Sydney.

In so absurd a light, indeed, did the whole proceedings of the Irish
Parliament appear to Ministers, that Mr. Grenville thought it highly
improbable that the Irish Ambassadors, as they were called, would
venture to present the Address in the improved state of the King's
health, or that His Royal Highness would be advised to accept it. They
_did_ present it notwithstanding, and their reception is thus reported
by Mr. Grenville:

Your Ambassadors are arrived; and presented their Address yesterday
evening to the Prince. The answer which, as I understand, he gave
them, was, that he was highly gratified with the expressions of
_loyalty to the King_, which the Address contained; but that with
respect to the rest he could not give them an answer before
Tuesday, on which day he desired to see them again. I take it for
granted, he will then say, that the King being recovered, all
consideration of a Regency is out of the question.

People in general here do not seem disposed to consider this
transaction in any other than a ludicrous manner, and as the most
absurd and ridiculous farce. It is impossible to describe how much
and how universally their Excellencies are laughed at. One of them
came into an assembly last night, and was received with a general
roar of laughter. I did not think they would have been so foolish
as to present it. The Prince and his friends must have been a good
deal embarrassed what answer to give them; and I do not think they
have succeeded remarkably well, if the account of the answer, such
as I have stated it, is true.

It was on the day after the Princes' interview that Mr. Pitt had his
first audience of the King since his illness; no Minister, except the
Chancellor, having hitherto been admitted to see His Majesty, on account
of the jealousies with which every step they took throughout this
painful interval was watched and turned to account.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Whitehall, Feb. 24th, 1789.
MY DEAR BROTHER,

Pitt has just shown me a letter which he received last night from
the King, written in His Majesty's own hand, couched in the warmest
terms, thanking him for his unshaken attachment to his interests,
and desiring to see him this morning. He went accordingly to Kew,
and was with the King above an hour. He says that there wa