I 
70 THE INFLUENCE OF GRENVILLE ON PITT’S FOREIGN POLICY. 
by any “ ostensible act on rhe part of the French Government to justify 
Lord M [almesbury] ’s return, ’ ’ the exact point upon which Lord Gren¬ 
ville had insisted, Pitt altogether lost confidence in the intrigue and 
urged Grenville to hasten the preparation of a public resume of the 
negotiations at Lille.* 
From this time no further thought was given to ideas of peace, but 
every energy was directed toward a vigorous preparation for national 
defense and the continuation of the war. Though the actual result 
of the negotiations at Lille had been decided rather by the outcome 
of the conflict in Paris than by any decided change in Pitt’s own senti¬ 
ments, Grenville, by his sturdy opposition and skillful maneuver¬ 
ing, had prevented Pitt from expanding his original concessions to 
France, had saved him from a dangerous trap in the secret overtures, 
and had revived the spirit of the Cabinet. The dignity and honor 
with which England emerged from the negotiations, due primarily to 
the proud tone of Grenville’s official despatches, proved of great service 
to the government both in Parliament and with the public. Pitt’s 
ministry was never stronger. Grenville quietly resumed his former 
predominance in the determination of foreign policy, while the old 
conditions of friendly intercourse and confidence with his chief were 
at once renewed. 
*Pitt to Grenville, Oct. 18, 1797. Dropmore, III, 381. It is stated by Stan¬ 
hope (III, 61) that the offers came from Barras, but no sufficient proof of this has 
ever been produced. In Barras’s Memoirs (II, 576) mention is made of “ Potter the 
Englishman ” who has just come from London, July 20, 1797. Potter seems to have 
been a French spy. Such a man was hard 1 } T likely to have been entrusted with the 
offer in question. Maret believed Melville to be of like character, and a mere in¬ 
triguer, planning things he had no authority to propose. Malmesbury to Grenville, 
Aug. 22, 1797. Dropmore, III, 356. The offer through Bojffi boie more marks of 
authenticity, because of the character of the person employed, but taken all together 
no positive assertion that Barras was implicated is possible. 
