rote the Duke of Grafton in his
autobiography, "and a conviction that the American war might terminate
in further destruction to our armies, began from this time rapidly to
insinuate itself into the minds of men. Their discourse was quite
changed, though the majorities in Parliament were still ready to
support the American war, while all the world was representing it to be
the height of madness and folly."(146) But though the country was
oppressed by taxation, and disgusted at the want of success of its
armies, society in St. James's Street took the national disasters with
perfect composure. It troubled itself more about the nightly losses of
money at the card-tables of Brooks's than of soldiers on the Delaware.
It lived in the same kind of fatalism as the House of Commons and the
King, who, with characteristic obstinacy, refused to bow to the force
of events, and kept in office, but not in power, a minister who did not
believe in the policy which he was compelled to support in Parliament.
From contemporaries the cardinal events of history are obscured by the
course of their ordinary social or political life. To us, who can see
them so large and momentous, it appears strange that they do not fill a
greater place in the public mind of the period. Selwyn constantly
hearing of the course of the vital conflict between England and her
Colonies, fills his correspondence with details of the day, mingling
remarks on facts which have become historical with the latest story of
the clubs.

1781, Feb. 1, Thursday morning, Cleveland Court.--. . . I saw Lord
Gower yesterday morning; he is grown very corpulent, and his face
fuller of humour than I ever saw it. While this humour keeps out he
will be well, but when it returns I am afraid the consequences will
be fatal to him. . . .

We dined at March's yesterday. Boothby, James, Williams, Offley, Lord
W. Gordon, Dr. Warner,(147) and myself. The place of rendezvous for the
morning is I believe, the Park, and it is a reconnoitring party too.
Where the Prince sups, and lies, and with whom, are the chief objects
of the politics of a certain class of people. All agree that at present
the agreement between him and the King is perfect. The speculation is
only how long it is likely to last. His Royal Highness stoops as yet to
very low game. In some respects it may be better. You will have heard
of Captain Waldgrave's success with the two Dutch ships, and the French
merchantman, if I am righ