Oct. 1761-July 1762. returning the Paper, as a thing non-extant, or which it was charitable to consider so. "Totally inadmissible, Sir; mention it no more!"-and at once called upon the Spanish Ambassador to disavow such impertinence imputed to his Master. Fancy the colloquies, the agitated consultations thereupon, between Bussy and this Don, in view suddenly of breakers ahead!

In about a week (July 23d), Bussy had an Interview with Pitt himself on this high Spanish matter; and got some utterances out of him which are memorable to Bussy and us. "It is my duty to declare to you, Sir, "in the name of his Majesty," said Pitt, "that his "Majesty will not suffer the disputes with Spain to be

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blended, in any manner whatever, in the Negotiation "of Peace between the Two Crowns. To which I "must add, that it will be considered as an affront "to his Majesty's dignity, and as a thing incompatible "with the sincerity of the Negotiation, to make further "mention of such a circumstance."2 Bussy did not go at once, after this deliverance; but was unable, by his arguments and pleadings, by all his oil and fire joined together, to produce the least improvement on it: "Time enough to treat of all that, Sir, when the Tower of "London is taken sword in hand!" was Pitt's last word. An expression which went over the world; and went especially to King Carlos, as fast as it could fly, or as his Choiseul could speed it: and, in about three weeks, produced,—it and what had gone before it, by the united industry of Choiseul and Carlos, finally produced,—the famed Bourbon Family Compact (August

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2 In Thackeray, ii. 554;-Pitt next day putting it in writing, "word for word," at Bussy's request.

3 Beatson, ii. 434. Archenholtz (ii. 245) has heard of this expression, in a slightly incorrect way.

Oct. 1761-July 1762.

15th, 1761), and a variety of other weighty results, which lay in embryo therein.

Pitt, in the interim, had been intensely prosecuting, in Spain and everywhere, his inquiry into the Bussy phenomenon of July 15th; which he, from the first glimpse of it, took to mean a mystery of treachery in the pretended Peace-Negotiation, on the part of Choiseul and Catholic Majesty;-though other long heads, and Pitt's Ambassador at Madrid investigating on the spot, considered it an inadvertence mainly, and of no practical meaning. On getting knowledge of the Bourbon Family Compact, Pitt perceived that his suspicion was a certainty;—and likewise that the one clear course was, To declare War on the Spanish Bourbon too, and go into him at once: "We are ready; fleets, soldiers, in the East, in the West; he not ready anywhere. Since he wants War, let him have it, without loss of a moment!" That is Pitt's clear view of the case; but it is by no means Bute and Company's, who discern in it, rather, a means of finishing another operation they have long been secretly busy upon, by their Mauduits and otherwise; and are clear against getting into a new War with Spain or anybody: "Have not we enough of Wars?" say they.

Since September 18th, there had been three CabinetCouncils held on this great Spanish question: "Mystery of treachery, meaning War from Spain? Or awkward Inadvertence only, practically meaning little or nothing?" Pitt, surer of his course every time, every time meets the same contradiction. Council of October 2d was the third of the series, and proved to be the last.

"Twelve Seventy-fours sent instantly to Cadiz," had been Pitt's proposal, on the first emergence of the Bussy

Oct. 1761-July 1762. phenomenon. Here are his words, October 2d, when it is about to get consummated: "This is now the time "for humbling the whole House of Bourbon: and if "this opportunity is let slip, we shall never find an"other! Their united power, if suffered to gather "strength, will baffle our most vigorous efforts, and possibly plunge us in the gulf of ruin. We must "not allow them a moment to breathe. Self-preser"vation bids us crush them before they can combine

or recollect themselves."-" No evidence that Spain means war; too many wars on our hands; let us at "least wait!" urge all the others,-all but one, or one and a half, of whom presently. Whereupon Pitt: "If "these views are to be followed, this is the last time I 66 can sit at this Board. I was called to the Administra"tion of Affairs by the voice of the People: to them "I have always considered myself as accountable for my "conduct; and therefore cannot remain in a situation "which makes me responsible for measures I am no "longer allowed to guide."4

Carteret Granville, President of said Council for ten years past,5 now an old red-nosed man of seventy-two, snappishly took him up,-it is the last public thing poor Carteret did in this world,-in the following terms: "I "find the Gentleman is determined to leave us; nor can

"I say

Ι I am sorry for it, since otherwise he would have "certainly compelled us to leave him" (Has ruled us, may not I say, with a rod of iron!) "But if he be "resolved to assume the office of exclusively advising "his Majesty and directing the operations of the War, "to what purpose are we called to this Council? When "he talks of being responsible to the People, he talks • Beatson, ii. 438.

