but Mr. Pelham and myself in town; it would, therefore, be only shortening my stay a day or two, if you should set out as soon as you hear it is done, and we might come to town together. I am in a great hurry, so adieu, my dear Brother. GEORGE GRENVILLE. Norbonne Berkeley' is better, and I believe will recover. VISCOUNT COBHAM TO MR. GRENVILLE. Stowe, November 26, 1749. DEAR BROTHER,-Having left no orders for my votes to be sent to me, I know not the least in the world how Master Speaker and his boys go on, nor should I be at all inquisitive about it, were it not that I have so many friends on one side of the school for whom I interest myself, and therefore would not willingly be absent on any day when the two armies are likely to engage at all in earnest; if they, those patriot placemen of opposition, continue as contemptible as they were when I left them in town, as I wish them, and as I think they will be at least all this session, perhaps I might be at liberty to indulge myself in a thousand schemes which I have here, some tending to pleasure, others to profit. 1 Norbonne Berkeley, M.P. for Gloucestershire. He was the son of John Berkeley, Esq., by Viscountess Hereford. He claimed, and established his right to the Barony of Botetourt, in 1764, and was subsequently appointed Governor of Virginia, when Sir Jeffery Amherst was displaced from that office, in 1768. He died in 1776. The Barony of Botetourt is now merged in the Dukedom of Beaufort. 2 Upon his mother being created Countess Temple, Richard Grenville assumed the courtesy title of Viscount Cobham, and Mr. George Grenville will, in future, be styled Mr. Grenville. If there is a man of candour and veracity in the world, all the honest-hearted women of London, of which there is such plenty, all, all cry out, and always have cried out, why it is good Mr. George Grenville: why then, if it is good Mr. George Grenville, perhaps he will tell me very ingenuously, and as nakedly as his modesty will permit him, when, from the general opinion and appearance of things, such business is likely to come on, as an honest independent courtier may not be ashamed to come to town for, such for example as the reduction of the interest, or any plan of government to which any reasonable, or considerable, or troublesome opposition, is likely to be made. I do not mean to expect that you should be a sorcerer, and dive a hundred fathom deep into the heart and plans of our great cousin, the man mountain, but I mean that you should tell me what I think I was at all times able to tell a Denton or a Lowndes, which is when they would be wanted, and how long in all probability. I did swear by the French play, that play which has been so much sworn at, that I would be in town ready to get my teeth knocked down my throat by Monday next; and in performance of that solemn oath, I am ready to set out, unless I can be absolved by Pope P— thoroughly, entirely, and without repining. Shall I, in that case, if I obtain not absolution, come with bag and baggage? -that, that's the question. Must I, that is should I, for what I should I must, stay in town one week, two weeks or three, and eris mihi Magnus Apollo', greater than Pitt, or Jemmy, to whom I scorn to write upon this 1 "If Mr. Horne answers this letter handsomely, and in point, he shall be my great Apollo." Junius-Private Note (No. 37) to Woodfall. occasion, that Pitt, who has an Enfield of his own within an hour of town, and never feels for the unfloated bowling-greens of others, who has determined with his deputy to withdraw all advice and correspondence from me upon that head. I say I scorn to ask of them what I am to do; but do you, to whose sage counsel I have referred the linen and the chariot, tell me what in fitness, decency, and decorum, I am to do: upon your veto I give up all thoughts of delay, but with your consent I shall indulge myself as long as I may in this world, ready to change it for a better like a good Christian when I must, and not 'till then. A thousand thanks to the Earl of Buckinghamshire for the letter', which will save me ten guineas, as well as prevent my setting a bad example, and so, with compliments to my sister, I am, &c., &c. COBHAM. MR. PITT TO MR. GRENVILLE. Pay Office, January 20, 1749-50. DEAR GRENVILLE,-It is with much concern that I hear the waters do not continue to agree with Mrs. Grenville as they promised to do at first. I have almost experience enough of the Bath waters to be a physician with regard to them, and as such, I advise Mrs. Grenville to discontinue them a little, and try them again in small quantities, and with some corrective adapted to her case, before she entirely gives up the use of them. I have done what I advise, many times, and with great benefit. I should not take it ill if you was to call in some other A hint about the peerage fees. of the faculty, and I will add, that notwithstanding all the opinion I have of Duncan', there are certainly at Bath men more knowing in all the various effects of those waters, and the several ways of qualifying them, according to the inconvenience they occasion, than he can possibly be. I hope you and Mrs. Grenville will pardon this officiousness, and perhaps take my advice. News, I have none to tell you; when we meet, we shall have, no doubt, matter to quid nunc upon. The Mutiny Bill at present employs all our time, and all our rhetoric on all sides. We fought the Oath of Secrecy yesterday: the requisition to disclose is now placed in the Courts of Justice. The next point will be the revision, and Tuesday the day for it. I hope you both find Bath not void of amusements, and that virtù contributes its part towards it. Whenever you return, I believe you will find us idle enough, all prospect of great attacks being over. Adieu, dear Grenville, and believe me, very affectionately yours, W. PITT. MR. PITT TO MR. GRENVILLE. Pay Office, January 25, 1749-50. LATE as it is, and tired as I am with the Mutiny Bill, which we have just finished in the Committee, I can't forbear taking this post to return a thousand thanks for the honour and pleasure of a joint letter I received from Bath. To begin, the first, as in duty bound, with the lady, my patient, I will own that, however vain I might be of my skill in physic, I did not expect to be feed so 1 An eminent physician. He was created a baronet in August, 1764. Sir William Duncan married Lady Mary Tufton, eldest daughter of Sackville, Earl of Thanet. He died in September, 1774. infinitely higher than the most eminent of the profession, by the honour of some lines from Mrs. Grenville's own fair hands. The fee, indeed, would have risen in its value if these lines had given a better account of her health; but though they are short in that respect, yet they speak such good spirits that I will hope perfect recovery can't be far off. I wish extremely I could, in obedience to her commands, send any receipt for the immediate attainment of it; I should be not a little glad if I could but help her to any one for high dice, and the poultry-yard in consequence of it; but till I can teach blind chance to see and discern those she ought to favour, (which, though an excellent physician, I am not oculist good enough to do,) I can promise no kind of assistance. Grenville, but will not I now come to my dear Mr. detain him with much discourse. the Mutiny Bill is in fact this. Oath of Secrecy is now declared requisition of any Court of Justice to give evidence relating to a sentence of a Court Martial. The Attorney moved it; the Solicitor spoke for it; my Lord Cobham declared for it, and in a manner that did him credit. It was opposed (properly speaking) by none, but disrelished by many; more of this when we meet. I will be sure to take care of you Monday next. The post is going, so adieu! It is impossible to be more sensible than I am of the manner in which you and Mrs. Grenville are so good to accept my most sincere wishes for your health and happiness. W. PITT. |