impossible to move Bute from his determination to resign, now again addressed the latter on the arrangements that were to be made in the following terms:
"Finding with great concern, that Lord Bute's quitting, and quitting now, is a thing determined, and (for which Lady Caroline and I return our sincerest thanks) that the promise to us is remembered, and I am not desired to stay, I, at your Lordship's desire, write down my thoughts of what should be done considering these circumstances, and accommodating them as well as I can to what I heard from you this morning.
"The first thing to be considered, on which all the rest must turn is, Who shall be at the head of the Treasury?—Lord Halifax, Lord Waldegrave, Lord Northumberland, or G. Grenville, seem the only persons out of whom you can choose.
"If either of the three first, Oswald must be Chancellor of the Exchequer. If G. Grenville, he will be First Lord and Chancellor of the Exchequer. Of all these I incline to Grenville, if I can fairly say incline to one to whom I have so many objections. He has lost the esteem of the House of Commons, where on this supposition he ought to be in the highest. He is in disgrace there from being supposed to have been tried, and found insufficient, and from the ill repute his speaking there is in. I waive other objections because not allowed by those who know him better than I do, yet they speak of great timidity, a sad quality in the Minister of the House of Commons. But upon the whole, and especially knowing Lord Bute's good opinion of him, I very reluctantly (I can hardly bring myself to it) give the preference to Mr. Grenville.
"Upon this supposition let the popular Earl of Halifax remain where he is. Let Lord Shelburne succeed Lord Egremont. If, as I hope, that should drive Charles Townshend from the Board of Trade, let Oswald succeed him, and between Lord Shelburne and Oswald, that greatest and most necessary of all schemes, the settlement of America, may be effected. Let Lord Gower, the most practicable of men, be put
