Lord Castlereagh brought over here a plan for the election of the
Commons which was approved, and indeed I am satisfied it is the
most reasonable. As it admits only nine or ten single members from
cities, &c., and classes all the other boroughs _by twos_ it seems
to me free from most of the objections you mention; all we cannot
hope to obviate, but must on the whole choose between contending
inconveniences on both sides. It is a very great merit of this plan
in my eyes that it so closely follows the model of the Scotch
Union.

Yet from that model I am tempted to think we ought to depart in the
election for the House of Lords, by choosing for life, and letting
the _electors_ sit in the House of Commons. When Lord Castlereagh
was here I drew a scheme for that purpose, which he has taken over
with him, in order to see which of the two plans is likely to be
most palatable to the Irish peerage--this, or the mode followed in
the Scotch Union. I own I think that the re-election of so large a
number as near fifty Peers in every Parliament would tend almost to
destroy the very principle of a House of Lords in our Constitution;
nor do I think a body of Peers excluded from Parliament (like the
Scotch) by any means a good elective body from Parliament to
Parliament. With one vacancy at a time, arising from death, they
may more safely be trusted.

You gave me hopes some time since of receiving from you some ideas
about provision for Catholic and Dissenting Clergy. I am very
anxious for them.

Adieu, I have exhausted my paper and my light.

God bless you.

LORD GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Cleveland Row, Jan. 10th, 1799.
MY DEAREST BROTHER,

* * * It is for you to send news, and not to receive it, for
nothing is interesting just now but what relates to Ireland and the
Union. Twelve days bring us to the prologue, to this swelling
scene, as Shakspeare calls it. How long it will be before the
_denouement_, and what that _denouement_ will be, and what the
piece, who shall say?

Your chief Governor, you know, is not given to be very
communicative, either to his employers or to any one else; but I
collect from the statement in the newspapers that he has resolved
to adopt, without further reference here, the suggestions which