CHAPTER IX.

DOMESTIC AND LITERARY, 1743–51.

[Hagley MSS.-Chalmers and Johnson's Lives of, and Campbell's Criticisms on, Lyttelton, Shenstone, Thomson, West, and Moore.

-Sir H. Nicolas' Life of Thomson, prefixed to his edition of the Seasons.-Graves' recollections of Shenstone.-Chatham Correspondence, Vol. i.-Beauties of Hagley; the Leasowes and Envil, 2 vol. duod. by Dodsley.-Maffei Letteratura Italiana, v. 2. l. v. c. ix.-Chalmers' Life of Bower.-Life of Smollett by Anderson; Life of Fielding by Chalmers and Murphy.]

Ar this period Lyttelton had attained to a certain eminence in the political world. His abilities improved by assiduous culture,-his information continually increased by the most careful industry, his power of speaking, though not of debating, had won for him considerable reputation as a statesman. The fact, whether he deserved such reputation or no, must be admitted by all who are conversant with the political events and pamphlets of the time, and who know how often he was made the theme of party censure and panegyric. A virulent party pamphlet was published in 1745, called, "An address of thanks to the Broadbottoms, for the Good Things they have done, and the Evil Things they have not done, since their elevation." In one chapter there is a "Descrip

1743.

1743. tion of the Chiefs of the Broadbottoms, &c." and Lyttelton is thus described :

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Longbil is a young man of sprightly parts and a good assurance, who in the beginning had no principle, and took up none since, contenting himself with taking casually such as may answer the several purposes of his interest and resentment. Being naturally vain and conceited, his joining the Broadbottoms in the beginning was more to be taken notice of, than any fancy he took to their party. For a man's strength and agility appear more in swimming against than with the current. Besides, Longbil's head and heart warp not a little towards spleen, satire, and ill-nature. He loves to govern, and wants not for presumption ; wherefore he set himself up for a chief without the suffrages of the party; and ruled them, in some measure, without having their confidence, or so much as being thought worthy of it. A little work of Longbil's own inditing,* published not long ago, shews that he is no stranger to virtue and principle; but his late conduct as visibly shews that he is a slave to neither. Therefore, for further particulars of the character of this chief of the Broadbottoms, we refer the courteous reader to the leader's own lucubrations, and to the conduct of their party since they have taken listing money from Hall Stiff."

About the same time, Moore was paying the object of this libel no ordinary compliment in his very

* See above," Letters to an M.P., &c." p. 131.

† Mr. Pelham. See above, note to p. 27.

ingenious poem,

1744.

"The Trial of Selim the Persian,"

part of which has been already noticed, and in which,

"The indictment grievously set forth,

That Selim lost to Patriot worth,

(In company with one Will Pitt,

And many more not taken yet,)
In Forty-five the Royal Palace,

Did enter, and to shame grown callous,
Did then and there his faith forsake,
And did accept, receive, and take,
With mischievous intent and base,

Value unknown, a certain place."

Lyttelton is then tried by Faction, Envy, Clamour, "three chiefs in judgment sitting," and-

"With these four more of lesser fame,
And humbler rank attendant came,
Hypocrisy with smiling grace,

And Impudence with brazen face,
Contention bold with iron lungs,

And Slander with her hundred tongues."

Testimony is borne against him for

"Of witnesses a fearful train

Came next the Indictment to maintain,
Detraction, Hatred, and Distrust,
And Party, of all foes the worst,
Malice, Revenge, and Unbelief,
And Disappointment worn with grief,
Dishonour foul, unawed by Shame,

And every fiend that Vice can name,

*See above, Lyttelton's Persian Letters, page 56. + See Mr. Pelham's letter, p. 261.

1744.

All these in ample form deposed,
Each fact the triple charge disclosed,
With taunts and gibes of bitter sort,
And asking vengeance of the Court."

The evidence for the plaintiff and the judgment of the court are given in another part of this chapter.

It is very probable that Lyttelton's abilities as a Statesman and Politician were overrated then, as I must think they have been unduly depreciated since, but I have no wish or intention to deny, that the scenes in which he most shone, and for which he was best adapted were those of domestic and literary life,

When the Session was over, not as now, when the glory of Summer has passed, but generally in the month of June, few men who had been " long in populous city pent,' "* betook themselves with greater delight to the country than Lyttelton, few had finer sensibilities to the beauties of nature, few had so fair a scope for their exercise. "The Shades of Hagley" will still be thought worthy of their Poet, by those who have visited a spot for which nature has done far more than the art for which it was so famed at this time. The ground of the Park is fantastically tossed about into hill and valley, crowned with noble trees and fed with clear streams, and from the heights of Clent Hill may be seen on a bright day the dark mountains of South Wales.-Malvern with the graceful outline of the Abberley range-the Clee hills of Shropshire-the Wrekin rising in lonely pride-the Edge hills which fringe Warwickshire-and the Bardon forest of

* Milton Par. Lost, B. 9, v. 446.

Leicestershire these grand boundaries of the hori- 1744.
zon, combined with the softer features of "the pleasant
villages and farms,"* which clothe the intervening
spaces, present a prospect, which, for the blended charms
of picturesque beauty and agricultural fertility, has
scarcely its rival in England. Bear witness Thomson,

By swift degrees the love of Nature works,
And warms the bosom; till at last sublim'd
To rapture, and enthusiastic heat,

We feel the present Deity, and taste
The joy of God to see a happy world!
These are the sacred feelings of thy heart,
Thy heart inform'd by reason's purer ray,
O Lyttelton, the friend!-thy passions thus
And meditations vary, as at large,

Courting the Muse, thro' Hagley Park thou strayest
Thy British Tempe! There along the dale,

With woods o'erhung, and shagg'd with mossy rocks,
Whence on each hand the gushing waters play,
And down the rough cascade white-dashing fall,
Or gleam in lengthened vista thro' the trees,
You silent steal; or sit beneath the shade
Of solemn oaks, that tuft the swelling mounts
Thrown graceful round by Nature's careless hand,
And pensive listen to the various voice

Of rural peace the herds, the flocks, the birds,
The hollow-whispering breeze, the plaint of rills,
That, purling down amidst the twisted roots
Which creep around, their dewy murmurs shake
On the sooth'd ear. From these abstracted oft
You wander thro' the philosophic world;
Where in bright train continual wonders rise,

Or to the curious or the pious eye.

And oft, conducted by historic truth,

*Milton Par. Lost, ibid.