known it recover people in the last agonies. Remonstrance as to its certain inefficacy was useless, and on Sir W. saying that it could be of no detriment, we poured a couple of spoonfuls down Mr. Pitt's throat. It produced no effect but a little convulsive cough. In about half an hour Mr. South returned to town; at about half-past two Mr. Pitt ceased moaning, and did not speak or make the slightest sound for some time, as his extremities were then growing chilly. I feared he was dying; but shortly afterwards, with a much clearer voice than he spoke in before, and in a tone I never shall forget, he exclaimed, 'Oh, my country! how I leave my country!'5 From that time he never spoke or moved, and at half-past four expired without a groan or struggle. His strength being quite exhausted, his life departed like a candle burning out.

"Mr. Pitt during his illness frequently inquired after Charles and myself, and during his wanderings often repeated our names, in the same manner as he did Hester's after her leaving the room. At five I left Putney for Downing Street in Mr. Pitt's carriage, where with Mr. Adams we sealed up his books and papers, &c., &c. I made these minutes on the Sunday [January 26], and am therefore certain they are cor"JAMES H. STANHOPE."

rect.

To this narrative I have only to add the statement of what passed when, on the morning of the 22nd, the Bishop of Lincoln and Mr. Pitt were alone together. The statement was made by the Bishop not many days afterwards to several friends of Mr. Pitt-to one of them, indeed, in the course of that very forenoon.

5 See note B at the end of the volume.

It

6 Diaries of Mr. Rose, vol. ii. p. 230. Compare with this passage another at p. 254.

was since drawn out-in a form only perhaps a little amplified-by Mr. Gifford for his Life of Pitt.' We must therefore regard it, or at least the substance of it, as resting on the Bishop's positive and direct authority.

It appears, then, that the Bishop, in Sir Walter Farquhar's presence, went up to Mr. Pitt's bedside, made known to him as gently as he could his state of imminent danger, and asked his leave to read prayers to him and to administer the Sacrament. Mr. Pitt received the tidings with perfect composure and firmness. Turning his head to Sir Walter, who stood on the other side of the bed, he said, slowly: "How long do you think I have to live?" Sir Walter replied that he could not say, and that perhaps Mr. Pitt might recover. Here Mr. Pitt half smiled, as showing that he well understood the little weight of such a phrase; and presently Sir Walter left him and the Bishop alone. Of the Sacrament Mr. Pitt said: "that I have not strength to go through.' The Bishop then desired to pray with him. The answer of Mr. Pitt was as follows: "I have, as I fear is the case with many others, neglected prayer too much to allow me to hope that it can be very efficacious now. But "-rising in his bed as he spoke, and clasping his hands fervently together "I throw myself entirely upon the mercy of God through the merits of Christ." The Bishop then read prayers, and Mr. Pitt joined in them, his hands clasped, with much earnestness.

Three weeks afterwards, when the Bishop and Mr. Rose were alone together at Buckden Palace, and

frequently reverted to their ever dear friend, the Bishop repeated the same account, adding, however, one other circumstance, which is nowhere else to be found recorded. "I learned," writes Mr. Rose, "that although Mr. Pitt was too weak to say much, he (when he spoke of his neglect of prayer) alluded to the innocency of his life, and expressed a confident hope of the mercy of God through the intercession of his Redeemer; and that with great fervour." We find, then, that the remembrance of the 66 innocency of his life" was amongst the thoughts that consoled Mr. Pitt in his dying hours.

These religious duties having been performed, the Bishop next asked of Mr. Pitt his testamentary injunctions. "Although," said the Bishop, "you have no property to bequeath, your papers are of importance, and you may probably wish to give some directions about them." Mr. Pitt was too weak to write at length, but he dictated to the Bishop the substance of his wishes in three separate schedules, which he afterwards signed. They were as follows:

Schedules.

"I owe Sir Walter Farquhar one thousand guineas from October, 1805, as a professional debt.

"W. PITT."

"12,000l., with interest from October, 1801, to Mr. Long, Mr. Steele, Lord Carrington, Bishop of Lincoln, Lord Camden, Mr. Joseph Smith, and I earnestly

7 Diary, Sunday, February 16, 1806.

request their acceptance of it. I wish, if means can be found for it, of paying double the wages of all my servants who were with me at my decease.

66
"W. PITT."

"I wish my brother, with the Bishop of Lincoln, to look over my papers, and to settle my affairs. I owe more than I can leave behind me.

"W. PITT."

With a most kindly thought for the situation of his three nieces, deprived as they were of a father's care, Mr. Pitt moreover expressed a wish that a pension of 1000l. or 1200l. a-year might be settled upon Hester, and a pension also upon each of her two sisters. "I am far from saying," he added, "that my public services have earned it, but still I hope my wish may be complied with."

The Bishop, on going back to his own room, found there Mr. Rose, whom he had desired to wait for him. He told him what had passed with Mr. Pitt both as to spiritual and as to worldly concerns; and he showed him the three schedules, with the ink hardly dry; and "I observed," says Mr. Rose, "that the signatures varied very little from the manner in which Mr. Pitt signed his name when in health."

On the 27th of February following the three Schedules, as constituting the Will of Mr. Pitt, were proved at Doctors' Commons by W. D. Adams, Esq., and W. Huskisson, Esq., on behalf of the two Executors, Lord Chatham and the Bishop of Lincoln.

CHAPTER XLIV.

1806.

Embarrassment of Ministers - Meeting of Parliament — Effect of the intelligence of Pitt's death-New administration formed-Votes in the House of Commons - Parliamentary grant for the payment of Pitt's debts- Pensions to his nieces His public funeral —-Statues and portraits-Pitt's character- - His religious principles -Goodness to the poor-Neglect of Literature and the Fine Arts - Skill in classical versions-As a public speaker As Minister of the Finances - His conduct of the war-Conclusion.

It was not till past the middle of January that either friends or foes, for the most part, foreboded the approaching end of Mr. Pitt. In general his was thought to be only a case of enfeebled health or of slow recovery. But after Monday the 13th he had not been able to see any of his colleagues. Even by letter he could not be consulted on any point of public business. It was clear, on the most sanguine view, that the Session must be opened in his absence, and that three or four weeks at the least must elapse before he could resume his place in the House of Commons.

Under such circumstances the position of the remaining Ministers was one of great embarrassment and difficulty. On Sunday the 19th a meeting was held at Lord Castlereagh's, not limited to members of the Cabinet, but comprising also the Privy Councillors in office. The object was to consider the terms of the