tained by his death, was deeply felt. Mr Fox was, perhaps, the most enlightened, upright and consistent statesman which Britain ever saw. By the gigantic strength of his intellect, the generosity of his heart, the integrity of his public character, his patriotism and love of liberty, he stood unrivalled among all his contemporaries. For nearly forty years he had held a seat in Parliament, and during the whole of that long period scarcely a single instance of political inconsistency can be laid to his charge. From the beginning to the termination of his course, he continued the manly defender of the liberty of the people, and the principles of the British Constitution. As a man, his gentleness of disposition and artless simplicity of manner, endeared him to all his friends and acquaintances; as an orator, his eloquence was resistless and overwhelming; and as a statesman, his penetrating judgment, his liberality of sentiment, and uncompromising dignity of character, called forth the respect and admiration, even of his keenest political opponents. It is impossible to delineate the character of Fox better than has already been done by one who knew him well, Sir James Mackintosh. "He will most certainly command the unanimous reverence of future ge nerations, by his pure sentiments towards the commonwealth, by his zeal for the civil and religious rights of all men, by his liberal principles favourable to mild government, to the unfettered exercise of the human faculties, and the progressive civilization of mankind; by his ardent love for a country of which the well-being and greatness were indeed inseparable from his own glory; and by his profound reverence for that free con

stitution which he was universally admitted to urderstand better than any other person of his age, both in an exactly legal, and in a comprehensively philosophical sense. Such is an outline, faithful

and just, of the character of Fox, drawn by a man who is himself justly considered as one of the most learned, able, enlightened, and upright public men of the present day.

In consequence of the death of Mr Fox, Lord Howick was appointed to the office of Foreign Secretary, Lord Sidmouth to the Presidency of the Council, and Lord Holland, the only new member admitted into the Administration, to the office of Lord Privy Seal. Ministry had dissolved Parliament in the summer, that they might secure a preponderating number of members attached decidedly to their interests. Writs for the new elec

tion were issued in October, when the public mind was in a state of considerable excitation by the recal of the British Ambassador from the French capital.

The new Parliament met on the 15th of December, and was opened by commission. When the Address was moved and seconded, Mr Canning rose, and proceeded at some length to attack the present, and eulogize the late ministry. In the conclusion of his speech, instead of moving an as mendment on the address, he produced a new address, which he submitted to the House, without however pressing it to a division.

In the beginning of January 1807, the late ne. gotiations with France were laid before the House, and an address moved upon them by Lord Ho❤ wick. In the commencement of his speech he made a most affecting and beautiful eulogium on

Mr Fox. Mr Canning, as usual, made a severe ironical attack upon Ministers, and blamed the conduct of Mr Fox in the late negotiations. "I have indeed heard it said, that in making such observations as I have taken the liberty to make, in pointing out the errors of Ministers in dwelling upon what (if wrong at all) are represented as merely slips in the declaration, persons who have taken that part have been guilty of petty cavilling, and have exposed the weakness of their own cause. Cause? What cause? I have no cause in this business, but the cause of my country. I know not how I can better serve that, than by inquiring into the way in which it has been managed by those who have had the conduct of it; and if it has in any part been misconducted, it is better that we should find out the fault ourselves, than leave it to the detection and comments of the enemy. But it must indeed be a mismanagement beyond any thing that I have dreamt of imputing to Ministers, that could so far change the respective positions of us and our enemy as to put him wholly in the right, and us in the wrong. Pity it is, if, in any one particular, appearances have been suffered to be against us. It is for that reason that the slips in the declaration (if such they be) are to be deeply regretted and deplored.-If the war were conducted with that ability which we had a right to expect, from the character which the present administration gave of themselves, or suffered to be given of them by those nearest in their confidence, and from the unsparing censure and contempt which they lavished on the exertions of their predecessors in office; if it were conducted with that vigour which the country has a right to de

grand scheme for its acomplishment, "the Edu- · cation Bill," they were defeated by the influence of Lord Hawkesbury, now Lord Liverpool. Of the beneficial effects of the "Limited Term of Service Bill, on the organization of the army, it is impossible to speak, as the plan never underwent a fair trial. One great question was with them indispensable to the happiness of Britain, but especially of Ireland; and in their anxiety to accomplish that grand object, they were compelled to retire from office. The Catholic Question they considered as a matter of right, as well as of necessity; and no desire for office prevented them from persisting in their attempts to bring the subject under the serious consideration of Parliamentand the country. Their schemes, it is true, were frustrated by the will of the Sovereign; but their glorious struggles in behalf of the liberty of the subject, even when opposed to the will of the King and the prejudices of the public, reflect the highest honour on that enlightened Cabinet.

Towards the end of March, the new administration was formed, headed by the Duke of Portland, who, it is remarkable, never appeared in Parliament as a minister. Lord Castlereagh was appointed to the Colonial, Lord Hawkesbury to the Home, and Mr Canning to the Foreign Departments. Mr Percival was made Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Lord Eldon resumed the Seals. On this occasion Mr Sheridan's son, who had been Muster-Master-General for Ireland under the late Administration, was compelled to resign; but by the influence of Mr Canning, he was restored to his office. Parliament met by adjournment on the 8th of April, and the first subject which occupied their

attention, was a motion which was made by Mr Brand, "That it is contrary to the first duties of the confidential servants of the Crown, to restrain themselves by any pledge, expressed or implied, from offering to the King any advice which the course of circumstances might require." In his speech, the mover gave a manly vindication of the Grenville Administration, while he severely attacked their successors. A keen discussion ensued, in the course of which, it was denied by none of the Ministers that such a pledge had been given, as that on which the motion was founded. Mr Canning entered, though at a late hour, into an able and eloquent defence of himself and his colleagues. His task was by no means easy; for on him rested almost solely the duty of opposing a party, which, besides including men of the most eminent talents, ranked among its supporters all the wealthiest and most influential families in the country. The weakness of the Ministerial party was clearly displayed in the first trial of their strength, the motion of Mr Brand having been negatived by a majority of only thirty-two. Ministers, conscious of their insecurity, determined to resort to the expedient of dissolving Parliament, that they might exert the Government influence in the new elections. The dissolution of Parliament accordingly took place on the 27th April.

The new Parliament met on the 22d of June, and the address, in answer to the speech, was carried in both Houses by large majorities. In the House of Commons, however, an angry discussion took place, chiefly in regard to the late dissolution. The remarks of Mr Wyndham were manly