MR. POTTER TO MR. GRENVILLE.

Bath, June 11, 1756. THOUGH the use of pen, ink, and paper is in the most positive terms forbidden, I shall trespass a little to answer your most friendly enquiries. Yet perhaps my answer will not give you much satisfaction, except from the assurances you may receive that I am yet alive, and that while I am so, my sincere respect, and let me say affection, to you and Mrs. Grenville must continue unchanged. I am still at Bath, and cannot even guess when I shall be able to leave it, though within these three days I begin to feel my forces a little recruited.

I have suffered much, and have been reduced to the very last extremity.

The gout, which had received in London such formal and full possession of my chest, seemed resolved not to be dislodged, and the repeated attacks between that and the Bath water, had almost laid the scene of action desolate. But for the present the Bath water is triumphant. My carcase is indeed miserably ravaged and harassed, and my sole business for this last fortnight has been to repair and recruit it.

The attempts of the last three days have been more successful than those which preceded, and if the same success continues, I shall flatter myself that in a few weeks I may get into my great chair at Ridgmont'.

As to public affairs I have long considered myself as a traveller of short continuance, and therefore feel no other emotions than the greatest pity for those whose

1 Mr. Potter's seat in Bedfordshire.

hearts are not yet quite so abandoned, as to be callous to the public infamy and public misery which has already begun to overwhelm us.

You may talk of pursuing your private happiness, and of shutting your eyes to those horrid scenes. But it is in vain you are too nearly engaged, your stake in the public stock is too great to suffer you to be indifferent, and yet all efforts will be fruitless. Nothing but a miracle worked by the hand of the Almighty can turn aside the impending perdition.

Have you wrote to Dr. Hay? The newspapers have told you that he is turned out from the office of King's Advocate. What zeal is this for the public, and how intently are the thoughts of the Ministers engaged on the successes of the French.

Adieu ! my dear friend; continue to me your regard, and recommend me to that of Mrs. Grenville.

THO. POTTER.

MR. PITT TO MR. GRENVILLE.

Hayes, June 16, 1756.

MY DEAR GRENVILLE,-When I parted with Lord Temple, I understood you would see him at Wotton in his way to Stowe, and by that means be as well equipped with the news of the times as I am here.

I conclude you will have met before now, and that nothing would remain for me to impart if I had the pleasure of a walk with you upon the solitary banks of your sylvan river. As to quo sit Romana loco res, I am almost as far from the hearing of it in our own suburban village, as you are in the midst of your quiet

wide-spread lawn and deep embowering woods. I hear, however, from Rumour, that clouds gather on every side, and Distress, infinite Distress, seems to hem us in on all quarters. The same weak infatuated conduct that begat this distress seems determined to increase and multiply it upon our heads. We are as helpless and childish as ever, and worse still; if any among the ministry are disposed to be men, I hear they would be madmen; for the regret is that we have no continent war. So much for those at the helm; the Passengers, the City of all denominations, are in alarm, and think the ship sinking.

I am in most anxious impatience to have the affair in the Mediterranean cleared up. As yet nothing is clear, but that the French are masters there, and that probably many an innocent and gallant man's honour and fortune is to be offered up as a scapegoat for the sins of Administration.

The treatment of West' in particular is, without example, unjust and cruel; for as yet nothing appears but that he may be, not only blameless, but most meritorious. I am persuaded he will come out of this persecution with honour.

We go to-morrow to Ealing to pass a day or two, and from thence to Pinner. Lady Hester is still, thank God, very well, and little Hester a very growing

1 Admiral Temple West, "whose behaviour," says Walpole, “had been most gallant, was soon distinguished from his chief, and was carried to court by Lord Anson. The King said to West, I am glad to hear you have done your duty so well; I wish everybody else had.'”—Memoirs of George II., vol. ii. p. 228. Admiral West died in 1757, being then one of the Lords of the Admiralty.

2 Mr. Pitt's eldest daughter, afterwards married to Charles third Earl of Stanhope. She died in 1780.

personage in bulk and in favour, not to say in under

MY DEAR GRENVILLE,-We returned this morning from passing two or three days with Jemmy at Pinner, and find in our way to our village the following news of this day: a letter from Barcelona of the 1st of June says, that that day a Lieut. Basset arrived there from Admiral Byng with dispatches to the Admiralty from before Mahon, where he had cruised ever since the action of the 20th, which had ended by the French running away and not appearing again. The Lieutenant left the Fleet the fourth day after the action, and was seven days in getting to Barcelona. Byng, he said, intended to disembark his troops the day he left him, in consequence of a Council of War he had called, finding the French did not return.

We are just getting into our post-chaise. Lady Hester and I could not enjoy this good news with a clear conscience if we had not given our dear friends of Wotton their share in it.

We are both well, and hope to have the pleasure of embracing you as you go to Petworth.

W. PITT.

MR. PITT TO MR. GRENVILLE.

Aylesbury, Tuesday, July 13, 1756.

DEAR GRENVILLE,-Lady Hester and I are just setting out for Stowe, and find it no small difficulty to turn our steps from one wished-for object, Wotton, to another of the same description, at so much a greater distance. But among various reasons that have regulated the priority of our visit to Stowe, the consideration of passing the rough road between that place and Wotton, but once, has had no small share.

Lady Hester has borne her journey well. I left London all in alarms, the French being embarking at Dunkirk.

We propose staying a week at Stowe, and are so unreasonable as to hope it may not be impossible that you and Mrs. Grenville may think the road thither less formidable than we do, and that we shall have the pleasure of being together there, before we are at Wotton. Adieu! I hope for a very short time.

W. PITT.

MR. PITT TO MR. GRENVILLE.

Hayes, August 20, 1756.

DEAR GRENVILLE,-Concurrent causes have occasioned my silence about our intended expedition to Ridgemont: first, a letter from Potter informed me of his intentions to be in town, and to see me at Hayes about the 15th instant. A second, which I have received a day or two, tells me he is obliged by business to defer his journey to London for ten days. Thirdly, and as conclusively as the last of many reasons for not firing on