Note 1 — HONOURS FOR MR. PITT (1761). Source.—Correspondence of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham. Vol. ii., pp. 146 et seq. London, 1838-1840.

Mr. Burke, who wrote the historical portion of the Annual Register for the year 1761, says, that “when Mr. Pitt resigned the seals, the great person to whom they were re-delivered received them with ease and firmness, without requesting that he should resume his office. His Majesty expressed his concern for the loss of so able a servant; and to show the favourable sense he entertained of his services, he made him a most gracious and unlimited offer of any rewards in the power of the Crown to bestow. His Majesty at the same time expressed himself not only satisfied with the opinion of the majority of his council, but declared he would have found himself under the greatest difficulty how to have acted, had that council concurred as fully in supporting the measure proposed by Mr. Pitt as they had done in rejecting it. Mr. Pitt was sensibly touched with the grandeur and condescension of the proceeding. ‘I confess, sir, I had but too much reason to expect your Majesty’s displeasure: I did not come prepared for this exceeding goodness: pardon me, Sir,—it overpowers, it oppresses me.’ He burst into tears. We are far from an attempt to add any colouring to so exquisitely affecting a picture; we are, indeed, far from being able to do justice to perhaps one of the most pathetic and elevated scenes which could possibly be displayed,—the parting of such a prince, and such a minister.”