Attempted reconciliation between Conway and Rockingham 455 MEMOIRS OF THE REIGN OF KING GEORGE THE THIRD. CHAPTER I. Appearance of “An Address to the Public on a late Dismission.”-- Walpole’s Answer to that Pamphlet.--Dr. Lloyd, Dean of Norwich.-- Charles Townshend’s “Defence of the Minority in the House of Commons on the Question relative to General Warrants.”--Death of the Earl of Bath.--The Chevalier d’Eon.--The Count d’Estaign.--Death of Mr. Legge.--Of the Duke of Devonshire.--Outlawry of Wilkes and Death of Churchill. While the factions at Court thus held one another at bay, Lord Holland was endeavouring to persuade Lord Bute to take again an office of business. But the rash fit, like the small-pox, never seized him but once. He chose to insinuate opinion of his power, rather than to display it. Nor, though the Favourite professed that Lord Holland was the only man who never deceived him, could I on the nicest inspection ever discover that Lord Holland had any real weight with him; whether it was owing to Lord Bute’s want of courage, or want of confidence in the adviser. Though I saw clouds enough to comfort me with the prospect of a storm, yet, there being no open hostilities commenced, it was difficult for me to unravel the windings and turnings of so many minds, who were all my enemies. Though I was disposed to widen any breach that might happen, by inclining our force to one side or the other, yet it was not prudent to slacken our measures against the united body. Temporizing too far might cool the zeal of our friends; and the distance of six or seven months to the meeting of Parliament might wear out the memory of Mr. Conway’s wrongs, as the Ministry had intended it should, they having forborne to dismiss him till the session was over. The public cause, as well as private injury, called for spirit. The higher we could raise the flame of Opposition, the sounder benefit we conferred on our country. Prerogative was the object of the Court; and corruption so flagrant in both Houses of Parliament, that, if the people were not animated enough to hold both in check, no resource would be left but a civil war. Early opposition was the only preservative against the latter. My nature shuddered at the thoughts of blood, and I felt what every good man will feel in civil commotions, _that there is nothing so difficult as to make the people go far enough, and prevent their going too far_. An opportunity presented itself that shewed me what I could have done, but, thank God! I was not so culpable as to embrace it. As one of my objects was to raise the characters and popularity of our party, I had inserted a paragraph in the newspapers observing that the abolition of vails to servants had been set on foot by the Duke of Bedford, and had been opposed and not complied with by the Duke of Devonshire and family of Cavendish. Soon after, a riot