just elevated to the
peerage (March 6th, 1783) as Baron Sydney of Chiselhurst, was the only
member of the Administration who had cordially concurred with Mr.
Grenville in his efforts to forward the unfortunate Irish Bill in which
Lord Temple was so deeply interested. Previously to his retirement from
office, Lord Temple, reminded of his neglect by Mr. Grenville in not
having earlier forwarded his congratulations, addressed the following
letter to Lord Sydney. A closer acquaintance afterwards sprang up
between them, and was ripened into an intimate friendship before the
close of the year. "I cannot conclude," observes Lord Sydney, at the
close of a letter dated October 27th, 1783, "without expressing, in the
strongest manner, how sensible my family, as well as myself, are of the
civilities we received at Stowe during the agreeable time which we spent
there. We drink your health every day, and desire, _en corps_, to be
remembered to your Lordship and Lady Temple, and to the rest of the
party at Stowe, in the kindest manner."

LORD TEMPLE TO LORD SYDNEY.

Dublin Castle, April 2nd, 1783.

My dear Lord,

I have been waiting for some days (now almost weeks) for my
delivery; but finding the situation of Government so uncertain,
I will not delay to the period when our correspondence would
naturally have closed, my cordial acknowledgments for the very
steady, honourable, and let me call it affectionate support
which you have given me in the complicated scene of the four
winter months, and in the whole detail of our communications. I
shall ever think of it with gratitude; but if I were vain enough
to think my presence in Ireland necessary, you have effectually
prevented my continuance by a candour and sincerity, which I
could little expect in your successor. Upon these grounds of
good-will to those with whom I acted, and of detestation of that
coalition to which you have given way, I have, without
communication with any one, sent to you my letter of
resignation. I am not insensible to the sacrifice; for arduous
as the station most truly is, I had hopes at this early period
of my life to have built my honest fame upon the event of my
Administration. Those prospects are vanished, but I have that
satisfaction in reflecting upon the scene of these last six
months, which amply contents me. As to future events, let those
who have pl