was the chief cause of Burke's sacrifice of that friendship which he had so long cherished, and of which the talents and qualities of its object rendered him so worthy. However that may have been, it is certain, that Burke and Fox from this time never were on their former footing. It has been asserted also that Mr. Fox had made critical animadversions in private on the REFLEXIONS, which reached Burke's ears, mortified him as an author, and displeased him as a friend: that he had considered it rather as an effusion of poetic genius than a philosophical investigation. As Burke certainly intended to investigate, and knew Fox to be endued with talents fit to examine and appreciate any process of reasoning, (if he allowed his mind the fair and full exertion) it was natural for him either to be mortified, that to a man, whose judgment he so highly prized, he had appeared not able to execute his design; or to be displeased that a partial exertion of his friend's great powers had prevented a fair decision. It is certainly natural for a writer to value what has cost him much

labour and thought, and to feel mortification on unfavourable criticism, if he highly respects the judgment of the critic, or believes him impartial in that particular case; and to be displeased, if either desultory examination or partiality produce an erroneous verdict. In allowing that Burke might have had the feelings of an author, we only admit that he was subject to the common infirmities of a man.

Some days after the discussion between Fox and Burke, the following paragraph appeared in a very able diurnal publication, in the interest of Mr. Fox and his party.

Morning Chronicle, May 12, 1791. "The great and firm body of the Whigs of England, true to their principles, have decided on the dispute between Mr. Fox and Mr. Burke; and the former is declared to have maintained the pure doctrines by which they are bound together, and upon which they have invariably acted. The consequence is, that Mr. Burke retires from Parliament."

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subordinately,

Appeal from

Burke, presuming that this consignation to retirement, and the implied censure on his conduct here declared, in the confidential vehicle of the opinions and sentiments of those who now called themselves the Whigs, entered into an inquiry into the title of the opposers of his doctrines to assume that appellation. The inquiry led him also to consider the circumstances and grounds of the dispute between him and Fox. These inquiries, principally, and the criticisms by the leading men on his book, constitute the subject of his the New to the Old Whigs.' In this performance he speaks of himself in the third person, expressing himself very modestly on the literary merits of his work: he assumes a more decisive tone in speaking of its scope and tendency. While he employs much humbler language concerning his own talents than any other person of any party would use on the same subject, he bestows the full but not exaggerated praise on the powers which adorned Parliament. Considering retirement as approaching, if not

by relegation, by voluntary exile, he bestows the following valedictory eulogium on the characters that composed it: 'Leaving the service of his country, he leaves Parlia→ ment without all comparison richer in abilities than he found it. Very solid and very brilliant talents distinguish the ministerial benches. The opposite rows are a sort of seminary of genius, and have brought forth such and so great talents as never before (amongst us at least) have appeared together. If their owners are disposed to serve their country, (he trusts they are) they are in a condition to render it services of the highest importance. If, through mistake or passion, they are led to contribute to its ruin, we shall at least have a consolation denied to the ruined country that adjoins us—we shall not be destroyed by men of mean or secondary capacities,'

He defends his reasoning on the French revolution, the propriety of discussing its principles and effects, when considering the plan of a new constitution for Canada, and

maintains the consistency of his political conduct through life. Strip him,' he says, of his consistency, you leave him naked indeed. His uniform principles he illustrates by a recapitulation of his speeches and conduct. He cites the opinions of the most renowned Whigs of the time of King William and Queen Anne, especially those delivered on the trial of Dr. Sacheverel, when the political creed of the Whigs, if ever, was freely repeated, to shew that his notions, though disapproved of by the new Whigs, are in unison with those of the old. Venerating and loving the constitution in general, his anxiety was particularly excited by the danger he apprehended to its different members at different times,-for the democracy, the aristocracy, or the monarchy, as the one or other appeared likely to be borne down. On this subject he has the following illustration:

Whilst he opposes his defence on the part where the attack is made, he presumes, that for his regard to the just rights of all