies waited the other day on
Mr. Pitt, to put the short question, whether Government supported
Mr. Wilberforce in his motion for the _Abolition_ of the Slave
Trade? Mr. Pitt answered, that "He must decline committing his own
opinion thus early, and that the Cabinet had not yet sat in
discussion of that question." The gentlemen of this committee speak
of Lord Hawkesbury as against the _extent_ of Mr. Wilberforce's
proposition, and that Administration are generally (Camden and
others) with Lord Hawkesbury. _Je ne m'en mele pas._

I know of no other business to engage the attention of Parliament
after Easter but my poor Bill, which is much amended and enlarged
from last year. It seems to have general support. I have thought it
more candid to read it a first time and print it, deferring the
second reading to the first week of meeting after Easter, when I am
engaged to the House to open fully the principle of my undertaking,
in what your Lordship terms _memoires raisonnees_. If I succeed in
this Bill, as I _expect_ to do, relating to the able poor, I shall,
next sessions, proceed to accomplish the rest of my plan, by
amending and giving force to (where necessary) the Bastard, Vagrant
Laws, and generally those of police respecting the poor. The plan
is extensive, but I have much considered it. I think I have it
clear in comprehension, and can pursue it through each effect on
the industry and manners of our people. I cannot be idle, _ainsi je
veux quelque part me faire ministre_.

For the dish of scandal I promised, it is of marked importance as
to the character of those whose character must have leading
consequences in this country; and, in fact, it is no scandal, it is
a shameful truth; otherwise, tales of this sort, are not such as I
like blotting my paper with. In the first place, on the ball given
by White's Club, at the Pantheon, the Prince of Wales sent round to
canvass _non_-attendance by every one of his party; yet both
himself and the Duke of York took the tickets sent, and then the
Duke of York sent them all to be sold, at Hookham's, to any one
that would buy them. The fact was intimated at White's, when the
stewards adopted a regulation to preclude the mischief of improper
company, by directing that the person subscribing, or to whom the
tickets were sent, should put his name. The Duke thereon _put his
name_, and the tickets were sold, with the prostitution of the
title of "_York_." To close this disgraceful detail, a ball, the
same night, of ----, was given at the Horse Guards, expressly for
the Duke of York. I have not authentically heard whether the Prince
of Wales was of the party. The day will come when Englishmen will
bring these Princes to their senses.

Adieu, my dear Lord; health and prosperity, and success in all you
undertake, be yours; and to me, the happiness whilst I have life,
of signing, your affectionately devoted and obliged friend and
servant,

W. YOUNG.

The lamentable divisions that existed in the royal family formed a topic of common conversation, and deeply disturbed the tranquillity of His Majesty's mind. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of York took industrious advantage of all available means to cultivate popularity out of doors; and when it was thought advisable by Ministers, that the King should make a procession to St. Paul's to offer up thanks for his recovery, their Royal Highnesses seem to have entered into a sort of rivalry with the King for the applause of the spectators. Indeed, there was so little disguise about their personal conduct to His Majesty, that the newspapers did not hesitate to charge them with it, and the Dukes of York, Gloucester and Cumberland, felt it necessary to protect themselves against the animadversions of the Press, by prosecuting the publisher of the "Times," for accusing them of "insincerity" in their professions of joy at the King's recovery. Some fears were entertained as to the bearing of His Majesty on the occasion of the procession; but he passed through it with a composure and self-control that inspired his friends with the utmost confidence in the future. Mr. Bernard, writing to Lord Buckingham on the 23rd of April, gives the following account of the proceedings:

MR. BERNARD TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

London, April 23rd, 1789, Five o'clock, P.M.
MY LORD,

The ceremony of this day has been gone through exceedingly well.
The procession from the House of Commons began at eight o'clock,
and the King reached St. Paul's between eleven and twelve. The
arrangement of the cathedral, particularly the dome, presented a
beautiful sight. The King seems much reduced by his late
illness--was remarkably composed during the service, and attentive
to the music. His Majesty, as well as the Queen, seemed much
affected with the solemnity of their first entrance, as were many
of the persons present. Lady Uxbridge was near fainting away.

