Chancellor and Lord Rock(ingham). Burke's
Bill, they say, is insisted on, that is, a Bill which, while they
promise the public to carry into execution, they are determine(d)
shall be rendered (as) ineffectual as this they broke off. The
Chancellor went yesterday out of town.

The thought of a new Administration is so prevalent with Charles
that he would not go to Newmarket. I heard him last night tell his
people that he saw no reason, when he was Minister, that he or his
assistants in Administration should sit upon the Treasury bench. The
merry and the sad, as my Lord Clarendon says, have employment
enough, while these actors are dressing themselves up for the play,
and rehearsing their parts.

(220) Lord Melbourne was returned with Selwyn as M.P. for borough of
Ludgershall on September 12, 1780.

(221) The Duke of Portland succeeded Lord Carlisle as Viceroy of
Ireland on the formation of the Rockingham Ministry.

(1782,) March 19, Tuesday, 11 o'clock, morning.--. . . . Gregg dines
with me to-day. He has been ever since Friday last at Saffron
Walden, so I have as yet not seen him. I have a great deal to
say to him. The seeming impossibility of your staying in
Ireland agreeably to your own sentiments, and the inconvenience
which returning suddenly will be to your private affairs, gives me
at this moment not a little disquietude, and Lord G(ower) cannot
help it, by any lights which as yet he has himself.

I saw Charles last night, and by accident was alone with me (him);
he stretched out his hand to me with great good humour. I could have
asked him an abundance of questions, and could have reasoned with
him a great while. For although in that sphere he has much
superiority to me, he has not the faculty of persuading me in the
least of what I know to be without reason, and a great part of which
he knows to be so himself. However, I did not, for fear of betraying
a want of temper which could be of no use, and I asked him no
questions, lest he should interpret them ill, and think that I
wanted to deprecate his vengeance or solicit his favour. He must be
reduced to his former despair before I shall discuss these matters
with him pleasantly.

He spoke of all coming to a final issue now within a very short
space of time; he talked of the King under the description of Satan,
a comparison which he seems fond of, and has used to others; so he
is sans management de paroles. It is the bon vainqueur et
despotique; he ha