tion of abilities, yet he had sunk under The French revolution followed the talents, and still more under the close. Fox, in conformity with his integrity, of Chatham. But if Fox principles, applauded the first movederived some stain from his paren- ments of freedom. The excesses tage, his own conduct seemned not which ensued altered the general Tikely to remove the blot; and while feelings: the best principles b. came men admired the brilliancy of his abhorred, when found in the mouths parts, they wondered and lamented of atrocious villains; and in the ihat so much genius should be united ideas of the multitude Fox became to so little prudence or virtue. associated with those who spoke the

The unfavourable occurrences same language, however different which crossed his political career, their intentions and actions. The might spring from accident; but consternation afterwards diffused they derived new force from the throughout the kingdom, and the warmth or the facility of his own vast popularity of his great po itical temper. During the American war, antagonist, gave a still deeper hold he had derived much popularity to these impressions; and no one from his resolute and violent oppo- seemed worthy of public trust, who sition to lord North ; but when this did not revile Fox as an enemy to nobleman and his friends passed his country. His own imprudence over to the party of Fox, and were was, indeed, scarcely less fatal to his by him received with his usual faci- interests, than were the arts of his lity and frankness, the people looked adversaries. He gave too free access upon their patriot as guilty of the to men of profligate characters and most unprincipled dishonesty, in dark designs: he uttered expressions thus cordially coalescing with the too violent at any time, but foolish men whom he had just pursued with in the extreme amidst the ferment the most opprobrious invective. The which then prevailed: he even deodium of the coalition continued graded himself to a level with the ever afterwards to hang, like a noxi- lowest demagogues, by haranguing ous vapour, upon his brightestinotley mobs in the fields around beams.

London. His patriotism became When Great Britain interfered to more suspected, when he declared put a stop to the conquering arms of his country to be in extreme danger, Russia, the friends of monarchy and then took the unmanly resoluwere alarmed and incensed, when tion of abandoning her councils, and they saw Fox not only oppose admi- consigning himself to ease and renistration at home, but even carry tirement. These acts are, indeed, his zeal so far as to send abroad an attributed to a facility which led him accredited agent to thwart the views to yield to men whose opinions he of government. During the lament- should have despised: but this is ed illness of the sovereign, his acti- only to defend his heart at the exvity drew down upon him a new

pence of his head. load of, indignation. Men could The same lamentable facility sudnot look upon the warmest friend- denly eclipsed the rays which began ship for the son, as a sufficient ex- to break forth at his decline. After cuse for deserting his duty to the fa- twenty years of opposition, he came ther.

into power without sacrificing his

a

:

brunour; but his first act in the were there almost the only acknowBesplase of commons, as a ininister, ledger Forites, The moral act, by wils the introduction of the bill to which lie closed his' gayer career, erable a colleague to possess at once excited scarcely less reprehension, tro important, rich, and incompa. However reclaimed anii weritorious He oftices. He seemed to feel bis might be the object of bis choice, own degradation; he seemed cons yet it seemed too shocking to decocious that he was setting at detrance rnm, that the wife of a great statesall his former professions, and tramp- man should be an improper compaing to dust all the glory of his lite.. uion for any honest matron. Ilis countenance reddened, and his The mind of Fox was naturally voice became choaked with shame open and liberal'; and his principles 2**anger, when his adversaries re- bore' the stamp of his disposition. Isiniled him of what he wished to He seemed front conviction tie asfrreet. With this initiation, his serter of popular rights, and a defirmer principles seemed to bave cided enemy to arbitrary governvanished. The worst measures of ment. Yet lis principles could not Pris predecessors, the property tax, at all tinies resist either his facility which he had lately reprobated as or bis warmitis; and some portion at the most impolitic, unjust, and op- least of bis consistency may be altripressive of all exactions, he now buted to his permanent situation as supported as an ingenious device, leader of opposition. He was acand defended an increase of its in- crised of rank democracy; but with įstice and oppression.

