th the high notions of the sovereign's powers and duties found
in Bolingbroke's _Patriot King_ and Blackstone's _Commentaries_. In 1775 he
took part in the negotiations between Leicester House and Pitt, directed
against the duke of Newcastle, and in 1757 in the conferences between the
two ministers which led to their taking office together. In 1756, by the
special desire of the young prince, he was appointed groom of the stole at
Leicester House, in spite of the king's pronounced aversion to him.

On the accession of George III. in 1760, Bute became at once a person of
power and importance. He was appointed a privy councillor, groom of the
stole and first gentleman of the bedchamber, and though merely an
irresponsible confidant, without a seat in parliament or in the cabinet, he
was in reality prime minister, and the only person trusted with the king's
wishes and confidence. George III. and Bute immediately proceeded to
accomplish their long-projected plans, the conclusion of the peace with
France, the break-up of the Whig monopoly of power, and the supremacy of
the monarchy over parliament and parties. Their policy was carried out with
consummate skill and caution. Great care was shown not to alienate the Whig
leaders in a body, which would have raised up under Pitt's leadership a
formidable party of resistance, but advantage was taken of disagreements
between the ministers concerning the war, of personal jealousies, and of
the strong reluctance of the old statesmen who had served the crown for
generations to identify themselves with active opposition to the king's
wishes. They were all discarded singly, and isolated, after violent
disagreements, from the rest of the ministers. On the 25th of March 1761
Bute succeeded Lord Holderness as secretary of state for the northern
department, and Pitt resigned in October on the refusal of the government
to declare war against Spain.

On the 3rd of November Bute appeared in his new capacity as prime minister
in the House of Lords, where he had not been seen for twenty years. Though
he had succeeded in disarming all organized opposition in parliament, the
hostility displayed against him in the nation, arising from his Scottish
nationality, his character as favourite, his peace policy and the
resignation of the popular hero Pitt, was overwhelming. He was the object
of numerous attacks and lampoons. He dared not show himself in the streets
without the protection of prize-fighters, w