the Opposition. In the meanwhile a third party was forming, which,
trying to reconcile hopeless antagonisms, ran its head against a
crotchet, resisting the restrictions on the one hand, and supporting Mr.
Pitt, as Minister, on the other, for the sake of his popularity and
transcendant abilities. This line of conduct is justly described by Mr.
Grenville as "absolute nonsense."

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Whitehall, Dec. 9th, 1788.
MY DEAR BROTHER,

The messenger who carries this is sent for the purpose of
collecting proxies. It is, you know, necessary that they should be
renewed every session; for which reason I have desired that a blank
proxy should be directed to you, which I suppose you will fill up,
as before, with Fortescue's name. He is quite eager (especially for
him), and came up to town for the first day. I think there is every
reason to hope that we shall not stand in need of this sort of
canvass, either for the House of Commons or the House of Lords; but
you will certainly agree with me, that no pains are superfluous
when such points are in question.

I do not learn that there is any foundation for the report which I
mentioned to you of the round-robin entered into by their Royal
Highnesses. The partizans of Opposition are, however, still
circulating, with great industry, the idea that the Prince of Wales
has positively declared his resolution not to accept the Regency
under any restrictions whatever. I take this, however, to be
nothing more than a bully, intended to influence votes in the House
of Commons. If, however, he should be so desperate, I should hope
there would be every reason to believe that the Queen would be
induced to take the Regency, in order to prevent the King's hands
from being fettered for the remainder of his life. Nothing has yet
passed with respect to this subject. Pitt has seen her once; but
the conversation was nothing more than general, although with the
greatest civility, and even kindness, on her part towards him.

We receive every day new professions of attachment; and I do not
yet hear of any one individual of any consequence whom we shall
lose, except, probably, the Duke of Queensbury. The Duke of Grafton
has declared himself explicitly. There is no longer any doubt of
Thurlow; and there never h