intereft," faid he, "was put up for fale by auction; and the two bidders were the earl of SHELBURNE and Mr. Fox. The earl offered a fare in administration; but did not define what that share was to be: Mr. Fox offered an equal share; and the grand article was knocked down to him. BURKE and LOUGHBOROUGIF were not, indeed, puffers at this fale; but acted as barkers at the door of the auction-room, and ran after gentlemen to make them walk in, and bid for a great variety of finaller lots." Befides the alluring offer of equality, it is very likely that lord NORTH thought it far fafer and more defirable to take shelter from popular odium, and parliamentary attacks, under the ftrong batteries of a Fox, a SHERIDAN, and a BURKE, than under thofe of a PITT and a SHELBURNE.

The immediate effects of the coalition were flattering to the views of the united parties, by driving their adverfaries from the feat of power; but unhappily that meafure inflicted an almost incurable wound on public confidence, and furnished the court cabal with a plaufible excufe for the employment of any means to bring about a new change,---to refcue their king, as they pretended, and expel from the palace the minifters who had taken it by ftorm. An opportunity prefented itself in the course of the next feffion, which the cabal seized with eagerness and effect. In the mean time all the higher departments of the state were filled by the members of the coalition. The duke of PORTLAND was. placed at the head of the treasury, and lord KEPPEL at that of the admiralty. Lord JOHN CAVENDISH refumed his office as chancellor of the exchequer. Lord NORTH and Mr. Fox were appointed fecretaries of flate. Mr. SHERIDAN, who had before acted as under-fecretary to the latter, now obtained the higher office of secretary to the treasury. He had been hitherto admired

only.

Brundas wanted

Pitt.

only for his wit; but he foon difplayed talents which placed him on a level with the greateft orators of the age. Lord STOR MONT was made prefident of the council: the privy feal was given to lord CARLISLE; and lord NORTHINGTON fuperfeded earl TEMPLE in the vice-royalty of Ireland. The principal agents in bringing about, or rather in completing the coalition, lord LOUGHBOROUGH and Mr. BURKE, were not forgotten, the former being nominated first lord commiffioner of the great feal, and the latter being re-inftated in the pay-office.

A very general clamour was raised against the coalition both in parliament and out of it. The most candid and fatisfactory defence of that measure was made by Mr. SHERIDAN at a fubfequent period. He confeffed, "that, when the idea of a coalition with lord NORTH was first started, he had advised his right honourable friend not to accept of it; and his reafon was this :---his right honourable friend had great popularity, which he might lofe by a coalition; refpectable friends whom he might difguft; and prejudices of the strongest nature to combat. He made no doubt but similar objections occurred to the friends of the noble lord, and that they were urged to him, in order to diffuade him from coalefcing with his right honourable friend. Mutual diffidence between men long accustomed to oppofe one another might naturally be expected. The prejudices of the public alfo concurred to prevent this coalition. The middling clafs of people, for whom he had the highest refpect, and to whom, fooner than to the great, the houfe of commons must look for fupport in every emergency, were not certainly the beft qualified to judge of nice and refined points of politics: accuftomed to judge of meafures by men, he apprehended that they would give themfelves no time to examine the principles, motives, and grounds of a coalition; but condemn

