more important, the Declaration of Independence had startled England
in 1776, and in 1774 Charles Fox had finally left the Administration
of Lord North, soon to become the leader of the Whig party and the
champion of the American Colonists.

(1773, Dec. 1)--This is the severest criticism which I have heard
passed upon you. In all other particulars be assured that you have
as much of the general esteem of the world as any man that ever came
into it, and will preserve the highest respect from it if you will
only from this time have such a consideration, and such a management
of your fortune, as common prudence requires. Charles has destroyed
his, and his reputation also, and I am very much afraid that, let
what will be done now, they will in a very few years be past all
kind of redemption. You will have been the innocent cause of much
censure upon him, because all the friendship in the world which you
can show him will never wipe off what he and his family at this
instant stands (sic) accused of, which is, setting at nought the
solemnest ties in the world and after the maddest dissipation of
money possible, the amassing for his sake 50,000 pounds to pay
everybody but those who deserved the first consideration, and
without which he could never [be] said to be free, and it would [be]
a constant reproach to be easy. When there was no idea but of his
having 20,000 advanced, which sum was otherwise to have been left
him, and I said that such and such persons would be paid first, you
did not seem to credit it. Was I right? or not? in my conjectures?
If I tell you now, that 16,000 pounds more than the present sum of
50,000 will come, I cannot pretend to say from what quarter, but I
mean from the Holland family; and, if I tell you also, that as much
more will be borrowed for purposes which do not now exist; I must
tell you that I think that these sums will be sent after the others,