'The Duke of Rutland to Mr. Pitt. 'Dublin Castle, August 13, 1785. 'MY DEAR PITT, I am most extremely concerned to inform you, that after a tedious debate, which continued till past nine in the morning, the House came to a division, when the numbers for admitting the bill were 127 to 108. You may well imagine that so small a majority as nineteen on so strong a question as the admission of the bill affords no great hopes as to the ultimate fate of the measure. It will be an effort of our united strength to get the bill printed, that at least it may remain as a monument of the liberality of Great Britain, and of my desire to promote a system which promises such essential advantage to the empire. All my influence must likewise be exerted on Monday to defeat a motion from Mr. Flood, to the purpose of declaring "the four propositions, as passed in the Parliament of Great Britain, as destructive of the liberties and constitution of Ireland." Such a declaration is of a nature too hostile to be endured for a moment. The speech of Mr. Grattan was, I understand, a display of the most beautiful eloquence perhaps ever heard, but it was seditious and inflammatory to a degree hardly credible. The theory and positions laid down both in his speech and that of Mr. Flood amounted to nothing less than war with England. This was distinctly told him in so many words by Mr. Pole.* The Attorney-General supported me in the most honourable and manly manner, and has committed himself without reserve. Our only line left is to force, if possible, the bill to be read, and then to adjourn, that men may have time to return to their senses. It grieves me to think that a system which held out so much advantage to the empire, and which was so fair between the two countries, should meet a fate so contrary to its deserts; and I may say Ireland will have reason to repent her folly if she persists in a conduct so dangerous, so destructive of her true interest, and repugnant to every principle of connexion between herself and Great Britain. I have only to add, that I still do not absolutely despond; but, be the event what it may, no alteration shall take place in my determination: I will never think of quitting my station while I can render an iota of strength to your government, or to the great cause in which we are embarked. I will write more fully after Monday. I was up all last night, and am quite worn out. Believe me to be ever yours, We will add Mr. Pitt's reply : 'Mr. Pitt to the Duke of Rutland. Putney Heath, Aug. 17, 1785. My dear Duke,-I confess myself not a little disappointed and hurt in the account brought Now Lord Maryborough. The Attorney-General for Ireland was then the Right Hon. John Fitzgibbon, afterwards Lord Chancellor and Earl of Clare. me to-day by your letter and Mr. Orde's of the event of Friday. I had hoped that neither prejudice nor party could on such an occasion have made so many proselytes against the true interests of the country; but the die seems in a great measure to be cast, at least for the present. Whatever it leads to, we have the satisfaction of having proposed a system which, I believe, will not be discredited even by its failure; and we must wait times and seasons for carrying it into effect. I think you judge most wisely in making it your plan to give the interval of a long adjournment as soon as the bill has been read and printed. With so doubtful a majority, and with so much industry to raise a spirit of opposition without doors, this is not the moment for pressing farther. It will remain to be seen whether, by showing a firm and unalterable decision to abide by the system in its present shape, and by exerting every effort both to instruct and influence the country at large into a just opinion of the advantages held out to them, a favourable change may be produced in the general current of opinion before the time comes for resuming the consideration of the bill. I am not at all sanguine in my expectations of your division on the intended motion on Monday last. Though an Opposition frequently loses its advantage by attempting to push it too far, yet, on such a question, and with the encouragement of so much success, I rather conclude that absurdity and faction will have gained a second triumph; but I am very far from thinking it impossible that reflection and discussion may operate a great change before the time when your Parliament will probably meet after the adjournment. I very much wish you may at least have been just able to ward off Flood's motion, lest its standing on the journals should be an obstacle to farther proceedings at a happier moment. It is still almost incomprehensible to me who can have been the deserters who reduced our force so low, and I wait with great impatience for a more particular account. All I have to say, in the mean time, is very short: let us meet what has happened, or whatever may happen, with the coolness and determination of persons who may be