This clear that the French mission had no other being sent to Lisle. I said I trusted he [Pitt] Pitt said was actually done, and agreed with Il [Lord M.] aura à déclarer ses pleins pou-kisson, both as to his principles and the turn voirs suffisants that is to say, sufficient for the unconditional restitution of all the king's conquests], et à les exhiber d'abord; et en cas qu'il ne les a pas, d'aller en Angleterre dans les vingt-quatre heures les chercher lui-même.' -vol. iii. p. 581. Thus, if his embassy did not begin with a practical epigram,' it ended with one; and it was surely too strong a proof of Mr. Pitt's obstinate desire for peace that, even after this affront, both he and Lord Malmesbury still thought that the negotiation should be continued, and Lord Malmesbury on his arrival in London found there two emissaries—one from Talleyrand, and the other from Barras-both offering any terms we choose for money?' Barras's present terms are not given, but we have seen that they were lately stated at 500,0001. Talleyrand's, as produced by one O'Drusse, who is we know not whether jocularly designated as the Grand Vicaire of the Bishop of Autun, were more moderateonly 200,000l., for consenting to leave us one of the Dutch settlements-probably Ceylon (iii. 580). It is with pain and shame that we copy the following extract : C Friday, Sept. 22, 1797.--At his request, at half-past eleven with Pitt; the Note altered as we wished. He said I was quite right as to judging it was right to continue the negotiation; his informant [Barras's emissary] said it was necessary to the plan of the Directory; he Pitt] had informed him of our intentions; he [the informant] was actually gone to Paris to prepare the way for proper instructions of his understanding; he wants to make money by this peace, and dares not apply to me to act with him; the whole secret was known in the city the day it was told Pitt, and acted on by the stock-jobbers; stock-jobbing is at the bottom of the whole, I fear.'-- vol. iii. pp. 582-4. We hope and believe that this imputation against Mr. Huskisson was merely Lord Malmesbury's hasty impression against a man whom he confesses that he did not like, and of whose proceedings in this matter he admits that Mr. Pitt was aware, which seems to us a sufficient voucher that the proceedings were disinterested and honorable; but the rest of the story certainly agrees with the known characters of Talleyrand and Barras; and while we regret that Mr. Pitt should have for a moment listened to such propositions, even for the great and 'Christian' object of ending the war, we cannot suppose that he gave in to it without some strong reason to believe in the authenticity of the offers. On this point of the character and policy of Mr. Pitt, as contrasted with that of Lord Grenville, we shall conclude with the words of the Editor 'Mr. Pitt has always been held up to the present generation as fond of war: but the Harris Papers could furnish the most continued and certain evidence of the contrary, and that he often suffered all the agony of a pious man who is forced to fight a duel. The cold and haughty temper of Lord Grenville was less sensitive; our overtures were to him synony mous with degradation, and he could not now brook the delays of the Directory. Lord Malmesbury entirely agreed with Pitt, and at this time saw a fair chance of obtaining an honorable peace.'-vol. iii. p. 516. It is the mischief of these unilateral, truncated revelations, that they lead to conclusions often the very reverse of that which, if we had both sides of the continuous story, we should probably arrive at. For instance, would it not seem from the passages―à bátons rompus-which we have quoted, that Mr. Huskisson was a knave and Mr. Pitt a dupe? There is nearly the same evidence for both, and we as little believe the former as the latter, and yet we do not see what answer can be now made to Lord Malmesbury's broken hints than a general appeal to the characters of those two statesmen. house where in later days we remember Lord Dover and the present Duke of Bedford, and afterwards in old Richmond House, where Richmond-terrace has been since built, and he possessed for some years the beautiful villa of Park Place, near Henley. In town he kept an excellent and hospitable table; and as age confined him more and more to home, he was happy to receive the many morning visits that-thus living in the gangway to the Houses of Parliament-his numerous acquaintance were always ready to pay to one whose lively curiosity, extensive information, polished manners, and varied conversation amply rewarded their attentions. He had all his life been fond of the company of young people. He had early formed a close intimacy with. Mr. Canning-whose friendship for Lord Malmesbury was, says the Editor, like that of an affectionate son,— and he had, as we have seen, surrounded himself with Mr. Canning's personal friends, and to the last he continued to cultivate the acquaintance of the young men who began to distinguish themselves in public With this mission ended Lord Malmesbury's diplomatic life-which exhibits the extraordinary paradox of a long series of failures-unbroken by any one happy result-which, nevertheless, procured for the always defeated yet always fortunate agent the highest reputation and the most splendid life. These circumstances and connexions, rewards. We offered in our former article some considerations which might account for so extraordinary a phenomenon; the details of the missions comprised in the third volume confirm those opinions. Great