etter judgment of my friends; and if the Duke of Portland
and you think, that in the present state of things, I should do
best to go to Ireland, I cannot say that I will not try it; sure I
am that your going there gives to the situation every advantage
which I can receive in it, and that if my engaging in it could
succeed, it is on every account as promising and gratifying to me
with you, as the situation itself can be made. Thus, therefore, it
stands, that my own inclination, if no difficulties stood in the
way, would rather lead me to any such employment at home as I might
be fit for, when any such offered itself; but no such destination
being easily found, if the Duke of Portland and you think it any
way desirable that I should go to Ireland, I will certainly
undertake it, and do the best I can in it; trusting always, that if
hereafter, when you are settled on your Irish throne, the chance of
events should make any home-situation of business practicable for
me, you would not object to any such arrangement if it could be
found.

The long delay which has prevented my sending a messenger when I
wrote the first sheet of this letter, has now so altered the events
of the negotiation that it is hardly worth sending to you, except
as a proof that want of opportunity, and not want of punctuality,
has prevented my letter reaching you at an earlier period.

The loss of the fortresses, at a moment when they had been
reluctantly induced here to make an effort to save them, is
vexatious in the extreme. They threaten the vengeance of a
court-martial on the officers who surrendered Valenciennes; but
what will that avail towards recovering these great objects, which
were equally material, both to the regaining of the Netherlands,
and to their security when reconquered?

The hopeless inactivity of this Court is too long a theme to write
upon, and will continue, I fear, to be a fertile source of
uneasiness. It is shocking to foresee that their assistance may be
as much wanted to save Holland as it was to save Valenciennes, and
may likewise be retarded till it is equally ineffectual.

I expect to be in England towards the 12th or 15th of November.

Ever very faithfully and affectionately yours,
T. G.

THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM TO MR. T. GRENVILLE.