ent arrangement looks permanent. Nobody now pretends to guess
who will go to Ireland. The Duke of Devonshire has put himself entirely
out of the question, and Lord Fitzwilliam still declines it." This
intelligence is corroborated by Mr. Grenville.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO LORD TEMPLE.

April 9th, 1783.

My dear Brother,

I waited till this morning to deliver the Badge, &c., in hopes
of receiving your answer to the letter of the 1st instant; but
receiving last night, by messenger, yours of the 4th, and
perceiving that you had not then received it, I thought I could
not any longer delay it.

As it was late before I could get in, I had very little
conversation. I think it, however, right to mention to you, that
he asked me whether I had heard anything of their having written
a letter to you, pressing you to stay; and that when I said that
I knew nothing of it except from common report, but had heard
that His Majesty's name had been made use of to induce you to
stay, he answered that it might be so, but if it had, it was
without his consent, or even knowledge.

I send this to you by express, because I cannot help giving
credit to the report, and the rather, because I hear nothing of
any successor being appointed. The Duke of Devonshire has
positively refused; _so has Lord Derby_; and Lord Fitzwilliam
(the properest man they have to send) has declined it on account
of Lady Fitzwilliam's health, which makes it absolutely
impossible for her to undertake such a journey. My opinion,
however--and, I confess, my hope--is, that he will at last be
prevailed upon. I have as yet had no sort of communication with
our new Secretary, having sent your despatch to Lord Sydney, to
whom it was addressed.

Nothing is yet done on the Irish Bill. It has waited till now
for the appointment of a Government; and that being at last so
happily settled, I applied to Lord Sydney to proceed with it. He
told me he wished first to ask the Duke of Portland what his
intentions were on the subject, in order to give him an
opportunity of taking it up if he chose it. This coincided
perfectly with what has always been my idea on the subject, that
it ought to proceed from Government; and accordingly we went (in
the House of Lords) to the Duke of Portland, who seemed not a
little embarrassed, but, however,