the character of his understanding. After all, as Sir William may possibly be in earnest in his anxiety for the Duke of Bedford, I should be glad to relieve him from it. He may rest assured, this worthy nobleman laughs, with equal indifference, at my reproaches, and Sir William's distress about him. But here let it stop. Even the Duke of Bedford, insensible as he is, will consult the tranquillity of his life, in not provoking the moderation of my temper. If, from the profoundest contempt, I should ever rise into anger, he should soon, find, that all I have already said of him, was lenity and compassion.

Out of a long catalogue, Sir William Draper has confined himself to the refutation of two charges only. The rest he had not time to discuss; and, indeed, it would have been a laborious undertaking. To draw up a defence of such a series of enormities, would have required a life, at least, as long as that which has been uniformly employed in the practice of them.The public opinion of the Duke of Bedford's extreme economy is, it seems, entirely without foundation. Though not very prodigal abroad, in his own family, at least, he is regular and magnificent. He pays his debts, abhors a beggar, and makes a handsome provision for his

son. His charity has improved upon the proverb, and ended where it began. Admitting the whole force of this single instance of his domestic generosity, (wonderful, indeed, considering the narrowness of his fortune, and the little merit of his only son) the public may still, perhaps, be dissatisfied, and demand some other less equivocal proofs of his munificence. Sir William Draper should have entered boldly into the detail of indigence relieved, of arts encouraged, of science patronised, men of learning protected, and works of genius rewarded.— In short, had there been a single instance, besides Mr. Rigby*, of blushing merit, brought forward by the Duke for the service of the public, it should not have been omitted.

I wish it were possible to establish my inference with the same certainty on which I believe the principle is founded. My conclusion, however, was not drawn from the principle alone.I am not so unjust as to reason from one crime to another: though I think that, of all the vices, avarice is most apt to taint and corrupt the heart. I combined the known temper of the man, with the extravagant concessions made by the am

This gentleman is supposed to have the same idea of blushing, that a man, blind from his birth, has of scarlet or sky-blue.

bassador; and though I doubt not sufficient care was taken to leave no document of any treasonable negociation, I still maintain that the conduct of this minister carries with it an internal and convincing evidence against him. Sir William Draper seems not to know the value or force of such a proof. He will not permit us to judge of the motives of men, by the manifest tendency of their actions, nor by the notorious character of their minds. He calls for papers and witnesses with a triumphant security, as if nothing could be true, but what could be proved in a court of justice. Yet a religious man might have remembered upon what foundation some truths, most interesting to mankind, have been received and established. If it were not for the internal evidence which the purest of religions carries with it, what would have become of his once well-quoted decalogue, and of the meekness of his Christianity.

The generous warmth of his resentment makes him confound the order of events. He forgets, that the insults and distresses which the Duke of Bedford has suffered, and which Sir William

If Sir W. D. will take the trouble of looking into Torcy's Memoirs, he will see with what little ceremony a bribe may be offered to a Duke, and with what little ceremony it was only not accepted.

has lamented, with many delicate touches of the true pathetic, were only recorded in my letter to his Grace, not occasioned by it. It was a simple, candid narrative of facts; though, for aught I know, it may carry with it something prophetic. His Grace, undoubtedly, has received several ominous hints; and, I think, in certain circumstances, a wise man would do well to prepare himself for the event.

But I have a charge of a heavier nature against Sir William Draper. He tells us, that the Duke of Bedford is amenable to justice; that Parliament is a high and solemn tribunal; and that, if guilty, he may be punished by due course of law: and all this he says with as much gravity as if he believed one word of the matter. I hope, indeed, the day of impeachments will arrive before this nobleman escapes out of life; but, to refer us to that mode of procceding now, with such a Ministry, and such a House of Commons as the present, what is it, but an indecent mockery of the common sense of the nation? I think he might have contented himself with defending the greatest enemy, without insulting the distresses of his country.

His concluding declaration of his opinion

with respect to the present condition of affairs, is too loose and undetermined to be of any ser vice to the public. How strange is it that this gentleman should dedicate so much time and argument to the defence of worthless or indiffe rent characters, while he gives but seven solitary lines to the only subject which can deserve his attention, or do credit to his abilities !

I VERY sincerely applaud the spirit with which a lady has paid the debt of gratitude to her benefactor. Though I think she has mistaken the point, she shews a virtue which makes her respectable. The question turned upon the personal generosity or avarice of a man, whose private fortune is immense. The proofs of his munificence must be drawn from the uses to