"There never was so full a House--the gallery full to the top--I
was there all the day; when lo! a political fit of the gout seized the
great combatant--he entered not the lists. Beckford got up and
begged the House, as he saw not his right honourable friend there,
to put off the debate--it could not be done: so Beckford rose up
and made a most long, passionate, incoherent speech in defence of
the German war, but very severe upon the unfrugal manner it was
carried on, in which he addressed himself principally to the C[hancellor]
of the E[xchequer], and laid on him terribly.... Legge
answered Beckford very rationally and coolly. Lord K. spoke long.
Sir F. D[ashwood] maintained the German war was most pernicious....
Lord B[arrington] at last got up and spoke half an hour
with great plainness and temper, explained many hidden things relating
to these accounts in favour of the late K., and told two or
three conversations which had passed between the K. and himself
relative to these expenses, which cast great honour upon the K.'s
character. This was with regard to the money the K. had secretly
furnished out of his own pocket to lessen the account of the
Hanover-score brought us to discharge. Beckford and Barrington
abused all who fought for peace and joined in the cry for it,
and Beckford added that the reasons of wishing a peace now were
the same as at the Peace of Utrecht--that the people behind the
curtain could not both maintain the war and their places too, so
were for making another sacrifice of the nation to their own interests.
After all, the cry for a peace is so general that it will certainly
end in one."

And then the letter, recurring to personal matters towards the close,
records the success of Vols. III. and IV.: