Page:Life of William Shelburne (vol 1).djvu/85

Rh on any private testimony. He certainly was above avarice, but as to everything else, he only repressed his desires and acted; he was naturally ostentatious to a degree of ridicule; profuse in his house and family beyond what any degree of prudence could warrant. His marriage certainly had no sentiment in it. The transaction at the time of his resignation does not carry with it an absolute indifference as to money or other advantages, nor did there appear in any of his subsequent negotiations, in or out of power, that he went beyond what was necessary to satisfy the people at the time, or to secure his wished for situation. He acted the part so well that everybody was persuaded that he had a perfect contempt of both patronage and money, though those that lived to see him near, after George the Second's death, and when it suited George III. to make him nominal Minister in 1766, saw plainly the contrary; which in fact gave George III. and Lord Bute the advantage over him in every negotiation during the whole of George III.'s eventful reign. In truth, it was his favourite maxim that a little new went a great way. He depended on taking quick turns, which was his forte: example, Wilkes. He did not cultivate men because he felt it an incumbrance, and thought that he could act to more advantage without the incumbrance of a party. He told me himself in 1767, that the world were much mistaken in thinking that he did not like patronage, for he was but a little man in 1755, and was obliged to act the part he did; and he proved very sufficiently that he did, by catching at everything that dropped in almost every department, and as to caution, there is no describing the pains and consideration which he gave to the minutest action. It would not be believed how much time he took to compose the most trifling note. One time when he had a dispute with in the House of Commons, he told me with some warmth that such an expression which he had used in his speeches could not be excepted against, for he had tried it upon paper three times before he deter-