As the King went out of the church, he seemed to be in good
spirits, and talked much to the persons about him; but he stared
and laughed less than ever I knew him on a public occasion. He
returned to the Queen's House between three and four o'clock. Mr.
Fox and most of his party were there. He and Colonel Fitzpatrick
were stationed in front of the altar, and directly opposite the
King, being the part of the cathedral for Privy Councillors and
Peers' sons. Mr. Pitt sat near them, but not in the first ranks. I
saw Lord Temple in a very good place, in that part of the church. I
did not see Mr. Burke there, and therefore suppose he continues
ill. The trial was deferred yesterday on account of his illness,
which people say was occasioned by his working himself into too
great a passion the day before.

I have the honour to be ever, my Lord,
Your Excellency's most faithful and affectionate servant,
S. BERNARD.

The same subject is followed up in a letter from Lord Bulkeley.

LORD BULKELEY TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Stanhope Street, April 27th, 1789.
MY DEAR LORD,

The pilgrimage to St. Paul's, which funck'd us all very much, has
turned out exceedingly well, for the King conducted himself
throughout the whole of that very arduous trial in such a manner as
to convince all, except those who will not see nor hear, that he is
in perfect possession of his faculties. The Princes of Wales, York,
Cumberland, and, I am sorry to say, Gloucester, talked to each
other the whole time of the service, and behaved in such an
indecent manner that was quite shocking. The King in Pall Mall was
received without applause, and the Prince with a good deal; but
from Cockspur Street to St. Paul's he had the warmest acclamations
possible, particularly in the city of London, where all ranks of
people were unanimous, which the King perceived, and since has much
praised. In parts of the Strand the Prince's dependants were posted
to give him an huzza as he passed, which flattered him most
exceedingly; but he lost his temper in the City, and he never
recovered it afterwards, for at St. Paul's he was in the worst
humour possible, and did everything he could do to expose himself
in the face of an amazing concourse of persons, and of all the
foreign Ministers.

On the return of the procession the Prince and Duke of York put on
their uniforms at Carlton House, and headed the whole brigade of
Grenadiers, and fired a _feu de joie_ before Buckingham House, the
King and Queen and the Princesses standing in one of the windows.
The Prince, before the King got into his carriage, which the whole
line waited for before they filed off, went off on a sudden with
one hundred of the common people, with Mr. Wattie in the middle of
them, huzzaing him, and was done evidently to lead, if possible, a
greater number, and to make it penetrate into Buckingham House.

The breach is so very wide between the King and Prince, that it
seems to me to be a great weakness to allow him any communication
with him whatsoever; for under the mask of attention to their
father and mother, the Prince and Duke of York commit every
possible outrage, and show every insult they can devise to them.
The report of the journey to Hanover prevails to an alarming
degree, and the King talks of it right hand and left; but it is to
be hoped the Ministers will be able to divert his attention from it
at this particular moment, for in the present unhinged state of
things it might be pregnant with very disagreeable consequences. I
believe the King's mind is torn to pieces by his sons, and that he
expects to relieve himself by a new scene, and by getting out of
the way of hearing of and seeing the Prince of Wales, with the
hopes of being able to detach the Duke of York, whom he fondly and
dotingly loves, and of prevailing on him to marry on the continent,
of which there is no chance, for in my opinion he is just as bad as
the Prince, and gives no hopes of any change or amendment
whatsoever in thought, word, or deed.

* * * * *

P.S.--It is said that the King abuses Dundas to those about him
very much, in a language that is very much copied by those whom we
all know by the term of "King's friends;" and there are some who
pretend to say that his loss of ground at Buckingham House has been
owing to the part he took against Hastings, in which he has the
reputation of having engaged Pitt to concur. I have made every
inquiry whether the King ever expresses himself to his people about
him in favour of Hastings, and I am told he is very guarded and
reserved on his subject, but that some _females_ in his house talk
loud and warmly in his favour, which occasions the attributing the
same opinions to him.

