loo CKARACTERISTICAL SKETCHES— LORD NORTH. Junei5< 



CbaraBeriJlical Sketches. 



Lord North. 

 Of all the paffions that aduate the human mind, the 

 love of power, efpecially after its fweets have been ex- 

 perienced, is perhaps the mofl difficult to fubdue. An 

 '^•.v jnini/lert an antiquated beauty, and an orator who 

 has fallen into negleft, are perfons whom tlie world 

 take pleafure to mortify, without adverting to the piti- 

 able fituation in which thefe perfons are placed. This 

 is perhaps the greateft mark of barbarity that exifts iu 

 the manners of the prefent age. It is the higheft eulo- 

 gy of urbanity and civilization, that it tends to miti- 

 gate the evils of life, to pluck the thorn from the wound 

 of the afBidted, and to foothe the mind, while under 

 the preflure of misfortune : But in the cafes here fpe- 

 cified, mankind feem to depart from a rule that ought 

 to be nniverfal, and are emulous in prefling forward, 

 to add the wantonefs of infult to the load of diftrefs, 

 ■W'hichj of itfelf, fits very heavy on the depreffed 

 mind. 



Few inftances can exemplify the above remarks more 

 f'uUy than the fate of Lord North. This noblemati 

 long occupied the place of firft minifter ih this king- 

 dom ; and during the time he held it, he had as unli- 

 mited power, and met with as unbounded applaufe, an(f 

 obtained an adulation as fervile from his adherents, as 

 any other minifter ever experienced. He Was, at laft, 

 like others, forced to relinquifh the helm, and, like 

 others too, has been fince obliged to experience the molt 

 degrading infults. Thefe infults, however, are not 

 more degrading to him than the adulation he formerly 

 received. — They both equally tend to leiTen the perfon 

 who offers them, rather than him to whom they are ' 

 offered. 



