141

greatly advantageous to both countries, inasmuch as it will have,in some degree, the effect of a legislative union , and tend to doaway the impolitic principle of considering their interests asdiverse and incompatible. The language of some men in Ireland is proud and unwise. They contend for an absolute independ-ence on Great Britain ; let them have it; but let them notexpect that the lands of Great Britain should be mortgaged tomaintain a fleet for the protection of the coasts and commerce ofIreland ; let them not expect, when they shall refuse to take ourgoods, that the trade of Great Britain into Germany and Russia ,should still continue shackled in compliment to the linen-manu-factory of Ireland .”

On the 12th of August, 1785, the Irish government carried thequestion for leave to bring in a bill conformable to the propo-sitions which had been sent from England by a majority of nine-teen, and three days afterwards they wisely abandoned the bill,declaring in the House , by Secretary Orde, that they would neveragain agitate the bill in the House of Commons , unless it wascalled for by the people and parliament of Ireland . Whilst thisbusiness was going forward in Ireland , I was at Harrowgate,making experiment on the sulphur-wells; I returned to Cam-bridge on the 27th of August, and the day after wrote to Mr.Pitt; the following is an extract of my letter: — “If I durst pre-sume to hint an opinion in the present circumstances, I wouldsay with respect to Ireland , Do nothing. It was necessary a yearago that something should be attempted, but it is not necessarynow that any thing more should be attempted at present. Whathas been done will convince a large party in Ireland of the good