defeated, but cannot be disgraced, and who know that those who obstruct them are greater sufferers than themselves. You have only to preserve the same spirit and temper you have shown throughout in the remainder of this difficult scene. Your own credit and fame will be safe, as well as that of your friends. I wish I could say the same of the country you have been labouring to serve. Our cause is on too firm a rock here to be materially shaken, even for a time, by this disappointment; and when the experience of this fact has produced a little more wisdom in Ireland, I believe the time will yet come when we shall see all our views realized in both countries, and for the advantage of both. It may be sooner or later, as accident, or perhaps (for some time) malice, may direct; but it will be right at last. We must spare no human exertion to bring forward the moment as early as possible; but we must be prepared also to wait for it on one uniform and resolute ground, be it ever so late. It will be no small consola- 'Your most affectionate and faithful friend, We cannot leave the subject of Ireland without doing justice to the character and conduct of the Duke of Rutlaud.* Throughout this correspondence he appears to very great advantage, combining a frank and cordial spirit, and a delicate sense of honour, with good judgment, prudence, and vigilant attention to his duties. In reference to the very subject which we touched upon just now-the Irish Union-a prediction which he makes on the 16th of June, 1784, indicates surely no common degree of foresight and sagacity. He is speaking of the Irish volunteers: that, without an union, Ireland will not be connected with Great Britain in twenty years longer.' In the extracts we have given relative to The volunteer corps were reviewed in the the commercial propositions, there is one Phoenix Park about a fortnight since. Their passage which at first sight may have ex- numbers were much diminished from the former cited the reader's surprise-where Mr. Pitt year, in spite of all exertions made use of to so emphatically declares his resolution to alarm and irritate; so that I am in hopes this exclude the Catholics from any share in the self-appointed army may fall to the ground without the interposition of government, which representation or the government.' Strong would prove a most fortunate circumstance. If expressions from the same minister who, in some such event should not have effect, the pe1801, resigned office on finding his Royal riod cannot be far distant when they must be Master refuse to concede the Roman Ca-spoken to in a peremptory and decisive manner. tholic claims! The words of the letter may, For the existence of a government is very precawe say, have excited surprise at first sight unconnected with the state, for the purpose of awrious while an armed force, independent of and -but at first sight only; for on examination ing the legislature into all its wild and visionary it will be found that the principles of Mr. schemes, is permitted to endure. The northern Pitt, on both occasions, were perfectly uni- newspapers take notice of an intention in some form and constant. He held, that so long of the corps to address the French king; and as Ireland was a separate kingdom, with a which they recommend as a very proper and parliament of its own, so long the Roman spirited measure. No meeting for such a laudaCatholics, forming a majority of the popu- believe it, though the madness of some of these ble purpose has yet taken place. I can scarcely lation, could not, with safety to the Established Church and Constitution, be admit-I to indulge a distant speculation, I should say armed legislators might go to anything. Were ted to a share-since their share would then be a large preponderance-in the representation; but that if the two nations were blended and mixed together by a legislative Irish subjects are not the only ones treated union, then the Roman Catholics, becoming in this correspondence-there are also freonly a minority of the population of the quent and interesting touches of English whole empire, might without danger be ad- politics. We will give from Mr. Pitt's letmitted to equal privileges. Such are the ters three extracts referring to these at three principles laid down by Mr. Pitt himself in very different periods. The first when he the letter to the King, which is dated Janu- and the Duke of Rutland were battling toary 31, 1801, and which, in 1827, was first gether in opposition, but with the prospect made public by Lord Kenyon. We have of power close before them; the second no thoughts of here inflicting upon our when Mr. Pitt, in power, had yet to struggle readers any renewed discussion on the moagainst an adverse and exasperated majormentous question of the Roman Catholicity of the House of Commons; the third claims; we are at present only concerned when Mr. Pitt, after appealing to the in showing that, whether Mr. Pitt's views