o. A few days afterwards, Mr 
Grey renewed the motion fora re- 
fmin parliament. It afforded an 
opportunity for Mr. Fox to declare 
n intention he had formed, of 
forbearing to prosecute an useless 
attendance in parliament. 
Mr. Fox now retired from parli- 
ament to his villa at St, Anne’s Hill, 
claring his intention to return on 
eccasion of any important question; 
and at the same time representing to 
his constituents his readiness to va- 
cate his seat, if by holding it on 
those terms he incurred their disap- 
probation ‘rhis secession from par- 
liament was productive of much cen- 
sure. Many conceived that, how- 
ever unprofitable, his attendance 
was by no means to be dispensed 
with, after having undertaken the 
representation of a great city. Pri- 
vate letters were poured in upon 
him from all quarters, with the sig- 
nature of ‘‘ Elector,”? and some of 
est style. 
Agreeably to his ieahieddew wiheen 
the important measureof the assessed 
*tax bill came to be discussed, Mr, 
Fox attended the house of com- 
mons and strenuously opposed it. 
While these circumstances hap. 
pened, however Mr. Fox experi- 
enced a painful incident,that tended 
much to qualify the satisfaction he 
enjoyed in the attachment of 
_ his remaining friends,—this was the 
publication ‘of a pamphlet entitled 
.S Fifty-four articles of impeachment 
_ against the right hononrable Charles 
James Fox, ” from the pen of Ed- 
mund Burke! It had hardly, indeed, 
been published, when its sale was 
stopped by the friends of Mr. Burke, 
and it was stated to have been the 
matter of a private letter from that 
CHARACTERS. 
them not in the politest or pleasant. - 
905 
gentleman to the duke of Portland, 
in the year 1792, for the use of his 
grace and earl Fitzwilliam; that 
was not to be opened till they should 
have separated from Mr. Fox, 
which he considered as certain. An 
amanuensis was stated to have secre- 
ted a copy, to which he now gave 
this title, and published it against 
the intentions of Mr. Burke, It had 
however, been so assiduously circu- 
lated, that it was useless to withdraw 
it, and the title only was therefore 
softened to its real nature, ‘¢ A Let- 
ter to the duke of Portland,” &e. 
Those who understand the minor arts 
of literature and politics, may judge 
of this attack. It, however, contain- 
ed all Mr, Burke’s feelings with re- 
gard to Mr. Fox. Every measure of 
parliament hostile te the country, he 
charged on that gentleman, and every 
unsuccessful measure, whether fo- 
reign or domestic ; every tumult of 
the people ; the proceedings of ail 
the popular societies were charged 
upon Mr. Fox; because he might 
have averted them! ‘* With Mr. 
Fox,” said he, ** we might save the 
country ; without him, we ought 
to attemptit’’ ‘To his regret at not 
converting the great talents of Mr: 
Fox to his cause, may be ascribed 
the charges of this letter. 
Mr. Fox had been equally desi- 
rous of a liberal re-union with Mr. 
Burke, and took every means, to ef- 
fect it; but Mr, Burke’s reply in- 
variably was—‘* Will he sign the re- 
nunciation?” (asingular paper drawn 
up by himself, containing a solema 
renunciation of the principles of the 
French revolution, and a promise 
that he would never again propose 
a reform in parliament or the abo- 
lition of the test.) Nor was this all, 
for he was to ‘‘ make the sentiments 
of 