On one of the adjourned questions on Hastings's trial in the House
of Lords, Lord Maitland, standing next to Dundas, asked him what he
thought would be the result of the inquiry, to which he replied in
these words: "I don't care what is done with him, for you and your
friends in Opposition have done our business, by keeping him out of
the Board of Control." Lord Maitland on this called up Colonel
Fitzpatrick and Dudley Long, in whose presence Dundas actually
repeated his words, and they, of course, trumpeted them all over
town, and they have occasioned much conversation and much abuse of
Dundas, in addition to their former abuse on the part of Hastings's
friends. The folly of such language, especially to three violent
Oppositionists, was very absurd, weak, and ill-judged, but the fact
is certain.

I hear many complaints of Pitt and his Secretaries' personal
inattentions to Members _of_ Parliament, but they will think twenty
times before they go into Opposition; and it is most probable that
these complaints are not made till _impossible jobs_ have been
refused; I therefore only mention them as certainly existing, and
most probably as to any consequences, _vox et praeterea nihil_, at
least till the last sessions.

* * * * *

Just as I was sealing my letter a person called on me, who tells
me that divisions in the Cabinet, or rather among the Cabinet
Ministers, certainly do exist, to a great degree, about Mr. Dundas,
and has confirmed to me what I have before told you, that every
corner of Buckingham House resounds with abuse, and opprobrious
epithets against him.

A passage in a letter of Mr. Grenville's, dated the 2nd of May, indicates an approaching event, to which many circumstances, but chiefly the increasing weight the writer had latterly acquired in the councils of Mr. Pitt, had for some time been obviously tending.

I wish to mention to you that Lord S. has taken great offence, from
the circumstance of having at last found out that your despatches
to him come over enclosed to me. I could wish, therefore, that for
the _very short time_ that your correspondence with him is likely
to continue you would alter this, as nothing material is likely to
arise that can render it necessary, and I am desirous just at this
particular moment to avoid any altercation with him. This jealousy
on his part, and a just sense on mine of his conduct towards you,
has entirely broke off all communication between us with respect to
Irish, or indeed any other, business. Some delay and awkwardness
necessarily arises from this; but it is unavoidable, and I repeat
that it will probably be of _very_ short duration.

The nomination of Mr. Grenville to the Home Office had been delayed only till the arrangements consequent upon the necessary changes it involved could be satisfactorily carried out. The means of effecting it were now within Mr. Pitt's reach; and at the moment this letter was written, Mr. Grenville's appointment was on the eve of being ratified.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Whitehall, May 15th, 1789.
MY DEAR BROTHER,

Just as I was sitting down to write to you, I received a note from
Hobart, informing me of his arrival. I have seen him, and had a
long conversation on the different points which he is charged with.
My appointment is, I think I may now _decisively_ say, fixed for
Friday next, and I hope that you will soon feel the effects of your
new correspondent, in the expedition of the various matters which
are now lying on hand. You must, I am sure, be sensible that under
the circumstances of these last three weeks, it has been _quite
impossible_ for me, however ardently I wished it for your sake, to
bring forward these different points of business; but on Monday
sev'nnight, at latest, I hope to write to you upon them all, though
the length of Hobart's memorandum-paper has a little frightened me.
I do not complain of it as thinking your bill a large one,
considering the value received, but only I think the impression of
my _debut_ in the closet may be a little awkward. I must, however,
meet this as well as I can; and although this ten days' more delay
must, I know, be very unpleasant to you, I trust you will see it is
unavoidable.

If you find it necessary, for reconciling any of your principal
people to the delay, to assign the intended change in the
Secretary's office as a reason, there can now be no objection to
it, as we have agreed that it would be right that, by the time you
can receive this letter, we should begin to buzz it about, as a
thing not improbable to happen.

With respect, however, to your peerages, I have, as I promised you,
got Pitt to state them to the King, who has consented to them,
Marquisates and all. You may now, therefore, recommend them as soon
as you please, and _I_ will take care there shall be no further
unnecessary delay.

