drowned in the din of arms; and that your influence in parliament was irresistible, until every question was decided by the sword."

The same admiration of his talents as a statesman, and his character as an individual, was publicly expressed by Lord George in the House of Commons, the 25th Feb. 1774; on a motion for making the "Grenville Act" perpetual-he said,

"The author of this bill, Mr. Grenville, had preserved a good name while in office, and when out and he sincerely hoped, the noble Lord would endeavour, to have his name handed down to posterity with the same honour as Mr. Grenville had."

He coincided with Mr. Grenville in the house, on several other occasions, particularly by his strenuous support of the Stamp Act, which will be mentioned in its proper place.

In 1757, an administration was attempted to be formed, including Lord G. Sackville as secretary at war, and George Grenville, as Chancellor of the Exchequer; this was, however, abandoned. From that period down to the time of Junius, although they continued members in successive parliaments, and coincided in every respect in politics, yet I have never been able to find that they were on terms of personal acquaintance, which accords with the expression of Junius in Letter XVIII, 27 July, 1769: "I have not the honour of being personally known to him." But it

F

is evident by Lord George's eulogium on his character after his decease, that he continued a warm admirer of his talents as a statesman.

The reader is particularly referred to a most interesting work, entitled " Memoirs of the last ten years of the reign of George the Second, by Horace Walpole, earl of Orford," which fully proves Lord George's personal knowledge of Lord Hertford, Sir Edward Hawke, Lord Gower, Mr. Rigby, Peg Trentham, George Selwyn, the Princess Dowager, Mannikin Ellis, Mr. Conway, Mr. Calcraft, the Duchess of Bedford, the Earl of Dunbar, brother to Lord Mansfield, Sir James Lowther, Mr. Legge, Lord Egremont, and Lord Eglintoun, who are slightly alluded to by Junius. It is unnecessary to particularize them here. I shall conclude this preliminary detail, by extracting such parts of the work as more particularly refer to Lord George's political conduct in early life, and his subsequent disgrace at court, which still further elucidate the causes of his animosity against the King, the Duke of Bedford, Lord Mansfield, the Earl of Chatham, the Duke of Cumberland, Lord Bute, and other branches of the ministry so personally alluded. to by Junius.

Feb. 1751, Lord George opposes the Duke of Cumberland's Mutiny Bill, in conjunction with Mr. Fox and Colonel Henry Seymour Conway, brother to Lord Hertford: with whom he quar

styled

relled afterwards: both Conway and Hertford fall under a share of Junius's satire.-The former in Miscellaneous Letter v. 16 Sept. 1767, is "Caution without Foresight, a motley thing, half military, scarce civil"; of the latter, Letter LXIX. he says, "the indigent circum, stances of Lord Hertford's family account for and justify their conduct," &c.

24 April 1751, Vol. 1. p. 91.- In the case of General Anstruther, Lord George Sackville said, "The officers were concerned to have this affair enquired into; that if the general did not disculpate himself, could officers with honour serve under him? that he was sensible of the difficulty of not being able to punish him; and therefore would give his negative to calling in Ofarel, but proposed to have Anstruther tried by a board of general officers." His severity in this instance, as well as towards general Burgoyne, and the affair at Rochfort, gained him many enemies.

In 1752, Vol. 1. p. 244, factions, prevailed in Ireland, wherein Lord George forms a conspicuous figure.

Lord Harrington was succeeded in the LordLieutenancy, by "Lionel, Duke of Dorset, who was a man of caution, dignity and plausibility, and who had formerly ruled Ireland to their universal satisfaction. But he then acted from himself; he was now in the hands of two men most

unlike himself, his youngest son, Lord George Sackville, and Dr. George Stone, the primate of Ireland. The former, a man, of very sound parts, of distinguished bravery, and of as honourable eloquence, but hot, haughty, ambitious and obstinate. The primate, a man of fair appearance, if not inferior parts, more insinuating, but by no means less ambitious, had with no pretensions in the world, but by being attached to the house of Dorset, and by being brother of Mr. Stone, been hurried through two or three Irish bishopricks up to the very primacy of the kingdom, not only unwarrantably young, but without even the graver excuses of learning or sanctimony. Instead of attempting to conciliate the affections of a nation offended at his promotion, he thought of nothing but governing by the same influence by which he had been raised. Lord George, as little disposed to be controuled, would not stoop to the usual management for Mr. Boyle and he was not likely to be persuaded to observe any attentions by the primate, who had shaken them off himself. The speaker who had not lost his taste for power, by being accustomed to it, was soon alarmed, and had an opportunity of revenge offered to him almost as soon as the offence.

"Lord George's measures were apt to be abrupt he directly offered the Speaker a peerage,

and a pension of 1500l. a year. The Speaker replied, If I had a peerage, I should not think myself greater than now that I am Mr. Boyle: for t'other thing, I despise it as much as the person who offers it.' This, and some indirect threats equally miscarrying, and the Castle finding that their creature Jones must be the first victim, endeavoured to defer what they could not prevent. The Speaker's party moved for a call of the house for that day three weeks; Lord George Sackville moved to have it that day six weeks and was beaten! Whoever has seen the tide first turn in favour of an opposition, may judge of the riotous triumphs occasioned by this victory. The ladies made balls, the mob bonfires, the poets pasquinades. The address that was soon after sent over to the King, applied directly to Lord George, and not as was usual to the Lord Lieutenant; and they told his majesty, in plain terms, that it was from apprehension of being misrepresented."

This circumstance may fairly account for that satirical passage in Junius's Miscellaneous Letter v. 15 Sept. 1767, where he ridicules "a Scotch Secretary teaching the Irish people the true pronunciation of the English language. That barbarous people are but little accustomed to figures of oratory."

Dec. 1753, Vol. I. p. 319. The heats in Ireland increased with the success of the opposition.