History”; he showed the Duke of Grafton a chapter, to which the title is, Les Anglois vainqueurs dans les Quatres Parties du Monde.  There have been minutes in the course of our correspondence when you and I did not expect to see this chapter.  It is bigger by a quarter than our predecessors the Romans had any pretensions to, and larger than I hope our descendants will see written of them, for conquest, unless by necessity, as ours has been, is an odious glory; witness my hand

H. WALPOLE.

P.S.—­I recollect that my last letter was a little melancholy; this, to be sure, has a grain or two of national vanity; why, I must own I am a miserable philosopher; the weather of the hour does affect me.  I cannot here, at a distance from the world and unconcerned in it, help feeling a little satisfaction when my country is successful; yet, tasting its honours and elated with them, I heartily, seriously wish they had their quietus.  What is the fame of men compared to their happiness?  Who gives a nation peace, gives tranquillity to all.  How many must be wretched, before one can be renowned!  A hero bets the lives and fortunes of thousands, whom he has no right to game with:  but alas!  Caesars have little regard to their fish and counters!

RESIGNATION OF LORD BUTE—­FRENCH VISITORS—­WALPOLE AND NO. 45.

TO SIR HORACE MANN.

STRAWBERRY HILL, April 30, 1763.

The papers have told you all the formal changes; the real one consists solely in Lord Bute being out of office, for, having recovered his fright, he is still as much Minister as ever, and consequently does not find his unpopularity decrease.  On the contrary, I think his situation more dangerous than ever:  he has done enough to terrify his friends, and encourage his enemies, and has acquired no new strength; rather has lost strength, by the disappearance of Mr. Fox from the scene.  His deputies, too, will not long care to stand all the risk for him, when they perceive, as they must already, that they have neither credit nor confidence.  Indeed the new administration is a general joke, and will scarce want a violent death to put an end to it.  Lord Bute is very blamable for embarking the King so deep in measures that may have so serious a termination.  The longer the Court can stand its ground, the more firmly will the opposition be united, and the more inflamed.  I have ever thought this would be a turbulent reign, and nothing has happened to make me alter my opinion.

Mr. Fox’s exit has been very unpleasant.  He would not venture to accept the Treasury, which Lord Bute would have bequeathed to him; and could not obtain an earldom, for which he thought he had stipulated; but some of the negotiators asserting that he had engaged to resign the Paymaster’s place, which he vehemently denies, he has been forced to take up with a barony, and has broken with his associates—­I do not say friends, for with the chief of them[1] he had quarrelled when he embarked in the new system.  He meets with little pity, and yet has found as much ingratitude as he had had power of doing service.