Now are you mortally angry with me for trifling with you, and not telling you at once the particulars of this almost-revolution.  You may be angry, but I shall take my own time, and shall give myself what airs I please both to you, my Lord Ambassador, and to you, my Lord Secretary of State, who will, I suppose, open this letter—­if you have courage enough left.  In the first place, I assume all the impertinence of a prophet, aye, of that great curiosity, a prophet, who really prophesied before the event, and whose predictions have been accomplished.  Have I, or have I not, announced to you the unexpected blows that would be given to the administration?—­come, I will lay aside my dignity, and satisfy your impatience.  There’s moderation.

We sat all Monday hearing evidence against Mr. Wood,(482) that dirty wretch Webb,(483) and the messengers, for their illegal proceedings against Mr. Wilkes.  At midnight, Mr. Grenville offered us to adjourn or proceed.  Mr. Pitt humbly begged not to eat or sleep till so great a point should be decided.  On a division, in which though many said aye to adjourning, nobody would go out for fear of losing their seats, it was carried by 379 to 31, for proceeding—­and then—­half the House went away.  The ministers representing the indecency of this, and Fitzherbert saying that many were within call, Stanley observed, that after voting against adjournment, a third part had adjourned themselves, when, instead of being within call, they ought to have been within hearing:  this was unanswerable, and we adjourned.

Yesterday we fell to again.  It was one in the morning before the evidence was closed.  CarringTon, the messenger, was alone examined for seven hours.  This old man, the cleverest of all ministerial terriers, was pleased with recounting his achievements, yet guarded and betraying nothing.  However, the arcana imperia have been wofully laid open.

I have heard Garrick, and other players, give themselves airs of fatigue after a long part—­think of the Speaker, nay, think of the clerks taking most correct minutes for sixteen hours, and reading them over to every witness; and then let me hear of fatigue!  Do you know, not only my Lord Temple,(484)—­who you may swear never budged as spectator, but old Will Chetwynd,(485) now past eighty, and who had walked to the House, did not stir a single moment out of his place, from three in the afternoon till the division at seven in the morning.  Nay, we had patriotesses, too, who stayed out the whole:  Lady Rockingham and Lady Sondes the first day; both again the second day, with Miss Mary Pelham, Mrs. Fitzroy,(486) and the Duchess of Richmond, as patriot as any of us.  Lady Mary Coke, Mrs. George Pitt,(487) and Lady Pembroke(488) came after the Opera, but I think did not stay above seven or eight hours at most.