made the formal communication to the king, which his Majesty had, for several days, been expecting. The king had been aware of Mr. Pitt's determination before he received this letter, and had wished Mr. Addington, even then, to form a new administration. By Mr. Addington's advice, a kind but most unbending answer was returned to Mr. Pitt, in which his Majesty declared that a "principle of duty must prevent him from discussing any proposition tending to destroy the groundwork of our happy constitution." 1 The intensity of the king's feeling on the subject was displayed by what he said, about this time, to the Duke of Portland: "Were he to agree to it, he should betray his trust, and forfeit his crown; that it might bring the framers of it to the gibbet." His trusty counsellor replied: "he was sure the king had rather suffer martyrdom, than submit to this measure." In vain did Mr. Addington endeavour to accommodate these differences. Mr. Pitt, being as inflexible as the king, resigned; and Mr. Addington was entrusted with the task of forming an anti-Catholic administration; while an active canvass was undertaken by the courtiers against the Catholic cause, as a matter personal to the king himself.3 "2 misman Mr. Pitt has been justly blamed for having so long Mr. Pitt's concealed his intentions from the king. His Majesty agement of himself complained to Lord Grenville, that the the Cathotion had been under consideration since the month tion. 1 The king to Mr. Pitt, 1st Feb., 1801; Lord Sidmouth's Life, i. 291. All the correspondence between the king and Mr. Pitt is published.in Dr. Phillpotts' Pamphlet, 1827, and in the Quarterly Review, xxxvi. 290, and part of it in Lord Sidmouth's Life; Rose's Corresp., ii. VOL. I. G 286, et seq., 303, 309. ques 2 Lord Malmesbury's Corresp., iv. 46. 3 Ibid., iv. 6; Castlereagh's Cor resp., iv. 34; Court and Cabinets of Geo. III., iii. 128; Mem. of Fox, iii. 252; Life of Lord Sidmouth, i. 85, &c. lic ques His sub sequent to revive of August, though never communicated to him till Sunday, the 1st February; and stated his own belief, that if the unfortunate cause of disunion had been openly mentioned to him "in the beginning, he should have been able to avert it entirely." Whether this delay arose, as Lord Malmesbury has suggested, "either from indolence," or from want of a “sufficient and due attention to the king's pleasure," it was assuredly a serious error of judgment. It cannot, indeed, be maintained that it was Mr. Pitt's duty to take his Majesty's pleasure, before any bill had been agreed upon by the cabinet; but his reticence, upon the general question, aroused the suspicions of the king, and gave those who differed from the minister an opportunity of concerting an opposition at court.3 Resolute as was Mr. Pitt on this occasion, yet pledge not being deeply affected, a few weeks afterwards, by hearing that the king had imputed his illness to the recent conduct of his minister, he conveyed an assurance to his Majesty, that he would not revive the Catholic question.* The king's confidence in Mr. Addington. Mr. Addington enjoyed the confidence, and even the affection of the king, whose correspondence at this period resembles,—both in its minute attention to every department of business, foreign or domestic, and in its terms of attachment-his letters to his former favourite, Lord North.6 1 King to Lord Sidmouth, Feb. 3 Ibid. Rose's Corresp., i. 308. Lord Sidmouth's Life, i. 365, 387, 395, 410, 411. Lord Sidmouth's Life, i. 301, 303. On the 13th Feb., 1801, the king writes: "I mean to have his affection as well as his zeal."-Ibid, 305. On the 5th March, he writes: "The king cannot find words sufficiently expressive of his Majesty's cordial approbation of the whole arrangements which his own Chancellor of the Exchequer has wisely, and his Majesty chooses to add, most correctly recommended." The king was rejoiced to find himself free from the restraints which the character and position of Mr. Pitt had imposed upon him; and delighted to honour the minister of his own choice,-who shared his feelings and opinions,-who consulted him on all occasions,— whose amiable character and respectful devotion touched his heart, and whose intellect was not so commanding as to overpower and subdue his own. restored to But this administration,-formed under circumstances Mr. Pitt unfavourable to its stability, and beset, from its very power, commencement, with jealousies and intrigues',- after 1804. concluding a peace with France, prepared the way, in less than three years, for Mr. Pitt's