agacious Politician of his age broke out in an
opposite strain. Time has verified his predictions; the books remain in
which his principles of foreknowledge were laid down; but, as the Author
became afterwards a Pensioner of State, thousands, in this country of
free opinions, persist in asserting that his divination was guess-work,
and that conscience had no part in urging him to speak. That warning
voice proved vain; the Party from whom he separated,
proceeded--confiding in splendid oratorical talents and ardent feelings
rashly wedded to novel expectations, when common sense, uninquisitive
experience, and a modest reliance on old habits of judgement, when
either these, or a philosophic penetration, were the only qualities that
could have served them.

How many private Individuals, at that period, were kept in a rational
course by circumstances, supplying restraints which their own
understandings would not have furnished! Through what fatality it
happens, that Bodies of Men are so slow to profit, in a similar way, by
circumstances affecting their prosperity, the Opposition seem never to
have enquired. They could not avoid observing, that the Holders of
Property throughout the country, being mostly panic-stricken by the
proceedings in France, turned instinctively against the admirers of the
new system;--and, as security for property is the very basis of civil
society, how was it possible but that reflecting men, who perceived this
truth, should mistrust those Representatives of the People, who could
not have acted less prudently, had they been utterly unconscious of it!
But they had committed themselves and did not retract; either from
unabating devotion to their cause, or from false honour, and that
self-injuring consistency, the favourite sister of obstinacy, which the
mixed conscience of mankind is but too apt to produce. Meanwhile the
tactics of Parliament must continue in exercise on some system or other;
their adversaries were to be annoyed at any rate; and so intent were
they upon this, that, in proportion as the entrenchments of Ministry
strengthened, the assaults of Opposition became more careless and
desperate.

While the war of words and opinions was going forward in this country,
Europe was deluged with blood. They in whose hands power was vested
among us, in course of time, lost ground in public opinion, through the
failure of their efforts. Parties were broken and re-composed; but Men
who are brought toge