I have not yet thanked you for your letter of September 18th, with the accounts of the Genoese treaty and of the Pretender’s quarrel with the Pope—­it is a squabble worthy a Stuart.  Were he, here, as absolute as any Stuart ever wished to be, who knows with all his bigotry but he might favour us with a reformation and the downfall of the mass?  The ambition of making a Duke of York vice-chancellor of holy church would be as good a reason for breaking with holy church, as Harry the Eighth’s was for quarrelling with it, because it would not excuse him from going to bed to his sister after it had given him leave.

I wish I could tell you that your brother mends! indeed I don’t think he does:  nor do I know what to say to him; I have exhausted both arguments and entreaties, and yet if I thought either would avail, I would gladly recommence them.  Adieu!

MINISTERIAL NEGOTIATIONS—­LOSS OF MINORCA—­DISASTER IN NORTH AMERICA.

TO SIR HORACE MANN.

ARLINGTON STREET, Nov. 4, 1756.

I desired your brother last week to tell you that it was in vain for me to write while everything was in such confusion.  The chaos is just as far from being dispersed now; I only write to tell you what has been its motions.  One of the Popes, I think, said soon after his accession, he did not think it had been so easy to govern.  What would he have thought of such a nation as this, engaged in a formidable war, without any government at all, literally, for above a fortnight!  The foreign ministers have not attempted to transact any business since yesterday fortnight.  For God’s sake, what do other countries say of us?—­but hear the progress of our interministerium.

When Mr. Fox had declared his determination of resigning, great offers were sent to Mr. Pitt; his demands were much greater, accompanied with a total exclusion of the Duke of Newcastle.  Some of the latter’s friends would have persuaded him, as the House of Commons is at his devotion, to have undertaken the government against both Pitt and Fox; but fears preponderated.  Yesterday se’nnight his grace declared his resolution of retiring, with all that satisfaction of mind which must attend a man whom not one man of sense will trust any longer.  The King sent for Mr. Fox, and bid him try if Mr. Pitt would join him.  The latter, without any hesitation, refused.  In this perplexity the King ordered the Duke of Devonshire to try to compose some Ministry for him, and sent him to Pitt, to try to accommodate with Fox.  Pitt, with a list of terms a little modified, was ready to engage, but on condition that Fox should have no employment in the cabinet.  Upon this plan negotiations have been carrying on for this week.  Mr. Pitt and Mr. Legge, whose whole party consists of from twelve to sixteen persons, exclusive of Leicester House (of that presently), concluded they were entering on the government as Secretary of State and Chancellor of the Exchequer:  but there is so great unwillingness