plunged many into grief, and afforded a fearful lesson to all. Among the few friends who did not desert Mr. Wentworth on the late changes was a person of whom, though we have had no occasion hitherto to mention him, the nation had on a variety of accounts conceived the highest hopes. Son of a man in family and fortune of the first consequence in the state, and thus favoured by birth and wealth, he was equally favoured by nature from his genius and attainments. He had the gift of eloquence superior to all his contemporaries save Wentworth alone; and his high heart, though touched strongly with ambition, was filled with sincerity, and also with a sensibility which was always ready to overflow. These qualities, how ever, strange as it may seem, betrayed him sometimes into what, in the minds even of persons far his inferiors, gave an air of weakness to some parts of his conduct: for he more than once had been made the victim of an overweening confidence in men whom he had trusted, but who proved not trustworthy; and his sensibility was so keen to every thing, right or wrong, which could affect his reputation, that his fancy often conjured up spectres appalling to his happiness. On such occasions he was, unfortunately, so hasty that no one could answer for consequences. These were his faults, and dearly did he answer them. The English, however, of all nations on earth, are calculated to love and adopt such a character as their own; and, accordingly, from his first entry into public life, Mr. Beaufort inspired his countrymen with the warmest interest for his success, and the firmest reliance upon his patriotism. Nor were they wrong; for had there been a question between the interests of his country and his own, even had his life been the alternative, he would not have hesitated which to prefer. To De Vere's great delight, there reigned the purest harmony between this gentleman and Mr. Wentworth. Their admiration was mutual, and no jealousy had hitherto sprung up, like a mildewed ear, to blast their hopeful alliance. Mr. Beaufort, with all his ambition, and distinguished as he was, had willingly submitted to the higher fortune of his friend, and successfully fought under him as his lieutenant, with a loyalty that was un blemished. We may suppose, that to a minister of Lord Oldcastle's penetration the acquisition of such a man, when he had determined to separate from his former colleague, was every way of the highest consequence. Of value as a support to himself, to detach him from being the support of his antagonist became of tenfold importance; and accordingly, no attempt was left untried to obtain him. But Mr. Beaufort was above all the temptations of power or wealth which Lord Oldcastle could offer. Both his principles and his engagements devoted him to the exminister. He had attended the meeting at Mowbray House, and that he had done so was all the answer he condescended to give Lord Oldcastle, when the latter applied to him in person, or through the numerous agents, direct and indirect, whom he afterward employed. Happy had Beaufort been equally firm against the sway of all other feelings and mistaken notions, as he was against temptations which applied themselves only to his interest. Mr. Wentworth, at this time particularly, had distinguished himself upon one of those questions involving the personal character and conduct of the actors concerned, which, whenever they occur, excite the feeling and interest of the nation to an absorbing degree. After developing, with warm indignation, the intrigues to which he would not stoop, but to which, he said, he had fallen a sacrifice, he unmasked the views of his opponents, particularly of the minister himself, with a force of honest invective which made them tremble; and he drew a comparison between them, in their success from such arts, and himself, in his failure from the want of them, which left them in possession of no superiority over him in the minds of his auditors. But he gained all hearts when he wound up with a dignified and philosophic description of the sort of ambition he courted, and the fortune which alone he followed; welcome, he said, if virtuously attained; despised, if offered at the expense of virtue. This sentiment he classically clothed in a beautiful passage from his favourite author, with which, when he closed his speech, he seemed to electrify the House : "Laudo manentem; si celeres quatit Virtute me involvo, probamque The eloquence of this harangue, particularly of the last sentiment, was cheered by all Mr. Wentworth's hearers; by none more than by the enthusiastic Beaufort. Alas! it was the last cheer he ever gave. Mr. Wentworth's party had already visibly increased; and the high ground which Lord Oldcastle had taken seemed, insensibly to others, but obviously to himself, to be slipping from under him. With all his talents, he was not a bold politician, and he felt it was absolutely necessary either to create jealousies in the opposite party, so as to disunite their strength, or to abandon his post to Wentworth, who he knew would accept of no office under him. To gain Beaufort alone had been tried in vain; to gain him as the chief of a party, with Wentworth under him, might yet be attempted. To an extended offer, including Wentworth himself, he might listen without loss of honour: if accepted, a ground for discontent was laid; if rejected, jealousy would still probably be the consequence. A messenger was therefore sent to Beaufort in form, to desire a meeting, to consider of a new