1832. J A History of the " Humbug". Family, 335 



Did they not lend loans at an excellent interest to every independent 

 state as large as a potatoe-garden ? Who can forget the immense profits 

 which were realized by the Tlalpuaxhua, the Real del Monte, and the 

 Rio de la Plata shares ? by the loans to Guatemala, Buenos Ayres, 

 Peru, Chili, Columbia, and Mexico ? Who formed the washing-com- 

 pany, the milk-company ? Who made the Thames tunnel ? The same, 

 the same ! Have I not reason to be proud of my family ? 



Literary eminence has been in their hands for many generations, from the 

 author of the " Koran," to that of " Satan, a poem." Indeed, my talented 

 relations seem very frequently to monopolize the favour of the public. 

 They have even gone so far as to create royal societies, and to institute 

 clubs. Biographers are of my kith and kin. Boswell and Croker are 

 my cousins german. Political economists are generally bound to me 

 by nearer ties : Maculloch and DIalthus are almost brothers. The ma- 

 nagers of theatres, if you will ask the actors ; the editors, if you will 

 ask their contributors ; and the critics, if you will ask the authors, are, 

 nearly or distantly, related to me. You may judge of the first by the 

 bill of performance j if it speaks of " overflows," a sure sign ; the next, 

 by the frequent mention of their " principles ;" the third, by an appearance 

 of honest indignation for the degraded state of literature ; if they have 

 these signs, they have a right to quarter the family arms. The poets 

 of the day to whom I claim kindred, are numerous and select, but it is 

 impossible to name them all ; and the rest would quarrel with me if I 

 were only to mention a few. On the church my family has conferred 

 many shining ornaments ; from Thomas a Becket and Wolsey, to Spen- 

 cer Percival and Edward Irving. The lords spiritual, I am proud to 

 say, have done much honour to the name from whence they sprung. 



As statesmen they have been equally illustrious. There is scarcely 

 one who has had the direction of affairs, or who has been in the enjoy- 

 ment of office, with whom I cannot claim relationship. To my ances- 

 tors are we indebted for the blessings of the national debt, tithes, sine- 

 cures, pensions, rotten boroughs, and taxes, and for the glory we 

 achieved in the war with America. Their descendants opposed the 

 repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts they opposed Catholic Eman- 

 cipation, and they are now laudably engaged in opposing Reform. I 

 have lost many great men, but there are many remaining to keep up 

 the honour of the family name. While we can boast of such statesmen 

 as. Londonderry and Wharncliffe, such legislators as Hardinge and Peel, 

 and such orators as Hunt and Wetherell, let us not despair. The mem- 

 bers of my family may always be known in parliament by a superior 

 patriotism, and a more frequent announcement of disinterestedness. 

 They are above petty motives^ they are superior to low desires. They 

 undertake office for the good of their country, and dislike leaving their 

 places, for fear the country might be a loser by the change. Indeed 

 they are always patriots, always virtuous, and always disinterested. 



But there are others of my relations whom it would seem invidious 

 to pass over. These begin life as the oracles of Select Vestries, are 

 particularly partial to parish money, and patronize periodical feasting, 

 as long as it continues at the expense of other people. They become 

 members of corporations, and, as they have lately done at Bristol, shew 

 themselves in a time of danger, with the same alacrity as at the time of 

 dinner. To Sir Claudius Hunter and Sir Peter Laurie I am proud to 

 claim relationship. 