restoration to power. It was not without reluctance that the king found himself obliged to part with his favourite minister, and to submit himself again to the loftier temper of Mr. Pitt : but he was convinced of the impracticability of upholding any longer the administration of Mr. Addington.2 refusal to Mr. Fox. Mr. Pitt urged upon the king the necessity of form- The king's ing a strong government, by a union with Lord Gren- admit ville and Mr. Fox; but such was his Majesty's repugnance to the latter, that he absolutely refused to admit him into the cabinet.3 So inveterate was his aversion to this statesman, aggravated, at this period, by mental Ibid, 353. Again, on the 19th May, and on other occasions, he terms Mr. Addington "his Chancellor of the Exchequer."-Ibid, 394. Sometimes he addresses him as "My dear Chancellor of the Exchequer."-Ibid, 395. On the 14th June, he writes: "The king is highly gratified at the repeated marks of the sensibility of Mr. Addington's heart, which must greatly add to the comfort of having placed him with so much propriety at the head of the Treasury. He trusts their mutual affection can only cease with their lives." -Ibid., 408. On the 8th July, he writes: "The messenger who re- Lord Sidmouth's Life, i. 335- 2 Twiss's Life of Eldon, i. 437- 450. 3 Twiss's Life of Eldon, i. 446— 450; Rose's Corresp., ii. 118, 122. Lord Sidmouth's relations to the king and the ministers. disorder, that he afterwards declared "that he had taken a positive determination not to admit Mr. Fox into his councils, even at the hazard of a civil war." Mr. Fox being proscribed, the Opposition would listen to no propositions for an arrangement2; and Mr. Pitt was obliged to place himself at the head of an administration, weak in talents as well as in parliamentary support. 6 5 Meanwhile, Mr. Addington took up a position in the House of Commons, as leader of the "king's friends,”—a party numbering sixty or seventy members.3 He was still supposed to be in communication with the king1; and his supporters were sometimes ranged against the Government. He professed personal adherence to the king to be the rule of his political conduct. Writing soon after his retirement from office, he says: "I shall keep aloof from all parties, adhere to the king, and take a course that I can conscientiously justify to myself." His attitude was so formidable, that Mr. Pitt was soon obliged to admit him and his followers to a share of the government. The king earnestly desired his union with Mr. Pitt, which the renewal of friendly intercourse between them easily brought about. He accordingly joined the administration, as Viscount Sidmouth, and President of the Council; and induced his friends, who had been lately voting against the Government, to lend it their parliamentary support. But being dissatisfied with the share of influence conceded to himself and his allies in the cabinet, he shortly afterwards threatened to resign. And when, on the impeachment of Lord Melville, Mr. Hiley Addington, and Mr. Bond, who had been promised places, spoke and voted against the Government, differences arose between himself and Mr. Pitt, which led to his resignation.1 the Catho Meanwhile, the only matter on which Mr. Pitt and Evasion of the king were at variance, was not suffered again to lic Question disturb their friendly relations. Mr. Pitt had renewed by Mr. Pitt. the assurance which he had given the king in 1801, that he would not revive the question of Catholic emancipation, during his Majesty's life.2 Not satisfied with this assurance, the king required "an explicit declaration that he would never, at any time, agitate or support the question of Catholic emancipation, or the repeal of the Test Act." This latter pledge Mr. Pitt, it would seem, contrived to evade 4; but he was careful to avoid the forbidden ground, and was even obliged to oppose others who ventured to trespass upon it. Though Mr. Pitt recovered the king's confidence, his Majesty continued to form his own independent opinions, and to exercise a large influence in the government and patronage of the State. ministry, The death of Mr. Pitt, in the midst of defeats, and dis- Grenville asters to the European cause in which he was engaged, 1806. once more forced upon the king an administration, formed from a party in whom he had no confidence. It was necessary to accept the ministry of "all the talents," 1 Rose's Corresp., ii. 368–375. 4 Lord Sidmouth's Life, ii. 464. 6 Rose's Corresp., ii. 122, 124, 141, 158, 160. Mr. Pitt was anxious that his friend and biographer, Dr. |