I can pretend to be. I
confess I am very curious to see the effect that will be
produced by the Prussian alliance on the minds of the other
European powers, but particularly of the French. In the present
moment there seems great reason to believe that the two Imperial
Courts and France, are each of them dissatisfied with the other
two. To a certain degree, it will have a tendency to reunite
them; but there are so many causes of jealousy, that I think one
need not be very sanguine to disbelieve the probability of any
permanent good understanding being established between them.

Nothing could be handsomer than the manner in which the King
acceded to the proposal which Pitt made him, of bringing Lord
Chatham and myself forward in the manner then intended. He has
since spoken to me on the subject in the most flattering terms,
and has shown an eagerness to facilitate the arrangement by
proposing expedients for removing the only difficulty which
delays it.

Adieu, my dear brother.

Believe me ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.

The King's personal interference in appointments and promotions had
produced, on several occasions, remonstrances and complaints from Lord
Buckingham, and the judicious zeal of Mr. Grenville was in constant
requisition to prevent an open rupture between the Lord-Lieutenant and
the Government. Calm and enduring as he was, Mr. Grenville frankly
stated to his brother that, although he could never tire of the
employment of serving him, his patience was almost exhausted by finding
that one case was no sooner settled or compromised (for it generally
ended in that way) than a fresh one came upon the _tapis_. At length,
the tenacity of the King on these points wounded Lord Buckingham so
keenly, that it very nearly led to the most serious consequences. Lord
Buckingham wished to appoint his nephew, Colonel Nugent, to a vacant
lieutenant-colonelcy within his own patronage, and through some friendly
channel notified or expressed his desire to do so; but the King, without
communicating his intentions, or waiting to go through the ordinary
official forms, which usually founded such appointments on the
recommendation of the Lord-Lieutenant, appointed another person to the
vacancy--Colonel Gwynne.

Lord Buckingham felt the slight so acutely, that he threatened to
resign; and was probably dissuaded from that step by the counsels