oment of debate by want of resolution,
was Lord Mornington--subsequently distinguished by the brilliancy and
solidity of his orations. Mr. Grenville elsewhere alludes to Lord
Mornington's intention of speaking from day to day, which he fears he
will suffer the session to pass over without carrying into execution,
and begs of Lord Buckingham to write to him urgently on the subject.
Lord Bulkeley gives a less dignified version of Mr. Pitt's retreat from
the discussion on this occasion, and, in his usual rattling way, runs on
about the prominent topics of the hour. In this letter some names appear
which were afterwards destined for a wide celebrity, more especially
those of "a Mr. Tierney" and "young Grey."

LORD BULKELEY TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Stanhope Street, March 10th, 1788.

My dear Lord,

Our politics have worn the most decided aspect till lately. On
last Wednesday, on the bringing in the Declaratory Bill of the
powers of the Board of Control, Mr. Pitt experienced a
mortification, not only from the abilities of those who oppose
him, but from the defection of some of his friends, and the
luke-warmness of others, that he has not experienced since he
has been a Minister. It was an awkward day for him, and he felt
it the more because he himself was low-spirited, and overcome by
the heat of the House, in consequence of having got drunk the
night before at your house in Pall Mall, with Mr. Dundas and
_the Duchess of Gordon_. They must have had a hard bout of it,
for even Dundas, who is well used to the bottle, was affected by
it, and spoke remarkably ill, tedious and dull. The Opposition,
therefore, made the most of their advantages, and raked Pitt
fore and aft in such a manner, as evidently made an impression
on him. I heard from our own friends that no Minister ever cut a
more pitiful figure.

These triumphs were, however, of short duration to the
Opposition, for on Friday Pitt made one of the best and most
masterly speeches he ever made, and turned the tables
effectually on Opposition, by acquiescing in such shackles as
they chose to put on the article of patronage, all which they
had pressed from an idea that Pitt on that point would be
inflexible. This speech of Pitt's infused spirit into his
friends; Dundas spoke very well, and, contrary to expectation,
so did Scott and Macdonald. Gover