myself could never be brought to believe that the Court of Vienna, as long as Prince Kaunitz directs its measures, can mean England any good or France any harm. It was not with that view that I endeavoured to promote its influence here, but because _I found that of Prussia in constant opposition to me_; and because I thought that if I could by any means smite this, I should get rid of my greatest obstacle. I was mistaken, and, by a singular fatality, the Courts of Vienna and Berlin seem never to have agreed in anything but in the disposition to prejudice us here by turns.[15] The proposal relative to Minorca was the last attempt I made to induce the Empress to stand forth. I had exhausted my strength and resources; the freedom with which I had spoken in my last interview with her, though respectful, had _displeased_; and _from this period to the removal of the late Administration_, I have been reduced to act on the defensive.... I have had more difficulty in preventing the Empress from doing harm than I ever had in attempting to engage her to do us good. It was to prevent evil, that I inclined strongly for the acceptation of _her single mediation between us and Holland, when her Imperial Majesty first offered it_. The _extreme dissatisfaction_ she expressed _at our refusal_ justified my opinion; and I TOOK UPON ME, when it was proposed a second time, _to urge the necessity of its being agreed to_ (ALTHOUGH I KNEW IT TO BE IN CONTRADICTION OF THE SENTIMENTS OF MY PRINCIPAL), since I firmly believed, had we again declined it, the Empress would, in a _moment of anger_, have joined the Dutch against us. As it is, _all has gone on well_; our _judicious_ conduct has transferred to them the _ill-humour_ she originally was in with us, and she now is as partial to our cause as she was before partial to theirs. _Since the new Ministry in England, my road has been made smoother_; the great and new path struck out by _your predecessor,[16] and which you, my lord, pursue_, has operated a most advantageous change in our favour upon the Continent. Nothing, indeed, but events which come home to her, will, I believe, ever induce her Imperial Majesty to take an active part; but there is now a _strong glow of friendship_ in our favour; she approves our measures; she _trusts_ our Ministry, and _she gives way to that predilection she certainly has for our nation_. Our enemies know and feel this; it keeps them in awe. This is a succinct but accurate sketch of what has passed at this Court from the day of my arrival at Petersburg to the present hour. Several inferences may be deduced from it.[17] That the Empress is led by her passions, not by reason and argument; that her prejudices are very strong, easily acquired, and, when once fixed, irremovable; while, on the contrary, there is no sure road to her good opinion; that even when obtained, it is subject to perpetual fluctuation, and liable to be