George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 5, 13th edition.

[98] office till he had lost weight with parliament and

CHAP. VI.} 1763. April.

the people; and the favorite, Bute, after making the peace with general approbation, had no option but to retire from a place which neither his own cabinet, nor the nation, nor either house of parliament, was willing he should hold. In the midst of changing factions the British constitution stood like adamant.

Grenville, who was never personally agreeable to the king,¹ was chosen to succeed Bute in the ministry, because, from his position, he seemed dependent on the court. He had no party, and was aware of it.²— No man had more changed his associates: entering life as a patriot, accepting office of Newcastle, leaving Newcastle with Pitt, and remaining in office when Pitt and Temple were driven out. The head of his own house now regarded him with lively hatred, and one of his younger brothers had repudiated his conduct as base:³ so that he derived no strength from his family. Moreover, he loved office, and loved it for its emoluments,⁴ and so inordinately, that, even against the utmost endeavors of his own brothers, he had for many years nourished a rankling grudge against Pitt, and secretly questioned his friendship, honor, and good faith, because Pitt had conferred upon him the very lucrative office of treasurer of the navy, at a time when he himself was lusting after the still more enormously lucrative one of paymaster to the forces.⁵ And, in 1762, he had suffered himself to