minion himself; and it was also as certain, that in those times, it had likewise the approbation of Leicefter-Houfe, as warmly as that of St. James's. But this was before the Favourite had formed his defign, of feizing the helm of government.

For the present, the Favourite employed himself in fending to all public places, fuch as coffee-houses, &c. an infinite number of perfons, to propagate all kinds of fcandalous reports, and falfities, to the prejudice of Mr. PITT, in order to raise doubts and jealoufies, among the people, concerning his conduct, and thereby attempt to weaken their confidence in that great and upright minister. It is incredible how inconceivably mean he was, in all this base and dirty work: but meanness forms a more principal part of his character, than either malice or pride. He likewise enlisted a number of writers, who every day filled the public papers with fcurrility and invectives against that minifter. Befides all this defpicable business, he also engaged himself deeply with his artful coadjutor, in forming his faction. He made certain of meet

ing with the cordial affection of that almost extinguished fet of men, the Jacobites; and, if in reality there be any difference, befides the name, he was as certain of having the fupport of that other infatuated set of men, called Tories; these with a great part of the Scots, who were naturally attached to him, formed his troop. And with them he refolved to feize the government, and with it the riches of the whole kingdom. A formal oppofition was not his defign. He placed his hopes of success, in another kind of fupport, which is directly contrary to the very principles of oppofition. However the winter did not pafs without an effort in parliament to hurt Mr. PITT, and thwart him in his vigorous measures against the common enemy. But that proving as unfuccessful, as the efforts of the Confiderer, and not even shaking the credit of Mr. PITT's administration, he determined to pull off the mafk, which had hitherto covered his defigns, and as foon as the feffion of parliament was over, to carry into execution, in the most violent, open and daring manner, his original plan, of placing

placing the Tories in the administration, and putting himself at their head. Nothing could, in a more fcandalous and barefaced manner, fhew this bafe intention, than the difmiffion of that most justly esteemed minifter Mr. LEGGE; because he would not refign his feat in parliament, to a Stuart. He was the first who was marked for vengeance, because he was the first who opposed the favourite's wicked scheme, of laying his Tory foundation, The cause of this remarkable difmiffion, as well as the most convincing proof of Lord B.'s fecret views, and how early he had begun to pave the way for his future advancement, by raising false and cruel prejudices, in the mind of his PRINCE, the reader will find accurately related in the note, which is extracted from a publication made at Mr. LEGGE'S own request.* Lord BARRINGTON fucceeded Mr. LEGGE, as Chancellor of the Exchequer. CHAP.

* "He made it his dying request to the noble perfonage, who was beft intitled to his affection and confidence, to lay before the public, the only reafons he knew of his difmiffion from office. He had ac

quiefced

CHA P. II.

Lord Holderneffe difmiffed. The Favourite made Secretary of State. His Faction rejoice. Remark. Is afraid to difmifs Mr. Pitt. Negociation for peace. France forefees the divifions. Her defigns in that negociation. The family compact. Mr. Pitt's intelligence of it. Spain interferes. An interesting memorial fuppreffed by the Favourite. The negociation breaks off.

WO days after the difmiffion of Mr. LEGGE, the Favourite caused the Earl of HOLDERNESSE to be removed from

quiefced filently in that difmiffion, apprehending, that the time might come, when his irreproachable conduct and character would efface the impreffion of private mifreprefentations. But when he found that the hopes of a recovery, with which he was so often flattered, in the course of his disease, were quite vanished, and that it would be his lot, to die in a state of difgrace with a most amiable and virtuous King, he apprehended for himself, left his good name, which the best of men have always wished to transmit to pofterity, fhould fuffer from a prefumption, easily propagated, that there must have been fomething wrong in him, to produce a difmiffion, which is, in the cafe of moft individuals removed from offices of fate, a punishment of mifconduct.

He

from his office of fecretary of state, and rewarded his complaifance with a valuable

re

"He was therefore anxiously defirous the world fhould know, that he was not turned out for any blemish in his private or public character, and he thought it the most fatisfactory method of fecuring his pofthumous reputation, to publish the few papers, which explain his cafe. He apprehended himself intitled to do this, in his own vindication, as the papers contain no fecrets, either of state, or of private friendship. They are, agreeably to his defire, here laid before the world, in their original form, with only a previous short narrative of the transaction, which occafioned them.

"Upon the Duke of Bolton's acceffion to his title, in the year 1759, Mr. Legge was folicited to fucceed his Grace as one of the reprefentatives of the county of Southampton, his own feat in parliament chancing at that time to be vacant. He could not well have been importuned to an undertaking more unpleasant to him, and he declined it more than once, without reserve. The bustle of a popular election was unnatural to his liberal mind and manners, and a relation of that kind to a large county, in which he refided, might appear inconvenient to him, whose hands were at that time filled with public bufinefs. But he was prevailed with to accept the offer, by the repeated intreaties of his friends, which were enforced by the plea, that his fortune and character would do credit to a party, which had all his life been countenanced by government, and with which he had ever acted uniformly, tho' with undiffembled moderation and good humour towards the other party. And he had the farther encouragement, of hoping, from the intereft of the crown exerted in his

favor,