y's feet,
and express to him my apprehensions and my wishes to retire, if
I could do so in a manner honourable and convenient to myself,
when His Majesty's service would admit of it. Accordingly,
yesterday, in the closet, I did as I had resolved. His Majesty's
kindness and goodness to me was beyond what I can express.
Retirement, before decay actually comes on, meets his ideas
perfectly; and I have every reason to think that I am lucky in
the choice I have made of the present opportunity.

I have also communicated my wishes to Mr. Pitt, who received me
with attention and kindness. He said he would confer with His
Majesty upon the subject, and forthwith communicate the matter
to you, without whose participation and concurrence I cannot be
at ease and happy. Upon a measure of such importance as this is
to me, I exceedingly wish that you should be possessed of the
motives and principles upon which I act; and I will state them
to you without reserve. But permit me first to say, that I hope
and think that avarice cannot be imputed to me; for, parting
with L10,000 per annum, for what must be greatly below it,
excludes the imputation. Ambition must be equally out of the
question, for I want no advancement in the Peerage.

Now, as to my motives and principles at this time. I am in my
seventy-fourth year, and although my mind, assisted by
experience for a number of years, that makes few things new to
me, may be as good as ever, yet the weakness of my limbs, my
inability to go through any bodily fatigue, and many other
monitions that tell me the day of great infirmity is at hand,
ought not to be unattended to by any man who hath sound sense or
any religion about him.

I stand well, as I flatter myself, with the people of Ireland,
to whom I have administered justice for more than twenty years,
with both Houses of Parliament, and with the Bar of Ireland;
with all of whom I have lived without a quarrel with any man,
but I hope without forgetting what belonged to me to be mindful
of.

The country of Ireland quiet beyond what I have known it at any
time: a circumstance corresponding and consisting with my
declarations, at all times, that I would not ever be found to
act like a man who leaves the ship in a storm. And to these I
hope I may add that I have friends in Administrat