tories are very angry: but some time ago, at Hampton-court, I picked out the reason from a dozen persons; and told sir J. Holland, I would lay a wager he would not lose his staff so soon as he imagined. The ministry are afraid of too great a majority of their own side in the house of commons, and therefore stopped short in their changes; yet some refiners think they have here gone too far already, for of thirty new members in the present elections, about twenty-six are tories. The duke of Ormond seems still to stand the fairest for Ireland; although I hear some faint hopes they will not nominate very soon. The ruin of the late party was owing to a great number, and a complication of causes, which I have had from persons able enough to inform me; and that is all we can mean by a good hand, for the veracity is not to be relied on. The duchess of Marlborough's removal has been seven years working; that of the treasurer above three, and he was to be dismissed before lord Sunderland. Beside the many personal causes, that of breaking measures settled for a peace four years ago, had a great weight, when the French had complied with all terms, &c. In short, they apprehended the old party to be entirely against a peace, for some time, until they were rivetted fast, too fast to be broke, as they otherwise expected, if the war should conclude too soon. I cannot tell (for it is just come into my head) whether some unanimous addresses, from those who love the church in Ireland, or from Dublin, or your grace and the clergy, might not be seasonable; or, whether my lord Wharton's being not yet suspended may yet hinder it.
