death, with the reason of their present junction against the Duke of Newcastle,[1] a natural one, on account of his character—a most unnatural one in every other respect. Nothing could be more dissimilar than their characters, talents, habits, education; and though they both had views of arriving at the first place in Ministry, yet they differed totally in the means and road which was to lead to it.
"Mr. Pitt was a younger brother of no great family, as I believe the founder of it was Governor Pitt his grandfather, commonly known by the name of Diamond Pitt, on account of a vast large diamond which he obtained I know not how in the East Indies. I have never had an opportunity of inquiring much about his family or origin; but if they were not remarkable for their rank or property, they must have been so for their talents. It is no scandal to say there was a great degree of madness in the family; one sister is now confined, another described to be so on account of a most profligate life which she led, which prevented her being admitted into any company, and I believe there was a third in the style of the second. His sister, Miss Anne Pitt, was a very uncommon woman of great insinuation, and great force of character. She got into the intimacy of the Duchess of Bedford, Lady Bute and other great families; but it lasted only for a time, and I believe ended ill. At this time she and her brother kept house together. It may be supposed that such a union could not last long. One day she heard such an unusual number of raps at the door that she rung her bell, and could not help remarking that her brother had an unusual number of visitors. The servant replied that his master went out early, and had fixed up a notice that the house was to let, which made a number of people call to look at it. The elder brother was not confined, but obliged to lead a very retired life, first in England, and afterwards to live abroad in very bad circumstances, though he inherited a very considerable fortune and a considerable parliamentary interest, part of which has descended and is now
- ↑ In 1754-1755.
