But symptoms of the coming stress were already manifest.  The minister was anxiously watching the course of the revolution in France; and, while far from sharing the enthusiasm of Fox for the new principles, he did not endorse the fierce hostility of Burke.

“I cannot regard with envious eyes,” he said, “any approximation in neighbouring states to those sentiments which are the characteristics of every British subject.”

But the development of events soon made it clear that the new France had become a danger to the peace of Europe.  As long as possible Pitt avoided war, which was ultimately forced upon him in 1793 by France’s attack upon Holland, to which we were bound by treaty obligations.

From that time, until the peace in 1802, English naval enterprises were generally successful, and English military enterprises generally failed.  Pitt has often been blamed for the faults of his country’s generals; but it is assuredly true that he did all that a civilian could do to secure success in the field.

The heavy cost of the war, increased as it was by the subsidies paid to Austria, and afterwards to Russia, compelled an entire departure from Pitt’s old financial methods.  Each year brought an increase of taxation and an increase of debt; and at the beginning of 1797 the directors of the Bank of England, in dire perplexity, told Pitt that the state, for all his expedients, was threatened with insolvency.  Pitt did not falter.  An order in council was issued, suspending cash payments at the bank.  Thus was established a gigantic system of paper credit, giving us power to cope with no less gigantic foes.  Cash payments were not resumed until 1819.

Pitt had not only to cope with enemies without, but with sedition within.  Societies formed for propagating the principles of the revolution advocated the subversion of the constitution under the pretence of parliamentary reform; the populace, angered by the privations caused by the clearness of food, listened readily to the agitators; riots were frequent, but the most mischievous form taken by sedition was that of armed conspiracy.  Against these evils Pitt contended by royal proclamations, prosecutions, and, above all, by the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act.  In his firm suppression of disorder Pitt was loyally supported by large majorities in both houses, and the country generally was on his side.  But his domestic policy, his foreign policy, and his finance were unsparingly attacked by Fox and a small band of devoted followers—­followers who did not abate in their resolution when their leader, weary of the unequal conflict, retired for a time from public life.

In the busy and anxious year 1796, there was a report that Pitt was on the point of marriage.  During his short intervals of leisure at Holwood, he often visited his neighbour, Lord Auckland, at Beckenham, and was much attracted by Lord Auckland’s eldest daughter, the Hon. Eleanor Eden.  This strong attachment did not proceed to a proposal and a marriage.  Pitt wrote to Lord Auckland avowing his affection, but explaining that in the circumstances of pecuniary difficulty in which he was involved, he would not presume to make the lady an offer.  Lord Auckland acknowledged the explanation as adequate, and thus honourably ended the only “love-passage” in the life of Pitt.