mmediately sent to Lord Sydney your despatch of resignation. He
forwarded it to the King, who immediately directed him to send
me to Buckingham House, where I was with him above two hours.

I felt myself under much difficulty about your letter. It was
evidently written on the supposition of a Government being
formed by the Duke of Portland and Fox, in conjunction with Lord
North; and to that point its whole reasoning was directed. Now
the present situation in which we are, seems to tend to some
different solution; and this idea was very much strengthened by
the King's note to Lord Sydney, desiring to see me, in order to
talk with me about your staying, _at least for the present_.
This being the case, I was apprehensive that some parts of your
letter might possibly pledge you further to him than you would
like in other contingencies which might turn up; and I also
thought that a letter of that sort would come with more force
from you in answer to what I should undoubtedly be commissioned
to say to you. To this was added a most serious apprehension,
which had struck both Jemmy and myself very forcibly, as to the
prudence of committing yourself to him by so very strong
language on the subject of the Duke of Portland and Fitzpatrick
by name, and under your hand-writing; which paper, even
supposing no ill use was ever to be made of it by the person to
whom it is addressed, might, in the space possibly even of a few
hours, by any sudden accident, fall into _other_ hands, perhaps
at this moment the very worst into which it could fall.

Under the pressure of these two ideas, and having very little
time for deliberation, I adopted that measure which I thought at
all events the safest; as, if the delivery of the letter at this
moment, and in the altered state of things, was wrong, it could
not ever be recalled; while, if you thought me wrong in
withholding it, the error could be productive only of a short
delay--certainly not wholly immaterial, but I should hope not
very important. At the same time I own that I felt much
difficulty in withholding it, as it appeared to me so admirably
drawn up, and so well calculated to produce the effect intended
by it, and so very unexceptionable in all its parts, except that
which I have stated before--the mention of individuals by name
(especiall