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In alluding to the embarraſſed ſtate of Mr. Pittas finances, it is due to his memory from the Author, who was never ſeparated from him, either in perſonal affection or political attachment, from his firſt entrance into public life, to the very lateſt hour of his exiſtence, to ſtate a circumſtance with reſpect to pecuniary matters infinitely to his credit.
Early in 1789, when the nation was in a ſtate of deſpondency reſpecting the health of our beloved Sovereign, and a change in the adminiſitration. was thought extremely probable, it occurred to ſeveral gentlemen of the firſt reſpectability in the city of London, that Mr. Pitt, on quitting office, would be in a ſituation of great embarraſſment, not only from ſome debts which he had unavoidably incurred, but as to the means of his future ſubſiſtence. They felt the ſtrong impreſſion, in which the nation participated, of his great virtues, as well as of his eminent talents; and they were
on the occaſſion here alluded to, which has been proved to the author to be entirely a miſtake. In his anxiety, therefore, to prevent a continuance of a miſconception on the ſubject, he had it corrected with a pen in the unfold copies as ſoon as his attention was called to it; and he takes the opportunity of a, new edition to ſtate diſtinctly the error he had fallen into.
