Lord Chatham, His Early Life and Connections

by Earl of Archibald Philip Primrose Rosebery

William Pitt to his Mother.

Utrecht, Feb^ry y^e 6^th N.S. 1728.

Hon^ed Mad^m,—I have y^e pleasure to repeat my assurances of affection & duty to you, together with my wishes for y^r health: I shall take all opportunities for paying my respects to you, I hope you will now and then fav^r me w^th a line or two, especially since you have so good a Scribe as Miss Ann to ease you of y^e trouble of writing y^rself. My L^d Villiers begs his Compliments may be acceptable to you, at y^e same time I should not do my L^d justice if I omitted saying something in his just praise, but as I can not say enough, I forbear to say more. My Love to my Sist^rs & Compliments where due. I am with all resp^t

Your dutiful Son

Wm. Pitt.

The next seems to denote a reluctant intention of returning to England to pay his family a visit.

William Pitt to his Mother.

Utrecht Feb^ry y^e 13^th 1728.

Hon^ed Mad^m,—I hope I need not assure you y^r letter gave me a very sensible pleasure in informing me of y^r better health; I wish I may any way be able to contribute toward farther establishment of it by obeying a Command which tallies so well with my own Inclinations though at y^e same time be assured, nothing less than y^e pleasure of seeing you should prevail upon me to repeat so much sickness & difficulty as I met with Coming over to Holland. I believe I shall not fail in my respects to you, as often as occasion permits, though I fear my letters are hardly worth postage: unless to one who I flatter myself believes me to be

h^r most Dutifull Son

Wm. Pitt.

P.S. my Love to all y^e Family.

The next letter again pleads on behalf of my Lord Villiers, for whose excess of vivacity William feels obvious sympathy. He mentions, too, and characterises with a sure touch, his old Eton friend Lyttelton, who has fallen in love with Harriot Pitt, as he was afterwards to fall in love with Ann. Lyttelton was apparently determined that the Lytteltons and Pitts should be matrimonially connected as closely as possible, for two months afterwards we find him exclaiming in a letter to his father: 'Would to God Mr. (William) Pitt had a fortune equal to his brother's, that he might make a present of it to my pretty little Molly! But unhappily they have neither of them any portion but an uncommon share of merit, which the world will not think them much the richer for.'[32] As Thomas had just married Christian Lyttelton, it is clear that the writer meditated a triple alliance as the end to be aimed at. The peerage books tell us that this pretty little Molly died unmarried.

William Pitt to his Mother, 'in Pallmall, London.'

Utrecht Feb: y^e 29^th

Hon^ed Mad^m,—The return of my L^d Villiers into England gives me an opportunity of assuring you of my respect & wishes for y^r health; I can not omitt any occasion of shewing how sensible I am of y^r affection, but must own I could have wish'd any other than this by which I am depriv'd of my L^d Villier's Company, he is recall'd perhaps deservedly: if a little Indiscretion arising from too much vivacity be a fault, my L^d is undeniably blameable; but I doubt not but my L^d Grandison himself will find more to be pleas'd with in y^e one than to correct in y^e other respect. I have received so many Civilities from M^r Waddel, who does me y^e hon^r to be y^e bearer of this, y^t I should not do him justice to omitt letting you know how much I am obliged to him. I hope y^e Family is well: Lyttelton prevented you in y^e account of his own Madness. Sure there never was so much fine sense & Extravagance of Passion jumbled together in any one Man. Send him over to Holland: perhaps living in a republick may inspire him with a love of liberty & make him scorn his Chains. My love to all, who (a second time) I hope are well: & believe me with all respect & affection

Y^r most Dutiful Son

Wm. Pitt.

The third contains, perhaps, the only token of kindness between the two brothers which survives. It also alludes to Lyttelton's passion for Harriot.

William Pitt to his Mother, 'in Pall Mall, London.'

Utrecht April y^e 8^th N.S. 1728.

Hon^ed Mad^m,—Y^r letters must always give me so much pleasure, y^t I beg no consideration may induce you to deprive me of it. they can never fail being an entertainment to me when they give me an opportunity of hearing you are well. I can not omitt thanking you for y^e enquiry you make about my supplies from my Brother: neither should I do him justice, if I did not assure you I receiv'd y^e kindest letter in y^e world from him: wherein he gives me y^e offer of going where I think most for my improvement, and assures me nothing y^t y^e estate can afford shall be denied me for my advantage & education. I hope all y^e family is well. Miss Anne's time is so taken up with dansing & Italien y^t I despair of hearing from her. I should be glad to hear what conquests miss Harriot made at y^e birthday. if I had not a letter from one of y^e Three, I must think they have forgott me. I am in pain for poor Lyttelton: I wish there was leagues of sea between him & y^e Charms of Miss Harriot. If he dies I shall sue her for y^e murder of my Friend. This Place affords so little matter of entertainment, y^t I shall only beg you to believe me with all respect,

Hon^ed Mad^m, Y^r most Dutifull Son

Wm. Pitt.

My love & service to my Brother & Compliments to all y^e Family.

His stay at Utrecht was probably not protracted, as we find no more letters from thence. The next glimpse we have of him is in January 1730, at Boconnoc. He is now established at home, rather, perhaps, from economy than of his own free will, for he disrespectfully calls Boconnoc 'this cursed hiding-place;' living in Cornwall or at Swallowfield, near Reading, another of the family residences; or on military duty at 'North'ton,' evidently Northampton, which William, however, abbreviates differently in later letters. When we consider the elaborate style and formulas of the letters of this period there seems nothing so strange as the passion for abbreviation by apostrophe, such as 'do's' for 'does,' which seems to save neither time, trouble, nor space.

In February 1731 he received a commission in the 1st Dragoon Guards, then under the command of Lord Pembroke, and we find him in country quarters at Northampton and elsewhere. In the autumn we find him once more at Boconnoc, whence he writes this more genial note to his mother.

William Pitt to his Mother, at Bath.

Bocconnock Oct^br y^e 17 1731.

Dear Madam,—I am, after a long Confinement at Quarters, at present confined here, by disagreeable, dirty weather, which makes us all prisoners in this little house. I knew nothing of your journey to Bath, when I came to Town, and was therefore disappointed of the pleasure of seeing you there. I see you have put a bill upon your door. Pray what do you intend to do with yourself this winter? I shou'd be mighty glad to know whether your affairs are near an Issue. I hope they will very soon leave you at Leisure to consult nothing but your health and Quiet. Be pleas'd to favour me with a Letter here, where I shall stay about a month longer; and give me the satisfaction of knowing how much you profit by the Waters. Believe me,

Dear Madam, Your dutifull affec^t son

Wm. Pitt.

My service to the Col: and Mrs. Bouchier: I shall Be glad to hear he makes one at the Balls.