diplomatic results seldom depend on the abilities of the agents, but on the interests and power of the principals. Lord Malmesbury failed through no fault of his in the negotiations with Prussia and France we do not believe any man could have done better in the strange circumstances into which he was thrown at Brunswick we cannot name any man who we think could have done so well. with his old diplomatic taste for gossip and those little political manœuvres commonly called intrigue, kept him au fait of all that was going on-or at least all that was said to be going on-for there is a vast difference between the reality of such affairs and the rumors of even the best informed circles. The fourth volume of this work is wholly occupied with a diary kept by Lord Malmesbury, with great assiduity, of all he heard and saw of public affairs-(interspersed with some interesting correspondence, especially with Mr. Canning and the Duke of York), from Mr. Pitt's resignation in the first days of 1801, down to the Convention of Cintra in 1808. Lord Malmesbury now retired from public business, but we can hardly say from No extracts that our space would allow public affairs; for although, as he told Mr. us to make could afford an adequate idea Canning in March, 1801, as an excuse for of this great mass of mingled gossip and his not thinking, in that season of ministe- history. Lord Malmesbury's pen had no rial changes, of any official employment, touch of pleasantry, nor even of vivacity, 'he was tied to his chair, and never ex- and it would therefore not be easy to propected to move ten yards from it' (vol. iv. duce amusing specimens of what is yet a p. 35), still, as a peer, he had a responsible very amusing whole. To us, and to the many and indefeasible station in political life, still living who, like us, happen to have been and was, moreover, from temper and habit, contemporary with the events-who have led to enliven his dignified leisure by a seen all and know most of the dramatis strong curiosity and occasionally a busy share in the party struggles of the day. His residence was on the edge of what Dr. Johnson called the great tide of human existence-first in Spring Garden, in a fine persona-nothing can be more attractive; we seem to be living our youth over again. We may fancy ourselves walking down rather early to the House, and turning in at Richmond Gardens to while away the spare to the King, had been honorably employed, created Viscount and Earl, and, having enrolled himself as one of the King's friends, had naturally fallen out with the Prince. But when we turn over a few pages, Lord Malmesbury's candor affords us some reason to doubt the truth of his imputations against the Prince : half-hour with the old Lion-as from his how little they maintain his diplomatic repubrilliant eyes and profusion of white hair'tation, and they no better vindicate his own Lord Malmesbury was not unwilling to be private consistency. On the King's illness called by his younger associates; but we in 1801, Lord Malmesbury collected every doubt whether it will have the same success rumor of the undutiful and unfeeling bewith more distant and more disinterested havior of the Prince of Wales towards his readers. And even with us and our con-afflicted father, quite forgetful that, after temporaries the first impression is by no having obtained from the same King the means favorable to the taste or discretion greatest personal favor a subject can receive, of the publication, as regards either the he himself had under similar circumstances noble Diarist himself or those of whom he in 1788 abetted the same Prince of Wales treats. We meet in every page harsh men- in conduct much more undutiful and untion of names that we have loved and re-feeling than that with which he now respected; and we know, even within our own proached him. What is the key to this?— narrow circle, that a considerable degree of Lord Malmesbury had reconciled himself private feeling has been painfully excited. But upon further reflection a good deal of that will wear off. Many of the harsh things that Lord Malmesbury says under a momentary influence, he soon unsays, and of many others he himself supplies the means of refutation; and one thing may be said for him that though he evidently had strong biases, he never seems to have wilfully misrepresented any one; and it turns out- 'March 6, 1801.-Prince of Wales yesterday singularly enough-that the person whom evening and this morning with the King; his of all others he seems most to have disliked fortunate that it is not sincere ; or rather that he behavior there right and proper. How un-Lord Grenville-makes nearly the best has so effeminate a mind as to counteract all figure in the book for both consistency and his own good qualities, by having no control sagacity, while his most intimate and ap-over his weaknesses!-vol. iv. p. 33. plauded friend-the late Lord Chichesterif we were to take all that is said of him au pied de la lettre, would appear irresolute, self-interested, and blameably indiscreet. We are inclined to believe that no public man ever kept an honest journal of his daily 'March 24.