There are, however, still two points with respect to this business.
I understand from Hobart that Lord Glerawley wants his promotion to
be limited to his brother. This had not been stated in your
letters, and I was therefore unable to mention it to Pitt. It is
therefore still possible that the King may make some objection to
this, as you know it is against one of his rules (though by no
means an invariable one) to give a step and a limitation at the
same time.

The other is essential, and can, I hope, make no difficulty with
you. He is willing to _engage_ that these should _all_ be done
without delay, but he seems much to wish that the promotions and
creations should be separated, in order that they may not, by
coming together, appear to fill too large a column in the
"Gazette." There must, therefore, be an interval of a fortnight or
three weeks. You will judge whether the promotions or creations
should come first.

The only remaining point is that of the Seals. I beg you to believe
me sincere when I assure you that, independent of your wishes upon
the subject, my own opinion is quite as much made up as yours is on
the subject of Fitzgibbon's appointment. But, in the same
sincerity, I assure you that it is by no means advantageous towards
the attainment of this object, that it should be pressed forward in
the present moment. Hobart has asked me whether Fitzgibbon's coming
over would not be of use to him? I am strongly inclined to be of
opinion that it would; but before I gave him a decisive answer, I
wish to consult Pitt, and he is not to write to Fitzgibbon till
after that. With respect to the difficulty of your Chancery causes,
I can conceive no earthly reason why Carleton, especially as he is
to receive so great a favour, should not have to go on with them,
just as Lord Loughborough did here when the Seals were in
commission for a year. Depend upon it that I do not deceive you,
when I say that it is much better to wait for the favourable
moment, than to hurry it on to a decision now. That favourable
moment may arise sooner or later, but I am confident that
ultimately _le bon tems viendra_. Your information about the
Chancellor's _resolution_ is very curious, because I have reason to
_know_ that McNa. is exactly the very person who has most strongly
urged Thurlow on the propriety of an English appointment, and who
has suggested this curious notion of F.'s unpopularity. But I
mention this, relying upon your honour that you will not repeat it
to _any one_, but particularly not to Fitzgibbon.

I am most sincerely sorry that the consideration of your health
should enter at all into the question of your going or remaining.
Pray let me entreat you, whether you take the one resolution or the
other ultimately, not to delay nor put off one day a fixed
resolution to use constant and sufficient exercise. I am sure any
delay on that head is of a hundred times more consequence than all
those which we have been lamenting. Nothing in the world could make
up to you for the consequences which your omission in this respect
(which I am grieved to learn from Hobart still continues) may bring
upon you. You cannot conceive how earnestly I feel on this subject,
because I am every day feeling the good effects of a contrary
practice, which enables me to go through all the business I have,
without hurting my health or spirits.

Adieu, my dear brother,
Believe me ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

The duel between Colonel Lenox and the Duke of York took place on the 26th of May. The town gossiped about it, but regarded it with indifference; and neither party got much credit in the end. Mr. Hobart, on the 30th, communicates another _on dit_ concerning the behaviour of the Princes.

The Queen and Princesses were last night at the _fete_ given by the
French Ambassador. The Prince of Wales, Dukes of York and Clarence,
were also there; but would not dance, or stay supper, lest they
should have the appearance of paying the smallest attention to Her
Majesty. The officers of the Duke of York's regiment met yesterday,
at the request of Charles Lenox; they did not come to a decision
till about an hour ago. I hear it is that Lenox acted with courage,
but not with judgment.

There was some difficulty in finding a successor for Mr. Grenville in the House of Commons. The choice at last fell on Mr. Addington. The selection was not altogether unexceptionable; but, upon the whole, he was the best person that could be found.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Whitehall, June 1st, 1789.
MY DEAR BROTHER,

I have this morning received your two letters, of the 26th and 28th
together, which was a great relief to me from the uneasiness which
I should have felt from your first letter, if I had received it
separately. I most sincerely hope that you will feel no further bad
effects from this accident. Lady B. has been some days on her road
to Dublin, and is probably with you before this time. I cannot
express to you how much I am concerned that any parts of my letter
on the subject of the promotions should have appeared to you in the
smallest degree wanting in that kindness and warmth of affection
which I so sincerely feel, and always wish and mean to express. I
have no copy of that letter, nor have I any recollection of the
particular turn or expression of it which can at all serve me to
remember what part of it can have impressed your mind with this
sensation. I can therefore only say that, whatever it was, it has
been most remote from my intention, and that as to any expression
which can bear such an interpretation--_totum hoc indictum volo_.

