to Pitt's life at Walmer, we find that in the summer of 1802
he fell a prey to nausea and lassitude; so that Lady Hester Stanhope,
who visited him in September, found him very weak. Probably his
indisposition was due less to the exceptional heat of that season than
to suppressed gout aggravated by anxiety. As we saw, he invited
Addington to come over from Eastbourne and discuss public affairs. The
conference seems to have caused him much concern; for Tomline in July
1802 jotted down notes of a conversation with Pitt, in which Addington
is described as "without exception the vainest man he (Pitt) had ever
met with." Pitt's advice had often been asked before the Preliminaries
of Peace were signed, but afterwards he was neglected. Cornwallis, too,
had evidently believed that by the Treaty of Amiens all former treaties
with France were revived without being named; and probably Ministers
were under the same delusion. The last King's Speech was also annoying
to Pitt, who characterized Addington as "a man of little mind, of
consummate vanity and of very slender abilities." As to resumption of
office Pitt thought it impossible during the life of the King, except in
case of some great emergency.[641]

Equally frank were Pitt's confessions to Canning, who stayed at Walmer
in September-October 1802. He admitted that his resignation was due
partly to the manner in which the King opposed him on Catholic
Emancipation. But he quitted office with a clear conscience, leaving
full means for attacking Egypt and the Armed Neutrals, so that the
reproaches of desertion of duty were unjust. He pledged himself to
support Addington; and from this only Addington could release him. He
admitted that this was a mistake, now that current events showed
Bonaparte's ambition to be insatiable; but none the less he waved aside
Canning's reiterated appeals that he would apply to Addington for
release from the pledge, on the ground that such a step would seem an
intrigue for a return to power. "My ambition (he proudly said) is
character, not office."

Was a statesman ever placed in a more embarrassing situation? Pitt had
resigned office on a point of honour, and yet felt constrained to humour
the royal invalid by abandoning the very measure which caused his
resignation. Incautiously he pledged himself to support Addington,
thereby alienating some of his own supporters. He defended his pacific
policy until it led to a bad treaty followed by a series of
hu