I must attribute this, as I shall any
future success, to the ground which you laid for me, and to the
uniform assiduity with which you have supported my pretensions:
therefore, although you have had no immediate concern (that I
know) in this specific object, I must beg of you to accept a
very large share of the gratitude which I feel to those who have
promoted it for me. The Vice-Treasurerships, as I suppose you
know, do not go to Ireland.

I hope to have the pleasure of paying my duty to you at Stowe,
in the autumn; perhaps I may have the good fortune to see you
sooner in town, as I hear that you are coming up with a loyal
address. I beg my best compliments to Lady Buckingham.

Believe me, my dear Lord,
Ever most sincerely your obliged and affectionate
Mornington.

The "object," dimly and cautiously alluded to in the annexed letters,
was that of a peerage, to which the high pretensions of Mr. W. W.
Grenville justified him in looking forward; but which his prudence,
holding his honourable ambition in check, made him desirous of
postponing until he had won even greater distinction as a statesman than
he had already attained.

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

Thursday, Dec. 12th, 1786.

My dear Brother,

You do not say a word in your letter of Apsley and his deer.

Sir William Bowyers' man has declined the clerkship for himself,
and has no son old enough for it. I have a very handsome letter
from Mulgrave, leaving the Wardrobe Keeper to my disposal. On
inquiry, it appears to be worth at least L100 per annum, besides
apartments in Chelsea, and coals and candles. But residence is
absolutely necessary.

You will therefore judge what to do with it; but the Clerk's
place must be filled up without further delay. I have allowed
the widow of the Wardrobe Keeper to remain in the office till
March; but if you decide on the man, I can, in order to prevent
accidents, appoint him now to take possession in March. I
mention this the rather as I fear that, to my great sorrow, I am
going to have a new colleague, which I will explain to you in
ten days, by which time I hope to be at Stowe. It gives me very
real concern, because it is impossible for any man to have
behaved in a more gentleman-like and friendly manner than
Mulgrave has done on every occasion; and I fear