Page:Life of William Shelburne (vol 2).djvu/462

426 advice of Mr. Grey the Prince had sent Lord Moira in 1798 to ascertain his views. "Lord Moira," writes Lord Lansdowne, "said that he had sometime since had the Prince's directions to consider of two lines of administration; one, an eventful one in case of the King's illness being a short one; the other in case of its being permanent; that in the latter case there was no situation which the Prince would not consider to be at my choice, no competitor, of course after the Treasury. I told him I had none in view, though I wished the country saved, Yet, (said he) 'I love the Duke of Norfolk & I dare say he will soon come to Carlton House & explain it all to me. I love too Charles Fox extremely, but I wish Things were not so conducted—I have but few friends to consult or advise with—Moira is gone to Ireland for whom I have the highest Regard—he will do correctly where he is—and, Il est brave comme son Epée—Thurlow is a strange Man. We are great friends in private—but what a Speech he made in the House of Lords! They press me to act—How can I take a public Part? I should be torn to pieces by new Calumnies from the Ministers—and called a second Egalité—what can I have at heart but an Union of those who would serve the Public efficiently?—My Stake is pretty considerable—the Crown, my family, and my little Daughter—But the King is a mere Tool in the hands of these Men—What a Dog is the Chancellor?—Pitt and He combined in the Business of my Debts to render me unpopular, and the Country now owes me 250,000l. which I have been absolutely defrauded of. I know it is not a Period at which I can apply to the Public for it, but my affairs have never been before that Public—I could have desired nothing more advantageous for me than to have stated them broadly & openly—The King—but that is a sad subject and we will not talk upon it

By the Way (continued the Prince) I never was acquainted with Lord Lansdown, and indeed I have understood from a Variety of Quarters that he was disinclined to me personally.' I assured the Prince it was a gross Misrepresentation as I had often heard Lord Lansdown express the highest Regard for him.

"The Prince went on—'The Strength of the Monarchy,' said he, 'after all consists in the affections of the People—Government cannot continue to go on by the Few exerting mere Influence & Prerogative—I say these things merely to know whether my Opinions are supported by yours—We have laughed together formerly, but times now grow serious, & I have a respect for your Opinions.'

"I replied, 'Certainly, Sir, the broader the Basis the firmer the Monarchy.'

"He said, 'You have got rid of that fellow Anstruther—but He was only a contemptible Instrument of their Treachery to me. Yet I shall never be at Ease while I am in the Fangs of this Fiend (Pitt). Why should not Lord Lansdown & Fox meet & define the Line of Measures they would mutually abide by? Why should they not mutually carry the Proposition of that Line of Measures openly & fairly to the King? I never knew Lord Lansdown & I repeat to you that I have been informed on strong Authority that he was personally disinclined to me. I wish you would sound him on the Subject. I should be glad if an Occasion offered itself of conversing with Lord Lansdown for half an hour—I have taken up a great deal of your time—but I wished to know how far you thought my Modes of thinking on these Subjects were conformable to your own.'

"This Conversation lasted more than an hour and till we were left alone in the house I am sure I have remembered all the leading Topics.

"The night after I met Lady Jersey, who told me the Prince mentioned that he had had a long Discussion with me on the preceding Evening." (Lansdowne House MSS.)