THE PRINCESS OF WALES [1814. 



particular, is most zealous (as I expected), and only 

 fears that some bad effect may arise to her Koyal 

 Highness from the matter being broached in Parlia- 

 ment. He is examining the subject on its own merits, 

 and I have been furnishing him with all my notes 

 relating to it, the law, precedents, &c. &c. 



"As far as former instances go, they are rather 

 against us, for no restrictions were ever imposed in 

 those cases, but they were very unlike the present ; 

 and the principle of the thing is clearly with us. I 

 mean to have a long talk with Erskine as soon as I 

 come back, and Lord Thanet (to whom I am going) is 

 sure to be both right and warm. He has deservedly 

 great weight, from his admirable sense and high honour. 



" The only two quarters in which there is any cold- 

 ness or disinclination are the Grenvilles and Holland 

 House. This is partly owing to their twist respecting 

 the Princess of Wales, in which they are quite incur- 

 able, and which somehow extends itself to all such 

 questions, and partly, I fear, to apprehensions of 

 offending the Prince. Perhaps, from what Tierney 

 and Lord Grenville both say, it may be supposed that 

 they think the Prince of Orange would take offence ; 

 and they probably look forward to his having more 

 weight than I hope and trust he or any other PRINCE 

 ever will have. One of my reasons for this conjecture 

 is, that I find it is the fashion in those quarters (Gren- 

 ville's and Holland House) to speak of Lord Welling- 

 ton as the future Government of this country through 

 the Prince of Orange. But as to the present subject, 

 if the rest of our friends keep steady, those two juntas 

 will follow the current. I forgot to mention that 

 Plunkett takes the thing up strongly. 



