mankind the same, and though he might get a majority for a day, he would feel the weight of that day while he lived. 1 He then asked me how that would go in the House of Lords, and what part the Duke of Devonshire 1 would take. I told him the Duke of Devonshire was in the country, and I had not seen any one who had seen him lately, but that I imagined there was not the least reason to doubt but that he would appear the very first day of the session, to enter his protest. Why, to tell you the truth, says he, I do not chuse to tell people in general the part I shall take, because I want to see whether confidence cannot be restored; but as to the subsidies, it is as you say, a war on the continent or not, and a war in Germany, the most dangerous part for us. A to ourselves, to be sure, we can't send a man, cause there is no place for him to rest his foot; but if we are to hire armies to defend Hanover, which is not attacked, where will be the end of it? 'Tis lighting the candle at both ends with a witness. Besides, suppose it should be attacked, why should it not share the fate of other countries? If it should be ravaged, other countries have suffered the same fate without being undone, and I own I should think that this country, pursuing the war in its own way, would be bound, whenever they came to make peace, to insist on full reparation for those allies that are attacked en haine. bee The only war we can carry on is a sea war, and an American one, though that we have done hitherto like pirates, rather than a great nation. 1 William, third Duke of Devonshire. He died on the 5th of December following. You know, I suppose, that they intend to make this subsidy as palatable as possible, by declaring they mean not to renew the subsidies of Bavaria and Saxony, and that they even will not renew this of Hesse, unless the French are in possession of Hanover. I told him I would not thank any man of 72 for a promise he was to execute when he was 76 or 77. As for the Russian, that, Lord Granville says, is completely executed, and for 25,000l. more than Sir Charles Hanbury' was commissioned. There was a dispute of 50,000l., and Sir Charles has split the difference. I asked him the sum to be paid, and the number of years. He said Lord Granville had not informed him, and he did not chuse to be inquisitive. Upon the whole, says he, before I resolve on the part I shall take, I will go to town for five days, as I told you, the end of the month; for since Lord Temple was here, I have not seen a creature to inform me of anything, nor do I at all know the bottom of things. I suppose I shall see Mr. Rigby in a day or two here, who will bring me some message from Mr. Fox; but when I go to town I hope I shall see both Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox. I told him I was sure Mr. Pitt would call on him the moment he knew he was at leisure to receive him, for that he had nothing more at heart than to be set right in his opinion, and that he had even pro 1 Sir Charles Hanbury Williams came into Parliament for Monmouthshire, in 1733, and uniformly supported the administration of Sir Robert Walpole. He was made a Knight of the Bath in 1746, and soon after appointed Envoy to the Court of Dresden. He was also for a time Minister Plenipotentiary at Berlin, and, subsequently, at St. Petersburg, where he concluded a convention with the Empress of Russia. A very entertaining account of him, and a description of his Embassies, will be found in the Appendix to the second volume of Horace Walpole's Memoirs of King George the Second. posed coming down on purpose to Woburn, if Lady Hester's situation had permitted him. Mr. Pitt shall have notice from me of his journey; but quære whether it might not be right for Mr. Pitt, if possible, to tell his story first. 12 o'clock Monday night. THE EARL OF HOLDERNESSE' TO MR. GRENVILLE. Whitehall, November 20, 1755. SIR, I have the King's commands to acquaint you that his Majesty has no further occasion for your service as Treasurer of the Navy; I should be glad of a more agreeable occasion of assuring you of the truth and regard with which I am, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant, THE EARL OF BUTE TO MR. GRENVILLE. November 20, 1755. DEAR SIR, I have been unfortunately out till now, and my servants had not the sense to bring me your letter and Mr. Pitt's where they would have been of use. I 1 Robert D'Arcy, fourth Earl of Holdernesse, at this time Secretary of State; he had previously filled several diplomatic appointments. At his death in 1778, the Earldom became extinct, but his Barony of Conyers devolved upon his only daughter, who married Francis Godolphin, afterwards Duke of Leeds, in whose family that Barony is now vested. 2 John Stuart, third Earl of Bute, subsequently so well known as the favourite minister of George III. He married the only daughter of Lady Mary Wortley Montague, by whom he had a numerous family. Lord Bute died in 1792. must tell you, my worthy friend, what I should have wished you would have told me on such an occasion; 'tis glorious to suffer in such a cause and with such companions; in times like these, the post of honour is a private station. I own I from my heart congratulate you, and I am proud to call a man of your distinguished character my friend; for well may this be the prelude only to what your merit loudly calls for. Most entirely yours, &c., BUTE. EARL TEMPLE TO LADY HESTER PITT. November 20, 1755. MY DEAR LADY HESTER,-I cannot defer till tomorrow morning making a request to you, upon the success of which I have so entirely set my heart, that I flatter myself you will not refuse it me. I must entreat you to make use of all your interest with Mr. Pitt to give his brother Temple leave to become his debtor for a thousand pounds a year 'till better times': Mr. P. will never have it in his power to confer so great an obligation upon, dear Lady Hester, your most truly affectionate brother, TEMPLE. LADY HESTER PITT TO EARL TEMPLE. Pay Office, November 21, 1755. I Do not find, my dear and generous brother, that having had time to reflect calmly upon your goodness 1 Lord Temple's generous gift was made upon the occasion of Mr. Pitt's dismissal from the Paymastership of the Forces. has made it easier for me to express what I feel upon it. On the contrary; and therefore I must content myself with saying that my gratitude is like the occasion that inspires it, great indeed. I made no difficulty of conforming to your desire that I would use my interest with Mr. Pitt, because my own love for him makes me a judge of the pleasure you would receive from his acceptance of such a testimony of your friendship. should have had little hopes of prevailing in such a cause if I had not known how strongly the joy and pride of being obliged to you would operate upon his mind. Believe me, my dear brother, that will still be, notwithstanding our situation, the circumstance from which we shall derive our greatest satisfaction. I Judge if you can how my heart is affected by being, not the sharer only, but the means, of your proving in so noble a manner your affection for a person dearer to me than myself. You make me the happiest woman in the world, so that to avoid ingratitude, I must forgive your having laid me under an obligation to those who, in turning us out, have furnished the occasion of so much joy to me. I write in my bed, for I could not longer contain the overflowings of my heart, nor defer assuring my dear brother how highly I am his obliged and most affectionate Sister, HESTER PITT. EARL TEMPLE TO LADY HESTER PITT. (November 21, 1755.) I AM infinitely happy, my dear Lady Hester, in your having proved successful with Mr. Pitt in a matter in |