With respect to the King's health, on which you ask me so
particularly, I can only repeat to you what I said in my last
letter--which I have from what I believe to be the very best
authority--that he continues perfectly well, both in mind and body,
and, with respect to the latter, is growing stronger every day. I
beg you to believe, that though I should write you any contrary
account with much pain and mortification, yet that I feel too much
the importance of your being well and accurately informed on the
subject, to have a moment's hesitation in stating anything of that
sort to you as soon as I heard it myself. But, in truth, I believe
that all these reports originate in nothing else than the anxiety
of the King's friends for the preservation of his health, and the
impatience which his enemies feel for the only event which can give
them any prospect of seeing their wishes accomplished.

Addington is the person intended for my successor. He wants only a
little more age, and being a little more known, to make his
nomination unexceptionable; but I certainly cannot but confess that
he does want both these. It is, however, the best appointment that
we can make to a situation to which so few people are willing to
look, and for which so much fewer are at all qualified. I have no
doubt of his acquitting himself well in it, and of his becoming, in
a little time, extremely popular in the House. We shall certainly
lose our Abolition question. The cry against us upon it is growing
every day stronger, without anybody being willing to give
themselves the trouble of entering, in the smallest degree, into
the examination of the grounds upon which our arguments rest.

We have no foreign news, except the continuance of the disputes and
difficulties in France. But these you have as fully in the
newspapers as I could detail them to you. The accounts from Vienna
seem to agree that there is not much probability of the Emperor's
finally recovering these repeated attacks, though he may linger out
a considerable time.

Adieu, my dear brother,
And believe me ever most sincerely and affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

Lord Buckingham's health had suffered so much from the toils and anxieties to which he had been exposed during the last few months, that his physicians urged upon him the necessity of trying the waters at Bath. So long as the exigencies of the public service made an imperative demand on his energies, he bore his labours with unshrinking resolution; but now that the contest was over, and the security and influence of the Government were restored, he felt the recoil severely. It was natural that there should be mixed with this hope of recruiting his strength by change of scene, a strong desire for repose. The stormy times he had fallen upon in Ireland rendered his position there onerous and oppressive. He had ridden the storm in safety, and had the satisfaction of feeling that, whenever he retired from the Government, he would leave to his successor, untrammelled by the associations and recollections of the past, a comparatively easy task.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

(Private.) Whitehall, June 13th, 1789.
MY DEAREST BROTHER,

You will receive with this the official notification of
Fitzgibbon's appointment to the Seals, which I send with the more
pleasure at this particular moment, because I know that it will
relieve your mind from one of the points on which you have felt a
peculiar degree of anxiety. The decision on this point gives me
great satisfaction, on many accounts, as an act of justice towards
him, and as an example both to our friends and our enemies; but the
interest which you took in it makes the event infinitely more
agreeable to me than it would otherwise have been, however much I
am convinced that it was right and necessary.