-Lord Carlisle, Lord Lansdowne, opinions on events, and especially on persons, Lord Fitzwilliam, and Fox have coalesced. It who would not, after a lapse of time, read is said they informed the Prince of Wales, over many of his entries with regret, and through Lord Moira, of this step, tendered him sometimes with self-reproach, for his own an offer of their services, and that they should credulity or injustice. Let us allow to Lord hold their conferences at Carlton House. The Malmesbury and his victims the advantage Prince, it is said, replied, that he was under of these indulgent considerations. He notes too much anxiety for the King's health to think down what he has heard and believes, often of politics; that he thanked them for their communication, but not only declined their proerroneously, but always, we believe, honest-posal, but observed that, out of respect to the ly, and the veracity of the chronicler is not to be confounded with the accuracy of the facts. Lord Malmesbury sat at the receipt of custom, and news was the tribute which his friends paid him; but it was often in coin clipped or debased, or even absolutely counterfeit. In any daily record of passing events and fluctuating opinions there must be frequent inconsistencies and contradictions, and Lord Malmesbury's Correspondence and Diaries,' taken as a whole, tell, we think, almost as much against himself as against any one he names. We have already shown VOL. V.-No. II. 17 Here we see proper conduct admitted, with an ingenious surmise that it would not be lasting; but then by and bye we find the following anecdote recorded : : King, he considered it as his duty to acquaint Mr. Addington with it, and this he immediately did.'-vol. iv. p. 51. and henceforward we hear little or no more on the subject of the Prince's undutiful behavior; and indeed there are some strong statements of a direct contrary tendency. Again; we have fresh in our recollections Mr. Pitt's efforts, his perhaps too anxious efforts, for peace; and we are told that in 1800 he was about to make another attempt, and would have named Lord Malmesbury, for it (iv. 28); and yet we find Lord Mal mesbury, so early as the 4th of March, 1801, [ weeks suggesting and carrying on an insaying in derogation of Mr. Addington, then about to replace Mr. Pitt, 'March 4.-Addington's mind is full of peace -no great proof of strength of character, wisdom, or statesman-like knowledge, in such times as these.'-vol. iv. p. 28. Thus Pitt is applauded and Addington sneered at for the same identical policy. Again, he says of Mr. Pitt's resignation, 'Feb. 7.-It looks at times to me as if Pitt was playing a very selfish, and, in the present state of affairs, a very criminal part; that he goes out to show his own strength, and under the certain expectation of being soon called upon again to govern the country, with uncontrolled power.'-vol. iv. 4. p. and when the King's illness, consequent on the anxiety this resignation caused him, became alarming, the Diarist expresses his loyal indignation in terms which clearly alluded to Mr. Pitt as one of those trigue to force this 'political villain' back into office; and within three months we find the following entry : 'June 8.-I was with Pitt at his breakfast. I told him that I had much satisfaction in assuring him that I should follow his line in politics; that I understood his motives, and respected them in acting as he had done.'-vol. iv. p. 263. Again; there is no one, we think, whom Lord Malmesbury mentions with more asperity than the late Lord Auckland, and particularly for his supposed share in disturbing the King's mind in 1801, by alarming him against the designs of Mr. Pitt on the Catholic question. Yet we shall find Lord Malmesbury himself pursuing the same line (and without so strong a duty), and instigating the Duke of Portland to take similar measures for encouraging the King to resist the Catholic concessions proposed by the Talents. of the same kind of contradictions; but We could produce many more instances these will suffice, our object being not to complain of Lord Malmesbury's injustice or inconsistency, but to expose the consequences of any system of journalizing, in 'Feb. 22.-'who acted in order to gratify their private resentments, or promote their ambitious views; and these men, let them be who who they will, may be considered as the most consummate political villains that ever existed. They ought to be held in execration by the country, and their names handed down to pos-which-though the rumours of one day are terity with infamy; for they will have been the first cause of the destruction of the intellects or life of a Sovereign, to whose kingly virtues, is valuable to him.'-vol. iv. And again, when the King grew better, effaced by those of the next, yet the false report and the true one-the passing impression and the permanent convictionare equally recorded, and when they happen, by breach of faith or mistaken zeal, to be published promiscuously, become offensive to private feelings and delusive to public opinion. In the present case, however, we repeat that no great harm is done; for to 'March 7.—The King, in directing Willis to those who attentively read the whole Diary, speak or write to Pitt, said, "Tell him I am very little of that which seems to bear hardnow quite well, QUITE recovered from my ill-est upon individuals will be found of any ness; but what has he not to answer for, who is the cause of my having been ill at all?" This, on being repeated, affected Pitt so deeply that it immediately produced the letter (the most dutiful, humble, and contrite) mentioned above, and brought from him the declaration of his readiness to give way on the Catholic Question.'-vol. iv. p. 32. And finally, March 9.-The whole is a very sad story the work of mean and bad passions; a trial of strength which a great subject presumes to institute with his King, and a King to whom he owes all his greatness. It began in this, continues in this, and will end in it, and ruin follow to the common weal.