George Selwyn : $b His letters and his lifeSelwyn, George Augustus
History
George Selwyn : $b His letters and his life
Selwyn, George Augustus
Selwyn, George Augustus, 1719-1791; Selwyn, George Augustus, 1719-1791 -- Correspondence
My nephew, Secretary at War, and Burke, Paymaster. This was what he
hoped for, I mean Tommy. The Chancellorship of the Exchequer not
determined upon it (yet?). Lord John Cav(endish) balances about it.
Young Burke, Secretary of the Treasury. Another ball at Devonshire
House. I long to see you, Lady Carlisle, and the children. This is
the only balm in all this infernal business. But vous avez un beau
role a jouer, but you must have patience for the present and, as
George says, wait the event. This is a plusieurs facettes. I will
now go to White's for more intelligence, and write more if I can,
but it is half-hour after ten.
(226) The new Cabinet. The Rockingham Ministry consisted of Lord
Rockingham, First Lord of the Treasury; Lord Thurlow, Lord
Chancellor; Lord John Cavendish, Chancellor of the Exchequer;
Charles James Fox, Secretary for Foreign Affairs; Lord Shelburne,
Secretary for the Home and Colonial Departments; Admiral Keppel,
First Lord of the Admiralty; Lord Camden, President of the Council;
Duke of Grafton, Lord Privy Seal; Duke of Richmond, Master of the
Ordnance; Dunning (Lord Ashburton), Chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster; General Conway, Commander-in-Chief; Burke (not in the
cabinet), Paymaster of the Forces.
(1782,) March 29 (30?), Saturday m(orning), 8 o'clock.--I could not
write last night but a few lines, but if I could, many pages would
not have been sufficient, or any force of language which I possess
strong enough to express all I feel from reading your letter of the
22nd instant. Although my friendship, and tenderness for what
concerns you, may not be greater than that of . . . (sic) my judgment
has on this occasion been, as I perceive, more corresponding with
your sentiments, which I have spoke from the dictates of that pride
which I can adopt on your account, but would be presumptuous on my
own. I hope, in avoiding one inconvenience, that I have not fallen
into another, but if I have, the mistake can be easier corrected if
necessary.
When Charles has expressed to me, as he did more than once, an
anxiety about your conduct, and an uneasiness lest it should be in
opposition to his own, I contented myself with saying, that it was
impossible for me to know what you would do, but I was in no pain
about it; that if he could, as I had heard him say that he could in
very strong terms, answer for your ready judgment on all occasions,
so I would answer for your honour, which two things made me sure
that you would always act as became you, and that, therefore, I was
in no pain upon that head; that whatever might happen disagreeable
to you, or to me, we were both prepared for it. And when I have
expressed a curiosity concerning the disposal of offices in general,
I have been sometimes taken up shortly, impertinently, and dirtily
by that jackanapes, Lord D., and he has said, "Your friend will not
stay in Ireland."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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