you in good health, spirits as usual, and with an excellent cause. It is very gracious and kind in the pious Æneas, after his conversion, after the Love feast, to keep up that of friendship with one, who has so slender a claim to be admitted to the table of the Saints'; but I am sorry to hear you are exalted to so high a story of faith and godliness, because great may be the fall thereof, and this Scotch taste of architecture is so contrary to the fashionable style of building in this country, that I fear it will never prevail, and that you will return to your humbler roof of mortality and every social virtue, with as much ardour, as if you had never deviated into the higher regions of cherubim and seraphim, or the conversion of Wilkes, compared with that of St. Paul; however, if I should live to see you in the bosom of our father Sir George', I shall only now and then drink to the pious memory of the delightful moments I have passed in your wicked company, and begin to attach

unsuccessful in his opposition to the Delaval interest. Fox, writing to Lord Hartington on the subject of this election, says, "Mr. Wilkes, a friend it seems of Pitt's, petitioned against the younger Delaval, chose at Berwick, on account of bribery only. The younger Delaval made a speech on his being thus attacked, full of wit, humour, and buffoonery, which kept the House in a continued roar of laughter. Mr Pitt came down from the gallery and took it up in his highest tone of dignity. He was astonished when he heard what had been the occasion of their mirth. Was the dignity of the House of Commons on so sure foundations, that they might venture themselves to shake it? Had it not, on the contrary, by gradations, been diminishing for years, till now we were brought to the very brink of the precipice, where, if ever, a stand must be made?"-Memoirs by Lord Waldegrave, Appendix, p. 147.

1 Lord Temple here probably alludes to the well-known club at Medmenham Abbey, of which fraternity Wilkes, Potter, Sir Francis Dashwood, and Lord Sandwich were distinguished members.

2 An ironical allusion to Sir George Lyttelton, and his Essay on the Conversion of St. Paul.

myself to all the interested pursuits of this world, as the sure road to a better.

It is impossible for me to ask, and as impossible not to wish to see you here, before that great day of Judgment which will decide of the fate of Berwick and of you; however in all events, I fancy I may depend upon meeting you in town soon after the birth-day, which is the date of all good courtiers, or a little before the meeting of Parliament, which is the æra of every honest independent country gentleman, and there will be some happy minute in some lucky hour betwixt them both, which will probably afford me the pleasure of seeing again the kind host of Aylesbury, to whom I am, and ever must be, in the nature of things,

My dear Sir,

A most affectionate and

Obedient humble Servant,

TEMPLE.

Lady Temple, Miss Banks, and I, desire to assure Mrs. Wilkes, Mrs. Mead', and your good uncle of our best respects. The good man Jemmy just this instant steps in to bid me tell you how much he is yours.

MR. PITT TO MR. GRENVILLE.

Sunday, October 27, 1754.

MY DEAR GRENVILLE,-You will not have wondered that the letters I have addressed to Wotton or Stowe, since I left you, have not been any of them superscribed

to you.

1 Mrs. Mead was the mother of Mrs. Wilkes.

Lady Hester has left you, and not only Wotton is, as it always must be, most agreeable to remember, but you will both, I know, pardon me for saying, you and Mrs. Grenville are now the first persons in your own house. How many, and how truly affectionate, are the thanks I owe to the goodness and friendship of these two persons. The trouble you have taken, and particularly your kind attention to expedite the most interesting work of Mr. Nuthall', is a most obliging instance of it. He writes me word that you will have the draughts Wednesday next. If so, I flatter myself the writings may be engrossed by about the 4th or 5th. If I am so happy as to find no objections arise to the completing my felicity from the dear object of it, when I see her, might I not hope that the 6th or 7th of November might be the day from which I shall date all the real honour and happiness of poor life? You will, I am sure, allow every degree of impatience in me to be reason itself; but not to urge my reason, your own will suggest to you the approaching opening of Parliament, and variety of other calls upon my time and necessary attentions, as real and very pressing motives to accelerate what I confess I should press with equal impatience were they all out of the question.

I trust Lord Temple will have an ear for arguments of such weight; besides that his Lordship will have just days enough to look round a scene that must be viewed often before it is at all understood. I will write to Stowe as soon as I have seen her who is to decide

1 Mr. Thomas Nuthall, a confidential solicitor, employed by Mr. Pitt to prepare his marriage settlements. He was appointed Solicitor to the Treasury in 1765, and died very suddenly in 1775, from fright and excitement, caused by his being attacked by a highwayman on Hounslow Heath. See Chatham Correspondence, vol. ii. P. 166.

In the mean time, I

almost, if possible, of my wishes. recommend to your kindness to dispose his, which I know are both of them disposed to my hand, to make your most grateful and affectionately devoted friend happy, as soon as may be, without precipitating Lady Hester's intentions. Must I not count every moment till the world sees me the most honoured and blessed of men!

MR. PITT TO EARL TEMPLE.

Salt Hill, Friday Night, November 1, 1754.

I AM, thank Heaven! so far in my way towards London; that is, my dearest Lord, within hours, but far from a few, of seeing again every perfection of human nature in Argyll Buildings. You perhaps begin to suspect a summons to you to leave Stowe, which you so kindly allowed to be served upon you, is coming. Not so; Lady Hester has granted to my most ardent and respectful supplications, the 15th, a day, however late for my tender impatience, infinitely good in her not to think too early. This leaves my dear Lord master of his motions, as to the journey of happiness to his most loving friend, which he was so kind to offer at any warning; but though I will not teaze you in one character, shall I persecute in another? Reason of State says, Lord Temple can hardly be in town too early his eyes will be ever the best, and sure the more wanted, as some eyes he too often trusts to can go but to one loved object. What your brother Harry's letter will have intimated about Hagley merits attention.

I understood Thursday, at the Bath, from William

VOL. I.

K

Lyttelton', who has wishes and prospects of going to America, that the most obliging, and I hope agreeable offer, will be made to your Lordship, in case his seat vacates. This is one reason of State, and I think not weak, for your presence among your friends. Many others, rather seen in the mass than in detail, must

occur.

I had conversation this day, at Reading, with Lord Fane. I foresee an event growing out of that petition. His Lordship I have known from boy's age, and his worth and honour inferior to none. His language is very manly to your humble servant very obliging, upon my public situation. So much for politics. How shall I thank you for the kindest and most agreeable letter that ever flowed even from your own pen? not by my pen, but with my life; by telling you that life is happy, and that the inestimable present you have given me could alone have made it so. I should not say too much if I added, that this life, happy as it is, is at your call. Never were words so fine and touching as those which I now repeat. Why must I blot this happy paper with the miserable name of Queensberry. I have writ to the poor Duke, to inquire of their health,

1 He was soon after appointed Governor of South Carolina.

2 Charles, second Viscount Fane in the Peerage of Ireland. He was now Member for Reading. He had been employed in several diplomatic missions at Florence, Turin, and Constantinople. He died in 1782.

3 Mr. Pitt here alludes to a dreadful calamity which had befallen the Duke and Duchess of Queensberry, by the death of their son, Lord Drumlanrig, who was killed by the accidental discharge of his own pistol, in their coach, while they were on a journey to London, accompanied by his newly-married wife, Lady Elizabeth, a daughter of the Earl of Hopetoun, and she died of consumption a little more than a year afterwards.