n question, to do as I do, which is to avoid saying anything
on the subject as long as I can; and when pressed, to profess
ignorance.

There is no great inconvenience arising, in reality, from the
communication of these intentions to the Prince. His intentions are
sufficiently decided, and he has no means of traversing our
schemes.

We do not yet know with certainty whether he has any idea of
negotiation; but if he has, it is unquestionably only as a cloak,
and meaning that it should be rejected. But the prospect of
detaching the Chancellor may make this less probable, although he
may perhaps insist on something of the sort being done to provide
for his _delicacy_. The general language is universal and immediate
dismission. If I am not mistaken, a storm is rising that they
little expect, and the sense of the country, instead of being
nearly as strong as in 1784, will be much stronger. But the party
in general are so hungry and impatient, that I think they will act
upon the better judgment of their leaders, and prevent them from
doing anything which may allow a moment's delay.

Ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

It was beginning to be suspected that Thurlow was about to _rat_.
His conduct justified the worst doubts. Sir William Young confirms
the intelligence about his increasing and suspicious intimacy with
the Prince of Wales.

SIR WILLIAM YOUNG TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Stratton Street, Nov. 30th, 1788.
MY DEAR LORD,

Since my last, all the intelligence to be given consists merely of
rumours and of opinions respecting the probable changes in the
Administration, on accession of the Prince to the executive
authority. The Prince, it is said, is wonderfully of late attached
to Thurlow. His Royal Highness hath not been equally gracious to
Mr. Pitt; and from the authority of a person who dined with him, I
am assured that his melancholy derived from the malady of his
father and King, is not of that deep and rooted sort for which "no
physic of the mind" can be found. Drinking and singing were
specifics on the day stated to me.

As to opinions alluded to above, they appear to me, who am not in
the secret, mere sermons to Shakspeare's text of "Harry, thy wish
was father to the thought." If aught is settle