ple, again met the House of Commons, and upon this question be considered wise or found himself as strong in parliamentary as unwise, salutary or pernicious, they were in popular support. exactly the same in 1786 as in 1801, and were alike pursued with lofty firmness. For their sake he was equally ready in the first year to hazard popularity, and in the latter year to sacrifice power. peo The first is dated November 22, 1783 : We may be pardoned for recalling to our readers the amiable impression of His Grace's private life and manners derived from the Memoirs of his venerated protégé, Mr. Crabbe, who, on Mr. Burke's recommendation, became domestic chaplain at Bel See Quart. Rev. vol. xxxvi. Annual Register, voir Castle in 1782, and owed all his subsequent 1827, vol. ii., p. 472. preferments to the kindness of the House of Rutland. 172 Correspondence between Mr. Pitt and the Duke of Rutland. Sept. 'We are in the midst of contest, and, I think, | position argued everything weakly, and had the approaching to a crisis. The bill which Fox has appearance of a vanquished party, which apbrought in relative to India will be, one way or peared still more in the division, when the other, decisive for or against the coalition. It numbers were 282 to 114. We can have little is, I really think, the boldest and most unconsti- doubt that the progress of the session will furtutional measure ever attempted, transferring at nish throughout a happy contrast to the last. one stroke, in spite of all charters and compacts, We have indeed nothing to contend with but the immense patronage and influence of the East the heat of the weather and the delicacy of some to Charles Fox, in or out of office. I think it of the subjects which must be brought forwill with difficulty, if at all, find its way through ward.' our House, and can never succeed in yours. Ministry trust all on this one die, and will probably fail. They have hurried on the bill so fast that we are to have the second reading on Thursday next, Nov. 27th. I think we shall be strong on that day, but much stronger in the subsequent stages. If you have any member within fifty or a hundred miles of you, who cares for the constitution or the country, pray send him to the House of Commons as quick as you can. trust you see that this bill will not easily reach the House of Lords; but I must tell you that Ministry flatter themselves with carrying it through before Christmas.' The second is of March 23, 1784: I "The interesting circumstances of the present moment, though they are a double reason for my writing to you, hardly leave me the time to do it. Per tot discrimina rerum, we are at length arrived within sight of a dissolution. The bill to continue the powers of regulating the intercourse with America to the 20th of June will pass the House of Lords to-day. That, and the Mutiny Bill, will receive the Royal Assent to-morrow, and the King will then make a short speech and dissolve the Parliament. Our calculations for the new elections are very favourable, and the spirit of the people seems still progressive in our favour. The new Parliament may meet about the 15th or 16th of May, and I hope we may so employ the interval as to have all the necessary business rapidly brought on, and make the session a short one." The 24th of the following May is the date of our third extract : I cannot let the messenger go without congratulating you on the prospect confirmed to us by the opening of the session. Our first battle was previous to the address, on the subject of the return for Westminster. The enemy chose to put themselves on bad ground, by moving that two Members ought to have been returned, without first hearing the High-Bailiff to explain the reasons of his conduct. We beat them on this by 283 to 136. The High-Bailiff is to attend to-day, and it will depend upon the circumstances stated whether he will be ordered to proceed in the scrutiny, or immediately to make a double return, which will bring the question before a committee. In either case I have no doubt of Fox being thrown out, though in either there may be great delay, inconvenience, and expense, and the choice of the alternative is delicate. We afterwards proceeded to the address, in which nothing was objected to but the thanking the King expressly for the dissolution. Op. We close this volume with the earnest hope that it may not be the only one of its class to come before us. Every succeeding day, as it bears us further from the era of Pitt and Fox, removes more and more of the few who yet lingered amongst us, the contemporaries and friends of those illustrious men. Only last year we saw depart the sole surviving cabinet colleague of Pitt in his first administration; only last month the devoted widow of Fox. But Time should not all destroy; and while, on the one hand, it breaks the remaining links of living affection, so, on the other hand, it should cast aside the ties of official reserve -it