t vote last night, which he was much impatient to
discover to Charles, with one of his fulsome compliments. Mr. Pitt's
speech to-day has made a great noise.

(1781,) Nov. 30, Friday m(orning).--I have sent my coachman this
morning to Neasdon, with your letter to George, and two or three
ripe pears, which he desired, so that before I seal up this letter,
I shall be able to let you know how he does. I wrote to him to
excuse my not answering his letter, which came to me on Monday, but
I have made him amends by sending him yours. I hear that Lord and
Lady Gower will be in town this evening, so I suppose that they will
go and make him a visit. When any of these are to be paid, I shall
be a candidate for a place in the coach.

The reason why I did not send your letter before was that I have had
no leisure to think of anything but what I would have avoided
thinking of, if I possibly could, but the truth is that I cannot
divert myself of thinking upon what must occupy everybody's mind,
which is, our public calamity and disgrace.(180) They are become too
serious and irretri(ev)able, in my opinion. I have had superadded to
these my own private mortifications, and I will be so frank as to
own I feel them too amids(t) what is of more consequence.

I have also had a great deal of conversation with Storer, have heard
his grievances, and I think that he has had very just cause to
complain, and if I wish or desire him to be pacified, it is not that
I do not think he has had great provocation. But he has taken the
only just and true line of reasoning and acting for him, which is to
do whatever is the most consonant to your plan and idea,
acknowledging as he ought, avowing, and giving me authority also to
say, that he thinks himself obliged to you and to you only for the
situation he has.

To the obligation which you have laid him under, and of which no one
can be more sensible, Lord North might have added one of his own,
which was, to have done what you required, and had a right to
require, de bon coeur, with a good grace. Instead of that, he has
permitted a little attorney,(181) upon whose good judgment and
liberality he reposes for all the great conduct of his
Administration, to job away from Storer and Sir Adam Ferguson half a
year's salary, in order to put one quarter more into the pocket of
Lord Walsingham, who had the pride, acquired by his title, of
disdaining to be in a new patent, and so pressing that the old might
not