Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-11-09
Charles James Fox.

GdCu pal vi NO DttOul Y W DO LuO-
ny with the rest. With talents, good
nature and truthfullness, he had no
restraining principles, and looked
down with contempt on those who had.
Priding himself on ignorance of every
sell-denying virtue, an adept in de- !
bauch and vain of his excuses, he
feared nothing. Unlucky at the gam
ing table beyond all calculation OF
chances, draining the cup Of pleasure
to the dregs, fond of loose women and
beloved by them, the delight of profil-
gates, the sport Of usurers, impover-
ished by his vices, he braved candal,
and gloried in a lordly recklessness
of his inability to pay his debts, as if |
superb ostentation in misfortune rails
ed him above his fellow-men. He had
a strong will; but he never used it |
to bride his passions, even though |
their indulgence wronged his own IA
Their Or corrupted his young admirers.
Born to wealth and rank and easy &C
cess to the service Of the king, at heart
an aristOcrat, he could scott at mOnar-
chy and hold the language ofa leveller
and q demagogue. He loved poetry
and elegant letters, the songs of Ho-
mer above all; but science was too
dull for him, and even the style and
lucidity and novelty of Adam Smith
could not charm the licentious, rollic
ing statesman to the study of political
economy. His RIGHTEOUSNESS seemed
to rather excite than exhaust his lOfJy
powers; his perceptions were quick
and instinctiyely true; and in his
widest dissipation he retained an I'M
extinguishable passion for activity Of
intellect. Living as though men and
women were instruments Of pleasure,
he yet felt himself destined for great
things, and called forth to the service
of mankind. To be talked about, he
would stake all he had on a wager !;
but the all conquering instinct of his
ambition drove him to the House of
Commons. There his genius was at
home; and that body cherished him
with the indulgent pride which it al
ways manifests to those who keep up
its high reputation with the world
A knotty brow, a dark brown com
plexion, thick, shaggy eyebrows, and
u compact frame, marked a rugged
audacity and. commanding energy
which made him rude and terrible as
an adversary; but with all this he
had a loveliness of temper, which sc
endeared him to his friends that the
survivors among them never ceased
the praise Of the sweetness and gen
tleness of his familiar intercourse
1t was natural to him to venerat(
greatness like Edmund Burkes; ant
a wound in his affections easily moved
him to tears. His life was dissolute
his speech was austere. His word.
were all pure English; he took NJ
pains to hunt after them; the aptes
came at his call, and seemed to be
long to him. Every part Of his dis
course lived and moved. He never
gave up strength of statement fol-
beauty Of expression, and never stop
ped to fill up gaps with fine phrases
His healthy diction was unafectedly
simple, and nervous, always effective
sometimes majestic and resounding
rarely ornate, and theu only when h,
impressed the saying of poet or phi
losOpher to tip his argument with fire
He never Gazzled with brilliant color
but could startle by holiness in tn
contrast Of light and shade. He fore
edhis hearers to be attentive and dc
Gle. for he spoke only when he ha
something to say that needed to b
said, and compelled admiration b.
cause he made himself understood
What was entangled he could unfol
quickly and lucidly; now speakir
with copious fuency, and now di'cu
sing point by point; at one time co
fning debate within the narrowe
limits, and again speaking as if inspi
ed to plead the welfare Of all ma
kind. He had a wonderful gift
finding and bringing together what
wanted, though lying far off al
apart. 1t was his wont to mar
straight forward to his end but
knew how to turn aside from an ;
tack, to retreat with his eye ever
his enemy, and then, by an unexpe
cd reversion, to strike him with talol
When involved in dispute, he dash
at the central idea, which was of pc
er to decide the question; grasped
firmly and held it fast; turned it oy
on every side; presented it in
most varied aspects; came back
dwell upon it with renewed force;
newed blow after blow, till it becal
annealed like steel. He hit the L
again and again, and always on
head till he drove it home into
minds of his hearers; and when
was beaten by the majority he S
bore away the palm as wrestler
His merits, as summed up by Mack
tosh, were treason, simplicity and
hemence."
Yet Fox was great only as a spe
er; nay, his sphere was still narrow
he was great only as speaker in
House of Commons, and there or
only as a speaker in opposition.
was too skillful in controversy to
able to present the connections ;
relations of events with the conn
hensiye fairness of an historian; ;
his strength went from him when
undertook to tell only what had b
done. He failed as a statesman,
from defect Of heart, but from the
certainty which attends the want
fixed principles and which left him
posed to the allurements of any pr
ising coalition; but he was the V
man to storm citadel. In rum
down a ministry, his voice halloeC