with the eccentricity of a comet rufhed from a blaze of light into darkness and obfcurity. In the pursuit of the beautiful, he carried his refinement to such a degree of delicacy, that it loft its effential quality of pleafing. The form of beauty is no longer amiable than it is palpable to fenfe.

Of Junius, therefore, confidered in the capacity of a philofopher, it may be faid, as of his favorite Bolingbroke, in the words of a late writer, that " by having "endeavoured at too much, he has done nothing; <6 though, as a political writer, few can equal, and "none exceed him." His forte does not lic in developing the philofophical secrets of nature, and difclofing the myfterious operations of the human mind; but in difcover, ing the political fecrets of fociety, and expofing the iniquitous machinations of government.

And here the comparison between Bolingbroke and Junius ends: the great abilities of the former having been exerted to introduce the tyranny of arbitrary power, and to enflave his country; while to the latter common gratitude induces us to look up, as to a friend and benefactor both of his country and of mankind.

It has been objected, indeed, and that with fome ap→ pearance of reason, against the difinterestedness and integrity of his character, that he has made the public ftation ever fubfervient to his private intereft; and that he has not only been actuated in his political writings more by a spirit of party than of patriotifin, but that private pique hath often aggravated his cenfure as perfonal attachment has animated his applause.

In

In answer to this objection, it may beobferved; that, to poffefs the zeal and difinterestedness of a patriot without the paffions of a man, is impoffible; and, were it poffible, is by no means defireable. The cofmopolite, who affects a friendship for all mankind in general, is feldom a friend to any particular individual. He who has a kindnefs for every body, must have a large ftock of benevolence indeed to have much kindness for any body. General good-will must flow from a particular source; and, as the stream must be proportional to the fountain whence it fprings, the more extenfive its furface the more fhallow will be its depth. In order that a man may be a friend to others, it behoves him to be a constant friend to himself. If Junius, when in office, had not profited by the accustomed and legal perquifites of his poft, he would have been imprudently his own enemy. That a man should make his ftation also, in all other reputable respects fubfervient to his intereft, who was not born to an affluent fortune, is certainly excufeable in an age and country, which countenance the firft fortunes in the kingdom, in the fhameful practices of place-hunting, stock-jobbing, match-making, and even match-marring, for the fake of gratifying the pitiful paffions of avarice and petty ambition in the faving or accumulation of a few thousands, to add profufion to a plentiful patrimony. It is a ftrong prefumption, however, that he cannot be much a knave who is known to be confiderably duped and that Junius is fo little an adept in the tricks of the alley, as to have run great risques of being ftigmatised, in its cant phrafe, for a lame duck, is notorious.

But

But our author, it is faid, hath not only conftantly opposed administration, when his patrons and himself were out of place; but has affected to defpife, and has really neglected his fellow patriots engaged in the fame cause; and even hath espoused the cause and defended the perfons of its enemies.

We shall not take upon us very warmly to commend his replies to the feveral pamphlets and papers written in fupport of the minifters preceding and fuccceding the Rockingham adminiftration*. Thefe were undoubtedly dictated in fome measure by the fpirit of party, and were confeffedly more immediately calculated for the fervice of his patrons than for that of the nation. It is fome extenuation, however, if not a total exculpation of the criminality of those productions, if our Author really thought, as no doubt he profeffes to do, that the interest of his patrons, and that of his country, are infeparably connected. Be this as it may, the like objection cannot be made to the letters contained in the prefent publication; which moft opportunely made their firft appearance at a time, when the most direct and violent attacks were made and making on the liberties and conftitution of our country.

At fuch a juncture, to ftand forth their profeffed champion, was worthy the fortitude and abilities of a Junius, That he has apparently neglected, and even affected publickly to contemn the man, in whofe perfon those

flagrant

* Among which the replies to the Budget, and the Confiderations on the prefent State of the Nation, with others of less note, are imputed to our author.

flagrant and flagitious attempts were made, is certain. But, whether he looked on him with an envious eye, as a more favoured rival in the popular efteem, or was causelessly jealous of his reputation for literary talents, as a political writer, or from what other motive this feeming neglect was occafioned, is of little confequence to the publick. It is of much more, that fuch neglect was in too great a degree real. It is true indeed, that for some time our Author was a private advocate for Wilkes and Liberty, but it is no lefs true, that he foon after conceived the words ill-paired, joined not matched, and determined therefore in his own mind to part them. In confequence of this determination, he appears ever fince to have carefully distinguished on 'all occafions between

*

the

*

ing:

Among other inftances that might be given, is the follow

Mr. Trecothick, the late lord mayor, it is well known, owed his election, as representative in parliament for the city, greatly to the good offices of Mr. Wilkes; who requested his friends, at the latter end of the poll, when fingle votes could not poffibly be of service to him, to poll alfo for Mr. Trecothick, instead of Sir Richard Glynn, to whom they were mostly inclined. This requeft had its effect, and Mr. Trecothick accordingly got a head of Sir Richard. This manœuvre was the confequence of a previous intimation, if not affurance, of Junius to Mr. Wilkes, that he, with the other friends of Trecothick would totis viribus fupport Mr. Wilkes on any other occafion. The then-more-popular patriot, however, has been known, under the chagrin of difappointment, to exclaim more than once fince, “Out upon fuch half-faced fellowship," Whether Junius or Trecothick has given him most reason for fuch exclamation, perhaps Mr. Samuel Vaughan can determine..

the caufe of Mr. Wilkes, and that of the publick; or, rather as fome will have it, between the perfonal interest of Mr. Wilkes, a common friend, and that of Lord Rockingham, his particular, friend and patron.

In making this distinction, fatal alas! in its confequences, it is obfervable that he either fet or followed the example of another great rival in popularity, Lord Chatham; who seemed as cautious of being hooked into any connection with Wilkes, as if that unfortunate patriot were contagiously infected with a political pestilence.

Unhappily for this country, the diffidence, diftrust and divifion which thus arose between the parties fo greatly interested in, and defirous of promoting the fame common cause, have not only prevented their private fuccefs, but hath at the same time occafioned the caufe of the public to miscarry.

By the thunder of Chatham's elocution within doors, the fpirit and adroitnefs of Wilkes's addreffes without, and the ftill more powerful and perfuafive rhetoric of Junius's letters, and harangues both without and within, What might not have been done?-What might not the united talents of fuch a triumvirate have effected? What people fo daftardly or depreffed as not to be aroufed by fuch a pathetic representation of their grievances ? What people so tame as not to be fired with indignation against their oppreffors, and animated to avenge wrongs! What favourite fo defervedly detefted, what ministry so deservingly defpifed, what parliament so dreadfully degenerated and daringly defied, could have stood their ground against the ductility of a pofitive

their

Prince