It is possible that any one of
these facts, or all of them, furnished a good excuse for not giving him an
important position in the new government. But it seems more probable that
Burke's abilities were not appreciated so justly as they have been since. The
men with whom he associated saw some of his greatness but not all of it. He was
assigned the office of Paymaster of Forces, a place of secondary importance.
Lord Rockingham died in three months and the party went to pieces. Burke refused
to work under Shelburne, and, with Fox, joined Lord North in forming the
coalition which overthrew the Whig party. Burke has been severely censured for
the part he took in this. Perhaps there is little excuse for his desertion, and
it is certainly true that his course raises the question of his sincere devotion
to principles. His personal dislike of Shelburne was so intense that he may have
yielded to his feelings. He felt hurt, too, we may be sure, at the disposition
made of him by his friends. In replying to a letter asking him for a place in
the new government, he writes that his correspondent has been misinformed.
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