character is
the first requisite; and the rumour that the Duke had been a party to
the sale of commissions in the army by Mrs Clarke, with whom he had
formed an unfortunate connexion, produced a public uproar. After
discussions and examination of witnesses, which lasted six weeks, and
brought infinite obloquy on the Duke and his defenders, the House of
Commons resolved, by 278 to 196, that the charge of corruption, or even
of connivance, against the Duke, was wholly without foundation. Upon
this clearance of his character, the Duke resigned the command of the
army; a subsequent motion for a censure on his conduct, was negatived
without a division. The Duke of York was, beyond all question, clear of
any knowledge of the practices of the very ingenious person with whom he
associated, but few men have ever paid more dearly for their offence.
The storm of public abuse which poured on him for months, must have been
torture; and his resignation of office must have stung every feeling;
and even his pecuniary sacrifice during the three years of his
retirement, must have been severely felt by a prince with a narrow
income for his rank. That loss could not have been less than L50,000. In
1811 he resumed the command. We must hasten to the conclusion. Lord
Eldon, after witnessing the two great changes of the constitution, the
Popish bill of 1829--which he calls the "fatal bill," and which he had
resisted with all his vigour and learning for a long succession of
years--and the Reform bill of 1832, at length found that period coming
to him which comes to all. Retiring from public life, he devoted himself
to his study, the society of a few old friends, and those considerations
of a higher kind which he had cultivated from early life, and which
returned to him, as they return to all who reverence them, with
additional force when their presence was more consolatory and essential.
But old age naturally strips us of those who gave an especial value to
life; and after seeing his brother Lord Stowell, and Lady Eldon--his
Elizabeth, for whom he seems to have always retained the tenderness of
their early years--taken from him, he quietly sank into the grave, dying
in 1838, January 13th, aged 87. He deserved to rest in peace--for he had
lived in patriotism, integrity, and honour.

The three volumes exhibit a research which does much credit to the
intelligence and industry of Mr Twiss, their author. They abound in
capital anecdotes, but a few o