Page:Life of William Shelburne (vol 1).djvu/226

200 former was accordingly in every way disposed to be a ready instrument, when Bute, having advised the King to dismiss Grenville, once more called him into the field as a negotiator.

Considering the strong opposition which Pitt had offered to Bute, the decision now taken by the latter to approach him may seem extraordinary; but when it is recollected that at one period of their career they had been united, and that Pitt himself—even when most opposed to Bute politically—had never shown that violent personal objection to him, of which others such as Bedford openly boasted, the step may not seem so difficult of explanation: especially when we consider the position of the Ministry, and that its chief members were disliked by the King, and at variance with one another. Bute and Pitt had at least the common ground that they were both opposed to the exclusive domination of the great Whig houses, though they differed as to the principles involved. To Bute the struggle seemed mainly one for the personal rights and prerogatives of a patriotic King; to Pitt it was a struggle for the freedom of the crown from cabals and connection and for an efficient executive. Bute therefore had now determined to seek the evils he knew not of, rather than those of which he had daily experience, and he commissioned Shelburne to treat, not only as before with Bedford and Gower, but with Pitt as well. Accepting the part tendered to him, Shelburne decided to negotiate with Bedford and Pitt through Calcraft, while to Gower he wrote himself as follows:

"I just hear that it is possible you may go into Staffordshire before my return, which I beg may not be, as I want very much to see you.

"There is not a man in England who is more against unnecessary changes of hands than myself, for the King's sake and for his country's sake, but by what I can observe every day, the present system grows more precarious, and it will be very necessary for your Lordship's sake, and for the sake of your friends, to have some fixed ideas about men and things before that time comes. Does the Duke