TONGE STREET AND DUNDAS STREET. 637 



" The Pilot that weathered the storm " is the echo of a phrase of 

 Canning's, used by him as the title of some verses on Pitt, written 

 in 1802. 



Lockhart does not applaud the animus of Scott's song ; and Sir 

 Walter himself subsequently allowed the unwisdom of much of it. 



In this song, too, occurred the expression — " Tally-ho ! to the 

 Fox !" which was interpreted by some to be an allusion to Fox, the 

 great Whig rival of Pitt, who was known at the time to be prostrated 

 by sickness — sickness likely to prove mortal, and which did prove 

 mortal on the 6th of the following September. "If," says Lord 

 Cockburn, " Scott really intended this as a shout of triumph over the 

 expiring orator, it was an indecency which no fair license of party- 

 zeal can palliate. But I am inclined to believe," Lord Cockburn 

 continues, " that nothing was meant beyond one of the jocular and 

 not unnatural exultations over the defeated leaders of the impeach- 

 ment, of which the song is composed. There were some important 

 persons, however," it is added, " whose good opiaion, by this indis- 

 cretion, was lost to Scott forever." 



On the death of Pitt, the coalition-ministry, loiown as " All the 

 Talents," was formed, consisting of Grenville, Fox, Lord Howick, 

 Erskine ; which was speedily followed by the Duke of Portland's 

 ministry, comprising Canning, Castlereagh, Percival, Lord Eidon. 

 Melville's name was replaced on the list of the Privy Council ; and 

 it was suspected by some that this was preparatory to acceptance of 

 office. We have the Whig feeling on this point expressed in some 

 stanzas which I quote from a satire, styled Melville's Mantle, put 

 forth in reply to Canning's Elijah's Mantle, a piece in which Elijah 

 rather strangely adumbrates the lately deceased Pitt : 



" When by th' Almighty's dread command 

 Old Bute had left this injured land, 



He long had set in flame, 

 His mantle crafty Jenky caught — 

 Dundas, with equal spirit fraught, 



The Tories' hope became. 



In these were qualities combined 

 Just suited to the royal mind — 



The supple spirits here : 

 What sad reverse ! that spirit reft, 

 No confidence, no hope was left — 



The Whigs impeached the Peer ! 



