to write to them on the titles of Prince Henry ; whom the King means to create Duke of Cumberland, and his allowance of 9,000l. per annum is to commence from Michaelmas.

I was told at court (and really mention it only to give information, quite easy on the determination), that the treasurer's staff vacant was never offered to another before the comptroller lord had the compliment of it; provided they both sat in the same house of Parliament. Perhaps the pure offer of it would be esteemed greatly, when in fact they are so near in value and in dignity, that either would be indifferent to a new person. I have the honour to be, with every sincere wish for your Lordship's health, prosperity, and happiness, my dear Lord,

Your most faithful

humble servant,

GRAFTON.

THE RIGHT HON. HANS STANLEY TO THE EARL OF СНАТНАМ.

MY DEAR LORD,

Privy Garden, October 1, 1766.

MR. CONWAY communicated to me the intended despatch to Sir Andrew Mitchell ('), which in other

(1) The original of this spirited letter is in the British Museum. After expressions of satisfaction, at the able manner

circumstances would have appeared to me to enter rather too far into the detail of the proposed nego

in which Sir Andrew had opened to the King of Prussia this delicate and important matter, it proceeds thus: "Notwithstanding many things his Majesty had heard of the King of Prussia's manner of expressing himself of late, in regard to connexions with this country, his Majesty could not but receive with much surprise your account of the great coldness with which he received the advance made to him; and whether this language is sincere or affected, it seems fit he should understand, that the value of the alliance which his Majesty from predilection offers, must not be beaten down and treated as if England had particular selfish views alone to serve, and was asking a boon, instead of proposing a most honourable and advantageous system of union for the public good, for the mutual security and advantage of the powers proposed to be parties in it, and for none more evidently than of his Prussian Majesty himself; the jealousy and power of whose neighbours, and the weak state of whose internal affairs, from the disorder of his trade and finances, seem to call loudly for the prop of so firm and powerful an alliance as that now voluntarily proposed to him.

"He says, 'the times are not proper.' What! while the Family Compact of the House of Bourbon exists, strengthened by their union with the House of Austria, the most formidable combination ever formed, and the most dangerous to the liberties of Europe?

"He says, 'there are matters of discussion between us and France likely, one time or other, to be the occasion of a new war, in which the natural interests of Prussia might not lead her to take part.' His Prussian Majesty ought to be told, that a matter of discussion, called Silesia, is the object in Europe the most likely to kindle a new war, if not timely prevented by prudent and proper measures. These things must be put in their true light; and this charge, attempted to be given at the outset of this negotiation, must be very effectually and very explicitly set right. His Majesty's dignity demands it, and the success of the negotiation upon a proper foot depends upon it. "He asks, what stipulations?' None! till we know he is disposed to treat upon an equal foot, on the general ground of

tiation; but as that minister will probably not receive it till after farther conferences with the King of Prussia, nor indeed till after the departure of his next courier, and will make use of his instructions according to the answers he has received from his Prussian Majesty, I think there is no real objection arising on that account, and that the sense and spirit with which it is composed deserve the highest approbation.

I was this day at St. James's. It did not appear to me necessary to ask an audience; but as I thought it was possible his Majesty might be willing to speak to me on the subject of the late despatch from Germany, I desired the lord of the bed-chamber to say, that as I was going for some time into the

mutual defence, and the support of the general peace and tranquillity free from subsidies in time of peace, and from such engagements as the honour and interest of this nation must refuse, particularly the Turkish clause, endeavoured to be imposed upon us by Russia, and never before attempted to be introduced in the various treaties of defensive alliance made by Great Britain, either with Russia or with the House of Austria.

"If his Prussian Majesty is cordial, if he is disposed to this great union, we meet him more than half way. If he expects to be entreated, he should know it is not for his Majesty's honour to go further than the step already taken. A continuance of hesitation will be looked on as a refusal, and his Prussian Majesty will probably repent, ere long, having lost the fairest and noblest opportunity that could offer, to build his own honour and security on the same firm basis with the general peace and liberty of Europe."

In a postscript, Sir Andrew is desired to use the contents of this letter at his discretion, according to the situation of things at Berlin when it arrived.

country, I should attend after the levee, in case his Majesty had any orders to give me before I left London. He was pleased to admit me immediately into his presence, and to enter still more fully than he had done before into all the circumstances of the affair entrusted to me.

I have the satisfaction to inform your Lordship, that, notwithstanding the very cool and inadequate return made to those open and amicable advances which have come from hence, his Majesty remains as firmly persuaded of the propriety of all the steps which have been hitherto taken, as if this overture had met with the most cordial reception. I did not fail to observe to him, that as he had stepped forth in a wise as well as generous plan for the defence of the liberties of Europe against a combination which threatened them, there could, even in case of failure, be no diminution of dignity to the power which had proposed an alliance tending to so great an object; and that it was, on the contrary, the refusal that must degrade the party whence it arose. I touched on the general reasons which made an union with us still more eligible and even necessary to Prussia, than to Great Britain; and I did not forget to urge my motives for thinking that even very lately such an offer would have been embraced, if some unhappy variation of temper, which may possibly again alter towards our side, had not, against every probable and well-founded expectation, intervened. Majesty was pleased to intimate to me his intention,

His

that I should not set out on my mission till after the arrival of another courier from Berlin; and that if the despatch then received was not satisfactory, my journey should be still farther deferred, till an answer came to that despatch which is now going to Sir Andrew Mitchell.

This part of my audience led very naturally to some discourse on the situation of my embassy, considered with regard to Russia, if a disappointment should occur at Berlin. I found his Majesty inclined to think that, after so long and so many repeated solicitations, a second refusal of his alliance, tendered in so solemn a manner, would be a very disagreeable event, however it might possibly flatter the pride of the court of Petersburg, or furnish their ministers with a fresh opportunity of proving their attachment to Prussia. I presumed to say, that too affected a reserve often did more harm even than indiscretion, and that in so fair and friendly a transaction the truth was the most honourable apology; that there could be no secret in this business which would not be communicated from Berlin to M. Panin; that I therefore did not see why Sir George Macartney might not be instructed to say, that his Majesty having had occasion to give a fresh consideration to his foreign affairs, and having observed that after every argument founded on justice or policy for insisting on making a Turkish war a casus fœderis had been confessedly refuted, the last resort of the Russian court had been to plead prior engagements for that stipulation formed with Prussia, and even in the strongest