vidently
wanted not only more men but a man. The return of Pitt to power was
anxiously discussed in the lobbies. The Duke of Portland and Lord Pelham
strongly expressed their desire for it. Yet Pitt remained at Walmer,
feeling that he could not support financial plans fraught with danger to
the State. Addington therefore resolved to sound him again with a view
to his entering the Cabinet as a coadjutor. The envoy whom he chose for
this delicate mission was Henry Dundas, now Lord Melville. He could
count on his devotion; for, besides nominating him for the peerage, he
is said to have opened to his gaze a life of official activity and
patronage as First Lord of the Admiralty in place of the parsimonious
and unmannerly St. Vincent.[649] Pitt received his old friend at Walmer
with a shade of coolness in view of his declaration, on quitting office,
that he could accept no boon whatever from Addington. To come now as his
Cabinet-maker argued either overwhelming patriotism or phenomenal
restlessness.

[Illustration: HENRY DUNDAS, FIRST VISCOUNT MELVILLE. (From a
painting by Sir T. Lawrence)]

Nevertheless, the two friends resumed at Walmer the festive intercourse
of the Wimbledon days; and in due course, after dinner and wine,
Melville broached the subject of his visit. It was that Addington, who
was First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer, should
resign the latter office to Pitt, and take Lord Pelham's place as
Secretary of State for Home Affairs. We can picture the astonishment and
wrath of Pitt as this singular proposal came to light. At once he cut
short the conversation, probably not without expletives. But Melville
was pertinacious where patriotism and office were at stake; and their
converse spread over the two days, 21st-22nd March, Melville thereupon
sending a summary of it to Addington, couched in terms which Pitt deemed
too favourable. The upshot was that on personal grounds Pitt desired not
to return to office; and, if affairs were efficiently conducted, would
prefer to continue his present independent support. If, however, the
misleading statements of the Treasury were persisted in, he must
criticize them. Above all, if he returned to office it must be as First
Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer.

But Addington, foreseeing that Pitt would claim his two former offices,
had concocted a sovereign remedy for all these personal sores. Pitt was
to take office as Chancellor