CHARACTERS. 
At dink hinsetive’ 
(public functions, 
there were particular circumstances 
in the political state and political 
opinions of Europe, which tended 
more than ever to endear to every 
goodand virtuous man, the monarch 
‘they saw re-established, and the 
tranquillity which that happy event 
had restored The display of wis 
dom and firmness evinced by Mr. 
Pitt, during that interval of national 
anxiety which the king’s illness oc- 
 casioned,did him infinite honour : 
it he took that high ground which his 
_ virtue as well as his ability, en- 
titled him to take, and with a 
_ dignity and courage inspired by 
_ both, rebuked at once the fears of 
_ the timid, and supported the rights 
; of his sovereign: not less faithful 
to his country than loyal to his 
: - King he devoted his services to 
both in a manner equally manly 
_ and disinterested. We rejoice that 
4 the danger, 
“ Which overcame us like a sum- 
_,_ mer’s cloud,” 
was too short to give all the effect 
to his services, which circumstances 
less favourable mizht have shewn 
_ them calculated to produce. 
_ “Nor should the perils with 
__ which the -ountry and its constitu- 
_ tion were for some time threatened, 
_ in consequence of what may be 
_ termed the mania of the French 
revolution ever be forgotten ; 
though, perhaps, not now strong 
in the imagination of the people 
(and to some of the less conside- 
' rate or less candid seem to have 
_ -been exaggerated beyond the truth) 
from the very success with which 
_ they were opposed: by those, 
_ however, who had better oppor- 
885 
tunities of appreciating Mr. Pitt’s 
services, and of caleulating the 
magnitude of, those dangers which 
he opposed and overcame, the 
recollections of that acuteneéss, 
and clearness of perception, that 
soundness of judgment, that com- 
posure and fortitude .of mind, 
which never forsook him ‘on: 
the most trying occasions, and 
wth which he met the difficulties 
of his own and of the public situ- 
ation, will be now remembered, 
as at the time they were acknow~ 
ledged, as not less admirable in 
themselves, than important in their 
consequences. : 
‘¢ An intention is entertained of 
a history of Mr. Pitt's whole life 
being given to the public. In the 
mean time I trust I shall be excused 
in making some very short observa- 
tions respecting him, as few had 
better, perhaps none so frequent, 
opportunities of forming a judgment 
on the subject, in the last two-and- 
twenty years of his life, during 
which peri d [I had the happiness 
to possess his affectionate friend- 
ship and perfect confidence, with- 
out the slightest or shortest inter- 
rupti n. 
‘¢ To those who enjoyed his in= 
timacy I might safely refer for the 
proof of his possessing those private 
virtues and endowments, which, 
though they may sometimes be ac- 
counted*foreign to the public cha- 
racier of a statesman. the congenial 
feelings of Englishmen always dis-° 
pese them to regard as the best 
pledges of a minister’s upright ad- 
ministration. Areund these, in the 
present case, an additional lustre as 
well as sacredness has been thrown 
by the circumstances of his death ; 
by the manner in which he met it; 
and by the composure, the fortitude, 
3L3 the 
