350 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 180. 



King of Prussia. The poor young prince cannot 

 liver I have time for no more. 



Adifeu, yours ever, 



E.R. 

 I expect to hear fully from you very shortly. 



St. James's Place, 1st Feb., 1766. 



Dear little Bob, 



Though you are a little villain for never sending 

 me a word of news from Sir Lucius Pery, Flood, 

 Lucas, and the rest of the friends to your enslaved 

 country, yet I will inform you that yesterday, in 

 the House of Commons, upon a question of no 

 moment, only for fixing a day for the hearing a 

 contested election, the ministry were run within 

 11 : the numbers 137 and 148. Twenty rats in 

 the Speaker's chamber, and in all the cupboards in 

 the neighbourhood. Monday next is the day for 

 deciding the American question ; and do not be 

 surprised if there is an end of the present ministry 

 in less than a week. As soon as I know who are 

 to be their successors, you shall hear from me 

 again. 



If you are in want of such another patriot to 

 second Lucas, Pitt is at your service. He seems 

 likely to want a place. Yours ever, 



R.R. 



St. James's Place, 1 4th Nov., 1766. 

 Dear little Bob, 



I have not wrote to you this age, nor have I any- 

 thing very pleasant to say to you now. Our Par- 

 liament is met in a very acquiescing disposition. 

 The Opposition is sickly, and my great friend, who 

 would naturally give it most strength and energy, 

 is tired of it as much as he is of the Court. Lord 

 Chatham seems, by all that has yet appeared, to 

 have adopted all Grenville's plan of pacific mea- 

 sures ; and as he formerly told us he had borrowed 

 a majority, he seems now to have borrowed a 

 system. The world has it, that we are joined to 

 the ministry, and, as matters stand, I wish there 

 was more truth in that report than there is ; but I 

 have not the smallest expectation of a place, I 

 assure you. Tell this or not, as you like. The 

 Duke of Bedford says he sees no ground to oppose 

 upon : he disapproves of mere factious opposition ; 

 that no good can arise from such conduct either to 

 ourselves or the public. 



I have been at the House only the first day, 

 nor do I know when I shall go again. I cannot 

 stomach giving my silent approbation to Conway's 

 measures, be they good or bad. In this damned 

 situation of affairs you will not expect I should 

 write long letters ; but I could not avoid giving 

 you a hint to let you know the true state of things. 

 Adieu, my dear friend. 



Yours ever, 



St. James's Place, 2nd May, 1767. 

 Dear Bob, 



The East India business is in a way of beinw 

 settled, — 400,000/. to be paid by the company for 

 three years, and no addition of term to be given 

 for their charter. It remains for the General 

 Court of Proprietors to consent to this next Wed- 

 nesday, which, if they do, the Parliament will con- 

 firm it on Friday. We had some good warm talk 

 upon it yesterday in the House. Conway and 

 Beckford and I sparred a good deal, and I am vain 

 enough to think I did not come off with the worst 

 of it. Conway said, inter alia, that Lord Chatham's 

 health was too bad to have any communication of 

 business. The world seems to agree that he is 

 mad, and his resignation is talked of, — God knows 

 with what truth. The American business is next 

 Tuesday. I do not see much prospect of a junc- 

 tion taking place where I have been labouring for 

 it. We remain upon civil terms with each other, 

 and no more. ....... 



My heart's love to all friends in Dublin : tell them 

 it is every day more and more my opinion that this 

 Lieutenant never means to set his foot in that 

 kingdom, and I have good reasons for what I say. 



Adieu, my dear little fellow. 



I am ever yours, 



R.K. 



St. James's Place, SOth May, 1767. 

 Dear Fitz, 

 I have received your several letters, and am 

 much obliged to you for them. I wish I could 

 send you something real in the political way, as 

 you call it, in return ; but there is as little reality 

 as stability in our politics. Dyson has carried his 

 persecuting bill against the East India Company 

 through the flouse of Commons, in spite of the 

 Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Exche- 

 quer, both of whom helped us to make up a miser- 

 able minority of 84 against 151. Cliarles went at 

 one o'clock in the morning, when the House was 

 up, to dinner with a set of our friends, at Sir 

 Lau. Dundass's, and there talked a big language 

 of resigning the seals the next day. The next day 

 came, and we rallied the majority upon this state 

 of independence with great success, both Charles 

 himself, Wedderburn, and I ; and he invited him- 

 self, Charles I mean, to dine with us again that 

 day at Lord Gower's. Again the same language of 

 resignation ; but the spirit has subsided since, and 

 we hear no more of it. If Conway and he will take 

 such usage, the Court will certainly let them keep 

 their places ; for where can it find better tools ? 

 The East India Company pursue the bill, with the 

 council and evidence, to the House of Lords, where 

 matters run much nearer ; for on the same day we 

 were so beat in the House of Commons, Lord 

 Gower's motions in the House of Lords, touching 

 America, were rejected only by a majority of 



