present on false information, or may be defeated by the mode of
treatment adopted by those who are called in. I have, therefore,
mentioned this only to you, though possibly you may hear it from
other channels. On such authority, one certainly may be allowed to
indulge some degree of hope. I am, however, far from letting this
expectation take possession of my mind, but, on the contrary, have
prepared myself for the worst, and can with truth say that I have
made up my mind to meet it with cheerfulness, and to accommodate
myself as a reasonable man ought to do to my situation.

You will particularly see that this consideration had no effect on
my judgment, and that I feel as you do. On the question of a
coalition, no offers have as yet been made. The language of
Opposition inclines one to think that their idea is _to that_, but
the conduct of the Prince of Wales marks a desire of avoiding Pitt.
I believe he has had no communication with the Duke of Portland, or
with any of them, except Sheridan and Lord Loughborough; the latter
is supposed to be much in his confidence. Pitt has opened his plan
of Regency to Thurlow and Lord Weymouth, and they both approved it;
he is to lay it before the Prince of Wales in a few days, and will
then make it public.

Whatever is done, I have no conception that it can be brought to a
point so as to enable you to form any decisive judgment with respect
to your situation so early as the beginning of next month. We are
now at the 19th. Pitt means to-day to move an adjournment to this
day sevennight, and a call of the House for this day fortnight. It
is doubtful whether the business will even then be brought on, and
the intervening adjournment is made with the view of enabling Pitt
to put off the call to a more distant day if the King's situation
should be thought to render that a proper step.

Bernard is now out of town, but I understood from him that your
house in Pall Mall was let to the Duke of Gordon for another year,
to commence from Christmas.

I am just returned from the House, where Pitt moved the adjournment
for the whole fortnight (in consequence of an opinion of the
Chancellor's), and a call at the end of that term. Not a word was
said by any other person, and he himself barely stated that the
continuance