with dexterity, and yet be a very bad minifter of state. It might have been a circumftance fortunate for Mr. Pitt's future reputation, and probably much happier for his country, if he had continued longer out of office, and had had time to acquire a more correct knowledge of the principles of the English conftitution, and a more fincere attachment to it, than he appears hitherto to have attained. He has fome of the faults of his illuftrious father, but I do not find that he poffeffes his virtues. He has shewn the fame inclination to be in office, and the fame zeal for German continental connexions, when that zeal was favourable to a continuance in power; but we seek in vain for that energetic eloquence, for that generous enthusiasm, in fupport of the rights of men, which were repeatedly difplayed by the earl of Chatham.

THE

of

any

THE great and implicit confidence, which a confiderable part of the nation seem, for fome time past, to have had in Mr. Pitt, appears to me to have been totally destitute folid foundation. In faying this, I do not mean to fpeak the language of any particular party; I am of no party, I never was of any party, but that of Freedom, and of my Country. But I think, that there has been much national delufion, so far as it has been national, in the almost unbounded confidence that has been placed in the present chancellor of the exchequer. Several circumstances, however, have greatly contributed to this partiality in his favour. He derived no inconfiderable degree of luftre from the splendour of his father's character; and he appeared in parliament, at an early age, with great advantage. Before he came into power, he also exhibited very patriotic fentiments; and when he entered into

D 4

into office, an high degree of credit was given him on account of his youth, and the supposed purity of his intentions; though that fpecies of faith, it may be prefumed, is now confiderably leffened. It was, indeed, certainly not natural to expect, in fo young a man as Mr. Pitt, all the art and duplicity of an old and a practised minister. But his inexperienced youth was not without great and important affiftance. In the science of ministerial management, and ministerial manœuvres, he has undoubtedly derived very fignal advantages from the fagacious counfels of his tried and approved friends, Mr. Charles Jenkinson, now lord Hawkesbury, and Mr. Henry Dundas, two gentlemen whose political talents and merits have been long well known to the public.

MUCH has been faid relative to the prosperous state, in which the nation is fup

pofed

posed to have been during the administration of Mr. Pitt. But it was not fufficiently confidered, that this has been chiefly the confequence of the change from war to peace, which, by occafioning an immense alteration in the public expences, must neceffarily greatly improve the fituation of the nation and this would naturally have been the case, whoever had been minister. In truth, the fact appears to be, that whatever profperous circumftances the nation may be now, in, are the refult of the tranfition from war to peace, of the activity and industry of the people, the energy the English character, the fertility of our foil, our extenfive commerce, our great national resources, and the general excellency of our laws and constitution; and are, fo far as I can discern, derived in no manner whatever from any measures that have originated in the wisdom, or in the virtue

of

of

of Mr. Pitt. And as to his views and conduct refpecting general freedom, the terms in which he has spoken of the French revolution, his enormous extenfion of the excife, his manner of treating the late motion for a reform in the reprefentation of the people in the house of commons, together with the sentiments expreffed by him on the application to parliament for a repeal of the Teft and Corporation acts, appear to me to afford, when united, evidence of too decifive a nature, that he is not a fincere friend to the interefts either of civil or of religious liberty; and that he is not a minister in whom the people, in any great question refpecting the rights of men, can place any rational dependance 1o.

10

BESIDES

So Whatever doubts relative to Mr. Pitt might be entertained, at the time when this tract was first published, ALL DOUBTS respecting his views, his character, his principles, and his conduct, as a minister

of