142 The late Prosecutmis against the Press. [Aug. 



opposition to the treasury benches, and all orders were confounded. 

 Catholic agitators sat within the bar ; and the gallery was filled by the 

 grateful canaille. Men did not know where to find their friends, or 

 trace the scattered adherents of their party. Those who had bound up 

 the rods had disappeared, and the individual fragments were flung pro- 

 miscuously upon society, to be picked up as they might be wanted. 

 The most favourable moment for making a breach in a citadel is, when, 

 by some wily diversion, the garrison has been cast into disorder. The 

 letter to Dr. Curtis made the diversion required : it was the feint which 

 misled the unwary j then, when we thought ourselves most secure, the 

 Swiss troops poured in, and the catastrophe was accomplished. It hap- 

 pened fortimately at this juncture that Lord Eldon resigned ; and that 

 there could not be found in the whole range of the legal profession a 

 gentleman virtuous and able enough to become his successor, except Sir 

 John Copley ! The chance which deprived us of Eldon blessed us with 

 Lyndhurst ! There he sat upon the woolsack, night after night, defend- 

 ing the new lights, for he had himself been enlightened. And who 

 dared to doubt his motives ? Cannot a man be honest and prosperous 

 too ? Cannot the wijdom of a crop be transferred with advantage to a 

 bag? And must not he who was a sensible attorney-general be an 

 equally immaculate chancellor ? Those who have never climl)ed to the 

 top of the ladder know not how the prospect enlarges, and the vision 

 improves as the pinnacle is gained. Those who creep round the base of 

 St. Pauls, can form no notion of what a change they would perceive in 

 the landscape if they were to be carried up to the dome. There is 

 wisdom in the ermine. Dr. Philpotts had ceased to write ; Peel had 

 ceased to boast of his consistency ; Wellington had ceased to deny his 

 country ; even Goulbuni and Dawson had discovered the fallacy of 

 their old ways ; and why should not the new chancellor, suddenly 

 transplanted to the midst of the regenerated galaxy, find out with equal 

 promptitude the secret elixir of honourable alienation ? For our parts, 

 we never entertained a doubt upon the subject. We never vilified his 

 honour, we never taunted him, nor reviled him ; for mc could discern 

 the mighty difference between the public prosecutor and the equity 

 judge ; and we saw that the same honour, when set in a costlier ring, 

 would present, as gems of higher value do, a different appearance. 

 Being convinced, therefore, that Lord Lyndhurst's reputation needs no 

 defence — that there is no defence which could make it better or worse 

 than it is — and that the entire kingdom has long since formed a deli- 

 berate judgment upon his lordship's deserts, we are surprised he should 

 have adopted a proceeding, which, to use Shakspeare's words, is " like 

 painting the lily, or gilding refined gold." Nobody questions his 

 morality — why does he therefore bring it before a jury .'' 



But if the impolicy be altogether upon his Lordship's side, the danger 

 is upon the side of the people. The injury done to IMr. Alexander or 

 Mr. Bell, would be of little national moment, if it did not involve an 

 invasion of those privileges which are dear to us all; and if we once 

 permit the wrong with impunity, our silence will be hereafter miscon- 

 strued into acquiescence. Junius says truly, that " one precedent 

 creates another — they soon accumulate, and constitute law." It is a 

 sound doctrine that dictates the earliest resistance to injustice. Once 

 admit that an officer of the crown — no matter how high his station, or 

 how fair his fame — is not amenable to the ordeal of public discussion. 