The particular occasion, however, of my writing this letter, was
not so much the conclusion of this business, as something which
relates to another, more nearly concerning yourself. In consequence
of your letter, and of the alarm which I have since had on your
account, I thought it very material that the idea of your going to
Bath should be opened to the King, in order to ascertain how far it
was practicable for you to avail yourself of this, which I am
persuaded will be the best of all remedies for you, without, at the
same time, giving up the idea of returning to Ireland, if you
should feel yourself desirous of it. I accordingly took to-day the
first opportunity which I have had, of mentioning this to the King,
and I have great pleasure in saying, that he not only acquiesced in
the idea, but that he lent himself to it with the greatest
readiness, and seemed desirous that you should not omit this if it
could be useful to you. If, therefore, on consultation with Austin,
you should find that a journey to Bath will be of service to you,
there remains nothing for you to do, but to write an official
letter "requesting the King's permission to be absent from Ireland
for a limited time, in order that you may go to Bath for the
recovery of your health," and I shall be able to return you an
answer, signifying the King's consent, before your preparations for
your journey can be made. If, after some residence at Bath, you
should find your health and spirits not equal to the returning, you
will be better enabled then to decide upon that point, and it will
be perfectly easy for you then to state this, and to resign on the
ground of the injury which the King's service would sustain from
any longer absence. But I am sure I need not mention to you, who
are so well acquainted with that country, the absolute and
indispensable _necessity_ of your doing everything (in the event of
your going to Bath) which may give the _strongest impression_ of
your _determination_ to return. If this is not done, you must feel
that the Government will be thrown loose, and that the mischief of
such an interval may be such as to be irretrievable. If, on the
contrary, this persuasion prevails, I see no fear of inconvenience
from your absence on this account.

I enclose to you, under a flying seal, a letter of congratulation
and compliment to Fitzgibbon, which expresses no more than I really
feel on that subject. Adieu, my dear brother.

Believe me ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

P.S.--You will, of course, immediately recommend Fitzgibbon for a
Barony; but if you can dissuade him from it, pray do not let him
take the title of Limerick, actually possessed by Lord Clanbrassil.
The instance of Earl of Buckingham_shire_ (so created) and Marquis
of B. by no means applies, and it would look invidious.

Lord Buckingham's resolution to relinquish the Government of Ireland was now finally taken. He communicated his intentions, in the first instance, in a private letter to Mr. Grenville, to which the following is the reply.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Wimbledon, Sept. 14th, 1789.
MY DEAR BROTHER,

I received your letter of the 6th respecting your resignation, and
your subsequent letters of the 10th and 11th. You are too much
aware of the extreme difficulty of finding persons willing and
qualified to undertake the office which you are quitting, not to
expect some little delay before we can say anything to you
respecting the choice itself, or the mode or exact period of your
resignation; though I certainly agree with you, that, if you have
entirely abandoned the idea of returning, the formal notification
of that intention ought not to be long delayed. It certainly would
have been a satisfaction to me, both on public and private grounds,
if the state of your health would have admitted of your completing
your triumph even more decidedly than you have already done, though
I trust that is sufficient.

The finding a proper person to replace you is, indeed, no easy
task; because, although I am entirely of your opinion, that by
proper management, the situation of English Government in Ireland
is secure; yet, on the other hand, I cannot but feel how very
little mismanagement would throw us back again, and how much more
the crisis seems to demand, than is, I fear, to be found in any of
the persons who may probably be to look to that situation. It will
certainly be my wish on many accounts, that the change of the
Lord-Lieutenant should not affect Hobart's situation.

I have not yet seen him, as I have not been in town for this last
week; but if he is come, I suppose I shall either to-day or
to-morrow.

The question about Lord Loftus can, I think, end no otherwise than
as Hobart proposes. I shall, however, not say or write anything on
the subject to the King till I have seen Hobart. I have no
difficulty in conversing with him quite freely about his own
situation, as when I saw him in town last, I told him very fairly
what my wishes would be in the event of your quitting the
Government; but, at the same time, told him as fairly, that nothing
could be decisively fixed on that subject till your successor was
appointed, and his wishes consulted.

I enclose you a letter from Lord Clonmel, which was transmitted to
me with one which I also send you a copy of. I shall merely write
an answer acknowledging the receipt, and saying, that agreeably to
his desire, I have transmitted it to you.

I heartily wish, that the distance of Teignmouth was not such as to
put all idea of our meeting there entirely out of the question;
especially as Nepean's being ill makes it still more impossible for
me to leave this neighbourhood.

