Lord
Carlisle. I did not learn this yesterday till it was too late to
write to you. With respect to what you mentioned to me of your own
intentions, you know too well what my opinion is, and how anxiously
I am impressed with that opinion, to make me feel it right to urge
you with what could only be a repetition of all I have already
stated. But I wish to make it my earnest request to you that you
will not take any actual step till you have seen Pitt. I have not
told him anything of your idea of taking any measure on this
occasion but I have stated to him in general terms the uneasiness
you still seemed to feel on the subject of the former request, and
the possibility that this impression might be strengthened,
supposing Lord Camden's death to produce that sort of arrangement
to which you had so handsomely consented, but which might,
nevertheless, bring the other idea more forward in your mind.

His plan was (if he had not been hindered by the gout) to have run
down to Somersetshire for a week, at the close of the business in
the House of Commons, and to have been back before he could almost
be known to be gone. He had then intended to take Winchester in his
way. I have not seen him for several days, and cannot therefore say
whether this idea still holds, but at all events there could be no
difficulty in your coming to town for a day or two for that
purpose.

I urge this because I know you may fully rely upon his friendship,
and that even if he should not be able to alter the thing itself,
which I am sure I know not how he can, it is still, in my opinion,
very desirable that you should not take so marked a step without
hearing the advice of those who love you best, supposing even that
after all you should not be influenced by their reasoning upon it.

I say nothing about myself in all this, because I am sure you
believe me truly sensible of your constant and unvaried affection
to me, and unwilling to intrude upon you repetitions which I must
fear would be useless. But you will not attribute it to
indifference or unconcern about the thing itself, which, God knows,
are sentiments the reverse of what I feel upon it.

We have no news of any material event at the army. The siege was to
be opened on Monday, and they seem to entertain very sanguin