government, and, as was added, by command of him who had a right to command it. In this, the object of the premier was refined beyond all ordinary rules. He knew that to exclude Wentworth would be unavailing; but he might lower him, which would almost equally answer his purpose. Wentworth, the immoveable, the proud, the aspiring CHIEF, was the object of all Lord Oldcastle's fear; but the lieutenant of another, he would instantly be degraded, and probably disarmed. He therefore resolved to try the effect of an offer to Beaufort, even to the extent of one-half of the government, without the excluding clause as to Wentworth, which had hitherto made all attempts abortive. The only stipulation, therefore, which he resolved to make, was, that the treaty should be conducted by Beaufort alone, and as a necessary consequence, that Beaufort should be considered by the * Thus given by Francis, speaking of Fortune: "I can applaud her while she stays; I can resign, with careless ease, And honest Poverty's undower'd charms." minister as the ostensible chief of his party. If this were accepted, there was no office which Lord Oldcastle was not willing that Mr. Beaufort should offer to his friend. Such was the Italian policy intended to be pursued in negotiating a union. On the receipt of the message, which simply, as we have said, desired a meeting, Beaufort instantly communicated with Wentworth, who told him that under the circumstances he could not but comply. "It is useless," said Beaufort; "to separate us is impossible." "I know it," returned Wentworth; "but the terms may have been altered; besides, there is a high recommendation, which must not be disobeyed." Beaufort complied, assuring Wentworth that he was but an agent to hear, but not to determine; and never did the friends honour or confide in one another more than when they separated. On meeting, the wary minister was most adroit as to his object. All notion of severing Beaufort from his party was abandoned, and pardon even begged for former attempts to overcome what was still treated as a prejudice that stood in the way of duty; but though a prejudice, an honourable one. This being set at rest, even the uti possidetis was also abandoned by Lord Oldcastle. "I feel," said Lord Oldcastle, "that the country is every thing, and I should little honour myself if any ambition of mine stood in the way of an advantageous arrangement. I am therefore even prepared to quit my present station, if that should be deemed necessary for his majesty's service." The frank mind of Beaufort was struck with the proof of disinterestedness which this seemed to give; and, in the simplicity of his heart, he complimented the premier on the purity of his patriotism, which could thus yield his power to a rival, for the sake of the public weal. 66 "Stop," said Lord Oldcastle, with a mixture of dignity and candour, nor give me more credit than I deserve. Though I said I should little honour myself if an obstinacy in retaining my present situation were to stand in the way of a proper arrangement, it follows not that I should dishonour myself to procure it." Beaufort expressing his wonder at the meaning of this, the Lord Oldcastle went on. "Forgive me, Mr. Beaufort, if I feel I have a right to some personal pride as well as Mr. Wentworth, His would be wounded, it seems, were he to serve under me; would mine then be unhurt were I to serve under him? I have already been placed at the head, by our common Sovereign; he has not yet been so honoured. If the country require it now, I am ready to retire; but it follows not that I am to be called upon to serve under one who has almost refused to acknowledge me even as an equal. Still this need not prevent what we all so much desire; it will only be necessary that I and my friends should withdraw from power altogether, and leave Mr. Wentworth to form a government as well as he can," 99 He said this with an air of generous self-sacrifice; but to a less unsuspecting observer than Beaufort, something sardonic might perhaps have been discovered lurking in the corner of his lip, when he pronounced the words as well as he can. Be this as it may, Beaufort was embarrassed at the intimation; as the secession of Lord Oldcastle and his friends would leave the government weaker, even in the hands of Wentworth, than it was at the then actual crisis. It became necessary, therefore, to ask whether Lord Oldcastle, by retiring, meant to deny his support to any new government that might be formed? "As to that," replied the wary politician, "I can only say it must depend upon circumstances that may arise. For though I am not one of those who would drive head. long into opposition as a thing of course, because I had laid down my power; yet, even though I might promise a general support, who can see into futurity ?" The candour of Beaufort could not but admit this; and his confiding nature, little practised in the wiles, or even the language of party, almost tempted him to think that these professions of Lord Oldcastle might satisfy his friend. Being pushed to it, too, by the penetrating minister, who saw that his sense of honour had been touched by what he had said,-Beaufort acknowledged that it might be too much to expect Lord Oldcastle to quit the post of prime minister, and take office under a man who had refused to serve under him; and such was his dilemma, that he was preparing to break up the conference, when Lord Oldcastle, observing that he had sufficiently excited his fears for the country, as well as his sense of VOL, II.-2 |