the miscellaneous writings and speeches-3-第29章

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ut　of　place；　acted　towards　Crabbe！　　Even　Dundas；　who　made　no　pretensions　to　literary　taste；　and　was　content　to　be　considered　as　a　hardheaded　and　somewhat　coarse　man　of　business；　was；　when　compared　with　his　eloquent　and　classically　educated　friend；　a　Maecenas　or　a　Leo。　　Dundas　made　Burns　an　exciseman；　with　seventy　pounds　a　year；　and　this　was　more　than　Pitt；　during　his　long　tenure　of　power；　did　for　the　encouragement　of　letters。　　Even　those　who　may　think　that　it　is；　in　general；　no　part　of　the　duty　of　a　government　to　reward　literary　merit　will　hardly　deny　that　a　government；　which　has　much　lucrative　church　preferment　in　its　gift；　is　bound；　in　distributing　that　preferment；　not　to　overlook　divines　whose　writings　have　rendered　great　service　to　the　cause　of　religion。　　But　it　seems　never　to　have　occurred　to　Pitt　that　he　lay　under　any　such　obligation。　　All　the　theological　works　of　all　the　numerous　bishops　whom　he　made　and　translated　are　not；　when　put　together；　worth　fifty　pages　of　the　Horae　Paulinae；　of　the　Natural　Theology；　or　of　the　View　of　the　Evidences　of　Christianity。　　But　on　Paley　the　all…powerful　minister　never　bestowed　the　small　benefice。　　Artists　Pitt　reasoned　as　contemptuously　as　writers。　　For　painting　he　did　simply　nothing。　　Sculptors；　who　had　been　selected　to　execute　monuments　voted　by　Parliament；　had　to　haunt　the　ante…chambers　of　the　Treasury　during　many　years　before　they　could　obtain　a　farthing　from　him。　　One　of　them；　after　vainly　soliciting　the　minister　for　payment　during　fourteen　years；　had　the　courage　to　present　a　memorial　to　the　King；　and　thus　obtained　tardy　and　ungracious　justice。　　Architects　it　was　absolutely　necessary　to　employ；　and　the　worst　that　could　be　found　seem　to　have　been　employed。　　Not　a　single　fine　public　building　of　any　kind　or　in　any　style　was　erected　during　his　long　administration。　　It　may　be　confidently　affirmed　that　no　ruler　whose　abilities　and　attainments　would　bear　any　comparison　with　his　has　ever　shown　such　cold　disdain　for　what　is　excellent　in　arts　and　letters。　His　first　administration　lasted　seventeen　years。　　That　long　period　is　divided　by　a　strongly　marked　line　into　two　almost　exactly　equal　parts。　　The　first　part　ended　and　the　second　began　in　the　autumn　of　1792。　　Throughout　both　parts　Pitt　displayed　in　the　highest　degree　the　talents　of　a　parliamentary　leader。　　During　the　first　part　he　was　a　fortunate　and；　in　many　respects；　a　skilful　administrator。　　With　the　difficulties　which　he　had　to　encounter　during　the　second　part　he　was　altogether　incapable　of　contending：　but　his　eloquence　and　his　perfect　mastery　of　the　tactics　of　the　House　of　Commons　concealed　his　incapacity　from　the　multitude。　The　eight　years　which　followed　the　general　election　of　1784　were　as　tranquil　and　prosperous　as　any　eight　years　in　the　whole　history　of　England。　　Neighbouring　nations　which　had　lately　been　in　arms　against　her；　and　which　had　flattered　themselves　that；　in　losing　her　American　colonies；　she　had　lost　a　chief　source　of　her　wealth　and　of　her　power；　saw；　with　wonder　and　vexation；　that　she　was　more　wealthy　and　more　powerful　than　ever。　　Her　trade　increased。　　Her　manufactures　flourished。　　Her　exchequer　was　full　to　overflowing。　　Very　idle　apprehensions　were　generally　entertained；　that　the　public　debt；　though　much　less　than　a　third　of　the　debt　which　we　now　bear　with　ease；　would　be　found　too　heavy　for　the　strength　of　the　nation。　　Those　apprehensions　might　not　perhaps　have　been　easily　quieted　by　reason。　　But　Pitt　quieted　them　by　a　juggle。　　He　succeeded　in　persuading　first　himself；　and　then　the　whole　nation；　his　opponents　included；　that　a　new　sinking　fund；　which；　so　far　as　it　differed　from　former　sinking　funds；　differed　for　the　worse；　would；　by　virtue　of　some　mysterious　power　of　propagation　belonging　to　money；　put　into　the　pocket　of　the　public　creditor　great　sums　not　taken　out　of　the　pocket　of　the　tax…payer。　　The　country；　terrified　by　a　danger　which　was　no　danger；　hailed　with　delight　and　boundless　confidence　a　remedy　which　was　no　remedy。　　The　minister　was　almost　universally　extolled　as　the　greatest　of　financiers。　　Meanwhile　both　the　branches　of　the　House　of　Bourbon　found　that　England　was　as　formidable　an　antagonist　as　she　had　ever　been。　　France　had　formed　a　plan　for　reducing　Holland　to　vassalage。　　But　England　interposed；　and　France　receded。　　Spain　interrupted　by　violence　the　trade　of　our　merchants　with　the　regions　near　the　Oregon。　　But　England　armed；　and　Spain　receded。　　Within　the　island　there　was　profound　tranquillity。　　The　King　was；　for　the　first　time；　popular。　　During　the　twenty…three　years　which　had　followed　his　accession　he　had　not　been　loved　by　his　subjects。　　