expected that you should _pledge_ yourself for madmen, but that
you certainly _hoped_. He then said that it would take a day or
two to prepare and send in circulation the despatch, and hoped
this would make no material difference. I said certainly not, if
I was allowed to state this conversation to you. To this he
agreed. Then I mentioned the dissolution. He said that you
seemed to agree that this would take effect much better with the
news of a peace, and that (he might tell me confidentially) this
must be decided within three days, unless something very
unforeseen happens.

On this idea I wait here a few days longer, and then shall bring
your despatches with me, and go back if you think it right.

I think the event shows how much more strongly your
determination operated, as I said it would, than all the
reasoning possible.

Believe me ever,
My dear brother,
Most sincerely and affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

The "Order" referred to in the following letter is the Order of the
Knights of St. Patrick, instituted in Ireland, under the Viceroyalty of
Lord Temple, on the 5th of February, 1783.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO LORD TEMPLE.

Pall Mall, Dec. 28th, 1782.

My dear Brother,

As, in consequence of your letter of the 25th, I mean to stay
over the 21st of January, I write immediately to explain to you
what I referred to in my last about the Order. It is not of any
very great importance; but as I then expected to have seen you
in a few days, I thought I should be able to explain it better
by word of mouth.

It relates to the difficulty of reconciling the business of the
Commoners who have been talked of for it, with the King's strong
approbation of your only having proposed sixteen, and his very
great disinclination, which Townshend has repeatedly expressed
to me, to increase the number even to eighteen or twenty. I
suppose you mean sixteen _exclusive_ of the Sovereign and Grand
Master. I apprehend Conolly, Ponsonby, O'Neill, and Daly to have
been talked of. The difficulty is greater, because I understand
that the two first have more than once refused peerages. This,
however, you will arrange as you think best. The King was
pleased with the motto, _Quis separabit?_ To this would apply
very well the Collar which Hawkins told me had been thought of,