it

it on its first appearance, merely because it was composed of men who had long been political enemies. On thefe grounds, full of apprehenfion for the character of his right honourable friend, he most certainly had given him his advice against a coalition. But when the neceffities of the times at last pointed it out as the only means of falvation to this country; and when, from the opportunities he had had of seeing the noble lord and his friends, he was fully convinced of the honour, fairness, openness, and steadiness of their conduct; not only he did not condemn the coalition,--but he rejoiced that it had taken place even in fpite of his own advice. Diffidence foon gave way to the most perfect reliance on the honour of the noble lord, and on that of his friends, and their steady adherence to those principles which had been laid down as the bafis of the coalition. It was unneceffary, therefore, after faying this, that he should tell the house his confidence in his right honourable friend had not felt the smallest diminution: fully acquainted with his character, he knew that he looked down with indifference, if not with contempt, on riches, places, and dignities, as things by no means neceffary to his happiness it was his right honourable friend's ambition to deserve and preserve the esteem, and confidence of his friends; and he was sure that he would facrifice neither, for all that place and emolument could bestow upon him. Mr. Fox's declaration on the fame subject did him honour. He faid, "his friendships were eternal, his enmities were not so. Amicitiæ fempiternæ, inimicitiæ placabiles.' But Mr. BURKE never appeared to greater difadvantage, as an orator, than in his apology for the coalition, which he had been most zealous to promote. He avoided that topic as much as posfible; and when he did speak upon it, his usual copiousness of language, his fertility of plaufible excufes, even his impofing, his

artificial dignity of fentiment feemed to fail him. His plea was wholly made up of recrimination. Let us haften to view him in' a debate where the effulgence of his genius fhone forth with unclouded majesty.

On the eighteenth of November 1783, Mr. Fox obtained leave to bring in a remedial bill for the various grievances and abuses in the government of India. Upon the execution of that bill Mr. Fox declared himself ready to rifque whatever was most dear to him--whatever men moft valued---the character of integrity, of talents, of honour---present reputation, and future fame---these he would ftake upon the conftitutional fafety, the enlarged policy, the equity and wisdom of the propofed plan. Mr. BURKE reserved the grand difplay of his powers till the first of December, when the question for the speaker's leaving the chair, in order for the house to refolve itself into a committee on the bill, was agitated. He expofed the futility and inconfiftency of the objections which had been urged against the bill: he took a clear and comprehenfive view of the political and commercial fyftem of the company: he held out to general indignation the delinquency of their fervants, and particularly of Mr. HASTINGS: he, as it were, led his hearers into the inmoft receffes and labyrinths of the Indian detail; and after having spoken for near three hours on all the important points relating to the subject, he concluded with a warm and very just panegyric on Mr. Fox. "Now," faid he, "having done my duty to the bill, let me fay a word to the author. I fhould leave him to his own noble fentiments, if the unworthy and illiberal language with which he has been treated, beyond all example of parliamentary liberty, did not make a few words neceffary; not fo much in juftice to him, as to my own feelings. I muft fay then, that it will be a diftinction honourable to the age, that the

refcue

rescue of the greatest number of the human race that ever were.so grievously oppreffed, from the greatest tyranny that ever was exercised, has fallen to the lot of abilities and difpofitions equal to the task ;---that it has fallen to one who has the enlargement to comprehend, the spirit to undertake, and the eloquence to support, so great a measure of hazardous benevolence. His spirit is not owing to his ignorance of the state of men and things: he well knows what fnares are spread about his path, from personal animofity, from court intrigues, and poffibly from popular delufion: but he has put to hazard his ease, his fecurity, his intereft, his power, even his darling popularity, for the benefit of a people whom he has never feen. This is the road that all heroes have trod before him. He is traduced and abused for his fuppofed motives. He will remember, that obloquy is a neceffary ingredient in the compofition of all true glory: he will remember, that it was not only in the Roman customs, but it is in the nature and conftitution of things, that calumny and abuse are effential parts of triumph. These thoughts will fupport a mind, which only exifts for honour, under the burthen of temporary reproach. He is doing indeed a great good; fuch as rarely falls to the lot, and almost as rarely coincides with the defires, of any man. Let him ufe his time. Let him give the whole length of the reins to his benevolence. He is now on a great eminence where the eyes of mankind are turned to him. He may live long---he may do much. But here is the fummit. He never can exceed what he does this day.

"He has faults; but they are faults that, though they may in a fmall degree tarnish the luftre, and fometimes impede the march of his abilities, have nothing in them to extinguish the fire of great virtues. In thofe faults there is no mixture of deceit, of hypocrify, of pride, of ferocity, of complexional defpotism,