5 Came in, 17th June 1751,'-died, '2d January 1763.'

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Oct. 1761-July 1762. "the language of the House of Commons; forgets that, "at this Board, he is only responsible to the King. However, though he may possibly have convinced "himself of his infallibility, still it remains that we "should be equally convinced, before we can resign our understandings to his direction, or join with him "in the measure he proposes."

Who, besides Temple (Pitt's Brother-in-law) confirmatory of Pitt, Bute negatory, and Newcastle silent, the other beautiful gentlemen were, I will not ask; but poor old Carteret,-the wine perhaps sour on his stomach (old age too, with German memories of his own, "A biggish Life once mine, all futile for want of this same Kingship like Pitt's!")—I am sorry old Carteret should have ended so! He made the above Answer; and Pitt resigned next day." "The Nation was thunderstruck, alarmed and indignant," says Walpole:8 yes, no wonder; but, except a great deal of noisy jargoning in Parliament and out of it, the Nation gained nothing for itself by its indignant, thunderstricken, and other feelings. Its Pitt is irrecoverable; and it may long look for another such. These beautiful recalcitrants of the Cabinet-Council had, themselves, within three months (think under what noises and hootings from a nonadmiring Nation), to declare War on Spain, not on better terms than when. Pitt advised; and, except for

• Biog. Britannica (Kippis's; London, 1784), iii. 278. See Thackeray, i. 589-592.

· Thackeray, i. 592 n. 'October 5th' (acceptance of the resignation, I suppose?) is the date commonly given.

8 Memoirs of the Reign of George the Third, i. 82 et seq.

92d January 1762,' the English; 18th January,' the Spaniard (Annual Register for 1762, p. 50; or better, Beatson, ii. 443).

Oct. 1761-July 1762. the "readiness" in which Pitt had left all things, might have fared indifferently in it.

To Spain and France, the results of the Family Compact (we may as well give them at once, though they extend over the whole next year and farther, and concern Friedrich very little) were: a War on England (chiefly on poor Portugal for England's sake); with a War by England in return, which cost Spain its Havanah and its Philippine Islands.

6

'From 1760 and before, the Spanish Carlos, his orthodox 'mind perhaps shocked at Pombal and the Anti-Jesuit procedures, had forbidden trade with Portugal; had been drawing ❝out dangerous "militia forces on the Frontier;" and afflicting ' and frightening the poor Country. But on the actual arrival ' of War with England, Choiseul and he, as the first feasibility 'discernible, make Demand (three times over, 16th March— 18th April 1762, each time more stringently) on poor Portuguese Majesty: "Give up your objectionable Heretic Ally, and 'join with us against him; will you, or will you not?" To 'which the Portuguese Majesty, whose very title is Most Faith'ful, answered always: "You surprise me! I cannot; how can 'I? He is my Ally, and has always kept faith with me! For 'certain, No!"10 So that there is English reinforcement got 'ready, men, money; an English General, Lord Tyrawley, Ge'neral and Ambassador; with a 5 or 6,000 horse and foot, and many volunteer officers besides, for the Portuguese behoof." In short, every encouragement to poor Portugal: "Pull, and "we will help you by tracing."

"The poor Portuguese pulled very badly: were disgusting 'to Tyrawley, he to them; and cried passionately, "Get us ' another General ;"-upon which, by some wise person's coun'sel, that singular Artillery Gentleman, the Graf von der Lippe

10 London Gazette, 5th May 1762, &c. (in Gentleman's Magazine for 1762, xxxii. 205, 321, 411).

"List of all this in Beatson, ii. 491, iii. 323 ;—' did not get to sea till 12th May 1762' (Gentleman's Magazine for 1762, p. 239).