_23rd._--King’s answer to Ld. Howick gives him permission to state to the House that he is employed in forming a new Administration. Dickenson, the member for Somersetshire, is to put a question to Ld. Howick this evening in order to lead to the explanation. Dickenson did the business very ill, and so clumsily that he did no good by his query. His questions were whether Ministers were still in office, and whether the reports were true that they had attempted to surprise the King’s conscience? Ld. Howick answered the 1st question, but declined making any reply to the 2nd. A great attendance in the House, but usual coldness manifested to a falling Ministry. Great diversity of opinion as to the mode of conducting the Opposition. Ld. Grenville, of course, hampered in consequence of the part he took in 1784. All resigned on March the 25th. The Prince acted shabbily; what he called neutral. The loss of all interest in public affairs was the natural effect of the change of Administration to me. The Dissolution took place in May. The elections turned out full as favourable as had been expected. Bedfordshire was closely run between Fitzpatrick and Osborne, and carried by a moderate majority. Yorkshire very triumphant in favour of Ld. Milton;[295] Wilberforce accused and suspected of coalescing with Lascelles, lost him greatly his popularity, and his shabby desertion of the late Ministry.[296] A petition against Milton was ready, and upon the point of being presented, but he judiciously procured one also against Wilberforce, which, being held _in terrorem_, inclined Wilberforce to exert and pledge himself on behalf of Ministers, who came forward and promised to drop the petition against Ld. Milton, if he in return would stipulate that the one against Wilberforce should be dropped. On ye 1st of May we went with all our family, excepting Mary,[297] to Southampton. We lived in the Margravine’s house on the margin of the water. The weather was remarkably fine, the scenery agreeable, and the singularity of the arrangement of the houses and a terrace give it a foreign air, which transported me in imagination to happier localities. [Sidenote: SOUTHAMPTON]