Dowdeswell's desire, and hope this will reach you early enough to enable you to get up to town in time, and without any inconvenience or hurry.

The American bill, or rather the British bill, met yesterday with not quite so civil a reception as such a bill, so carried in our House, and so conveyed as it was by a hundred and fifty members to the other House, did, in my opinion, deserve.(') However, I believe there is good reason to think,

(1) The bill was carried up to the Lords by above two hundred members of the House of Commons. According to the Annual Register, "the éclat with which it was introduced in the upper house did not prevent its meeting with a strong opposition there. Thirty-three lords entered a protest against it, at the second reading; as did twenty-eight at the third. It was, however, carried through by a majority of thirty-four lords, and, in three days after, received the royal assent; an event that caused more universal joy, throughout the British dominions, than perhaps any other that can be remembered."

On the 17th of the month, Lord Chesterfield, in a letter to his son, says: "The repeal of the Stamp-act is at last carried. I am glad of it, and gave my proxy for it; because I saw many more inconveniences from the enforcing, than from the repealing it. You will probably wonder that I tell you nothing of public matters; upon which I shall be as secret as Hotspur's gentle Kate, who would not tell what she did not know; but what is singular, nobody seems to know any more of them than I do. People gape, stare, conjecture, and rejoice. Changes of the ministry, or in the ministry, at least, are daily reported and foretold; but, of what kind, God only knows. It is also very doubtful whether Mr. Pitt will come into the administration or not; the two present secretaries are extremely desirous that he should; but the others think of the horse that called the man to its assistance. I will say nothing to you about American affairs, because I have not pens, ink, or paper enough to give you an intelligible account of them. They have been the subjects of warm and acrimonious debates, both in the Lords and Commons, and in all companies."

that a little abuse is all the harm they can do it and that, both the bill and its advocates can stand. To-day it is to be read a second time, and will be, I hear, thoroughly debated; I mean as much as such a question will admit of.

I hope you are not the worse for your fatigue, on Tuesday. The seeing you are not so to-day, will give infinite pleasure to your friends in the House of Commons, and particularly to him who has the honour to be, most respectfully, dear Sir, Your most obliged humble servant, GEO. ONSLOW.

VISCOUNT BARRINGTON TO MR. PITT.

DEAR SIR,

Cavendish Square, March 22, 1766.

You may possibly recollect, that not long after you had resigned the seals, you desired me (not as chancellor of the exchequer, but as an old friend and acquaintance) to assist you in providing for a gentleman, whose name I have forgotten, but who married a dowager Lady Aylmer. This person had received great damage in his property when the rebels were in Scotland; he had done good service, and had good claims, as appeared by authentic vouchers which he had left with you when you were secretary of state, but which were unfortunately and unaccountably lost. You there

fore wished him some provision through me. I never was able to offer him any thing but the collectorship of Guadeloupe; which he, for good reasons, declined. I then promised you, that if hereafter I could ever offer him any thing worth his acceptance I would do it; a circumstance I have never forgotten, though my remembrance was of no use till this moment.

I have just received an account, that the commissary of stores at Gibraltar is dead. The employment is a clear four hundred a year or more to the principal, residing in England, and it is in the recommendation of the war-office. Allow me to inquire whether your protégé be alive, and willing to accept it with your permission?

I make this offer in consequence of my promise, and of the honour you did me when you mentioned the thing to me: but I make it, as you asked my assistance, without the least political consideration; as privately loving and honouring you, but putting all considerations of every other kind entirely out of the question. I must however do myself the justice to add, that if this employment be given to a man who has your good wishes, the disposal will make me as happy as it does him. I am, with most affectionate respect,

Dear Sir,

Your most faithful and

most obedient servant,

BARRINGTON.

VISCOUNT BARRINGTON TO MR. PITT.

DEAR SIR,

Cavendish Square, March 28, 1766.

I HAVE received two most obliging notes from Hayes, expressing much more acknowledgment than I deserve, for remembering and obeying your commands concerning Mr. Fisher. (') I need not remind you, that right actions bear their own reward, and lose their value when they have any other object; but your kind and friendly acceptance

of

my endeavours to serve a worthy man recommended by you, produces additionally the most real satisfaction and pleasure. The generosity of your mind always inclines you to allow greater merit than can be claimed. If, therefore, you will not agree that I am already amply rewarded, the most pleasing and effectual means of expressing further acknowledgment can never be wanting, while any person who has your good wishes may be assisted by me.

I am, with the most affectionate respect, dear Sir, Your most faithful and

most obedient servant,

BARRINGTON.

(1) Robert Fisher, Esq.

He married the widow of Sir

Gerald Aylmer. She was the daughter of admiral Sir John Norris, who died in 1749, after having seen nearly sixty years of active and honourable service.

THOMAS NUTHALL, ESQ. TO MR. PITT.

SIR,

Tuesday morning [March, 1766.]

REST and quiet are so necessary to the establishment of your health, that I could not prevail upon myself to break in upon them, although I should have been very glad to have inquired of you, in person, after the state of it, had it been proper.

I saw Mr. Walpole this morning; who desired me to tell you, that Lord John Cavendish ('), Mr. Townshend, father (2) and son (3), and

(1) Lord John Cavendish was the fourth son of William, third duke of Devonshire. At this time, he was member for Knaresborough, and one of the lords of the treasury. In 1782, he was, for a few months, chancellor of the exchequer; and again, in the following year. He died, unmarried, in 1796.

(2) The hon. Thomas Townshend, second son of the second viscount Townshend; at this time member for the university of Cambridge, which he represented in six successive parliaments. Early in life, he entered into the secretary of state's office, under his father, whom he accompanied in his journeys to Germany, with George the First and Second. In 1727, he succeeded to one of the tellerships of the exchequer; and, in 1739, was appointed chief secretary to the Duke of Devonshire, lord-lieutenant of Ireland; but did not proceed thither, in consequence of the death of his wife. He was one of the most elegant scholars of his age. He died, in his seventy-ninth year, in May 1780.

(3) Mr. Thomas Townshend, was at this time member for Whitchurch, and one of the lords of the treasury. In 1782, he was appointed one of the principal secretaries of state; which he resigned in April 1783, but was re-appointed in December, and held the situation till 1789. In 1783, he was created baron Sydney, and, in 1789, was further advanced to the dignity of viscount Sydney. He died in 1800. Mr. Gibbon, in a letter