320 AUTOBIOGRAPHY. [iSiy. 



ing, a question of greater delicacy."'' Of its merits as 

 a composition I can say nothing, since I looked for it 

 in every newspaper at the time without being able to 

 find it ; and although I heard some expressions quoted 

 as objectionable, which did appear so to me, they could 

 not enable me to judge of the whole. But I confess it 

 has always appeared to me that if any Parliamentary 

 proceeding required to be adopted with more considera- 

 tion than another, it is that sort of manifesto or state- 

 paper record of opinions on a variety of great and im- 

 portant subjects. However well composed, it seldom, 

 from the period of the session at which it is moved, 

 produces any effect, except as far as it affords room for 

 attack to hostile newspapers ; and although it may only 

 represent the sentiments of an individual, yet as that 

 object could be more effectually announced by a pamph- 

 let or a published speech, it has always been supposed 

 to represent those of a party, which, not to speak of 

 the difficulty of collecting and stating them accurately, 

 seldom benefits by such, a declaration, unless strongly 

 called for. Burke's, in '84 an admirable paper of this 

 description was, I have understood, not thought very 

 expedient by those most competent to judge, though it 

 had been much considered beforehand. 



-Yours most truly, LANSDOWNE." 



After the session was over, instead of as usual join- 

 ing the circuit, I resolved to give myself a holiday, as 

 I had for some time been suffering from the effects of 

 a severe attack of pleurisy, followed by a return of 



* Motion for an address to the Prince Regent on the state of the 

 nation, llth June 1817. 



