6 THE INFLUENCE OF GRENVILLE ON PITT’S FOREIGN POLICY. 
scruple to get Sir James Harris to change it in any manner you think 
safe, preserving the two general ideas I have just mentioned.”* * * § 
Grenville found conditions in Holland favorable to intervention and 
supported with energy the efforts of Harris. He was thus an active 
participant and agent in formulating those principles that resulted in 
the Triple Alliance of 1788, and heartily approved the spirited attitude 
assumed by the English government in its relations with France, f 
Grenville’s services at this crisis were not, however, concluded with 
the completion of his work in Holland. He returned to London in 
the middle of August, and the scene of diplomatic action was trans¬ 
ferred to Paris, where Eden and Goltz represented England and 
Prussia. Goltz reported to his government that Eden was not sup¬ 
porting him with energy in the demand made for a cessation of French 
interference in Holland, and this gave rise to a momentary impression 
at Berlin that England was not acting in good faith. Though Eden 
was anti-Prussian in his sympathies, the report was seemingly unjust 
to him, but it determined Pitt to send him a letter of reproof J and to 
hurry Grenville to Paris to take charge of the negotiations. Grenville 
went to Paris “ to speak plain, because he [Eden] has not ” § spoken 
plainly, and wrote to Buckingham, who disapproved of his acceptance 
of the undertaking, that “one of the difficulties on this subject was 
Eden’s want of a competent knowledge of the points in dispute. * * * * 
Another, and perhaps not the least of the two, was the strong bent of 
his mind to admit the assertions of the French government, however 
unfounded, and to soften our communications in order to keep back a 
rupture * * * || Grenville .set out for Paris on September 21, 
but before he arrived the rapid march of Prussian troops under 
the Duke of Brunswick had restored the Prince of Orange to his 
authority and nearly all of Pitt’s demands were already satisfied. In 
these circumstances Pitt thought that England should ask a guaranty 
of non-interference from France, rather than enter upon stipulations 
* Pitt to Grenville, August 7, 1787. Dropmore, III, 414-415. 
f Court and Cabinets , I, 319-339. 
X Smith MSS., p, 357 [Papers of Joseph Smith, private secretary to Pitt after 
1787]. Eden was reported at Berlin to have stated in Paris that England was not 
interested in supporting Prussia’s claims to satisfaction in Holland, but merely 
desired Prussian mediation. Pitt wrote to Eden, Sept. 8, 1787 : “ The report of it 
[this speech] may have produced the most serious and, in my opinion, irreparable 
consequences, if communications since made from lienee have not fortunately 
arrived in time to counteract it.” It is noteworthy, as illustrating the caution 
with which memoirs and letters compiled by interested partisans or relatives must 
be taken, that the portion of this letter containing Pitt’s reproof is wholly omitted 
in the Auckland Correspondence without any indication of the elision. 
§ Buckingham to Grenville, Sept. 20, 1787. Dropmore, I, 283. 
|j Grenville to Buckingham, Sept. 19, 1787. Court and Cabinets , I, 326-327. 
