The appearance even of friendship could not long continue between individuals actuated by such different interests and feelings. Lord Clive was the first to avow openly his real sentiments; but, according to his own statement, he had the completest proof that Mr. Sulivan was the secret abetter of those who sought to ruin him both in fortune and fame; and he ascribed to the encouragement of that gentleman the numerous articles which appeared in the newspapers and other ephemeral publications, traducing his character. This belief was confirmed by a knowledge that the personal efforts of the ex-chairman were unremittingly applied to exalt the name of Coote to a rivalry with that of Clive. But what appears to have exasperated him in the highest degree was the production of a letter[161] which Mr. Sulivan had written to his friend Colonel Coote, in March, 1761, in which, when remarking upon some disputes that the Colonel had with the government at Madras, he observes; "The behaviour of the then Bengal gentlemen to you being similar to their treatment of their masters, it puts an end to all reasoning. Still your detention at Madras verifies that reflection of Pope upon human foresight, 'Whatever is, is best;' and how much are we indebted to Providence for this disobedience to our orders. Your country and your friend share the honour of your masterly and prosperous conduct." In the same letter, when referring more immediately to Colonel Coote's quarrel[162] with the gentlemen of Fort St. George, Mr. Sulivan adds:— "Our people at Madras, we find, are hot-headed, but they are able, generous, and open. I can smother their rebukes; but the ungrateful wretches, late of Bengal, have hurt my temper. I pray keep up a friendly correspondence with General Lawrence,—he is great and good. I adore him for his distinguished and noble spirit." The allusions in the latter paragraph of this letter were too plainly directed against Clive to be mistaken; and considering that, at the period when it was written, Mr. Sulivan was on professed good terms with him, he deemed the expression of such sentiments unpardonable. But, on the other hand, it might have been urged by Mr. Sulivan's friends, that these sentiments, though brought to light by some breach of confidence, were meant only for a private friend, and that there could be no breach of friendship where none existed; that Lord Clive and Mr. Sulivan belonged to different parties in politics; that their personal connections and views, particularly as connected with the Indian administration in England, were opposed to each other; and that, if Mr. Sulivan had been led by considerations of interest to preserve outward terms of cordiality with Lord Clive, his Lordship had been alone restrained from attacking him by similar prudential considerations.