like them, and this flagrante bello. It lasted a week till Mr. Pitt went to Lady Yarmouth and told her it would not do, that they must resign: and she brought all about. The whole of this was so much out of his generally received character that the old courtiers were confounded with being outdone at their own game, and Lord Bute often told me that he could never have conceived Pitt would have condescended to so much meanness, but Lord Bute with the mass of the people were dupes to the imposture of Mr. Pitt's character. There was nothing to which he would not stoop to gain his point. He knew the value of condescension, and reserved himself for the moment when he was almost certain of gaining his point by it: till then he pranced and vapoured. He likewise mixed into his conduct strict honour in details, which I have often observed deceive many men in great affairs, as the multitude have no great compass, and provided a man does not play false in the common intercourse of life, and is punctual in common dealing, if he be a cunning dextrous man with loose views, he will escape detection in large views by sacrificing lesser. The Duke of Newcastle was at bottom an honester man, but he lost the reputation of one by good nature and want of resolution in conducting the common patronage of the Treasury. Mr. Pitt likewise gained consideration by his justness and fairness towards the Duke of Cumberland in regard to the Convention of Closterseven.[1] The King was displeased with his conduct, alleged that he had not authority to conclude it, and under this impression referred it to a Cabinet, where the Duke of Newcastle and his friends took the part most likely to recommend them at Court, when Mr. Pitt on the contrary, declared he thought the Duke justified by his instructions, at the same time that he differed from the policy of the instructions, and I believe voted for putting the army again into motion under the command of the Prince of Brunswick. This gained him considerable reputation, for it was well known that he was fundamentally adverse to the Duke of Cumberland.
"Thus the war produced a strong Council and a strong
- ↑ See Count La Lippe's letter to Marshal Richelieu. (Note by Lord Shelburne.)
