convince them that ours has none, or frame one not quite so
strong, but very near it, think what ground we stand upon, in
having obtained something stronger and more advantageous to the
interests of Ireland than any renunciation whatever. "For this
we must thank" Mansfield, who has certainly extricated us from a
scene of considerable difficulty.

If it could be done without great inconvenience to you in
Ireland, I should be very desirous either of coming back here,
in case I get away soon enough, or if not, of staying here till
the 21st; because I am convinced my presence here is of infinite
moment, to prevent their being frightened at the time into any
weakening of the preamble, and to goad them on to do something.
For you see, even in this case, the objection was not so much to
the taking any particular step, as to the doing anything at all;
and when forced to that, and driven from their intrenchments of
indolence and delay, you see how much they are inclined to take
the measures you wish. But this shall be decided by your wishes
on the subject, unless I should set out before I receive them.

I say nothing of the dissolution; I have not, however, lost
sight of that, and will press it to-morrow; but I thought the
other the more important point, having so fine an opening, which
I trust you will think I have not neglected.

D'Ivernois is come. He was with me this morning, and comes again
to-morrow. He says the business goes on at Geneva far better
than he could have expected, owing to the Constitution which the
mediating powers have given them, which appears truly, what he
states it, worse than that of Venice.

Believe me, my dear brother,
Ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO LORD TEMPLE.

Pall Mall, Dec. 23rd, 1782.

My dear Brother,

When I wrote last to you, I expressed considerable hopes that
this tedious business was drawing near to a conclusion, and that
Government here would at last consent to grant the happiness and
peace of Great Britain and Ireland, to solicitations that I
should have been ashamed to have employed for any private
object, however near to me. These hopes are, I must confess,
weakened by my conversation of this morning with Townshend. I
can plainly see that he is himself personally disposed to com