VIII. RETRENCHMENT 178 IX. REFORM 196 X. INDIA 216 XI. THE IRISH PROBLEM (1785) 241 XII. PITT AND HIS FRIENDS (1783–94) 267 XIII. ISOLATION (1784, 1785) 296 XIV. L’ENTENTE CORDIALE (1786) 321 XV. THE DUTCH CRISIS (1786, 1787) 349 XVI. THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE 368 XVII. THE PRINCE OF WALES 391 XVIII. THE REGENCY CRISIS 406 XIX. AUSTRALIA AND CANADA 432 XX. THE SLAVE TRADE 454 XXI. THE SCHEMES OF CATHARINE II 480 XXII. PARTITION OR PACIFICATION? 503 XXIII. PARTITION OR PACIFICATION? (CONTINUED) 518 XXIV. THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 537 XXV. THE DISPUTE WITH SPAIN 562 XXVI. PITT AND CATHARINE II 589 XXVII. THE TRIUMPH OF CATHARINE II 608 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE WILLIAM PITT AS CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER. (From a painting by Gainsborough in the possession of R. A. Tatton, Esq.) _Frontispiece_ LADY CHATHAM, MOTHER OF WILLIAM PITT. (From a painting in the possession of E. G. Pretyman, Esq., M.P.) 38 WILLIAM WYNDHAM, LORD GRENVILLE. (From a painting by Hoppner) 280 WILLIAM WILBERFORCE. (From an unfinished painting by Sir T. Lawrence) 458 ABBREVIATIONS OF THE TITLES OF THE CHIEF WORKS REFERRED TO IN THIS VOLUME ANN. REG. = “Annual Register.” ASHBOURNE = “Pitt: some Chapters of his Life and Times,” by the Rt. Hon. Lord Ashbourne. 1898. AUCKLAND JOURNALS = “The Journal and Corresp. of William, Lord Auckland.” 4 vols. 1861. BUCKINGHAM P. = “Mems. of the Court and Cabinets of George III,” by the Duke of Buckingham. 2 vols. 1853. B.M. ADD. MSS. = Additional Manuscripts of the British Museum. BEAUFORT P. = “MSS. of the Duke of Beaufort,” etc. (Hist. MSS. Comm.). 1891. CAMPBELL. = “Lives of the Lord Chancellors,” by Lord Campbell. 8 vols. 1845–69. CASTLEREAGH CORRESP. = “Mems. and Corresp. of Viscount Castlereagh.” 8 vols. 1848-. CHEVENING MSS. = Manuscripts of the Countess Stanhope, preserved at Chevening.