We have no sort of news. The French Assembly is going on with
endless disputes about their Constitution; but one ought to be much
more interested than I feel myself in the event of these disputes,
not to be heartily tired of hearing of them. The main point appears
quite secure, that they will not for many years be in a situation
to molest the invaluable peace which we now enjoy.

Ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

P.S.--I had almost forgot to mention, that on hearing of the
contest for Cornwall, and being informed that no time was to be
lost, I took upon me to desire Camplin to write to Dale to exert
himself in favour of Gregor, our candidate, having every reason to
believe that you would have no other wish on the subject, than that
of helping to keep out an enemy.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Holwood, Sept. 25th, 1789.
MY DEAR BROTHER,

I have not yet sent to the King your letter of resignation. Pitt
has, however, explained to him that you have notified to us the
impossibility of your returning, and that you have only delayed the
formal resignation till His Majesty shall have considered of the
arrangement to be made for that Government. This point is not yet
decided. It is indeed one of most extreme difficulty.

In consequence of Cooke's letter to Hobart, which the latter showed
me, I mentioned to the King your intended recommendation of Lord
L., explaining to him at the same time that you clearly understood
yourself not to have made any such engagement, but that as a
contrary interpretation was put upon it by Lord C., through whom
the transaction passed, it seemed for the benefit of His Majesty's
service that this step should be recommended. I also stated that
this would necessarily bring with it _the two others_ and perhaps a
third, which I named to him at Hobart's desire. He acquiesced in
the whole of this without difficulty.

Adieu, my dearest brother.
Ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

There has been an action off the coast of Finland, between what are
called the Swedish and Russian _army fleets_. The Russians appear
to have had the victory decisively, but to be so disabled by it as
to be quite unable to do anything more with that fleet this year.
Nothing new from France.

On the 30th of September, Lord Buckingham formally resigned. His successor, however, was not yet decided upon, and the subject occasioned much perplexity in the Cabinet. The Lieutenancy was offered to the Duke of Beaufort, who declined. The next person thought of was the Earl of Westmoreland, who accepted. "There are several points," observes Mr. Grenville, "in which Westmoreland would do perfectly: there are those in which he fails; but God knows the list to choose out of is not long."

The letter containing this intelligence announced also the death of the Duke of Chandos, who held the office of Lord Steward, with an intimation that it was probable the new Lord Steward would be the Duke of Dorset. Upon receipt of this information, Lord Buckingham wrote to Mr. Grenville, expressing his desire to be appointed to the vacancy, and urging also his claims upon promotion in the peerage. He felt strongly upon this point. The personal obloquy and factious resistance he had encountered and triumphed over in his Government, appeared to him to demand some distinct and special mark of His Majesty's favour and approbation; and as this was the mode most likely to make that impression upon the public mind in Ireland which the dignity of the Crown, and his own justification in the policy he had pursued, emphatically called for, the feelings that were awakened throughout the course of the following painful correspondence may be readily conceived.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Holwood, Oct. 5th, 1789.
MY DEAR BROTHER,

Your messenger brought me here, yesterday evening, your letter of
the 3rd instant; but I have deferred answering it till this
morning, because I wished for a little time to turn the subject of
it over in my own mind, and particularly to consider whether I
should communicate it to Pitt. After some deliberation with myself,
I have resolved not to make this communication, because I consider
the Lord Steward's staff as being, in fact, disposed of; and I
feel, on that account, an unwillingness to state, even to Pitt,
that you had entertained a wish to succeed to that office. I am
sure I need not say, that if this idea had ever come across my
mind, I should have given you the earliest intelligence in my power
of the death of the Duke of Chandos; and should have endeavoured to
prevent any steps being taken for filling up his office, till I
had heard from you. As it is, you will already have heard from me,
that our intention was to offer it to the Duke of Dorset; there not
being the smallest ground to imagine that the Duke of Leeds wishes
to quit his present situation. This offer was accordingly made two
days ago; and the Duke of Dorset has all but accepted it, desiring
only to have five minutes previous conversation with Pitt. He is to
come here for that purpose this morning; and I have no doubt, from
the turn of his letter, that he intends to accept. Under these
circumstances, you will, I am sure, approve of my saying nothing to
Pitt on that part of your letter; nor do I feel it necessary to
state to you all that would otherwise occur to me upon it as matter
for your consideration. * * *

Ever most sincerely and affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Whitehall, Oct. 6th, 1789.
MY DEAR BROTHER,

The D. of D. has, as I imagined he would, accepted without
hesitation. His wish to see Mr. Pitt appears to have been only for
the purpose of stating his situation and feelings with regard to
the French Embassy. The D. of B. has refused. We shall have W.'s
answer to-morrow.