much injustice. He entered politiMorality is too often neglected by cal life among the aristocracy, and the ambitious, as useless to their ad- with them closed bis career. suncement: but experience shews, by their prevailing influence against Crat the want of a good moral cha- the crown that he twice became a bacter cannot be compensated to a minister; and by them he was supsitlesman by any fame of talents. ported throughout. He was a friend The general opinion of Fox's licen- to extensive suffrage ; but he knew giousness was, perhaps, the greatest that the votes of the lower orders olstacle to his forlunes, and the must ever be at the command of glue which made calumnies so rea- the higher. In power, he had alliiy adhere to him. He was even ways the interest of the aristocracy believed to be the principal instru- in view. He endeavoured to throw Bent in polluting that spring from the whole patronage of India into birich the nation expected its future the hands of the parliament. He happiness to flow: por was this sur- supported the property tax, on the ani-e confined to the vidgar. So principle, that men ought, as far as conärmed was the general opinion of possible, to be retained in the stalis licentiousness, that bis adherents, tion which they have once occupied ;

specially in certain «istant quarters and that it is quite as reasonable the at the island, seemed to bave as- lower orders should be starved, as sunced it as the distinguisling badge that the higher should be deprived of their party; and youths who pro- of their usual enjoyments. tenedl. contempt for religion, and The knowledge of Fox was chiefly practised an unbounded libertivism, of that description which may be

It was

drawn from conversation, or from the rapidity and strength of his conbooks of easy perusal. In a coun- ceptions he was enabled to place his try, whose prosperity hinges on the subject in the clearest light; and he arrangement of its industry, whose had an unusual facility in calling to government depends on the skilful his assistance the resources with support of public credit, he acknow- which books or conversation had ledged himself ignorant of political supplied hiin.

His wit was very economy and finance. He was not successful, and his sarcasms pecudeeply versed in official business : liarly poignant : they were not delis nor had pursued any subject with vered with bitterness, and they the accuracy of scientific investiga- seemed always to fall justly on the tion: but in the political history of head of their object. his country, in the la:vs relative to Yet bis eloquence was not free his constitution, in the dispositions. from the vices to which it was natuand views of foreign powers, in the rally subjected by his habits. His arts which conciliate and lead man- orations were never regular, never kind, his knowledge was, perhaps, skilfully arranged. The hearer,

, uurivalled by any modern politi- borne along by his warmth, did not cian.

discover his desultory transitions ; His eloquence was the grand but, on recollection, he found it foundation of his fane. He liad to difficult to retrace the maze which he struggle with the disadvantages of had traversed. As he always trusted appearauce. His figure was unpro- to the moment, his exhibitions de mising, bis motions ungraceful, his pended much on the state of his voice shrill, and his enunciation, at spirits; and it was not uncommon to the commencement of his speech, see him labour through a hesitating, indistinct and hesitating. Every devious discourse, which scarcely thing announced, that all was un- retained the attention of his hearers. premeditated, and that the hearer Even those who disliked his polihad nothing to expect but the effu- tics most, adınired his disposition. sions of the moment. But as he His friends felt towards him a perproceeded, this circumstance be- sonal attachment; and the open came a source of admiration. As frankness of his manners often dishe grew warm, his words began to armed political animosity.

He was flow: his enunciation became clear regarded as the very inodel of a and forcible; his countenance glow- true Englishman. ed with ardour, and every motion His early dissipation, and the narspoke the force of his feelings. He rowness of his private fortune, inbastened directly to his subject. It volved him in perpetual difficulties, seemed to occupy dis whole soul, to which embarrassed his mind, and call forth every power of imagina- often engaged him in a disagreeable tion and judgnient: he was irresisti- dependence. The expedient of a bly hurried on by his emotions, and general contribution of his friends, his hearers were hurried along with by which he was at length extrihim. In whatever he said, there cated, gave an irrecoverable blow to was an air of candour and earnest- his respectability. Those especially ness, which carried in it scarcely at a distauce felt a strange revolution less persuasion than his words. By of sentiment, when the idol of their

admiration became a suppliant for their alms. Some of his enemies had the cruelty to mortify him by their ostentatious subscriptions.

