Dublin Castle, Dec. 2nd, 1788.
MY DEAR BULKELEY,
Many thanks for your very interesting and affectionate
correspondence, which I have not neglected from inattention, but
from anxiety, and from business, which you can easily figure to
yourself, and as easily excuse. Much of your Windsor anecdotes had
reached me from other quarters; but I could not, without very
accurate information, have given credit to details so very
unpleasant as some of those which I have heard. The messenger, who
will deliver this to you, is going to London; but I was anxious
that he should leave this at Baronhill, as I think it may be
doubtful whether you know that the new system of government is to
be proposed at the next meeting of Parliament; and that unless the
King's health should vary materially after the 28th (my last date),
there was no idea of a further adjournment. My brother will
probably have written to you, to press your attendance, and, in
that case, this will find you in London, as I shall order the
messenger not to leave it at Baronhill; but, if it should reach you
in the country, let me implore you not to lose this (perhaps last)
occasion of paying a debt to our master, which every principle of
private honour and public duty must make sacred to us. The only
object to which I look is, not to private power or ambition, but to
the means of waking our unhappy King, at some future period, to the
use, not only of his reason, but of his power. How this is to be
secured I cannot, in my uninformed situation, pretend to say; but I
have the fullest confidence on this head in Mr. Pitt, and if I
could imagine that he could suffer a consideration of private
situation to interfere on such a question, I should despise him as
much as I now love him. I can have no doubt, that as soon as His
Royal Highness is possessed of the power of dismissing us, we
shall feel the full weight of it, and to that you will believe me
most indifferent; but the subsequent scene must, in all events, be
so interesting, that I must wish every assistance to Mr. Pitt that
friends and countenance can give him. If this should be realized, I
shall not be long absent from you; and perhaps our Christmas pies
may be too hot for the new Government, if their folly and
intemperance should urge them to the steps which those immaculate
Whigs, Lord Loughborough and Sheridan, may suggest. Adieu. I am
almost too late.
Ever yours,
N.B.
Robert and I have made our peace. Pray carry Sir Hugh with you.