MR. Fox gave notice to his party, that a new pro-. CHA P. pofition to the fame effect would be speedily propofed; XLII. and on the appointed day an unusual number of mem- 1782. bers, and a great crowd of auditors attended. Lord Lord North Surrey prefented himself for the purpose of making a change of motion, which lord North, after fome clamour, was miniftry. permitted to anticipate, by declaring "That his 19th Mar. majesty's minifters were no more."

After fome further difcuffion, occafioned by a profeffion of doubting lord North's affertion, he obtained leave to move an adjournment for five days, when lord Surrey might, if he deemed it neceffary, proceed with his motion.

declares a

He then made his valedictory addrefs as minifter, His farewell thanking the house for the kind, the repeated, the fpeech effential fupport he had fo long received from the commons of England, while holding a fituation to which he had at all times confeffed himself unequal. To that houfe he owed whatever he had been; his conduct within those walls having recommended him to his fovereign. He thanked them for their partiality on all, their forbearance on many occafions. The mortifications he had lately experienced in the house could not make him forget their general fupport through a fervice of many years continuance; the recollection of which he fhould ever cherish as the principal honour of his life. After dwelling fome time on these and fimilar topics, he faid, whatever might be the extent of the motion intended by lord Surrey, no evil could arife from a fhort delay. He was confcious of his refponfibility for the truft which he had fo long retained, and fhould neither endeavour to fhelter himself, nor avoid enquiry.

THE exultation teftified by the opponents of the late administration, called forth the animadverfions of Mr. Burke, who employed his eloquence in recommending a more temperate conduct, exhorting his affociates to guard against their defires, their felfopinions,

VOL. III.

DD

XLII.

1782.

CHA P. opinions, their vanity, their avarice, their luft of power, and all the worft paffions which disfigure the human mind, and pointing out the vast expectations which their own declarations had entitled the public to form, and the immenfe difficulties they had bound themselves to achieve..

MANY of the former fupporters of lord North fhewed, as might be expected, at least coldness toward him in his altered fortune; yet many bore honourable teftimony to his merits, and vindicated their past conduct by honeft and unfufpected profeffions of permanent efteem. Sir John Huffey Delaval paid a manly tribute of this kind; and Mr. Courteney, though frequently interrupted by turbulent clamours, pronounced an encomium on lord North, mixed with fevere farcafms against the triumphant party. He had always fupported the late minifter, he faid, from a perfuafion of the rectitude of his intentions, and on that point his conviction had never been fhaken. If from untoward circumftances fome of his meafures had not been crowned with the expected fuccefs, his whole conduct had displayed a fincere anxiety for the profperity of the country. His amiable and engaging difpofition had procured him many friends, his unrivalled wit many admirers; his unaffuming manners (though he had held fo lofty a fituation twelve years) had prevented his having any enemies; his forbearing temper was feldom irritated; and when he was provoked, his manly warmth did honour to his feelings, "These panegyrics," he faid, " cannot be cenfured as ill-timed at this moment,

When intereft calls off all her fneaking train,
When all the oblig'd defert, and yet complain.

On this occafion he could freely pardon the exultation, triumph, and interruption of the conquering party; but he could not form a more fanguine with for the happiness of the country, than that in this day

of

XLII.

of difficulty, calamity, and diftrefs, an adminiftration CHA P. might be formed as able, difinterested, and upright, but more fortunate than that of lord North.

In this active contest the lords had yet taken no fhare the earl of Shelburne had obtained a fumImons of the houfe on an intended motion for the removal of minifters; but before the appointed day the cabinet had furrendered. On his apology for not prefenting the intended propofition, nothing remarkable occurred but a manly fpeech from lord Stormont, who, in lord North's name as well as his own, defied crimination, and courted inquiry. He made an ardent eulogy on lord North, whofe character, he said, had conquered even envy to the most fplendid talents he added the most ardent zeal for the public good, and the glory of his fovereign; the most perfect difinterestedness, and an integrity which even flander had not dared to tarnish.

1782.

22d Mar. Lord Shel

burne's in

teaded mo

tion.

SUCH was the close of the first permanent admini- Character of ftration formed during the reign of George III. lord North. From the prime minifter the acts of government took their character; and in speaking of him, his most inveterate opponents never accufed his warmeft friends of exaggeration. Of his character and attainments when he was raised to the office of chancellor of the exchequer, mention has already been made, and what remains for history to record has been in a great degree anticipated. His eloquence was lefs diftinguished by peculiar fplendour of diction, than by fuavity, perfpicuity, and arrangement. The impreffion of his harangues was aided by an extraordinary degree of candour, and ingenuous confidence, which were known to be unaffumed, and convinced the hearers of the purity of his motives, even though they did not affent to the propriety of his meafures. His temper was feldom ruffled; and though reiterated attacks fometimes extorted a farcaftic fally, his wit, of which he poffeffed an uncommon fecundity, never left on the minds, even of those whom he overwhelmed with ridicule,

DD 2

CHA P. ridicule, a fentiment of rancour.

XLII.

1782.

His honour was unblemished, his integrity unquestionable; and “in a long and stormy, and, at length, an unfortunate administration, he had many political opponents, almost without a perfonal enemy ." Thefe eftimable qualities were fuppofed to be in fome degree counteracted by too great a facility in adopting the suggestions of others; the absence of that strictness or severity which is often neceffary to enforce and infure exertion, gave the appearance of procraftination; and a want of energy feemed to pervade the other departments of administration.

Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, vol. vii 8vo. Preface.