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hand; they cut that off alfo, and then afked him if he would go on with the attempt. The Lacedemonion faid, "not in the fame way;" and he inftantly feized it with his teeth. This is exactly the cafe with His Majefty's Government; they have loft both their hands in their attempts upon America, and they are yet determined, like the Lacedemonian, to go on, and fasten upon it with their teeth. But they should remember, that when the Lacedemonian did this, they struck off

his head.

Sir George Savile, Dec. 14, 178 E

No one laments Mr. Fox's illness more than I do; and I declare, if he should continue ill, the inquiry into the conduct of the first Lord of the Admiralty should not be proceeded apon; and even fhould the country fuffer fo ferious a calamity as his death, it ought to be followed up earnestly and folemnly; nay, of fo much confequence is the inquiry to the. public, that no bad ufe would be made of the fkin of his departed friend, fhould fuch be his fate, if like that of John Zifca it fhould be converted into a drum, and used for the purpofe of founding an alarm to the People of England.

Mr. Burke, Jan. 28, 1782,

bad

Though I have not the honour of being one of those fagacious country gentlemen, who have fo long vociferated for the American war, who have so long run on the red-herring scent of American taxation, before they found out there was no game on foot; they who, like their prototype, Don Quixote, have mistaken the barber's bason for a golden helmet; I now congratulate them on having at laft recovered their fenfes, and found out their error. I wish to see a conftitu- . tional Adminiftration, founded on the bafis of public virtue and public œconomy, "When this corruption fhall put on incorruption, and this mortality fhall put on immortality." Though the other fide have not liftened to me with their

A

usual

ufual indulgence and attention, their exultation, triumph, and interruption, I freely pardon on this occafion:

When in their hands all power they found,

It well might make their heads turn round;
It well might turn their head.

I fancy, though they take a joke,

They felt as Nell did, when the woke,

In Lady Loverule's bed

Mr. Courtenay, March 20, 1782.

I own myself a firm friend to the motion for a Parliamenrary Reform, and am of opinion, that this House might as well call itself the representative of France as of the People of England. I had a large tree growing fome time fince on my eftate, which bore many green leaves on the trunk of it, and feemed to be in a flourishing state; but on looking at the tree, there appeared a hole or two, which I looked farther into, and on a close inspection found the tree was rotten within; the infide was mere touchwood. I had the rotten part cut out, and now the tree forms a commodious place, fit for a dozen perfons to dine in. The prefent Conftitution I compare to this tree; it appears found, but on an inspection I fear it will be found like the tree, rotten at the heart.

Sir George Savile, May 7, 1782.

An honourable member the other day took upon him the office of Mr. Fox's panegyrift: he extolled him to the skies, and described him as compreffing the whole globe with his comprehenfive eye. I do not doubt of the truth of all that; I only wish that I could turn his eye to the east, to undeceive him in some instances that seem to refute the affertions of his panegyrift. The right honourable Secretary promised a system that was to establish perpetually, if the nation chose it, the liberty of India, and to enrich and aggrandize the subjects of

Britain;

Britain; I wish I could fee it. There was a time, when, if fuch a propofition had been made, the right honourable gentleman would have been upon a stage in the streets the next. The scheme is the most futile and frivolous that ever wore the name of a well-digefted fyftem. What is it but saying, "Leave the whole to me and my feven affiftants, and I'll anfwer for all's doing well." I regard Lord North as a King, and the right honourable gentleman as an Emperor, the Emperor of the Eaft! The feven Commiffioners alfo may be confidered as seven Emperors, feven holy Roman Emperors, tributary and fubordinate to the Emperor of the Eaft.

Mr. Arden, Dec. 9, 1783.

There is an incident of nature and circumftance which establishes a very effential difference between the East-India Company and every other chartered fociety. That circumftance is their territorial property, and their imperial power. But ftill I contend that no neceffity has been shewn for violating the charter of the Company in the present fituation of affairs. The Company are not bankrupt. The measures proposed are no other than a disfranchisement of the Company, and a confiscation of their goods in the hands of seven Commiffioners. I ought to make an apology for alluding to any thing recorded in facred writ, but cannot but read some verses in different chapters of the book of Revelation, which seem to exprefs the intended innovation in the affairs of the English Eaft-India Company: "And I ftood upon the fand of the fea, and faw a beast rise up out of the fea, having feven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns. And they worshipped the Dragon, which gave power unto the beast; and they worshipped the beaft, faying, who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.-[Here I believe there is a mistake of fix months.]-And he causeth all, both

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both small and great, rich and poor, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their forehead.-[Here places, penfions, and peerages, are clearly marked out.]-And he cried mightily with a ftrong voice, faying, Babylon the Great (plainly the Eaft-India Company) is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean bird. And the merchants of the earth fhall weep and mourn over her, for no man buyeth her merchandise any more; the mercandife of gold and filver, and precious ftones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and filk, and scarlet, and all manner of veffels of ivory, of moft precious wood, and cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincenfe, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and flaves, and fouls of men. And the fruits that thy foul lufted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and faying, Alas! alas! that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious ftones, and pearls! for in one hour fo great riches is come to nought. And every ship-mafter, and all the Company in fhips, and failors, and as many as trade by fea, ftood afar off, and cried, when they faw the fmoak of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city? And they caft duft on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas! alas! that great city, wherein were made rich all that had fhips in the fea, by reason of her coftliness! for in one hour fhe was made defolate."

Mr. Scott, Dec. 1, 1783.

I cannot but admire the noble Lord's (Mahon) impartiality in now calling to order, and asking if there is any question before the House, when he has listened patiently to four or five

fpeeches

speeches without any question being before the House. He will not, however, hear one from me, but has verified the old proverb, "That the laft feather always breaks the horse's back." Tke noble Lord, like a ftately camel, in like manner, has borne very heavy burdens, but cannot now bear the weight of my bunch on his back.

Mr. Burke, June 3, 1784.

Whofe fault is it that the election for Weftminster is not ended? The fault of the High Bailiff, and of no other person. With regard to the two modes of proceeding recommended to the House, it puts the House exactly in the fame fituation as Fair Rofamond was in the play, when, by order of Queen Eleanor, it was faid to her, "Here is a dagger, and here is a bowl of poison; chuse which you please, but one you must take."

Lord North, June 8, 1784.

Before the House refolves itself into a Committee of Supply, I wish to say a few words on the East-India Reports, which I imagine have been treated in a contemptuous manner by many members of the new Parliament. I am astonished that fome gentlemen should have the prefumption to call those Reports, which have been carefully collected by people of experience and ability, a collection of fables, or vague reports, deftitute of any foundation whatever. There is one right honourable gentleman in my eye, (Mr. Dundas), who will certainly never give his confent in an open manner to such calumny. I am, however, informed, that gentlemen have paffed over in filence the afperfions which have been thrown on the laborious works of the Committees who have fat on the India business. I am surprised that the right honourable gentleman fhould now fhew fuch a pacific difpofition, when formerly he appeared to be a ftrenuous advocate for justice, and had many engagements in the Houfe on the fubject; in all of which he

had

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