ops at home to be able to send abroad "50,000
infantry for offensive operations either by ourselves or in
co-operation with such European Powers as may recover their
senses, as sooner or later they must and will do."

Pitt did not leave his post for long, except when high winds made an
invasion impossible. At such times he would make a trip to London. A
short sojourn in town in the early spring elicits from Lady Hester the
words: "I cannot but be happy anywhere in Mr. Pitt's society"; and she
hoped that she helped to amuse and entertain him. Certainly Pitt did his
utmost to enliven her stay at the little residence at Park Place. In
the Memoirs of the Comtesse de Boigne, who claims to have known her
well, we catch a glimpse of Pitt acting as _chaperon_ at balls which
obviously bored him. Yet he would patiently wait there until, perhaps,
four a.m., when Lady Hester returned to end his _ennui_. Is it
surprising that after his death she called him that adored angel?

* * * * *

Early in the year 1804 a ministerial crisis seemed at hand. The personal
insignificance of Ministers, the hatred felt for St. Vincent at the
Admiralty, the distrust of Hobart at the War Office, and the deep
depression caused by the laboured infelicities of Addington's speeches
presaged a breakdown. So threatening was the outlook that Grenville
urged Pitt to combine with him for the overthrow of an Administration
which palsied national energy. For reasons which are far from clear,
Pitt refused to take decisive action. During his stay in London in
mid-January he saw Grenville, but declined to pledge himself to a
definite opposition. Grenville and his coadjutors, among them Lord
Carysfort, were puzzled by this wavering conduct, which they ascribed to
_finesse_, pettiness, or even to insincerity.[664] But it is clear that
Pitt objected only to their proposed methods, which he termed a teasing,
harassing opposition. In vain did the Bishop of Lincoln, who came to
town at Pitt's request, seek to reconcile their differences. The most to
be hoped for was that Pitt would be compelled by force of circumstances
to concert a plan with the Grenvilles for Addington's overthrow. The
following letter of Carysfort to the bishop is of interest:

_Jany. 18, 1804_.[665]

Lord Grenville and Mr. Pitt being agreed upon so material a
point as the necessity of removing