New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-10-31


tiers by his Life of Lord Macaulav." As a bog
rapher he is palnstaking picturesque. and specially
accurate in those MINOR details winch readers love
perhaps out of proDortIon sometimes to their i'm
poriance. Without being exactly like II, his sty lc
reminds constantly of that OF his brilliant Klus
There is at least the same ease. iiuldlty, anu
fast hold upon the attention Of the reader In adj
dltion to this. we think that Mr.. Trevelyan las a
freedom from prejudice and judicial fairness
which perhaps Lord Macauay sometimes lacked.
No biographcr could he more in love with his sub
ject than Mr.. Trevelyan is in love with Mr.. Fox
yet we do not discover in this volume any attempt
10 disguise the less admirable features of MI FOX :
character and the whole story of his youthful I'M
prudenccs and of his first political faults is toid
with an engaging candor. The impression gwen Is
that the man was great in spite OF his weaknesses,
and so undoubtedly he was.
The Fox family came of humble stock. The
founder vas Sir stephen Fox, born IN 1927. Org
inaly servant OF Salisbury Cathedral he was
afterwards IN the household OF the Earl o. North
cumberland In the Civil War h. was the royal
stan in an administrative capacity during the
campaign winch ended at Worcester; he passed 10
France with Prince Charles and after the rcsora-
tion he filled various lucrative Offices under Charles
II. and James H., ard subsequcntly.u william
His eldest son became Earl OF Leicester. His
lcnnox. who was great granddaughter of Charles
H. The issue Of tins marriage, Charles James
Fox. was born on the 2lth of January, l7l". He
was a very prccocious child, correcting ms mother
upon a quest on Of Roman history before he was
seven years old. After he had been little while
Mt school making, however miraculous PROGRESS
his father who grulgcd him nothing, took HIM to
the Continent upon roJnd OF ldlene,s and dis
sipation" One OF the results OF tins is thus given:
At Spa his amusement was 10 send his son cvcrJ
night To the gaminC-table With pOci'tul OF gO.d;
an. If family tradition MaV be trusted where u
tells against family cTeCiJ TIE par nj TOOK not a
little pains TO COutuNc that the boy should lcaN'
France a finished rake. After i0uI months spent IN
this fashion. Charles. OF his own accord PERSUADE
his father 20 send HIM back 10 Lton. where hc
passed another Et II WIN NOR .t'N tl'l., =" mn
sell than 70 the school. lis Farloian experiences
aided by ms rare social talents ami an uuhoundCG
command Of cash. produced visible and dui3"lc
chance for the worse ln the morals and habits OF
the place.
After some time spent at Eton, Fox went to Ok
fond where he read hard until he WAS taken away
by his father for another Continental tour. The
boy took new lessons in vice and was as elaho-
rately spoiled by the foolish loudness of his father
as a boy could be- Nct me continued TO study and
to take general interest in Lite airy pursuits lie
saw Noltairc at MS villa by the Lake OF Geneva m
l7G~ and was graciousiy treated by him. He
went back to London to plunge into flood OF
dissipation. lie became at once a member OF the
famous Brooks's Club, of which have the fol-
lowing account:
This society, the most famous political club that
viii ever have existed in acknowledgements, ncfoIe
any noteworthy rival WIS ia tie field our poilti's
had already outgr0wu -. James Strcrt-Wa5 not
political in its origin. BrO0e>S look us rise from
the inclination OF men who moved IN the same
social orbit TO live together more 1rccly ahd
Familiarity than was compatible with the pN3Icliv
OF a cntice-houSc; and now free ana tan!ilar was
the life OF HariulscS ana cabinet minister, when
n tn re to watch them. the club rules most
aSreeabiY testify. DINNER was served aJ hIIi-paSt
q and the bin was brought IN at !. supper lcgin
ut / /. and ended a. hall an hour alter midnight.
The cost of the dinner Wao clght shllllngs head
and OF the supper slN; ana any one who had been
present during any part OF the meal hours PAID his
share of the wine in accordance with that old laH
of British cOnyiyiality which has So long held good
in the commercial loom. and which has not vet
died out IRON The bar mess. No gaming was al
lowed over the dccantcTS ana glasses, except loss
ticat for the whole party and at cards or hazard
no one might stake on credit, nor borrow from any
Of the PLAYERS or bvstanderS But with these Tegn-
latIons began and ended all the restraint which the
club imposed, or affected to impose, upon the
gambling propenSltlcS oil us members. Inc ru!c
about ready money was soon Qeau lclter; ana II
ever a difficulty vas made MI Brooks. TO h~ cost,
was always AT hand with the few hundred gulneas
which were required to spare any of his patrons
the ANNOYANCE of leaving well-plaCcd chair al the
arO-bank or a well-natched rubber OF whist. Ten
tlenen were welcome To 20 on losing rs long Is
the most sangulnc of their adVcIsaricS was wiling
10 trust them; and when. at the age of sixteen,
Charles Fox entered the CluD. when lie was 10 rem
der iustrous he FOUND himself surrounded win
every facility for running himself with the least
delay and III the pest OF company.
Hard drinking was the rule yet the King, George
ILL., set his courticrs excellent example lie for
one had not adopted the desperate medical theory
that the govt wholesome. This Is the way III
which the obstinate and prudent monarch lived:
lie applied to the management OF his own
health force OF viii and an independence OF ludg-
ment winch greater men than he too seldom devote
10 that hom'iy but most difficult task. HIS nna9i-
nation had been profoundly impressed by tue sight
OF his uncle the Duke of Cumberland. DYING
at forty-four of a complication OF diseases agra
waited or caused by an excessive cOrpulenCe winch
the vigorous habits Of a soldier whp entertained a
soldiers dislike to rules OF diet had altogether
failed 10 keep in check From that time forward
GEORGE the Third observed a rigid temperance
which might not have lecn mertorOus IN
rcljgiDus reCuse. hut was 5dmirabie when practSed
amidst the temptations of a court by one who nus
banded his bodily bowers fer the sake OF ms duties
He never allowed hmsclf TO be compmented on
his abstinence Ills 10 vlltue he SAID. l only
prefer eating PLAIN and little q growing Sckly ana
lDfrmr He would ride in all weathers from Kew
or Windsor to St JamcsS Palace. and dress for
ievee al which he gave every individual present
some token of his favor or dlsplcaSurc. Then he
would assist at privY council or do business with
his ministers till q in the evening, take cup of tea
and few slices of bread and butter without Sill
ting down at table, and drive back INTO Berkshire
by lamplight In his recreauons he was more
hardy and energetic even than III his IaD0ls. On
hunting DAYS he remained III the saddle from IN
the morning TIL the approach of night sent him
home to Jug OF hot barley water, which he IN VAIN
underworld TO induce his attendants to share with
him. His gentlemen in waiting tasted nothing OF
the luxury which the humble world preSumcs TO be
the reward of cOurtlers and not very much OF the
comfort which an EngilshInan OF rank reckons
as his birtnright. Doors aud windows so habtu-
ally open that maid of honor encountered five dis
tinct and thorough draughtS ON tho way from her
own room to the Queens bOudOir; expeditions on
foot across country tor ten miles on end, without
Sinking plVughed field or stirtng patch OF
turnips: eaIly prayers in winter with a cOngTega-
ton dwindling daily the mornings grew colder
and darker, until by Christmas the KING and his
euuerry were left to shiver through the responses
together Nothing would have retained men OF for
tune and men OF pleasure in sucl Spartan service,
except the strong and disinterested affection with
which George the Third inspired all who had TO do