MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. igi 



opposite and perverted order of thing's. Thus 

 situated, nothing" could to a certainty serve his 

 purpose so well as corruption ; and the House 

 of Commons had long been growing into a state 

 befitting his purpose ; for its members had, in a 

 great degree, ceased to be the representatives of 

 the people, and he had now only to begin an 

 invigorated, new, or more extended system of 

 place and patronage to have the majority at his 

 nod ; and, in aid of this, to add an extension of the 

 peerage. This demi-oligarchy, cemented together 

 by feelings of rapacious interests, in his hands 

 was the best organised system of extorting money 

 that ever had appeared in the world. They met 

 together to tax tax tax ; and, under various 

 pretexts, to rob the people " according to law," 

 and to divide the spoil amongst themselves and 

 their friends. Arbitrary laws were enacted, 

 gagging bills were passed, and a system of 

 espionage spread over the kingdom to keep the 

 people down, many of whom seemed to have 

 forgotten the exertions of their forefathers, whose 

 blood had been spilt to purchase a better order 

 of things. I felt particularly hurt at the apathy of 

 country gentlemen in these (politically considered) 

 worst of times. Their faculties seemed benumbed ; 

 but, indeed, most of them fell into the vortex of 

 corruption themselves. They appeared to me to 

 have lost their former independent character, and 

 to be now looking out to that evil source as a 

 provision for the younger branches of their own 

 families, unmindful of all other ill consequences, 

 which this selfishness blindly supported and main- 

 tained. The minions of power were countenanced 

 and protected, by which they became insolent and 



