sincerely and affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

Lord Bulkeley announces, with exultation, the division in the Commons,
and returns to his enumeration of _rats_.

LORD BULKELEY TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Stanhope Street, Dec. 29th, 1788.
MY DEAREST LORD,

We are in high spirits here at the first majority of 64, and at the
last of 73, which, considering the open and undisguised canvass of
the Prince and the Duke of York, and the very liberal distribution
of promises from both, does the House of Commons a great deal of
honour. Parry fell down in a fit about two hours before the
division of the first day, and was carried home in a chair
speechless, where he remained confined till Monday, when I polled
him by means of a pair with Sir Robert Clayton, which T. Steele
arranged for him. A _certain lady_ in St. James's Square has been
tampering with Parry, and he certainly vented all his grievances
into the compassionate bosom of that active and politic fair one,
who has likewise infused such a political ardour into the mind of
her dear Sir Poddy, that on the first division he was seen to take
down the names of the different speeches and the members, besides
_other occasional notes_. I have not been in St. James's Square
since I have been in town, the manner with which they affect to
treat me being such that _an old English Baron_ cannot put up with;
besides _we are_ not in the best of humours at present, Sir Poddy
being unwell, and unable to attend the last division and _we find_
it difficult to sing the praises of the Prince and the Duke of York
on the usual themes of filial piety, virtue, &c., in the face of a
majority of 73 in favour of a falling Minister.

Sir George Warren was one of the rats, which Lady B. was much
affected at. He and Lady W. dined with us the day before the first
division, and both sung the praises of Mr. Pitt, and expressed the
warmest anxiety for the King's recovery. I was not all surprised,
well knowing his rattish dispositions. Glynne Wynne, whom I have
been working for three years to detach Lord Uxbridge from, has,
with the utmost effrontery, cast his benefactor off, and set him at
defiance, to which he has been led by promises at Carlton House. I
trust we shall be able to do his business on a dissolution, and he
well