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262 spoke of the consequence of offending them, perhaps unnecessarily, in point of numbers in the House of Commons, which I took the liberty of telling him, I could not think him serious in mentioning; but upon the whole came to this point: that from these reasons, as well as others regarding the King himself, who had always since the Duke's death dwelt upon his not being given up blindfold, that he was certain when they came to go into the King, if nothing previous was settled, it would give His Majesty such advantage that everything would be given up without anything certain, and a convulsion would follow which might bring in the late Ministry, or no one knew what; while, if they went in united and in good humour with each other, the King was so hampered by many things that had passed, that without entering into any consideration of the interior of the Court he must certainly agree to it. He spoke a good deal of the Duke of Grafton with regard and friendship as a man, but not quite I thought as a Minister, with that cordiality I could wish. I plainly saw he was convinced the Duke of Grafton and Mr. Conway would bring things to a crisis. He said he had been told from those who had heard it from you, that they had asked more as your friends than he had done, at the same time that you could with great sincerity commend his motives. I told him with great truth that I had never heard any such distinction.

When he spoke of influence about the King I could not help saying something, though as I saw there was little hope of convincing, what I said was so guarded that it amounted to nothing; and as to the rest my aim was to leave it in general where I found it, answering him with great sincerity that I felt myself totally unable to form any judgment in the present confusion, that I could mention even in the greatest confidence to you. And I have only to beg, Sir, that you will not interpret my relation of the conversation into any opinion of my own, which is one among other reasons of my writing it. It is not only such a labyrinth, but a labyrinth so entangled that I have no faculties which lead me to any understanding of