-vol. iv. p. 40. real weight or authority. The Diary opens with the change of ministry in 1801, and with his Majesty's illness, which Lord Malmesbury states very truly, was produced by the agitation of the Royal mind in being forced to part from Mr. Pitt-with whom he never before had had a difference (iv. p. 7)—in such a crisis of the not merely as invalidating the constitutional world, and on a point which his Majesty felt right by which he held his crown-but as irreconcilable with what he held dearer than his crown-his religion and his conscience. Lord Malmesbury states that the origin and after all this, we find him within a few of the King's illness was 'A cold caught by his remaining so long in church in very bad snowy weather on the day appointed for a general fast, 13th February; and the physicians do not scruple to say that although his Majesty certainly had a bad cold, and would, under all circumstances, have been ill, yet that the hurry and vexation of all that has passed was the cause of his mental illness; which, if it had shown itself at all, would certainly not have declared itself so violently, or been of a nature to cause any alarm, had not these events taken place.'-vol. iv. p. 19. responses utter horror any measure involving (as he considered it) the violation of his coronation oath. It has been a general opinion-and Lord Malmesbury seems at one time to have believed that Mr. Pitt seized this occasion of resigning, with the object of allowing Mr. Addington the mortification and odium of making a peace. Lord Malmesbury shows clearly that Mr. Pitt never evaded that responsibility himself, and that he even took a supererogative responsibility in advising Mr. The following anecdote, however, which Addington in his negotiations; but he does we received very soon after the event from not say that which we are enabled to assert a person who was present, proves that the from Mr. Addington's own report of his mental excitement preceded the cold caught conferences with the King and Mr. Pitt--viz. on the 13th February. The King was al- that when Mr. Pitt went last into the closet ways in the habit of repeating the to press the Catholic Question on His Main the church service very audibly; but on jesty, he had still hopes of being able to this day, when he came to the following prevail; the more so, as the King pressed response of the Venite, he leaned over the him with the greatest earnestness and affecfront of his seat, and with an air of address-tion not to desert him; but that when, afing the congregation, he repeated in a loud, ter a long and warm conversation, Mr. Pitt emphatic, and angry tone- Forty years declared peremptorily that he could not long was I grieved with this generation, and yield the point-the King suddenly changed said, it is a people that do err in their hearts, for they have not known my ways.' It was impossible,' said our informant, not to see that all the perplexities and troubles of his forty years' reign were, by the new dif ficulties pressed upon him by one whom he so much regarded as Mr. Pitt, revived at the moment on his excited and morbid Lord Malmesbury tells us that memory.' as early as the 6th or 7th of February 'The King at Windsor read his Coronation Oath to his family-asked them whether they understood it-and added, "If I violate it, I am no longer legal Sovereign of the country, but it falls to the house of Savoy." And in the entry for the 26th of February we read his manner, and dismissed him!—and when Mr. Pitt, in his surprise, attempted some rejoinder, the King in civil but very decided term declined any further discussion. During all the preliminary arrangements for the new administration nothing could be more composed, more clear, more rational, than His Majesty's conduct-but the effort overpowered him, and the scenes which we have just quoted with his family and in the chapel show the progress of the excitement. We cannot follow all the daily vicissitudes of his Majesty's illness; but our readers will see with great interest the following account of Lord Malmesbury's first interview with the King after his recovery :— I '29 Oct., 1801.-I went to Windsor to present to the King and Queen copies of the new "The King on Monday, after having re-edition of my father's works. I saw them both mained many hours without speaking, at last towards the evening came to himself, and said, "I am better now, but I will remain true to the Church."-vol. iv. p. 19. alone on the morning of the 26th. Lord Malmesbury is all along very indig-there any marks of sickness or decline in his nant with Mr. Pitt for not having prepar-as usual; somewhat less hurried, and more countenance or manner; these last were much ed the King's mind for Roman Catholic conversable, that is to say, allowing the perEmancipation as the necessary consequence son to whom he addressed himself more time of the Union, and lays all the blame on the to answer and talk, than he used to do when suddenness of the announcement. We have discussing on common subjects, on public and I at all times for thirty years no proof that Mr. Pitt may not have ap- grave ones. have found him very attentive, and full as ready proached the subject with the King, and we to hear as to give an opinion, though perhaps have a strong conviction that no degree of not always disposed to adopt it and forsake his preparation or persuasion would have inown. He was gracious even to kindness, and duced His Majesty to view with less than spoke of my father in a way which quite affect |