should unlock the most secret scrutoire it should draw forth the most hoarded papers. The words 'private' and 'most private' on the cover need be no longer spells to restrain us. We may now, without any breach of public duty-without any wound to personal feelings-explore the hidden thoughts, the inward workings of those two great minds which stood arrayed against each other during twenty-three stormy and eventful years. We may trace them in their boyhood, and inquire whether it was in part through careful training, or all by their endowments at birth, that each of them inherited his father's gifts of genius —that rarest of all gifts to inherit from a parent-as if, according to the fine thought of Dante, the Great Giver had willed to show that it proceeds from himself alone: 'Rade volte risurge per li rami L'umana probitade, e questo vuole Quei che la da, perche da lui si chiami.'* We may, perhaps, by the journal of some secretary or some trusted friend, pursue them in their country retirement, and their familiar conversation. We may walk by the side of Pitt along the avenue that he planted at Holwood, or sit with Fox beneath the wide-spreading cedar at St. Anne's. We may see the blotted notes from whence grew the elaborate oration still perused with delight; we may trace in some hasty sketch the germ of some great enactment by which we continue to be ruled. We may follow the rival statesmen in their far Purgat., lib. vii., verse 121. The Choë- ART. II. 1. Αἰσχύλου Χοηφόροι, phora of Eschylus, with Notes explanatory, and philological. Rev. T. W. Peile, M. A., &c. 1840. ræ. they will hardly fail to give honour due to that scholar who set the first example in remodelling our public education, and gave a stimulus which is now acting on almost all the public schools in the country.* On the other hand, John Wordsworth has sunk in the prime of life, exhausted by his labours ere their fruits had been given to the public. 'Non res, sed spes erat:' but how well-grounded and sure a hope, all who know Cambridge can say. We will not add anything of our own to the following sketch from the hand of his brother, the distinguished master of Harrow School. (After the details of his childhood and boyhood, from his birth in 1805, the account proceeds :)— 'He became a Scholar of Trinity College in 1826, and a Fellow in 1830. He usually resided there till 1833, when he made a tour in France, Switzerland, and Italy. He spent a considerable time at Florence in making an accurate collation fore his departure from England, contributed to of the Medicean MS. of Eschylus; having, bethe Philological Museum a series of critical observations on an edition of that poet. On his return from the continent, in 1834, he was appointed a classical lecturer in his own college; and the lectures which he then delivered will be long remembered by those who heard them, for 4. Eschyli Tragedia. Recensuit et illus- He spared no labour in his philological researchthe remarkable erudition which they displayed. 2. Bibliotheca Græca, curantibus F. Jacobs travit Joannes Minckwitz. Vol. I. Eu- 5. Die Eschylische Trilogie Prometheus, u. Von F. 1826. We cannot resume the subject of Eschylus and his Trilogies without adverting to the losses which this branch of scholarship has sustained since the publication of our 128th Number. Most of those whom we then alluded to have been already swept from the world. Bishop Butler of Lichfield has gone to his rest, after such severe and protracted sufferings as would have paralysed a less energetic mind. He has gone, full of labours and of honours, though not of years. And yet it is to be feared that he is gone with much of his merit unappreciated. If, however, it be reasonable to suppose that the education of the higher classes, and in particular of the clergy, is at least as important as that of the poor,-and if the silent but most practical reformation which has been at work in our public schools for many years past ever attracts the notice which it deserves, then the time will come when men will feel an interest in tracing the steps of the improvement; and es, and he seemed unable to satisfy himself in It falls to our lot to speak of him only as the head of an important school: for his higher praise we must refer to his worthy pupil, chaplain, and friend, the Rev. R. W. Evans, in the preface to his Bishopric of Souls, a truly precious manual for the young clergyman. observations on the works of that tragedian had reached such a state of maturity, that one of the plays illustrated by him will, it is hoped, ere long appear, to be followed at short intervals by others in succession. He was well conversant with the principal productions of modern literature, especially with the works of the English poets, and was a warm and judicious lover of the fine arts, particularly of painting and engraving. These intellectual endowments were based upon moral qualities of a graver kind. Serious in aspect, tall in person, thoughtful in demeanour, gentle and unobtrusive in manners, he bore in his appearance an air of earnestness. He was one of those who love much rather than many. He wished and strove for the advancement of others rather than his own; he judged no one with severity but himself. He was devotedly attached to the academic institutions to which he belonged, and entertained a dutiful and reverent affection for the Church of England, of which he was a minister, and whose service, had his life been spared, he would have adorned by his learning and his humility. He died at Trinity Lodge on the 31st day of December, 1839.