THE Duke of Grafton has always fome excellent reason for deferting his friends.The age and incapacity of Lord Chatham; -the debility of Lord Rockingham ;-or the infamy of Mr. Wilkes. There was a time indeed when he did not appear to be quite fo well acquainted, or fo violently offended with the infirmities of his friends. But now I confess they are not ill exchanged for the youthful, vigorous virtue of the Duke of Bedford; the firmness of General Conway; -the blunt, or if I may call it, the aukward integrity of Mr. Rigby, and the spotlefs morality of Lord Sandwich.

*

IF a late penfion to a broken gambler be an act worthy of commendation, the Duke of Grafton's connexions will furnifh him with many opportunities of doing praife-worthy actions; and as he himself bears no part of the expence, the generofity of diftributing the public money for the fupport of virtuous families in diftrefs will be an unquestionable proof of his Grace's humanity.

Sir John Moore,

As

As to public affairs, Old Noll is a little tender of defcending to particulars. He does not deny that Corfica has been facrificed to France, and he confeffes that, with regard to America, his patron's meafures have been. fubject to fome variation; but then he promises wonders of ftability and firmness for the future. These are myfteries, of which we must not pretend to judge by experience; and truly, I fear we shall perish in the Defart, before we arrive at the Land of Promife. In the regular courfe of things, the period of the Duke of Grafton's minifterial manhood should now be approaching. The imbecility of his infant ftate was committed to Lord Chatham. Charles Townshend took fome care of his education at that ambiguous age, which lies between the follies of political childhood, and the vices of puberty. The empire of the paffions foon fucceeded. His earliest principles and connexions were of course forgotten or defpifed. The company he has lately kept has been of no service to his morals; and, in the conduct of public affairs, we fee the character of his time of life ftrongly diftinguifhed.. And obftinate ungovernable self-sufficiency plainly points

out

out to us that ftate of imperfect maturity, at which the graceful levity of youth is loft, and the folidity of experience not yet acquired. It is poffible the young man may in time grow wifer and reform; but, if I understand his difpofition, it is not of such corrigible stuff, that we should hope for any amendment in him, before he has accomplished the destruction of this country. Like other rakes, he may perhaps live to fee his error, but not untill he has ruined his estate.

PHILO JUNIUS.

LETTER

XV.

TO HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF GRAFTON.

MY LORD,

8. July, 1769.

IF nature had given you an understanding qualified to keep pace with the wishes and principles of your heart, she would have made you, perhaps, the most formidable minister that ever was employed, under a limited monarch, to accomplish the ruin of a free people. When neither the feelings of shame, the reproaches of confcience, nor the dread of punishment, form any bar to the VOL. I. defigns

H

defigns of a minifter, the people would have too much reafon to lament their condition, if they did not find some resource in the weaknefs of his understanding. We owe it to the bounty of providence, that the completest depravity of the heart is fometimes ftrangely united with a confufion of the mind, which counteracts the most favourite principles, and makes the fame man treacherous without art, and a hypocrite without deceiving. The meafures, for instance, in which your Grace's activity has been chiefly exerted, as they were adopted without fkill, fhould have been conducted with more than common dexterity. But truly, my Lord, the execution has been as grofs as the defign. By By one decifive step, have defeated all the arts of writing. You have fairly confounded the intrigues of oppofition, and filenced the clamours of faction. A dark, ambiguous fyftem might require and furnish the materials of ingenious illustration; and, in doubtful measures, the virulent exaggeration of party must be employed, to roufe and engage the paffions of the people. You have now brought the merits of your adminiftration to an iffue, on which every Englifhman, of the narrowest capacity, may determine for himself. It is not an alarm to the.

you

paffions,

paffions, but a calm appeal to the judgement of the people, upon their own most effential interests. A more experienced minister would not have hazarded a direct invafion of the first principles of the conftitution, before he had made fome progress in fubduing the spirit of the people. With fuch a cause as yours, my Lord, it is not fufficient that you have the court at your devotion, unless you can find means to corrupt or intimidate the jury. The collective body of the people form that jury, and from their decision there is but one appeal.

WHETHER you have talents to fupport you, at a crisis of fuch difficulty and danger, should long fince have been confidered. Judging truly of your difpofition, you have perhaps mistaken the extent of your capacity. Good faith and folly have so long been received as fynonimous terms, that the reverse of the propofition has grown into credit, and every villain fancies himself a man of abilities. It is the apprehenfion of your friends, my Lord, that you have drawn fome hafty conclufion of this fort, and that a partial reliance upon your moral character has betrayed you beyond the depth of your understanding. You have