THE EARL OF NORTHINGTON TO MR. PITT.

DEAR SIR,

London, July 14, 1766.

I AM Sorry to find that you are so much out of order, and hope the air will speedily remove that complaint; which I trust will not be immediately felt, as by his Majesty's commands, I yesterday wrote to Earl Temple, that the King desired to see him in London; and, on the other side, you will see his answer, received since I began this page. I desire to know when you go to Hampstead; as, if occasion requires, I may be able to communicate accordingly.

I will apprize the King of your unlucky situation; who was so well satisfied with your dutiful behaviour, as to feel it accordingly. I am, with great respect, Dear Sir,

Your most obedient and

humble servant,

NORTHINGTON.

P. S.I was at Conway's, signing the marriage treaty ('), when your

letter came.

(1) This was the treaty of marriage between the unfortunate princess Caroline Matilda, (the posthumous child of Frederick Prince of Wales and sister of George the Third,) and Christian the Seventh, King of Denmark. The marriage was celebrated by proxy, on the 1st of October, and the youthful Queen, then only in her sixteenth year, was sent an inexperienced victim to a court, in which, surrounded by spies and emissaries, who interpreting the trifling levities of youth into serious crimes, succeeded in inducing the King to become the engine of their

[Enclosure.]

EARL TEMPLE TO THE EARL OF NORTHINGTON.

MY LORD,

My zeal to obey his Majesty's command, signified to me by your Lordship, will carry me to town with all the despatch in my power, at so short a warning.

No man in the kingdom can wish more ardently than I do, to see force and effect given to the King's government; having long lamented for my country, as your Lordship knows, the want of it.

Permit me to assure your Lordship, that I cannot receive the honour of the King's orders through any channel more agreeable to me than that of your Lordship, as I have always been with truth and kindness,

Your Lordship's humble servant,

TEMPLE.

THE RIGHT HON. JAMES GRENVILLE TO MR. PITT.

MY DEAR MR. PITT,

Monday, July 14, 1766.

My brother arrived last night about eleven o' clock-sent to me

I was in bed

saw him

malevolence, by signing an order for her imprisonment in the castle of Cronenburg; but, through the remonstrance of the court of St. James's, backed by the appearance of a British fleet in the Baltic, she was allowed to retire to Zell, in the electorate of Hanover; where she died, in neglect and obscurity, on the 10th of March 1775, in her twenty-fifth year.

early this morning, and have been with him till this moment.

He is just set out for Richmond. The King being gone out this morning, (when Lord Chancellor's messenger came with the account of Lord Temple's being in town) and the King not returning from his ride till late, prevented an earlier appointment, and hindered my brother from waiting upon you at Hampstead; being obliged to be in the way to receive his orders.

I have no certain result nor fixed ground of resolution to mention to you; but there appears a proper temper towards things in general, and a real cordiality of affection towards your person and sentiments. He desired me to assure you of his warmest respects, and, for want of a servant of his own to send a letter and of time to write one, he insisted upon my doing that office for him. He intends to wait upon you early to-morrow morning. His fixed purpose is to leave every thing in his conference with the King to a referendum for farther consideration with you: the general principles only, and inclinations of his mind towards the public service excepted. I do not wait upon you myself this evening, choosing that he should speak his own mind to you, when he has fixed it for himself.

I hope the country air has abated the feverish symptoms you felt when I had the pleasure of seeing you. I am,

Ever most affectionately yours,

JAMES GRENville.

THE KING TO MR. PITT.

MR. PITT,

Richmond Lodge, 15 m. past 7.
July 15, 1766.

LORD TEMPLE has been with me, and has desired me not to see you to-morrow, that he may have time fully to talk with you. I have, therefore, entrusted him to acquaint you, I shall not expect you then; but, on recollection, I think it may be both of utility and not void of amazement, for you to know the substance of what has passed.

I opened to him a desire of seeing him in the Treasury, and, in conjunction with you, chalking out such an administration as can be formed, considering the unhappy divisions that subsist between men, yet taking the present administration for the basis to build on, with such alterations as might appear necessary.

I am sorry to see, though we only kept in generals, that he seems to incline to quarters very heterogeneous to my and your ideas, and almost a total exclusion to the present men,-which is not your plan; but as we did not come to particulars, I hope I am not quite founded in my apprehensions. I concluded with saying, I should only agree to such a plan as you could with pleasure be a part of; but not to one, wherein you had not a principal share.

I should wish to see you on Thursday at eleven,

at the Queen's house; as that will give you time to consider the whole of this weighty matter. This letter remains a perfect secret betwixt me and you, if you think it best that it should.

GEORGE R.

MR. PITT TO LADY CHATHAM.

North-end, July 15, 1766.

My love will be pleased to receive a line, dated from this bower of refreshment, which indeed I began to want extremely. The rate honest Smith met me going at, and "blessed himself," (') proved too much for me; especially as I could not give myself the repose I wanted at the end of my journey. In a word, three hot nights in town rendered a retreat hither necessary; where I brought yesterday a feverish heat and much bile, and have almost lost it already.

I write with my own hand, merely because I have just been told, that the newspapers make me very ill, and in Harley-street. Let this account put my love at ease; for I write upon honour, and should

(1) Mr. Pitt here alludes to a passage in a letter from Lady Chatham, which had just reached him "Some time since I began this letter, Smith's honest yeomanry face has made its appearance upon Burton Hill. He tells me he met you four miles on the other side of Marlborough, Lud a mercy! going at such a rate!'"