I must write you a very different story from my last.  The day before yesterday the Duke of Newcastle, who had resumed conferences with Mr. Pitt by the intervention of Lord Bute, though they could not agree on particulars, went to Kensington, and told the King he could not act without Mr. Pitt and a great plan of that connexion.  The King reproached him with his breach of promise; It seems the King is in the wrong for Lord Lincoln and that court reckon his grace as white as snow, and as steady as virtue itself.  Mr. Fox went to court, and consented to undertake the whole—­but it is madness!  Lord Waldegrave,(792) a worthy man as ever was born, and sensible, is to be the first lord of his treasury.  Who is to be any thing else I don’t know, for by to-morrow it will rain resignations as it did in the year ’46.  Lord Holderness has begun, and gave up to-day; the Dukes of Rutland and Leeds and all these Pelhamites are to follow immediately:  the standard of opposition is, I believe, ready painted, and is to be hung out at Leicester-house by the beginning of the week.  I grieve for Mr. Fox, and have told him so:  I see how desperate his game is, but I shall not desert him, though I mean nor meant to profit of his friendship.  So many places will be vacant, that I cannot yet guess who will be to fill them.  Mr. Fox will be chancellor of the exchequer, and, I think, Lord Egremont one of the secretaries of state.  What is certain, great clamour, and I fear. great confusion, will follow.  You shall know more particulars in a few days, but at present I have neither time for it, nor knowledge of, more.  Adieu!

(792) James second Earl Waldegrave, and first Husband to Maria Duchess of gloucester.

379 Letter 223 To Sir Horace Mann.  Arlington Street, June 14, 1757.

This is Tuesday; I wrote to you but on Thursday, and promised to write again in a few days—­a week cannot pass without a new revolution.  On Friday Mr. Fox found that his kissing hands was to be a signal for the resignations:  Lord Rockingham and Lord Coventry were the most eager to give up.  The Duke of Newcastle, transported that his breach of promise and ingratitude to the King produced such noble mischief, endeavoured to spread the flame as wide as possible.  On Saturday, Mr. Fox and Lord Waldegrave represented the ugly situation of their affairs, and advised against persisting, yet offering to proceed if commanded.  The Chief Justice, who was to carry the exchequer seal that morning, enforced this—­ “Well,” said the King, “go tell the others to make what ministry they can; I only insist on two things, that Lord Winchilsea remain where he is, and that Fox be paymaster.”  These two preliminaries would be enough to prevent the whole, if there were no other obstacles.  Lord Winchilsea, indeed, would not act with Newcastle and Pitt, if they would consent; but there are twenty other impediments:  Leicester-house can never