FIFTY YEARS OF A SHOWMAN'S LIFE 



the younger Hartley, and referring to the American 

 War of Independence, were sold by auction in 

 London, and many were purchased by an American 

 millionaire, whilst others found a resting-place in 

 the British Museum. 



What a world of suggestiveness there is in an 

 old letter like this ! And what visions does it 

 not call up of that first philosopher of his time, 

 who was equally able, when the hour for action 

 struck, to take his place in the foremost rank 

 of his country's statesmen ! Linked by the same 

 chain of thought, there comes on the scene the 

 great Chatham, who represented Bath in the 

 Commons before his accessiou to the Upper 

 House, impoverished in health, yet undaunted 

 in spirit, using all the power of his fervent eloquence 

 to rouse the British Government to a sense of the 

 disastrous policy it was pursuing ! 



188 



