to keep Lord Carteret in a very disagreeable predicament, by calling his character in question, and not allowing him, owing to the lateness of the session, an immediate opportunity of clearing it from all imputation. His lordship was answered by Mr. Sheridan, who seems to have interfered rather for the purpose of attacking the minister than of defending Mr. Grey, for he went pretty fully into an examination of the bill brought in by Mr. Pitt to reform the public offices, and which he considered as evincing a striking proof that the right honourable gentleman dealt only in professions. Mr. Sheridan observed that he had opposed the bill when it was first in agitation, and pronounced then that it would prove ineffectual, of which they had now a decisive evidence in the motion of his honourable friend.

The chancellor of the exchequer asserted his belief that the honourable gentleman had spoken with his usual sincerity, when he said that the charge against him was the principal object of his speech; and he did not at all doubt, but that when it was considered what use ingenuity might make of reports to disseminate stories and tales to his prejudice, that the opportunity of doing so was the chief reason which induced gentlemen to be so anxious for the proposed inquiry.

Sheridan, upon this, observed that the minister had treated his charge as a mere piece of irony, on which Mr. Pitt said across the table: "Direct

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ly the reverse; in that I admit and believe you tò be sincere." The other then resumed his speech, and said: "Well, I am glad the right honourable gentleman admits that I generally speak with sincerity." But this attempt to catch at more credit than was intended would not pass, and Mr. Pitt corrected the speaker by saying, "No, not so; but in what you have this day said against me." Mr. Sheridan again rallied, and went into a long and desultory argument to prove that the chancellor of the exchequer dealt more in professions than in substantial acts. In the course of this debate, some expressions having fallen from Mr. Pitt which Mr. Grey understood as reflecting upon his motives in undertaking the present enquiry, the latter rose with great warmth, and said, that conscious as he was of being actuated by fair and honourable considerations, no man should dare to impute unworthy motives to him. Upon this, the chancellor of the exchequer and Mr. Sheridan rose together; but as the avowed object of the latter was to promote harmony by conciliatory explanation, he was heard first. He then said that his honourable friend had clearly mistaken the meaning of the chancellor of the exchequer, whose words, hastily heard, might at their first sound have made the sort of impression which he perceived they had done, though he was ready to admit that this was not their true meaning.

At the close of the same session Mr. Sheridan brought forward his promised motion for a reform of the royal boroughs of Scotland; but as this was founded on a petition from the inhabitants of Glasgow, which the Speaker considered to be of a private nature, and contrary to the regulations of the house, the business ended in an adjournment.

CHAPTER XIV.

Character of the Opposition.-Anecdotes of Mr. Courte nay.-Ordnance Estimates.-Dispute with Bearcroft on the Law of Evidence.-Prosecution of Stockdale for a Libel.-Comparative View of the two India Bills.Notice of that Pamphlet in the House.-Opposition to the licensing of Sadler's Wells.-Observations on Theatrical Monopoly.-Debates on Financial Subjects.— Cause of Sheridan's personal Enmity to Pitt.

THE utility of an opposition in politics cannot reasonably be denied, but the motives from which it should proceed, and the spirit in which it ought to be conducted, so as to deserve commendation, will rarely be found illustrated in the parliamentary history of this country during the present long and eventful reign. For the most part, it has been a union of one set of men under a leader of eminence and influence, having no other object than that of compelling the minister to a resignation by continually embarrassing his measures. That the uniformity with which Mr. Pitt was assailed throughout the whole of his public acts arose solely from this desire of shaking his credit in the house and the nation, appeared evident in the zeal to justify personal hostility, by the pretext of detecting continually errors in the government.

In this field, like that of controversy in general, victory, and not truth, has been the aim of the combatants, who have become more ardent in proportion to the poverty of their cause and the fallacy of their reasoning. It certainly is very extraordinary, that men of talent should deceive themselves into a persuasion that they are actuated by public principles in obstinately attacking every proposition of a minister merely as such, and either without any examination at all, or if they take the trouble of considering the subject, only for the purpose of starting plausible objections against it. But there is another thing in this system of politics, still more difficult to reconcile to the rules of strict morality, and that is the entering into an association with parties on the score of private friendship, and to oblige particular persons. At the period of which we are treating, the strength of the opposition lay in this combination of members who were attached to Mr. Fox and Mr. Sheridan, on account of their urbanity and gaiety. Among others might be mentioned the late Mr. John Courtenay, who had filled the situation of Surveyor-General of the Ordnance with great credit, under Lord Townshend, but who declined continuing in that office when the Duke of Richmond became master-general, though strongly urged to retain it by most of his friends. Mr. Courtenay was a man of wit and ability, correct in his conduct, and assiduous when in