874 
whom William was the second. 
Ile was born May 8, 1759, ata 
time when his father’s glory was at 
its zenith. 
On the accession of his present 
majesty, that great statesman, in 
consequence of new arrangements, 
chiefly occasioned by the rising 
influence of the earl of Bute, 
retired from the station which he 
had so honourably filled; and con- 
signing his other sons to the care of 
tutors, he devoted his own time to 
the education of William, on a 
strong and well-founded persuasion 
(as he was in the habit of saying,) 
that ““he would one day increase 
the glory of the name of Pitt.” 
His classical knowledge Mr. Pitt 
acquired under the care of a private 
tutor at Burton Pynsent, the seat of 
his father ; and the earl took great 
pleasure in teaching him, while still 
a youth, to argue with logical preci- 
sion, and to speak with elegance and 
force. He judiciously accustomed 
him tothe practice of making accu- 
rate inquiries respecting every sub- 
ject that caught his attention, and 
taught him not to remain satislicd 
with a superficial observation of 
appearances. 
That he might enjoy all the bene- 
fits of instruction which this country 
could give him, and, at the same 
time, by a rapid progress in the pre- 
liminary studies, qualify himself early 
for the senate, he was taken, be- 
tween fourteen and fifteen years 
of age, from his father’s roof, and 
the care of a very enlightened and 
worthy clergyman, Mr. (now Dr.) 
Wilson, and sent to Pembroke col- 
lege, Cambridge, where he was ad- 
mitted under the tuition of Messrs. 
Turner and Prettyman, both very 
able men, and willing to second to 
the utmost of their power, the in- 
tentions of his father, Mr. Pretty- 
ANNUAL: REGISTER, 1806. 
man was also his private instructor, 
and a better choice could not have 
been made, as far as classical and 
- mathematical knowledge were con- 
cerned. For eloquence he could 
not look up to either of his instruc- 
tors; but his father’s example and 
precepts required no farther assis- 
tance on that head. 
In Cambridge he became a model 
to the young nobility and fellow- 
commoners; and it was not doubted 
that, if the privileges of his rank 
had not exempted him from the 
usual exercises for the batchelor’s 
degree, he would have been found 
among the first competitors for aca- 
demical honours. On his admission, 
according to custom, to his master’s 
degree, the public orator found it 
needless to search into genealogy, 
or even to dwell much upon the 
virtues of his father, for the eyes of 
the university were fixed on the 
youth: the enraptured audience 
assented to every encomium, and 
each breast was filled with the live- 
liest presages of his future greatness. 
Mr. Pitt was afterwards entered 
a student of Lincoln’s inn, made 
a rapid progress in his legal stu- 
dies, and was called to the bar, with 
every prospect of success. 
We are informed, that he once or 
twice went the Western circuit, 
and appeared as junior counsel 
iu several causes. He was, however, 
destined .to fill a more important 
station in the government of his 
country, than is usually obtained 
through the channel of the law. 
At the general election, 1780, 
we find him nominated by some of 
the most respectable persons in 
Cambridge as a candidate to repre- 
sent that university; but notwith- 
standing the high character he had 
obtained these, he fouud very few 
to second his pretensions. In the 
following 
