within it. If he was ambitious, I will say this for him, his ambition
was of a noble and generous strain. It was to raise himself, not by the
low, pimping politics of a court, but to win his way to power through
the laborious gradations of public service, and to secure himself a
well-earned rank in Parliament by a thorough knowledge of its
constitution and a perfect practice in all its business.

Sir, if such a man fell into errors, it must be from defects not
intrinsical; they must be rather sought in the particular habits of his
life, which, though they do not alter the groundwork of character, yet
tinge it with their own hue. He was bred in a profession. He was bred to
the law, which is, in my opinion, one of the first and noblest of human
sciences,--a science which does more to quicken and invigorate the
understanding than all the other kinds of learning put together; but it
is not apt, except in persons very happily born, to open and to
liberalize the mind exactly in the same proportion. Passing from that
study, he did not go very largely into the world, but plunged into
business,--I mean into the business of office, and the limited and fixed
methods and forms established there. Much knowledge is to be had,
undoubtedly, in that line; and there is no knowledge which is not
valuable. But it may be truly said, that men too much conversant in
office are rarely minds of remarkable enlargement. Their habits of
office are apt to give them a turn to think the substance of business
not to be much more important than the forms in which it is conducted.
These forms are adapted to ordinary occasions; and therefore persons who
are nurtured in office do admirably well as long as things go on in
their common order; but when the high-roads are broken up, and the
waters out, when a new and troubled scene is opened, and the file
affords no precedent, then it is that a greater knowledge of mankind,
and a far more extensive comprehension of things is requisite, than ever
office gave, or than office can ever give. Mr. Grenville thought better
of the wisdom and power of human legislation than in truth it deserves.
He conceived, and many conceived along with him, that the flourishing
trade of this country was greatly owing to law and institution, and not
quite so much to liberty; for but too many are apt to believe regulation
to be commerce, and taxes to be revenue. Among regulations, that which
stood first in reputation was his idol: I