at one in the morning by a majority of fifty-three,* though the moment before that question the Ministers had been forced to let the Contractor's Bill pass without a division.

Still the career of the Opposition is certainly a little checked, and I think will not recover by the recess at Easter, when the Court can work more efficaciously than they for they will separate, and the Court can work on separate men; and will not only have recovered spirits from this last advantage, but from being thunderstruck by the rapid progress of the spirit in the country. Other causes have contributed to lower the Opposition; causes arising from themselves. The profligate and blundering impudence of the Speaker gave the first shock. This was immediately followed by as dishonourable an attack on the same person, Lord North, by Temple Lutterell, one of the brothers of the Duchess of Cumberland, who brought a direct charge against the Minister for buying a borough, which Lutterell thought he himself had bought. He made his own corrupt practice very clear, and could not prove a tittle against Lord North. The accusation was voted frivolous.+ The Opposition, too, had thought to carry everything sword in hand, and, owing their late progress to the country petitions, they affected to transfer Parliamentary power to the associations,

* The clause was rejected by 211 against 158.-ED.

The words of the Amendment, which was moved by Mr. Holroyd, afterwards Lord Sheffield, were, "that the charge brought against Lord North was ill-founded and injurious." It was agreed to without a division.-ED.

who were very ready to affect Parliamentary airs, and accordingly assumed cognizance of matters actually pending in Parliament. This has offended moderate men; and many, who approved the petitions, were alarmed at the associations-with good reason: for the deputation, composed of three members of each committee, which is assembled in London, are going to take large strides indeed, and intend to propose to their several counties to demand annual Parliaments, and to alter the mode of representation. The first would be an alteration of the Constitution, and the last a most dangerous violation of it; and very sorry should I be to see either attempted. Lord Rockingham, the Cavendishes, and that connection, strenuously resist these innovations. Lord Shelburne and Charles Fox push them impetuously, though at first both opposed them but the first will stick at nothing to gratify his ambition; and the latter must stick at nothing, so desperate is his situation. Thus, instead of trying soberly to correct and restore the Constitution, we are leaping at once to improving upon it; and thus the national spirit that had arisen, and might have done some service, will be wasted in chimerical projects, and only sow altercation. However, negative good it must have done, for it has checked profusion and waste; and has shown the Court that the lion was dormant, but not toothless.

You will perceive, perhaps, that my conjectures and prognostics vary; and it is natural you should conclude that I form my reasonings from the moment.

VOL. III. NEW SERIES.

Q

So I do; that is, I conjecture from present appearances, but I reason from the causes that make appearances vary. Bodies of men, multitudes, do not act upon one regular system: in the present case, the committees started out of the earth, were not set on foot by the leaders of the Opposition, and will not be led by them, at least till they have been humoured by them for some time. Besides, their own leaders may not have just the same views as the Parliamentary leaders; and, the more articles either or both frame for the political creed in which they are to agree, into the more sects they will split. So much the better, if any part would violate the Constitution. It is good that the Court should know it will be resisted if it attempts against the Constitution: but as no country ever yet had so good an one, though not perfect, I do not desire anybody should mend it; because I do not know that they will not make more errors than they found, and I have not so high an opinion of the virtue or wisdom of the present age as to discern the sublime legislators who can improve the system laid down at the Revolution. To that point let us always return when necessary. It will be time enough to make improvements afterwards.

Observe, this letter is but a week younger than my last. Your nephew says you complained of my silence, but owned it was occasioned by the delay of two or three posts. I never was so diligent. Now I shall relax a little. The Parliament will go into Easter quarters the day after to-morrow for ten days, and I shall go

out of town on Friday. It will be a grim repose* for them; but at least you will not expect events in the holidays. It will be better that we should run into speculative controversies than into a civil war;—we are every day on the point of single combats. Yesterday one was very near between Lord Shelburne and Mr. Fullarton, Lord Stormont's late secretary at Paris ;† for, I assure you, terms are no more managed than in the Senate of Rome, where duels were not the fashion. Well! good night; or I should be too late for the post.

LETTER CCCXXVII.

Strawberry Hill, April 8, 1780.

THE return of the Parliament will naturally make you impatient for a letter, though you will not have expected so much as this will announce.

* "Fair laughs the morn, and soft the zephyr blows, While proudly riding o'er the azure realm

In gallant trim the gilded vessel goes;

Youth on the prow, and Pleasure at the helm;
Regardless of the sweeping whirlwind's sway,

As I am not

That, hush'd in grim repose, expects his ev'ning prey."

GRAY'S Burd.

+ After being Lord Stormont's private secretary at Paris, Mr. Fullarton was elevated to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the army, and appointed to the command of a newly-raised regiment. The Earl of Shelburne animadverted severely on the circumstance in the House of Lords, and, in the course of his speech, designated Mr. Fullarton as a mere clerk, a commis. The latter complained of the insult in his place in the House of Commons; but, the House declining to proceed upon it, the "single combat" anticipated by Walpole took place in Hyde Park, on the 22nd of March.-ED.

going to write a romance or an epic poem, I will not keep your attention in suspense, but tell you at once that the Court has received a signal defeat already; in which, as well as in the preparations for the engagement, their generals have manifested strange negligence and want of conduct.

On Wednesday, on the question of the new-raised regiments, in which Mr. Fullarton's was comprised, the Ministers carried them in the House of Commons by a majority of nearly forty.*

The next day was appointed for consideration of the Petitions from the counties and towns; about forty of which, on vast parchments subscribed by thousands of names, were heaped on the table. The Opposition had kept secret their intended motions. The very first, made by Mr. Dunning, was a thundering one: The words were, "That the influence of the Crown has increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished." The walls could not believe their own ears; they had not heard such language since they had a wainscot. The Ministers, as if this winter were at all like the five last, poorly tried that the chairman should leave the chair; but that would not take now. Thomas Pitt, who never spoke so well before, drew a terrible picture of the difference he had felt between his former journey abroad and his last; from what he knew of the dissimilar situations of his country, then so flourishing, now so fallen and from what he heard foreigners say of it. This apostrophe, addressed very bitterly to Lord North,

*The numbers on the division were 102 against 66.--ED.