I send you no French news, for in fact we get none that is not more
fully detailed in the papers.

Ever, my dear brother,
Most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Whitehall, Nov. 2nd, 1789.
MY DEAR BROTHER,

I saw Mr. Pitt on Saturday evening, and explained your wishes to
him. He has undertaken to mention the subject to the King on
_Thursday_ (as he does not return to town till Wednesday evening),
and to second it with all the eloquence of which he is possessed.
He expressed himself with real friendship and zeal upon the
subject; though, I am sorry to say, he appears to entertain the
same apprehensions with myself as to the result. I am, however,
persuaded that this opinion will not lessen his exertions for a
more favourable answer, if it can be obtained. He thought it better
to mention to the King, at the same time, the idea respecting the
Duke of Grafton; though he seems to think it doubtful whether the
Post-office will afford the means of that arrangement.

We have no news from France; the express, which generally comes on
Sunday, not being yet arrived.

The insurrection has broke out in Austrian Flanders; but in a
manner which seems little likely to be successful. Our accounts
from thence are, however, very imperfect.

Ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

St. James's Square, Nov. 6th, 1789.
MY DEAR BROTHER,

The drawing-room was so very late yesterday, that it was impossible
for Pitt to go into the closet afterwards, as it was not over till
past five, and the King had to go back to Windsor. This being the
case, we have agreed that, in order to prevent any further delay,
Pitt shall write to the King upon the subject, stating all the
arguments upon it, and at the same time reserving a ground for
speaking to the King upon it at the next levee, if it should be
necessary. I own I am by no means sorry that the circumstance of
the lateness of the drawing-room, has given a plea for having
recourse to this mode, as I have always observed it to succeed best
with the King. There are many things which can be much more
strongly put in a letter than in conversation with him, especially
on any subject on which he is unwilling to converse; and all the
points of this particular business may be more forcibly urged by
being collected and stated with a reference to each other, in a
manner which the King's desultory way of speaking makes almost
impossible. I am persuaded, therefore, that whatever the chance is
of success in this business, it is greater in this mode; especially
as Pitt will still have to mention it to him on Wednesday, if his
written answer is not favourable.

I would write to you oftener, or desire Bernard to do it when I
cannot, on the French and Flemish news, but that I really find the
papers are every morning just as good intelligencers as I could be.
They will even tell you all that I can about the Duke of Orleans'
mission, which is evidently only a pretence for leaving Paris, as
he has not even affected to talk to the King, or his Ministers,
about any business, except to ask, in general terms, what is
thought of the state of the Low Countries? to which you may suppose
the answer would be quite as general, even supposing that we had
anything more particular to say, which we have not.

What the motive was for his leaving Paris, I know no more than by
the general report which circulates there as well as here, of his
having been detected in plans against the small remains of the
King's authority.

Ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

St. James's Square, Nov. 7th, 1789.
MY DEAR BROTHER,

I am persuaded it is unnecessary for me to say how sincerely sorry
I am to be obliged to acquaint you that the King's answer to Pitt's
letter of yesterday is such as to give, I am afraid, very little
hope indeed of success in the business to which it relates. The
King says, however, in it, that in compliance with Pitt's request
he defers giving a final answer till he sees him on Wednesday, so
that we cannot consider the subject as closed till then; but I
fairly own to you that I think there is now very little ground for
expecting a favourable result. The King does not enter into the
subject at all in his answer, but only refers to what has formerly
passed upon it.