hall pocket my paper for the
purpose of adding what I can at the House of Commons.

House of Commons,
Half-past Five, Monday, Dec. 22nd, 1788.

I dined at three, at a coffee-house, with my cousin, old William
Lawrence, who called on me; Smith, member for Sudbury, leader of
the Dissenters, joined us on the walk, and was of our dinner
party. Lawrence said he wished a compromise, a _limited regency for
a year_, and then to take up the business anew, if the King was not
recovered, on the other ground, and _he_ is a leading country
gentleman of their party, Smith is in an unqualified manner with
us; and Thornton, whose place in the House is next to me, being
equally staunch, I augur that we have all the Dissenters' interest
with us. Indeed, generally speaking, the House looks better for us
than I expected, and I doubt not our majority, yet thinking it will
not be great; indeed the House is not nearly so full as it was on
the late question, and the apprehensions I set out with of
temporizers and shirkers, as we called them at Eton, seem
confirmed.

Edmund Burke arose a little after four, and is speaking yet. He has
been wilder than ever, and laid himself and party open more than
ever speaker did. He is Folly personified, but shaking his cap and
bells under the laurel of genius; among other things, he said Mr.
Pitt's proposals could not be adopted, as gentlemen, as
_cavaliers_: the word will not be forgot.

Fox is present, but looks very ill. Pitt looks recovered. Your
brother in high glee at Burke. Burke stated the Chancellor to be
like to the God Priapus, and Pitt the carpenter. He run his idea to
a charming extravagance, and finished by declaring that "he could
not be a votary to Priapus, the false God! _vid._ Horace, &c."

The question is an amendment of Dempster's, to follow; the Lords
and Commons, &c., determine "to address the Prince of Wales, to
take on him the Regency, &c."

Adieu, my dear Lord. Your Marchioness in health, and a boy, and
yourself in all good that Providence can dispense, is the prayer of
your most faithfully affectionate and devoted friend, &c.

W. YOUNG.

Six o'clock.

SIR WILLIAM YOUNG TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Tuesday, Dec. 23rd, 1788.
MY DEAR LORD,

Never did any debate of nice d