his family to be considered? Are the sons to wait, with £20,000 a year from the King, for an opportunity to oppose his measures, and not taking the most trifling steps in support of them; nay saying, as they do publicly, that their father's friendship with the Duke of Newcastle is sacred, and that they shall abide by it.[1] I would bring them to explanation by removing at least Sir Joseph Yorke from his Embassy,[2] and his younger brother from the Board of Trade where you want a vacancy. But this is in some measure out of the intention with which this paper is written.
"I have said nothing of Charles Townshend. He must be left to that worst enemy, himself: care only being taken that no agreeableness, no wit, no zealous and clever behaviour, though on the right side, ever betray you into trusting him for half an hour.
"This paper may be a very silly one, because I may not know things that known would quite alter my opinion. But, as things appear to me, it is just. It is certainly my sincere opinion, and given with as much disinterested affection to His Majesty and cordiality of friendship to your Lordship as can be in the heart of any man.
"I shall ever have great satisfaction in thinking that I obeyed His Majesty's commands, and have not been quite useless, nor as I trust at all disagreeable to His Majesty in the execution of them. It will be an addition to that pleasure if I can hear that his affairs go on easily after I have left them; and think, that to their doing so, this paper of mine may have at all contributed."
Thus wrote Fox. The reply he received was an offer of the First Lordship of Treasury from Bute, sent to him through Calcraft:
"I write," says Calcraft to Shelburne, "lest I should forget any material part of a very long conference. I am just come from the Pay Office. Mr. Fox is plainly, in his own mind, much inclined to the Treasury, but Lady
