William Pitt to his Father.

Trin: Coll: April ye 10th 1727.

Honed Sr,—I hope you gott well to London yesterday as I did to this place, though too late to trouble you with a letter that Evening. I can not say how full of acknowledgements every one amongst us is for ye favr you confer'd upon one of their society. One could almost imagine by ye good wishes I hear express't toward you from all hands, you were rather a publick benefactor to ye College, than a Patron to any one member of it. I mention this because I believe it will not be unacceptable to you to hear yr favrs are gratefully recd. I hope my Mother is well, to whom I beg my Duty: & am with all possible respect, Sr,

Yr most dutifull son,

Wm. Pitt.

Sr,—Finding ye quarter just up I send you ye following accompt commencing Janry ye 9th to ye 9th of this month.

Battels1500
Paid Lambert bd Wages440
Three months learning french & entrance220
For a course of experimental Philosophy220
For coat & breeches & making5180
Booksellers bill500
Cambrick for ruffles140
Shoes, stockings1190
Candles, coal, fagots3100
Pockett money, Gloves, Powder, Tea, &c.440
For washing220
—————
4750
Remains9150[31]

Battels1500
Paid Lambert bd Wages440
Three months learning french & entrance220
For a course of experimental Philosophy220
For coat & breeches & making5180
Booksellers bill500
Cambrick for ruffles140
Shoes, stockings1190
Candles, coal, fagots3100
Pockett money, Gloves, Powder, Tea, &c.440
For washing220
—————
4750
Remains9150[31]

Robert Pitt died in Paris, May 20, 1727, and the next letter is addressed to his widow at Bath. The eldest son, Thomas, already, it would appear, had played William false, and caused a coolness with the mother by not delivering a letter.

William Pitt to his Mother.

Oxford July ye 10th 1727.

Honed Madm,—Tis with no small impatience I have waited for ye pleasure of hearing from you, but as that is denied me, I take this opportunity of repeating my Duty and enquiries after yr health. I wrote to you by return of ye coach, enclos'd to my Brother, to be forwarded by him, from whom I have also received no answer, which makes me imagine you may not have less reason to be angry with me for not paying my Duty to you, than I have to be sorry at not having ye pleasure to hear from you, I mean my letter has not come into yr hands. I send this by ye Post from hence, which I hope will find better luck, it will be a sensible pleasure to me to hear ye waters agree with you: for wch reason out of kindness to me, as also in regard to yr own quiet (lest I should trouble you every other post with an importuning epistle) be so good as to give ye satisfaction of hearing you are well; I am with all respect,

Yr most Dutifull Son,

Wm. Pitt.

The following letter would seem to indicate that William was spending the Long Vacation at Oxford, while his mother as usual was spending hers at Bath. He appears to hint disapproval of an acquaintance she wished him to make, reversing the usual position of parent and son on such matters. There is again reproachful allusion to his brother; there are few indeed in any other tone throughout William's correspondence.

William Pitt to his Mother, 'at Bath.'

Oxon Septr ye 17th 1727.

Honed Madm,—I rec'd ye favour of yrs by Mr Mayo and have waited on Mr Vesey as you order'd, with whom, had you not recommended him to me upon ye knowledge you have of his family, I should not have sought an acquaintance. I hope you will lett me hear soon yr intentions. If I am not to be happy in seeing you hear, ye certainty of it can not be more uneasy than the apprehension; if I am, I shall gain so much happiness, by ye foreknowledge of it. What part of ye world my Brother is in or when he will be in Town, I know not. I hope to hear from him between this and ye Coronation. The only consideration yt can make me give up quietly ye pleasure I promis'd myself in seeing you here, is yt you are employ'd in a more important care to yrself and Family, ye preservation of yr health. I have only to add my Love to my Sister and am with all respect,

Yr most dutifull son

Wm. Pitt.

The gout, we have seen, drove William prematurely from Oxford, after a little more than a year of residence. Thence he proceeded to Utrecht, where it was then not unusual for young Englishmen and Scotsmen to complete their education. Here we find him in 1728 with his cousin Lord Villiers and Lord Buchan, father of the grotesque egotist of that name and of Henry and Thomas Erskine. Pitt writes in 1766 that Buchan was his intimate friend from the period that they were students together at Utrecht, and, when in office, he showed kindness on that ground to Lord Cardross, Buchan's eldest son, the egotist himself. Of this period some few letters to his mother survive, dutiful yet playful.

The first letter is of the formal kind then general between sons and parents, mentioning his cousin Lord Villiers, for whom he puts in a good word, not unnecessarily, as we shall see presently.