in this rumor, took an opportunity to
mention publicly, that neither _viva voce_, nor by letter had he given
the least surmise that would authorise it. Since, from the same
quarter, it has been insinuated, that the Courts of Vienna and
Petersburg had taken their measures, and would not be deterred from
the prosecution of them.

Great pains have been taken to persuade others, that the King of
Prussia had acceded to this confederation on consideration of
Courland, and that part of Silesia, still in possession of the
Austrian family, being ceded to him. This gained credit even at Court,
and my intimacy with the Prussian Minister induced me to speak of it
to him in a friendly way, as a circumstance that would be prejudicial
to his negotiation here. He then assured me he had no information on
the subject, and on my naming to him the source from whence I had my
information, he cautiously avoided appearing united with the Imperial
and Russian representatives, and a day or two ago positively assured
me, that he had received letters from the King, which authorised him
to say, that there was no foundation for this rumor. He made, I
believe, the same communication to the Count de Montmorin, and further
observed to me, that the Court of Vienna had made use of the same
artifice to induce the Elector of Bavaria to consent to a
dismemberment of his country.

The last letters from the north speak much of the great preparations
for war, making in the Austrian and Russian dominions. The firm
conduct of the Court of France may dissipate this storm, if the
accession of the Court of Prussia to this confederation should not
prove true. I have been assured from a very good quarter, that Lord
Shelburne saw with uneasiness the intentions of the Emperor and
Russia. But the late triumphs of his opponents in Parliament will
probably oblige him to resign. The preliminary articles of peace,
particularly those with the United States, were very ill received. The
address of thanks in the lower House was negatived by a majority of
sixteen, and carried in the upper by eight only. Lord Grantham told
the _Charge d'Affaires_ of Spain, that the treaty with America had
been the ruin of Lord Shelburne's administration; that he expected to
be obliged to give in his resignation also, for which reason he could
not proceed in his negotiation, until he saw whether the
administration, of which he was a member, kept its ground or not.

Thus for the present all i