I was convinced that people looked too low for the author of JUNIUS-among the weeds and shrubbery, instead of the oaks and elms of Old England, or else I magnified the production beyond reason. I compared its style and diction with the prose writings of Milton, with Swift, with the precise Gibbon and Johnson, and with the luxuriant Burke, and thought I discovered something in JUNIUS superior to any of them, a personal ardor, a feeling, a deep experience, a selfconviction, a patriotic enthusiasm, and a martyr-like devotion in risking discovery, and all sublimed by a fire better regulated than that of Dante or Milton. I could find nothing that amalgamated with the best Letters of JUNIUS but the best Speeches of Lord CHATHAM. Furthermore; to whom can be applied the motto of "STAT" [magni] "NOMINIS UMBRA," omitting through modesty the magni, but to the Earl of Chatham ? Among the disadvantages of situation in writing such a book as this, is the liability to err in compellation, from the changeableness of names and titles of members of Parliament of both Houses. Even in relation to this country, now void of titles, British senators, historians, and pamphleteers frequently mistake one man of the same surname for another. A fact of this sort that might be determined in a few minutes in London, has cost weeks of inquiry here, and ended in uncertainty. Moreover, an apprehension exists, lest in a long course of years, I may have made extracts on small pieces of paper, backs of letters, and the like, and in the lapse of time and wane of memory, have forgotten whether they were my own thoughts or those of others; and this is more likely to have occurred at a recent date, than at a remote one; for reminis cence is, I find, more faithful to facts of half a century ago, than to those of the current year. But this error cannot have occurred very often. As to the curious popular question-Whether the terrific man in the mask was the great Lord CHATHAM, I have nothing farther to urge here. In stating a connected series of facts, I have laid no traps for the understanding of the reader, but left him to judge for himself—to remark, as he proceeds, how the parts cohere with the subject, and where contrarieties appear to lie across, threatening the harmony of our hypothesis. If I have been too often silent in regard to authorities, I would remind the reader that the physician is more in the way of knowing the whole interior of habitations, domestic characters, and sentiments, than any other class of gentlemen whatever. * Dr. Fothergill practised forty years at the court end of London, was Physician to many of the nobility, and most of its old families, and occasionally was consulted by the first rank in the kingdom. His prudence and delicacy were equal to his wisdom; yet it would be difficult for an affable man to conceal entirely his opinion of characters occupying different ranks in authority, from one who prudently sought information. Nearly every night, during three years, I, with my transcript Lectures and common-place book, sat at the same table with that industrious philanthropist, from eight o'clock to eleven, both of us exercising our pens in our own way. Had I possessed any of the Boswellian ambition, I had * See the correspondence of Lord and Lady Chatham with Dr. Addington, their family Physician, and Sir James Wright, relative to Lord Bute, p. 367 of this volume. the best opportunity of compiling a Fothergilliana, which might well wear for its motto that on the Fothergillian Medal-" FOTHERGILLIUS. MEDICUS. AMICUS. HOмO." Besides the heads of the noble Houses of Northumberland and Portland, the Doctor appeared to be most acquainted with the Marquis of Rockingham, and Lords Camden and Shelburne. I never knew that he ever spoke with Lord CHATHAM OF NORTH. He frequently expressed his great pleasure in repeated conversations with Lord Mansfield, who was now and then his patient, as was Lord Chancellor Thurlow. He, more than once, to my certain knowledge, made written communications to Lord North respecting the real state of things in America, during the war; and received, after a week or ten days' delay, very respectful answers; but not admitting, to the full, the correctness of all the information, till the conduct of France proclaimed its truth to all the world! WISDOM can draw, even from such a book as this, lessons moral and political. The reader of it has seen Retribution's refluent wave passing over certain individuals, and a whole nation. He has seen that God's ways are not like man's ways, that He makes use of the smallest means and causes to operate the greatest and most powerful effects. "In His hands, a pepper-corn is the foundation of the power, glory, and riches of India. He makes an ACORN, and by it communicates power and riches to a nation." * CAMBRIDGE, NEW ENGLAND, 1830. Bruce on the Source of the Nile. PRELIMINARY VIEW CONTENTS. Pago 1 The first Impression made by Junius's Letters in Old England, and in New. The first Question, Who is Junius ?-Suspicion Impossible that Junius could have been the sole Depositary of his own Secret.-Must have been past the Noon of Life.- A Nobleman, rich, and powerful.-His Writings marked by Peculiarity of Style.-Their Tendency always Patriotic, and 97 Stratagems and Subterfuges of Politicians. Junius's Co-operation with the Whig-Party. Chatham never countenanced American Independency. This always maintained by Samuel Adams in Massachusetts, and by Stephen Hopkins in Rhode Island. Sketch of the Character of Samuel Adams. Independency never lost Sight of in Massachusetts. Conceded by the Author Notices of Lord Camden, Lord Chief Justice Mansfield, Lord |