Lord Waldegrave died most unseasonably for his own honour. He stood so high in the esteem of mankind for probity, abilities, and temper, that, if any man could, he might have accomplished a coalition of parties, or thrown sense into that party, which, though acting for the cause of liberty, rather wounded than served it, so ill were they formed for counsel or conduct. Had he lived still longer, he must, by the deaths of the chiefs, been placed incontestably at the head of that party himself. Indeed, but just before his illness, he was much looked up to by very different sets. Lord Bute himself had thought of him for a considerable share on his own retreat; and, but the day before Lord Waldegrave was seized with the small-pox, he had been offered the Embassy to France or Lord-Lieutenancy of Ireland, both which he peremptorily declined. And yet after his death the Court boasted they had gained him,--a report much resented, and eagerly contradicted by his friend the Duke of Cumberland. But let us now turn to the opening of the new Administration. CHAPTER XIX. Lord Bute’s pretended abdication of business.--The “Triumvirate” (Mr. Grenville, Lord Egremont, and Lord Halifax) who succeeded him.--Character of those personages.--Grenville’s ingratitude to Lord Bute.--The memorable Forty-fifth Number of the “North Briton.”--Wilkes apprehended on a General Warrant.--Committed close prisoner to the Tower.--His spirit and wit.--His bad character.--He is taken by Habeas Corpus to the Court of Common Pleas.--His Speech.--He is discharged from confinement.--Chief Justice Pratt.--Triumph of Wilkes.--His endeavour to obtain Warrants against the Secretaries of State.--Lord Temple.-- Discontent in the Cider counties.--Mortifications of the Court.-- Wilkes challenged by Forbes.--Sudden Death of Lord Egremont. The Parliament had risen on April 19th, everything being then outwardly settled. The Favourite, to give some colour to his pretended illness, and to his still more pretended abdication of business, went to drink the waters at Harrowgate; having first protested that he would neither meddle, nor offer to intercept or direct the channel of the King’s favours. Trusting to this declaration, there started up a triumvirate, who not only seemed to be, but who really thought themselves, possessed of the whole power of government. They seemed, too, to have divided amongst themselves the whole portion of the Favourite’s pride. These were Mr. Grenville, his brother-in-law, Lord Egremont, and Lord Halifax: the two latter, Secretaries of State.