the King
expressed "his astonishment that Mr. Pitt should one moment harbour the
thought of bringing such a man before his Royal notice." References to
the "wild ideas" of Burke, and to Grenville being guided by obstinacy,
"his usual director," filled up the interstices of this strange
composition.[673] Evidently the enfeebled brain of George could form no
notion of the national danger. While Pitt thought only of the safety of
England, the King's thoughts continued to gyrate angrily around the Test
Act, the Coronation Oath, and the iniquities of Fox.

It was therefore with grave apprehension that on 7th May Pitt went to
Buckingham House for attendance upon the King, the first for nearly
three and a quarter years. He expected an outburst of rage when he
mentioned the chief subject at issue, namely the inclusion of Fox and
the Grenvilles in the future Administration. The King, however, kept
surprising control over his feelings, behaved graciously to Pitt,
tactfully waived aside smaller questions that he disliked, even
consented to admit the Grenvilles, but for ever barred the way to the
return of Fox. The utmost that he would hear was the employment of Fox
as an ambassador. Once again, then, the royal convalescent outwitted
Pitt. "Never," said Pitt to Eldon, "in any conversation I have had with
him in my life has he so baffled me." Fox being excluded by the King,
there was scant hope of bringing in his new allies, the Grenvilles and
Windham. Pitt broached the matter to Lord Grenville on 7th May, and
received on the morrow a friendly but firm refusal. The following
sentences are noteworthy: "We rest our determination solely on our
strong sense of the impropriety of our becoming parties to a system of
Government which is to be formed at such a moment as the present on a
principle of exclusion.... We see no hope of any effectual remedy for
those mischiefs but by uniting in the public service as large a
proportion as possible of the weight, talents, and character to be found
in public men of all descriptions and without any exception."

The refusal of Grenville to join Pitt has often been ascribed to
jealousy of Pitt, and the latter is reported to have said that he would
teach that proud man that he could do without him. The sentiment is
alien to the tolerant nature of Pitt,[674] who must have respected his
cousin's decision, based as it was on a determination to break down the
bigoted resolve of the King. But Grenville's c