flattering to me. I esteem myself so fortunate in the favour of your acquaintance, that I cannot refuse myself the pleasure of endeavouring to cultivate it, at the risk of disobeying a kind of injunction from you not to answer the honour of your letter.

As the lands and seas which are between us

have not put me out of the reach of hearing how much the world of letters and civil society owe to you, you will not wonder that I cannot content myself with feeling in silence, how happy my lot is to have obtained a place in your favourable opinion and friendly sentiments.

all

Accept, Sir, my grateful acknowledgments for

your favours; and be persuaded that, wherever your pursuits of the arts and of literature, or your amusements lead you, you will be followed by constant wishes for your pleasure and welfare, from him who has the honour to subscribe himself, with sincere esteem and consideration,

Your most obedient &c.

MR. PITT TO RALPH ALLEN, ESQ.

MY DEAR SIR,

W. PITT.

Hayes, June 2, 1763.

HAVING declined accompanying Sir John Sebright in presenting the address from Bath ('),

(1) The victory in parliament being as complete as the minister could wish, he had nothing now to do but to try the force of corruption among the people, in order to obtain another

transmitted to us jointly by the town clerk, I think it, on all accounts, indispensably necessary, that I should inform you of the reason of my conduct. The epithet of adequate given to the peace contains a description of the conditions of it, so repugnant to my unalterable opinion concerning many of them, and fully declared by me in parliament, that it was as impossible for me to obey the commands of the corporation in presenting their address, as it was unexpected to receive such a commission.

As to my opinion of the peace, I will only say, that I formed it with sincerity, according to such lights as my little experience and small portion of understanding could afford me. This conviction must remain to myself the constant rule of my conduct; and I leave to others, with much deference to their better information, to follow their own judgment.

Give me leave, my dear good Sir, to desire to convey through you to Mr. Mayor, and to the gentlemen of the corporation, these my free sentiments; and, with the justest sense of their past goodness towards me, plainly to confess, that I perceive I am but ill qualified to form pretensions

mode of approbation. The lieutenants of counties had begging letters sent to them, entreating them to use their utmost influence towards procuring addresses. The mayors and other magistrates of corporations, the leading men in societies, and every person who had influence enough to collect ten or twelve men together, were all applied to for addresses in favour of the peace." History of the Minority, p. 89.

to the future favour of gentlemen who are come to think so differently from me on matters of the highest importance to the national welfare.

I am ever, with respectful and affectionate esteem, my dear Sir,

Your faithful friend,

and obliged humble servant,

W. PITT.

Lady Chatham joins with me in all compliments to the family of Prior Park.

RALPH ALLEN, ESQ. TO MR. PITT.

MY DEAREST SIR,

Prior Park, June 4, 1763.

It is extremely painful to me to find, by the letter which you were pleased to send to me the 2nd of this month, that the word adequate in the Bath address has been so very offensive to you, as to hinder the sincerest and most zealous of your friends in the corporation from testifying for the future their great attachment to you.

Upon this occasion, in justice to them, it is incumbent on me to acquaint you, that the exceptionable word does not rest with them, but myself; who suddenly drew up that address to prevent their sending off another, which the mayor brought to me, in terms that I could not concur in. Copies of the two forms I have taken the liberty to send

you in the inclosed paper, for your private perusal ; and Sir John Sebright having, in his letter to Mr. Clutterbuck, only acquainted him, that in your absence in the country he delivered the address, I shall decline executing your commands to the corporation on this delicate point; unless you renew them upon your perusal of this letter, which, for safety, I have sent by a messenger; and I beg your answer to it by him, who has orders to wait for it.

Permit me to say, that I have not the least objection to, but feel the highest regard and even veneration for, your whole conduct; neither have I any apology to make for the expression in which I am so unfortunate as to differ from you. And with the utmost respect, affection, and gratitude, you will always find me to be, my dearest Sir, your most humble and most obedient servant,

R. ALLEN.

The best wishes of this family always attend Lady Chatham.

MR. PITT TO RALPH ALLEN, ESQ.

MY DEAR SIR,

Hayes, June 5, 1763.

I AM Sorry that my letter of the 2nd instant should give you uneasiness, and occasion you the trouble of sending a messenger to Hayes. I desire you to be assured, that few things can give me more real concern than to find that my notions of the public good differ so widely from those of

the man, whose goodness of heart and private virtues I shall ever respect and love.

I am not insensible to your kind motives for wishing to interpose time for second thoughts; but, knowing how much you approve an open and ingenuous proceeding, I trust that you will see the unfitness of my concealing from my constituents the insurmountable reasons which prevented my obeying their commands, in presenting an address containing a disavowal of my opinion delivered in parliament relating to the peace. As their servant, I owe to these gentlemen an explanation of my conduct on this occasion; and, as a man not forgetful of the distinguished honour of having been invited to represent them, I owe it in gratitude to them not to think of embarrassing and encumbering for the future, friends to whom I have such obligations, and who now view with approbation measures of an administration, founded on the subversion of that system which once procured me the countenance and favour of the city of Bath. On these plain grounds, very coolly weighed, I will venture to beg again that my equitable, good friend, will be so good as to convey to Mr. Mayor and the gentlemen of the corporation my sentiments, as contained in my letter of the 2nd instant.

I am ever, with unchanging sentiments of respect and affection, my dear Sir,

Most faithfully yours,

W. PITT.