** From abroad the news of Klausen's death reached this country some time ago. Of his Agamemnon we formerly spoke; and we were waiting rather impatiently for the continuation of his edition. Meanwhile, he had removed from Bonn to Griefswald, an university in the extreme north of Germany, chiefly distinguished for the richness of its endowments. And he had published two comely octavos on Eneas and the Penates, -characters for whom we have the highest respect yet even while we believed that the loss of time was not irretrievable, we grudged that he had digressed from what we thought so much more important. Karl Otfried Mueller of Goettingen, though in more mature years, yet still prematurely, has also fallen a victim to his literary zeal. He had gone to Greece, to complete the researches necessary for the series of his great historical designs; and the ardour with which he applied himself to the examination of the inscriptions at Delphi under the scorching heat of a midsummer sun, produced apoplexy and immediate death; and he sleeps in his own beloved Athens, inter silvas Academi.† Preface to Bentley's Correspondence,' (Lond. 1841) pp. xvi.-xix. Naeke too is gone. Dissen's death was mentioned before. But it is useless to extend the melancholy catalogue: the above names are the most connected with our present subject. He Hermann, however, still survives, standing out like some antediluvian peak among the débris of the deluge; and two years ago a jubilee was held at Leipzig to celebrate the fiftieth year of his doctorate, which that of our own distinguished countryman, seems pretty nearly to have coincided with Dr. Routh, president of Magdalen College. Many and various were the compliments which Germany racked its brains to pay to old Godfrey.' Since that time he dips his pen in a splendid silver inkstand, the offering of the printers whose presses he has kept at work for more than half a century. He smokes (eternally of course) from a pipe of the same material. snuffs from a gold box, the present of his sovereign; and as for congratulatory addresses, odes, idyls, &c., they were of course far beyond all reading or reckoning. It seemed as though the literature of universal Germany had vied in furnishing him with a collection of polyglot pipe-lighters. The most gratifying of the presents was doubtless the King of Saxony's handsome donation to enable his son to travel; and the most honourable of the addresses was that which emanated from the German philologers, the incorporated accidence, syntax, and prosody of Germany, assembled (as it were in one volume) after the manner of a British Association. Ritter F. Jacobs (if we remember right) held the pen in the name of all these wise men of Gotha; and among the choicest flowers of classical compliment dexterously insinuated a harmless yet pointed allusion to the edition of Eschylus, which has been in the paulo post futurum since the last century, by quoting unus qui nobis cunctando restitues rem.' We hope that Hermann will remember that other qualities besides cunctatio go to the making of a Fabius, lest impatient scholars cap Jacobs' quotation with Dilator, spe longus,' &c. It is a practical question of considerable importance to all professors, editors, and + This admirable scholar was born at Brigg in Of the long (yet incomplete) list of his works, given Silesia, 1797, where his father, we believe, was the in the Revue Analytique of M. E. Miller (to which pastor. His first schoolmaster was Lotheisen; and we are indebted for the above information) the most in 1813 he went to Breslau to study under Heindorf important are:-1. The Dorians, 1824: translated and Schneider. From thence he removed in 1815 to by Messrs. Tufnell and Lewis, in 2 vols. 8vo. 2. Berlin, where he placed himself under Boeckh and Prolegomena zu einer wissenschaftlichen MythoButtmann; and in 1817 was appointed to the Mag-logie, 1825. 3. Die Etrusker, 1828. 4. Archaeolo dalenum at Breslau. In 1819 he was raised, on the recommendation of Boeckh and Heeren, to the chair of archæology at Goettingen, where he continued, except for short intervals, until the end of his life. gie der Kunst, 1830. 5. Aeschyli Eumenides, 1833 (translated). 6. History of Greek Literature, written for, and publishing by, the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, 1840, &c. |