462 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1SI3. 



well-timed interrogatories, artfully 

 drew forth such replies as could 

 not fail to prove serviceable to that 

 side which he espoused. After all, 

 although truth was obviously the 

 general aim of his life, yet it is but 

 fair to allow, that he sometimes 

 contended merely for victory ; the 

 ablest and best of men frequently 

 fighting, like gladiators, for fame, 

 without troubling themselves much 

 as to the justice of the cause. Let 

 it be recollected, however, that 

 when declared conqueror, which 

 was usually the case, he did not 

 plume himself on his acquisition, 

 or exhibit any unbecoming airs, 

 on the contrary, he generally con- 

 trived to say something handsome 

 of his antagonist, and endeavoured 

 to soften defeat by compliment 

 and conciliation. On the other 

 hand, when the ground occupied 

 was no longer tenable, like a skil- 

 ful commander, he shifted his po- 

 sition ; and, while preparing to re- 

 new the combat on more equal 

 terms, he skilfully covered his re- 

 treat by playing off the inexhausti- 

 ble artillery of his wit, raillery and 

 humour, under the smoke of which 

 he retired with all the air of a tri- 

 umph. 



In point of personal intrepidity, 

 Mr. Tooke has never been excel- 

 led. No fears could appal ; no 

 threats could terrify ; no sufferings 

 could subdue him. He lived, as if 

 he had existed solely for the pur- 

 pose of maintaining his principles ; 

 and such was his enthusiasm, that 

 he seemed only ambitious of some 

 properopportunitytovindicatethem 

 by his death. On one occasion, he 

 prevented the progress of a private 

 bill in its way through parliament, 

 by his own personal interposition ; 

 at another, he dictated the only 



reply ever made by a subject to a 

 British sovereign ; and even during 

 the trial for his life, when the 

 common herd of mankind are en- 

 tirely occupied with the perils of 

 their situation, his mind was so 

 disengaged, and his conduct so 

 dignified, that he seemed, at one 

 and the same time, to overawe a 

 minister, whom he examined as a 

 witness, and prescribe the law to 

 the judges on the bench. 



Characters of Alberoni and 



RiPPERDA. 



From Mr. Coxes Memoirs of the 

 Kings oj' Spain. 



" According to the description 

 of his contemporaries, Alberoni 

 was of low stature, rather full than 

 thin, plain in his features, and with 

 a head too large in proportion to 

 his height and size. But his look 

 was peculiarly quick and piercing, 

 and perfectly characteristic of his 

 aspiring mind, though tempered 

 with an expression of sweetness 

 and dignity. His voice was flexi- 

 ble and melodious; and when he 

 endeavoured to conciliate or per- 

 suade, assumed a tone and accent 

 which gave irresistible force to his 

 language. Though habituated to 

 courts and camps ; though accus- 

 tomed to the intercourse of polish- 

 ed and lettered society ; and though, 

 on occasions which roused his lofty 

 spirit, he assumed an air and tone 

 of dignity becoming his high situa^ 

 tion, yet he never lost the original 

 coarseness of his manner, derived 

 from his mean birth and early con- 

 nexions. 



" In the endowment of hi» 

 mind nature seems to have lavished 



