Page:Memoirs of a Trait in the Character of George III.djvu/123

Rh the final settling; especially, and the consideration is of prime importance, that the Petitioner had relinquished every other advantage in life, which his extraordinary abilities might have insured him, to solve the problem of the Longitude, by and with the encouragement of the Commissioners, the mathematical Commissioners, be it observed, till his ultimate success was highly probable.

The debate on the grant not being to be procured, the ostensible causes of this partial failure do not appear; but the real circumstances, or what William Harrison took to be so, are thus accounted for to his friend. After adverting to the weary struggle, but unexpected success of the contest, with such powerful opponents, he proceeds 'Had I been so happy as to have pushed matters, with my Lord North, while Sir George Saville, and some more of my most worthy friends were in town, I had received the whole, without any deduction, but out of politeness to Lord North, his Lordship