View source for John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute

==Post-premiership==
For the remainder of his life, Bute remained at his estate in [[Hampshire]], where he built himself a mansion called High Cliff near [[Christchurch, Dorset|Christchurch]].<ref name="ButeODNB">{{harvp|Schweizer|2009}}</ref> From there he continued his pursuit of [[botany]] and became a major literary and artistic patron. Among his beneficiaries were [[Samuel Johnson]], [[Tobias Smollett]], [[Robert Adam]], [[William Robertson (historian)|William Robertson]] and [[John Hill (author)|John Hill]]. He also gave considerably to the Scottish universities, and served as chancellor of [[Marischal College]] from 1761.<ref>{{cite DNB|wstitle= Stuart, John (1713-1792) |volume= 55 |last= Barker |first= G.F.R. |author-link= | pages= 92-98 |short=1}}</ref>

He financed [[Alberto Fortis]]'s travels into [[Dalmatia]]. His botanical work culminated in the publication of ''Botanical Tables Containing the Families of British Plants'' in 1785. Even after his retirement, Bute was accused by many Americans in the years leading up to the [[American Revolutionary War]] as having an undue corrupting influence over the British government.<ref name=Bailyn>{{cite book |author=Bailyn, Bernard |title=The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution |publisher=The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press |year=1992 |isbn=978-0-674-44302-0}}</ref>

He died at his home in South Audley Street, [[Grosvenor Square]], [[Westminster]], from complications of a fall suffered while staying at [[Highcliffe]], and was buried at [[Rothesay, Argyll and Bute|Rothesay]] on the [[Isle of Bute]].<ref name="ButeODNB"/>