<, lath re a 
CHARACTERS. 
the sudden death of the marquis 
of Rockingham, their leader, and 
more than friend. 
The members of the new admi- 
 pistration thus suddenly deranged, 
looked to his. grace the duke of 
Portland to supply the place of 
‘their deceased leader; but his ma- 
jesty embraced the opportunity of 
placing at the head ef government 
the earl of Shelburne, whose princi- 
ples were known to differ in some 
great objects, particularly as to the 
mode of recognising the inde- 
pendence of America. On this 
being made known, Mr, Fox at- 
tended the king, and requested to 
name the new secretary, but found 
that was also done; upon which it 
is described that he immediately 
added, “ then I trust your majesty 
can dispense with my services,” — 
To which the reply was equally 
direct :—‘‘ Certainly, sir, if you 
feel them the least irksome.”” Mr. 
Fox, on the next day, delivered up 
the seals. 
His observations to his friends, 
as they are recorded in the political 
circles of the time, are certainly 
characteristic of his open and inge- 
nuous manner. ‘ In resigning my 
situation (he is described to say) I 
am not insensible to the conveni- 
ence, I might almost say to the ne- 
eessity, of its emolument ; but ina 
case where honour or profit must 
he sacrificed, I could not be long 
in resolving what to do, I dictate 
to no gentleman how he is to act ; 
but as there are several inthe same 
predicament with myself, if they 
feel as I do, they will act as I do.”— 
Much is to be regretted the neces- 
sity for the first consideration in 
such a man—Lord John Cavendish, 
Burke, Sheridan, and others of his 
Vou. XLVI, 
897 
friends, followed his example. Mr, 
Pitt, who, ithas already been ob- 
served, leaned towards the politics 
of lord Shelburne, became chancel- 
lor of the exchequer, aud Mr. Fox 
was succeeded by lard Grantham. 
Mr. Pitttook an early opportunity to 
bear testimony to the merit of Mr. 
Fox, saying, he ‘* could not think 
his retreat warrantable, and that his 
abilities marked him to be public 
property.” 
The statesman was now at greater 
leisure to resume the haunts of 
fashion, which, although never en- 
tirely neglected, had lately been 
superseded by more important con- 
cerns. 
The administration of lord Shel- 
burne entered into a negociation 
for peace, agreeable to the prin- 
ciples on which they acted. But 
Mr. Eden having negociated a coa- 
lition between lord North, and 
Mr. Fox, the preliminavy articles 
of the peace which they concluded, 
were censured by a majority in 
parliament, in consequence of 
which the ministers were compelled 
to resign the employments so newly 
obtained. 
But, though the leaders of the 
coalition succeeded in the imme- 
diate object of their ~ coalition, 
that measure was a general sub- 
ject of disapprobation, through. 
out the country. They, how- 
ever, resumed the government, 
with the duke of Portland at their 
head, and lord John Cavendish 
chancellor of the exchequer. Lord 
North and Mr. Fox were principal 
secretaries of state, Burke occupied 
his former appointment, Mr. Sheri- 
dan was secretary te the treasury, 
and all the friends of both parties 
joined. 
Peace. 
