for one quarter of an hour, at any day or hour after Saturday next that you shall be pleased to command me to wait on you at Hayes. It is so long since Lord Chatham's health has allowed his Lordship to see me, that, struggling in a most arduous career, where friendship to him could alone bring me from a life much more pleasing to my own mind, I think I am entitled from this circumstance to claim the favour I beg of your Ladyship, in order to disburden my mind on some particular subjects, and that your Ladyship may know at least that my whole con

taxes on America. The Duke of Grafton was rather shy, and did not come to attend the last council at Hillsborough's. They meet again on Wednesday, when he is to be present. There are those who think that the Bedfords will have the whole."

"August 1 Lord Botetourt's appointment* surprised me much, but Amherst's removal more. Lord Granby is much abused for not resisting it, and Amherst, I hear, is not to be pacified, though advantageous offers have been made to him. Nothing can be more contradictory than the accounts one hears. The Bedford people assert, that there is not the most remote probability of a change, and the friends of the Duke of Grafton assert the same thing. Upon the whole, I think Shelburne's continuance rather confirms than contradicts the opinion I delivered to you in my last. It is natural to suppose, that the court would not suffer a partial remove to take place if they had a general one in view; and of the proposal made to Lord Egmont I don't entertain a doubt."

"August 15. Take these three things for granted:- that the removal of Shelburne was proposed in the closet, and objected to; that the Duke of Grafton still thinks he can carry the point, and that Rochford is to be his successor; and that the Bedfords have been endeavouring to get the treasury for Lord Gower."

* As governor of Virginia, in the room of Sir Jeffrey Amherst.

duct has not, nor shall have, any other bias than that which brought me forward into my present situation.

I shall be in London on Saturday, and hope to find the favour of a line there from your Ladyship; to whom I have the honour to be, with the truest esteem and the most profound respect, Madam, Your Ladyship's most obedient

and most humble servant,

GRAFTON.

THE COUNTESS OF CHATHAM TO THE DUKE OF

MY LORD,

GRAFTON.

Hayes, October 8, 1768.

I AM extremely honoured by your Grace's most obliging letter, which I received this morning by the post. I hope your Grace will believe I must be always highly flattered with receiving a visit from you, but I should think myself inexcusable if I suffered your Grace to have the trouble of coming to Hayes, without first apprizing you, that the very weak state of my Lord's health puts it absolutely out of my power to convey to him the communication of any business; and I beg to add, that being conscious how unequal I am to judge of political matters, the whole I can say to your Grace, is to express, as I beg leave to do in this letter, my real good wishes for the honour of his Majesty

and for the success of his affairs, which are in your Grace's hands.

If, notwithstanding, your Grace should still continue to let me have the honour of seeing you, according to your obliging intention, I shall hope for that honour about noon on Sunday next. I have the honour to be, with the highest esteem and greatest respect,

Your Grace's, &c. &c.

H. CHATHAM.(')

(1) The following imperfect memorandum of a conversation with the Duke of Grafton is in the handwriting of Lady Chatham :

"October 9, 1768.

"Does your Ladyship think Lord Chatham will resign?' 'My Lord's health is very bad.'

"I struggle through immense difficulties, from the hope of restoring to Lord Chatham's hands the whole of business, which you know I continued only in that view,' &c.

"I must confess, from the length of my Lord's illness, and the manner in which the gout is dispersed upon his habit, that I believe there is but small prospect of his ever being able to enter much again into business.' * * * *

"With regard to that, though my Lord's health is too weak to admit of any communication of business, I am able to tell your Grace from my Lord himself, having mentioned to him the reports of Lord Shelburne's removal, that it will never have his consent nor concurrence, as thinking it quite contrary to the King's service. He has a great regard and friendship for him, and thinks his abilities make him necessary, in the office he is in, to the carrying on of his Majesty's business. My Lord would think either most unhappy and very unfortunate for his Majesty's service.'"*

* This last remark seems to refer to something dropped by the Duke, with reference to the dismissal of Sir Jeffrey Amherst and the Earl of Shelburne,

THE EARL OF CHATHAM TO THE DUKE OF GRAFTON

[From a draught in Lady Chatham's handwriting.]

MY LORD,

Hayes, Wednesday, October 12, 1768.

My extremely weak and broken state of health continuing to render me entirely useless to the King's service, I beg your Grace will have the goodness to lay me, with the utmost duty, at his Majesty's feet, together with my humblest request that his Majesty will be graciously pleased to grant me his royal permission to resign the privy seal. May I be allowed at the same time to offer to his Majesty my deepest sense of his Majesty's long, most humane, and most gracious indulgence towards me, and to express my ardent prayers for his Majesty.

Though unable to enter into business, give me leave, my Lord, not to conclude without expressing to your Grace, that I cannot enough lament the removal of Sir Jeffrey Amherst and that of Lord Shelburne.(') I will add no more to your Grace's present trouble, than to desire your Grace will accept my sincerest acknowledgments of all your goodness to me. I beg your Grace to believe me, with the highest esteem and respect,

Your Grace's, &c. &c. &c,

CHATHAM.

(1) Upon the removal of Lord Shelburne, which took place in the beginning of January, Lord Weymouth was appointed secretary of state for the southern department, in his stead, and the Earl of Rochford succeeded Lord Weymouth as secretary of state for the northern.

THE DUKE OF GRAFTON TO THE EARL OF CHATHAM.

MY LORD,

Grosvenor Square, October 12, 1768.

I FEEL too much concern in the idea of any circumstance that can induce your Lordship to retire from your situation in the King's service, from the prejudice it will bring on his Majesty's affairs, that if I had no other reasons, I should even on this consideration beg leave to represent my sentiments on an event so unhappy for this country. But, my Lord, having myself given way some time ago to your entreaties to me to remain in my present post, when your health was at least as bad as it now is, I have some right to claim from you a return of the same conduct, when I see, as your Lordship was pleased then to say, that nothing could be so truly serviceable to his Majesty's affairs. Allow me to recall this conversation and assurance from your Lordship to your recollection, and on the ground of it to entreat your Lordship not to deprive his Majesty of that support, which even the hopes of your recovery gives to his government.

Your Lordship's letter laments a circumstance which I mentioned to Lady Chatham as one appearing to me to be necessary, and on which I intended humbly to submit my opinion to his Majesty. I lament it also, as Lord Shelburne was recommended by your Lordship; yet give me leave to say, that, in the same situation, your Lordship would give the same advice as that which