SIR W. FOLLETT AT EXETER. 531 



visions, very much. Besides, you know, Sir William, how true it has 

 often proved, " that a house divided within itself cannot stand ;" there- 

 fore, do hang agreeably to our advice together. It will be the most 

 interesting spectacle ever beheld ; to see a family so old so religious 

 so pure so disinterested so benevolent so honourable a family, for 

 once united by chords of the strongest affection. 



But, Sir William, a word in your ear. We are told you aspire to the 

 honours, the emoluments, and the fame, of the (falsely so called) great 

 Pitt. We invariably shudder at the bare mention of the name of that 

 hydra of political monstrosity, called immortal by the Tory Scandi- 

 navians. If such be your ambition, there is some reason for your preferring 

 darkness rather thanlight. But as you are, in your own person, a "Western 

 Luminary," we will just take leave to write a " Leader," for your next 

 publication. We will suppose, Sir William, that you are Mr. Pitt in 

 power, and that we are addressing you as the minister. Well, then, Sir 

 William, to begin : you may put on your wig and band, and fling your 

 toga over the " left shoulder ;" it will indicate something that will 

 interest and follow you through life. " To be considered and, what is 

 more, to be revered as a statesman, is to attain the highest pinnacle of 

 human, as well as intellectual, aggrandizement. A man cannot attain 

 it in the absence of the superior mental faculties, which must belong to 

 so exalted a character : they will stand out on all occasions of great 

 moment, and sudden and momentous trials, connected with state 

 policy. The share of felicity, which the just and prompt administration 

 of affairs of a great nation, and a free people, commands, we shall not 

 stay to determine. Sir William may find the affair treated of in some 

 of his old school books. Suffice it to say, the elevation must appear, to 

 all susceptible and thinking men^ one of no enviable kind ; and few per- 

 sons are found, during the tedium of one hundred years of time, cal- 

 culated for the high executive duties and important functions of Prime 

 Minister of England." Sir William knows that the days of your Liver- 

 pools, your Percevals, your Castlereaghs, are gone passed away for 

 ever ; and that they have left indelible blots on their escutcheons blots 

 which an age of oblivious apathy and unconcern would not entirely 

 wipe off the scroll of political perfidy and ministerial misdemeanor ! 

 Doubtless, Sir William will express surprise at our inculpation of that 

 profound statesman, Lord Liverpool! for such the " Tribunes of the 

 Poor," and their journeymen ambassadors of corruption and misrule, 

 to this day, call George the Third's minister. Bah ! Lord Liverpool a 

 profound statesman ! Will the sailors believe this ? The marines laugh 

 at the joke. 



Let not Sir William Follett accuse us of treating with ungenerous 

 levity the memory of Lord Liverpool. Sir William must not suppose 

 us capable of violating the sacredness of respect, either in a palace, or in 

 our own studio. We have taught ourselves to speak as men, having put 

 away childish things. We never can believe that Lord Liverpool was 

 a profound statesman. It may look very fine on paper just as we have 

 seen the numerical strength of the armies of the Tyrant of all the 

 Russias set forth, at the very time when we had a practical demonstra- 

 tion of not only the lie direct, but abundant proof, that the troops he really 

 had, were worse than half-starved, rough-shod bandits to have it printed 



3 U2 