His　domestic　virtues　were　acknowledged。　　But　it　was　generally　thought　that　the　good　qualities　by　which　he　was　distinguished　in　private　life　were　wanting　to　his　political　character。　　As　a　Sovereign；　he　was　resentful；　unforgiving；　stubborn；　cunning。　　Under　his　rule　the　country　had　sustained　cruel　disgraces　and　disasters；　and　every　one　of　those　disgraces　and　disasters　was　imputed　to　his　strong　antipathies；　and　to　his　perverse　obstinacy　in　the　wrong。　　One　statesman　after　another　complained　that　he　had　been　induced　by　royal　caresses；　intreaties；　and　promises；　to　undertake　the　direction　of　affairs　at　a　difficult　conjuncture；　and　that；　as　soon　as　he　had；　not　without　sullying　his　fame；　and　alienating　his　best　friends；　served　the　turn　for　which　he　was　wanted；　his　ungrateful　master　began　to　intrigue　against　him；　and　to　canvass　against　him。　　Grenville；　Rockingham；　Chatham；　men　of　widely　different　characters；　but　all　three　upright　and　high…spirited；　agreed　in　thinking　that　the　Prince　under　whom　they　had　successively　held　the　highest　place　in　government　was　one　of　the　most　insincere　of　mankind。　　His　confidence　was　reposed；　they　said；　not　in　those　known　and　responsible　counsellors　to　whom　he　had　delivered　the　seals　of　office；　but　in　secret　advisers　who　stole　up　the　back　stairs　into　his　closet。　　In　Parliament　his　ministers；　while　defending　themselves　against　the　attacks　of　the　opposition　in　front；　were　perpetually；　at　his　instigation；　assailed　on　the　flank　or　in　the　rear　by　a　vile　band　of　mercenaries　who　called　themselves　his　friends。　　These　men　constantly；　while　in　possession　of　lucrative　places　in　his　service；　spoke　and　voted　against　bills　which　he　had　authorised　the　First　Lord　of　the　Treasury　or　the　Secretary　of　State　to　bring　in。　　But　from　the　day　on　which　Pitt　was　placed　at　the　head　of　affairs　there　was　an　end　of　secret　influence。　　His　haughty　and　aspiring　spirit　was　not　to　be　satisfied　with　the　mere　show　of　power。　　Any　attempt　to　undermine　him　at　Court；　any　mutinous　movement　among　his　followers　in　the　House　of　Commons；　was　certain　to　be　at　once　put　down。　　He　had　only　to　tender　his　resignation；　and　he　could　dictate　his　own　terms。　　For　he；　and　he　alone；　stood　between　the　King　and　the　Coalition。　　He　was　therefore　little　less　than　Mayor　of　the　Palace。　　The　nation　loudly　applauded　the　King　for　having　the　wisdom　to　repose　entire　confidence　in　so　excellent　a　minister。　　His　Majesty's　private　virtues　now　began　to　produce　their　full　effect。　　He　was　generally　regarded　as　the　model　of　a　respectable　country　gentleman；　honest；　good…natured；　sober；　religious。　　He　rose　early：　　he　dined　temperately：　　he　was　strictly　faithful　to　his　wife：　　he　never　missed　church；　and　at　church　he　never　missed　a　response。　　His　people　heartily　prayed　that　he　might　long　reign　over　them；　and　they　prayed　the　more　heartily　because　his　virtues　were　set　off　to　the　best　advantage　by　the　vices　and　follies　of　the　Prince　of　Wales；　who　lived　in　close　intimacy　with　the　chiefs　of　the　opposition。　How　strong　this　feeling　was　in　the　public　mind　appeared　signally　on　one　great　occasion。　　In　the　autumn　of　1788　the　King　became　insane。　　The　opposition；　eager　for　office；　committed　the　great　indiscretion　of　asserting　that　the　heir　apparent　had；　by　the　fundamental　laws　of　England；　a　right　to　be　Regent　with　the　full　powers　of　royalty。　　Pitt；　on　the　other　hand；　maintained　it　to　be　the　constitutional　doctrine　that；　when　a　Sovereign　is；　by　reason　of　infancy；　disease；　or　absence；　incapable　of　exercising　the　regal　functions；　it　belongs　to　the　Estates　of　the　realm　to　determine　who　shall　be　the　vicegerent　and　with　what　portion　of　the　executive　authority　such　vicegerent　shall　be　entrusted。　　A　long　and　violent　contest　followed；　in　which　Pitt　was　supported　by　the　great　body　of　the　people　with　as　much　enthusiasm　as　during　the　first　months　of　his　administration。　　Tories　with　one　voice　applauded　him　for　defending　the　sick…bed　of　a　virtuous　and　unhappy　Sovereign　against　a　disloyal　faction　and　an　undutiful　son。　　Not　a　few　Whigs　applauded　him　for　asserting　the　authority　of　Parliaments　and　the　principles　of　the　Revolution；　in　opposition　to　a　doctrine　which　seemed　to　have　too　much　affinity　with　the　servile　theory　of　indefeasible　hereditary　right。　　The　middle　class；　always　zealous　on　the　side　of　decency　and　the　domestic　virtues；　looked　forward　with　dismay　to　a　reign　resembling　that　of　Charles　II。　　The　palace；　which　had　now　been；　during　thirty　years；　the　pattern　of　an　English　home；　would　be　a　public　nuisance；　a　school　of　profligacy。　　To　the　good　King's　repast　of　mutton　and　lemonade；　despatched　at　three　o'clock；　would　succeed　midnight　banquets；　from　which　the　guests　would　be