[228] It was believed that he had acted under secret instructions from the Empress; although, in conformity with the practice of the Russian Court, he was left to bear the blame of failure. On his return to St. Petersburg he was placed at the head of the marine department, and held that post during several years, with a very poor reputation. He escaped dismissal only because Catherine made it a principle to change as seldom as possible either her Ministers or Ambassadors.--(Tooke’s Life of Catherine the Second, vol. i. p. 304; vol ii. p. 46.)--E. [229] Circulars were addressed by Lord Rochford to the British Ministers at foreign Courts with an account of this transaction.--(See letter to Sir A. Mitchell, in Ellis’s Original Letters, vol. iv. p. 521.)--E. [230] A minute of Lord Chatham’s representations to the King is given in the Duke of Grafton’s Memoirs, as if on his Majesty’s authority. It confirms the statement in the text, with the addition, however, of Lord Chatham having assured the King that in his state of health office could no longer be even desirable to him.--E. [231] Being asked soon afterwards, by Sir W. Meredith, if he was likely to come in, he replied, “Good God! I!--with whom, and for whom?” There would have been great sense in this answer, if he had not often shown that he was indifferent _with whom_, and nobody could tell _for_ whom he had ever come in: though his enemies would say, _only for himself_; and Britain ought to say _for her_ in his successful Administration. [232] Lord Temple, too, as if not without hopes, had shifted off to September the meeting in Buckinghamshire for determining whether that county should petition or not; and he might hope that the popular clamour would drive the Court to have recourse to Lord Chatham and him.