. His system of personal government through
ministers supported by his influence in parliament received its
death-blow from the ill-success of the American war. Before long he
adopted a better system; he found a prime minister who could command the
confidence of the nation, and he yielded himself, not always willingly,
to his guidance. Meanwhile the whigs were victorious. How long they were
to remain victors is yet to be seen. George was resolute, skilful in
intrigue, and by that time well versed in politics. He was aided by the
jealousies and mistakes of his opponents. Even in their hour of triumph
they found that he gained an advantage over them. The cabinet was
divided; its new members belonged half to the Rockingham and half to the
Shelburne party, while Thurlow was the king's trusted friend. Rockingham
acted unwisely in accepting office offered to him in a way which showed
that he was not to have the king's confidence. Though he was prime
minister, George gave his apparent confidence to another member of the
cabinet. Shelburne was not unreasonably believed to be ready to make
himself useful to the king with an eye to his own advancement. The seeds
of discord and distrust were at once sown among the new ministers. Even
while the ministry was in process of formation Fox sharply remarked to
Shelburne that he perceived that it "was to consist of two parts--one
belonging to the king, the other to the public".[164]

FOOTNOTES:

[145] Coxe, _Bourbon Kings of Spain_, iii., 424-37.

[146] George III. to North, April 18, 1782, _Corresp._, ii., 423.

[147] _Rockingham Memoirs_, ii., 425.

[148] _Parl. Hist._, xxii., 488.

[149] George to North, Sept. 26, 1780, _Corresp._, ii., 336.

[150] For the contrary view see _Engl. Hist. Rev._, v. (1890), 31 _sq._

[151] _Letters of Sir S. Hood_, Introd., xxxi.-xxxii., pp. 15-16, ed.
Hannay.

[152] Washington to Jefferson, June 8, 1780, _Works_, viii., 71; Clinton
to Germain, Oct. 29, 1780, _Clinton-Cornwallis Controversy_, i., 283.

[153] _Clinton-Cornwallis Controversy_, i., 238, 246, 261, 267.

[154] _Clinton-Cornwallis Controversy_, i., 104 n. 3a.

[155] Rawdon to Leslie, Oct. 24, 1780, _ibid._, p. 274; see also pp.
272, 278.

[156] Cornwallis to Clinton, Dec. 3, 1780, _op. cit._, pp. 304-7;
Tarleton, _Campaigns of 1780, 1781_, pp. 179-80; Stedman, ii., 229-31.

[157] Cornwallis to Germain, April 18, 1781, _Clinton-Cornwallis
Controv._, i., 417-18.

[158] Germain t