His inviolable attachment to peace was the poblest feature in his public

character. Even his most determined enemies lamented his death, when they saw the negociations which had owed their birth entirely to him, expire' as our only minister of peace expired.

An Epitaph for Mr. Fox: by the Rev. James Willis, of Sopley, Hants.

'This mausoleum entombs

CHARLES JAMES FOX, who died Sept. 13, 1806, aged 57 years.
His first years of instruction were under

The paternal auspices of Lord HOLLAND;
His latter was completed at ETON, and at OXFORD.
The SOVEREIGN of the UNIVERSE,

At whose command nations flourish and decay,
The more to scourge and afflict this nation,
In his judgment for our offences,

Hath taken to HIMSELF men of transcendent abilities,
The most promising to save a sinking nation→
NELSON, CORNWALLIS, PITT, AND THURLOW;
But a loss the most deplorably felt—
By ENGLAND,

By the whole HUMAN RACE,

Was

CHARLES JAMES FOX,

As a statesman, an orator, and a MAN. N
The follies of his youth were obliterated by the
Usefulness and benevolence of his riper years.
The COMMONS of ENGLAND can best appreciate
The force of his eloquence, the ingenuity of his reasoning,
His political sagacity, his animated expression,
The amplitude and correctness of his views,
The strength and clearness of his conceptions:
The PEOPLE of ENGLAND, his manly wisdom,
His patriotic virtue, his love of his fellow-creatures :
His FRIENDS, who were of the highest classes of society,
The suavity of his manners,

The fraukness, the honesty, the feeling the generosity,
The amiable and endearing charities of his heart.
EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA, and AMERICA,"
People the most remote,

Have experienced the Benign influence of his consummate eloquence
In vindicating the rights of nature,

In opposing tyranny, slavery, and oppression.
The avowed enemy to the miseries of war,

The steady promoter of peace, and of good will to man,
He uniformly supported the rights of the people,

Civil and religious LIBERTY.

Firmly adhering to, and boldly maintaining,
The true and geuuine principles of the constitution, as asserted at the

REVOLUTION,
In defiance of the rancorous spirit of the times,

Aud the violent malignity of the JACOBINS,
As be possessed the spirit to undertake, the niawliness to defend,
The wonderful ability to support all measures that led to truth, to honour,

and to justice,
So he spurned the idea of shaping his arguments

To court the smiles of a minister.
He was traduced, calumniated, and abused, for his supposed motives;

Misrepresented to his SOVEREIGN,
Who dismissed him from his councils;

But the disgrace was temporary :-
He was bonourably recalled by the SAME SOVEREIGN,

Tu fill the employment of those men
He lived to see disgraced themselves, and who were
The chief instruments of his obloquy and oppression.-
Enjoying the confidence of his SOVEREIGN and the PEOPLE,

He directed his great mind, and mighty talents,

To the restoration of peace, to his country, to Europe.
To effect these blessings, in allaying the miseries of an agitated world,

Objects nearest to his heart,
And the most anxious wish of his dying moinents,
He just lived to begin a negociation with FRANCE:
His death interrupted the progress of this glorious work;
Even FRANCE deeply bewailed the common calamity,

And, with ENGLAND,
Equally lamented his irreparable loss,

Had PROVIDENCE
Thoughị fit to lengthen the period of his days,

Much might have been done
To

repose of EUROPE,
And the happiness of the HUMAN RACE.
Such an illustrious MAN, returning to the dust,
Was borne to bis sepulchre, most sumptuously,

But not at the nation's expence :
He passed to the tomb amidst the tears of the multitude;
And the strongest testimonies of regard to his worth,

Are best known by the distinguished persons,
From the extremities of the united kingdoin,

Who aliended bis remains to that grave
ere the mortal part shall perish in the dust,

But the remembrance of
His splendid talents, his patriotic services,

His inestimable qualities,

Shall live to distant ages. VOL. XLIX.

3 F

Eictracts

preserve the