512 SKETCH OF THE PERSONAL CHARACTER OF 



terest which he represented in the next Parliament. From the time of 

 his arrival in this country, he had devoted much labour to the investigation 

 of historical documents and papers, with a view to a great work which 

 was expected from him. His anxiety to search for the truth, and to 

 leave no source of intelligence that came within his reach unexplored, 

 gave him but little leisure for the task of composition. The superadded 

 occupation of Parliament unfortunately contributed to that disappoint- 

 ment which has been experienced by his friends and the public. He 

 soon took a leading part in the debates of the House of Commons; and 

 it is enough to say that he lost nothing of his reputation by his perform- 

 ances there. 



If, however, I may be allowed to express an opinion on that subject, 

 I should say that the House of Commons was not the theatre where the 

 happiest efforts of his eloquence could either be made or appreciated. 

 Whatever may be the advantages derived from the division of political 

 men into parties, it is obvious that it must have an important influence 

 upon the character of the debates in that assembly. The result of each 

 discussion, and even the exact numerical division, being, upon most im- 

 portant questions, known beforehand, the speakers do not aim so much 

 at conviction, as to give satisfaction to their respective parties, and to 

 make the strongest case for the public. Hence a talent for exaggeration, 

 for sarcasm, for giving a dexterous turn to the events of a debate, is 

 more popular, and perhaps more useful, than the knowledge which can 

 impart light, or the candour which seeks only for justice and truth. 

 It is the main object of each party to vindicate itself, or to expose the 

 antagonist party to indignation and contempt. Hence the most success- 

 ful speaker that is, he who is heard with the greatest pleasure, very often 

 is one who abandons the point of debate altogether, and singles out 

 from the adversary some victim whom he may torture by ridicule or 

 reproach, or lays hold of some popular party topic, either to point the 

 public indignation against his opponents, or to flatter the passions of his 

 adherents. Many of the speeches are not, in effect, addressed to the 

 supposed audience, but to the people ; and consequently, like scene-paint- 

 ing, which is to be viewed at a distance, and by unskilful eyes, are more 

 remarkable for the boldness of the figures, and the vivacity of the colour- 

 ing, than for nature and truth. It is not the genus deliberativum,* but 

 the genus demonstrativum, of eloquence, that is most successful in the 

 House of Commons. The highest praise of Sir James Mackintosh is, 

 that he was, by disposition and nature, the advocate of truth. His elo- 

 quence and his powers were best fitted for that temperate sort of discus- 

 sion which, admitting every ornament of diction arid illustration that can 

 please the taste or the imagination, still addresses itself to the judgment, 

 and makes the passions themselves captives to reason. He could not, 

 without being easily foiled and surpassed, attempt that strain of invective 

 and vituperation of all manner of things and persons which is sometimes 

 so eminently successful in debate, not by the fascination of its charms, 

 but the force of terror, and which, though it may open the way to station 

 and fortune, never either produces conviction, or leaves a sensation of 



* " The genus deliberativum is for the senate ; the genus demonstrativum is con- 

 versant in praise and blame." Cic.de Inventione. 



