Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-04-29
''How as he WANDERED darkling DER the plain,
His reason lost In Jenkinson's Champagne,
A peasants hand but that just fate withstood,
Had shed a Premier's for a robbers blood"

/ otCoh . tihiNg ~ iAhtsNs h'"fs ~
ions; as in addition TO the individuals already
named, we should not omit the Duke Of Rutland,
and Lord COVER, neither Of whom professed or
practised modification. Once, and cnce only, the
House Of Common witnessed a deviation from strict
sobriety in the first Minister ind Treasurer of the
Navy, who having come down after "A repast, not Of
n Pythagorean description, found themselves una
BILE to manage the Il ebate, or to reliy TO the argu-
monts of the minority, with their accustomed abil-
ity. Nc illiberal notice or advantage was, how
ever, taken o:this solitary act OF lndiscretinn. The
House'broke up anu Il sunk into oblivion. Fox never
subjected himself, either in or ont ofolhce to similar
omnents. lie was always fresh; but the trea-
.ury bench under the coalition ministry, had not
waited some noble advocates for the quick circu-
lation of the bottle.
PITT, at his coming into Office, was soon surround
ey by IA chosen phaanx Of young men who partici-
pated in his triumph, pressed near him ON Il day OF
expected debate, and constituted the resource OF
his leisure hours.
In general, the Duke lie Montausier's observa-
ton &c Louis the Fourteenth, when speaking Of Yer.
salle., "Vousa yez beau faire, Sire, vous men terez
Iamais au'un favori sans merite," might well APP
ply to them. With Fox's associates and comrades,
HARE, FIrzPATRICK, and SHERIDAN, they could
sustain no competitor for mental endowmeDts.-
Lord GRANVILLE, then Mr.. WILLIAM GRAN
WILL =, must not however be included in this re-
mark. His near connexion with the first Minister,
by consanguity, which added to his distins uished
abilities, placed him OH far higher ground. As
little will the observation apply to Lord MORN
INGToN, since created Marquis WELLESLEY; to
the present Earl u lIarrowby, then Mr.. RYDER;
or to WILBERroRCE all three, men OF undisputed
talents.
In susvity Of temper, magnanimity of disposition
and oblivion of injury or offence, Fox rose supe-
rior to PITT. Even DUNDAs possessed more lIb-
crafty of character, as he manifested on many &C.
casions. | have heard FOX, aner dealing out the
severest insinuations or occupations against Lord
NORTH, when that noblenian was at the head OF the
Treasury, towards the end of he American war
on being Convinced that he had exceeded the far
limits of Parliamentary attack, or had deyiated
into personal abuse, explain, ~ret.act, and apologize
for his violence or indecorum. Mr.. PITT, though
he rarely COMMITTED such a breach al propriety.
and was more measured in MS censure or con-
demnalion seldom, ii ever, made concession.
II is not easy 70 decide relative TO their respec-
tive superiority in eloqucpce. Tox's orstory was
more impassioned. PITTS could boast of greater
correctness in dict;on. The former exhibited,
while speakipg. all the tribunitian rage; the latter
displ, yel the consul. dignity. But 1t must not
he forgotten that the one commonly attacked, while
the other generally d~eiendei; and II Is more easy
10 impugn or 30 censure, than to justify measures
of State. Had they changed positions in the
House, the character Of their speeches would doubt
less have taken II tinge, though it would not have
been radically altered, by such a variation in their
political destiny. From Fox's fnes specimens of
orotary, much as il appeared, to me, might have
been taken away, without iniuring the effect, or
manning the conclusion. To PiTT's speeches
nothing seemed wanting, yet was there no redun-
dancy. He seemed, as by intuition, TO hit the pre-
cise point, when having attained his object, as far
as eloquencc could effect il be sal down. This
distinctive and opposite characteristic of the two
men arose, partly at least, from The opinion or prin-
ciple which Fox had adopted. He calculated that
one third of the audience was either absent, or at
dinner, or asleep and he therefore made a short re-
sumption or epitome Of his arguments, for the ben
fit OF this part of the members. So that, after
speaking at great length, and sometimes apparent
ly summing up, az ifabout TO conclud.-whenever
he saw a considerable influx OF attendance he began
anew, regardless Of the impatience manifested on
the part of those, whose attention wa already ex-
haustrl by long exertion. Pitt never conde.cend-
ell to avail himself of such a practice, neither
lengtllening his speeches nor abbreviating them,
for any consideration except the necessity OF fully
developing his ideas. Indeed, so well was the re-
lative proportion Of time generally taken up by the
two speakers, known to old members, that they
calculated, whenever Fox was three hours on his
legs, PITT replied Ill tive.
A vital defect in PITTS composition as q man,
must be esteemed his want Of economy:it was he
reditary, constitutional and insurmountable. The
great Earl of Chatham, his father, had to contend
with the same deficiency; and never understood,
as Lord Holland had done, the art Of accumulating
a fortune. But the first Mr.. PITT, besides the lu-
crative sinecure Of the Privy Seal, which he held
during several years, enjoyed the estate OF Burton
Pynsent, in the county Of Somerset, bequeathei to
him by Sir William Pynsent; together with a PEN
sion OF three thousand pounds a year, bestowed on
him by the crown. None OF these possessions
no weycr dest ended to his second son. whose whole
matrimonial inheritance amounted, ! believe, only
to five thousand sounds; and it never received any
ostensible augmentation, except a legacy Of three
thousand pounds, bcqueathed him in October,
1888, by the Duke of Rutland. We may therefore
be enabled, with these data, to form some idea of
the elevation Of PITT's mind, his contempt OF mo-
ney, and his disregard Of every selfish or interested
o~biect-when, on Sir EDvARD WALPoLE's de-
cease in January, 1884, he disdained TO take the
Clerk5iip Of the Pells in the Exchequer, though,
as tho head OF that department, he might have con-
lerred it on himself; though Lord TuURLow press
ell him not to reject so fair an opportunity Of rem.
dering himselfindependent; and though every man
in tie kingdom must have approved the act, on an
impartial survey ofhis situation. For he might not
ha We retained his official employnents for u single
week. Perhaps it is to be regretted that he should
have made such a sacrifice Of private interest to
glory: but il operated throughout his whole live,
and even beyond the grave, by its effect on Parlia-
meut and on the nation.
The salaries annexed To the place Of first Lord
ofthe Treasury and Chancellor Of the Exchequer,
even though unaided by any private fortune, yet
undoubtedly, with prudent management, might
have been found adequate TO PIrT's expenditure.
But, unsupported by economy they proved wholly
insufficient for the purpose. When he was APP
POINTED First Minister, his youngest sister, Lady