to death of this scene. Since I wrote the first part
of my letter I have been to the levee, where I saw Townshend,
and learnt from him that Lord Camden had taken upon himself to
draw up a new preamble, which was _to soften on both
sides_.--(What the meaning of this curious expression is, I will
not pretend to say.) I then said, that at least I hoped it would
contain an _explicit_ recognition; because the measure would
only be useful, in proportion as it _was_ explicit. He agreed
with me, as he had always done, and wished that I had seen Lord
Camden. I asked if he was in town; he said he was to go back
to-day to Chiselhurst, and had desired _him_ to hold the
council, _in his absence, on Friday_. I immediately went home,
and wrote to Lord Camden, desiring to be allowed to wait upon
him; but he was gone. I have just sent your despatch of the 4th,
with the enclosed note to Townshend, which I hope will find him
before dinner. How little does all this agree with Lord
Shelburne's idea of doing what would be most satisfactory, and
with all my fine reasoning at the beginning of my letter!

I will certainly write to you more when I come back from dinner;
and, if I _can_ make him, Townshend shall write too, because
they cannot, upon paper, assign any good reason for the delay,
and a bad one will give you advantages. Upon the whole, what a
scene it is!

The news at Court was, that the negotiations are not broke off,
only delayed; and this I take to be the real case, as no letter
has been written to the Lord Mayor. If that be so, I shall of
course hear no more of it to-day.

Elliott is to have a Red Ribband.

Jan. 10.

I have delayed finishing this letter till this morning, in the
vain hope of being able to get something specific to propose to
you. After dinner, on the 8th, Townshend produced Lord Camden's
preamble. I send you a copy of it, and need not, I am sure,
observe to you how unsatisfactory it is to Ireland, and how
humiliating to Great Britain; and how perfect an ignorance it
shows, after all that has passed, of that business which is
referred to him for a decision. Neither Lord Shelburne,
Townshend, nor Pitt, who were present, attempted to defend it
against the observations I made upon it.

Some conversation passed upon it, after which Townshend went
away.