506 POLITICAL CORRESPONDENCE. [1810. 



after it passed. The short interval was most favour- 

 able for exertion; because I have often thought that if 

 the alarms of the French Eevolution had come upon 

 us before the press was established, it would have 

 been beat down for ever. 



" Many attempts were made by the Crown to crush 

 me and to shake my business, but every conspiracy 

 of that kind came in aid of it ; and it has, I hope, 

 operated, and will operate, as a useful example in the 

 impression that time-serving and subserviency to 

 judges is not the road to the Woolsack. In looking 

 them over, I have this satisfaction, I do not see that 

 from the zeal of the moment I have distorted the law, 

 the application of which should be just and universal 

 by which I mean the law as I understood and still 

 understand it. Whatever faults, however, may appear 

 in them, they were delivered in the course of duty, 

 and are not moved by me ; the publication is not 

 mine. 



" With many thanks for the kind interest you have 

 taken in them, I ever am most faithfully yours, 



" ERSKINE." 



TO EAEL GEEY. 



" BROUGHAM, Odoler 23, 1810. 



" MY DEAR LORD GREY, I am ignorant of what is 

 going on. I ought to except, however, the bulletins 

 which Ward sends to Lord Lonsdale, and of which I 

 saw his last yesterday. It is in the highest spirits ; 

 represents Massena as doing exactly what was to be 



