I am assured, never misbecome his Lordship's protection. This gentleman is Mr. Robert Pratt, nephew of Lord Chief Justice Pratt. If your Lordship will do me the honour to accept of my recommendation in behalf of this gentleman, to fill the vacancy at Horsham, you will confer on me the highest obligation; and if you allow me ardently to court every occasion of cultivating, personally, that acquaintance and friendship, which your Lordship has so kindly opened to me, you will still add the only obliging circumstance of which your goodness towards me remains susceptible. I am, with the truest respect and sincerest attachment, Your Lordship's most obliged and most obedient humble servant, W. PITT.(') THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE TO MR. PITT. DEAR SIR, Newcastle House, December 13, 1763. I RETURN you my most sincere thanks for the honour of your obliging letter, which I received this morning, and for the confidential manner in which it was written. I heartily wish that quiet (1) Mr. Robert Pratt was returned for Horsham, and sat for that borough in two parliaments. In 1768, he was appointed a master in chancery, and died in 1775. and country air may perfectly re-establish your health; in the preservation and activity of which your country and your friends are so much interested, and especially in the present most difficult and dangerous conjuncture. I have long lamented the melancholy state of the public, both at home and abroad; and I have for some time had my fears, that the present and late exercise of power, felt by every body, and in all places, would have very fatal consequences to this country. (') Nobody laments more than I do the (1) On the 24th of November, when the question, "that the privilege of parliament does not extend to the case of writing and publishing seditious libels," again came to be discussed, Mr. Pitt, though very ill, came down to the House on crutches, and vehemently reprobated the facility with which parliament was surrendering its own privileges; but he carefully impressed on the House, that he was merely delivering a constitutional opinion, and not vindicating the libel, or its author. He condemned the whole series of North Britons, and called them illiberal, unmanly, and detestable. "He abhorred," he said, "all national reflections: the King's subjects were one people; whoever divided them was guilty of sedition. His Majesty's complaint was well-founded; it was just; it was necessary. The author did not deserve to be ranked among the human species; he was the blasphemer of his God, and the libeller of his King. He had no connection with him; he had no connection with any such writer. It was true, that he had friendships, and warm ones; he had obligations, and great ones; but no friendships, no obligations, could induce him to approve what he firmly condemned. It might be supposed, that he alluded to his noble relation (Lord Temple). He was proud to call him his relation; he was his friend, his bosom friend; whose fidelity was as unshaken as his virtue. They went into office together, and they came out together; they had lived together, and would die together. He knew nothing of any connection with the writer of that libel." disinclination in both Houses to come into any measures that shall be proposed; and, as far as my little credit extends, I have, and shall endeavour to prevent the continuance of it. As to the House of Lords, all I can say is, we have weight, but not numbers; and, what is still worse, a great superiority of debaters against us. I hear it was agreed, at a dinner at the Duke of Devonshire's, where were my Lord Temple and several of our friends, to move a call of the House on some day after the recess. That surely is a right measure, as it will certainly procure a full house, and bring up all our friends; and then it will be considered, what it is proper to do; and surely the present conjuncture is such as ought to be attended to, by all who really love their country. I am told that there is a good spirit in the House of Com On the 1st of December, both Houses agreed to address the King on the indignity he had sustained; and the North Briton, No. 45., was ordered to be burnt by the common hangman, at the Royal Exchange, on the 3d. "Upon which occasion," writes Horace Walpole to Lord Hertford, "the mob rose, armed with that most bloody instrument, the mud out of the kennels; they hissed in the most murderous manner; broke Mr. Sheriff Harley's coach-glass in the most frangent manner; scratched his forehead, so that he is forced to wear a little patch in the most becoming manner; and obliged the hangman to burn the paper with a link, though faggots were prepared to execute it in a most solemn manner. Numbers of gentlemen, from windows and balconies, encouraged the mob, who in about an hour and a half were so undutiful to the ministry, as to retire without doing any mischief." Pieces of the libel were rescued, and carried in triumph to Temple-bar; where a bonfire was made, and a large jack-boot, in ridicule of Lord Bute, committed to the flames. mons, in gentlemen of all denominations. I pray God it may be so improved, as to put this country into a state of tranquillity and real peace; for I must say, that that does not seem to be the object of our present ministers. I am, dear Sir, yours, &c. HOLLES NEWCASTLE. (1) PRINCE CHARLES OF BRUNSWICK TO MR. PITT. Somerset Haus, ce 14e de Janvier, 1764. (2) MONSIEUR, PARMI le nombre infini des hommes qui vous admirent, je me flatte qu'il ne se trouvera personne, (1) In a letter to Mr. Mitchell, of the 12th of January, Lord Barrington says, "I do not expect opposition from Mr. Pitt, when the parliament reassembles; and all other opposition is brutum fulmen. Wilkes will be demolished, whether he comes home or stays abroad-and I think government will recover vigour and dignity; both of which it has greatly wanted, in respect to its foreign and domestic concerns. Lord Hardwicke has surprisingly recovered, and I hope will live. Our old friend the Duke of Newcastle is very well at Claremont. I pity him most sincerely, but know not how he can now mend his situation. What a situation he has lost! He might have been the support of the Crown, and the arbiter between government and faction. The reports of changes in Court, and quarrels among Ministers, are groundless. The present time is peculiarly given to lying." - Mitchell MSS. (2) The Prince, who came to England to marry the Princess Augusta, eldest sister of the King, landed at Harwich on the 12th, where he was enthusiastically received by the populace. Lady Chatham, in writing to Mr. Pitt, says, "Mrs. Boscawen tells me they almost pulled down the house in which he was, in order to see him. A substantial Quaker insisted so strongly upon seeing him, that he was allowed to come into Monsieur, qui vous fera cet aveu de plus grand cœur que moi. Je serois venu vous le témoigner de bouche, dès le moment de mon arrivé ici, si ma situation génante pour le moment présent ne m'eut interdis cet avantage. Permettez, par conséquent, que je m'acquitte par ces lignes, attendant avec impatience le moment qui me rendra assez heureux de vous réitérer de bouche, que c'est avec la plus haute estime, et la considération la plus distinguée, que j'ai l'honneur d'être, &c. CHARLES, PRINCE HÉRÉDITAIRE DE BRUNSWIC. THE RIGHT HON. JAMES GRENVILLE (') TO January 20, 1764. I GIVE you many thanks, my dear sister, for your affectionate concern on my account. I went from this melancholy prospect, and almost absolute the room he pulled off his hat to him, and said, 'Noble friend, give me thy hand,'—which was given, and he kissed it, ' although I do not fight myself, I love a brave man that will fight. Thou art a valiant prince, and art to be married to a lovely princess; love her, make her a good husband, and the Lord bless you both."" The Prince arrived the same evening at Somerset House, where he was lodged; and the marriage took place on the evening of the 16th. (1) See vol. i. p. 13. On the resignation of Mr. Pitt, in October 1761, Mr. James Grenville relinquished his situation of cofferer of the household. He was at this time member for the town of Buckingham. |