h of style so high as to be artificial and
monotonous; their chief literary defect is violence of language.
Occupied almost exclusively with personal vituperation, they deal with
events as opportunities for abuse rather than for thoughtful comment,
with constitutional doctrines as weapons of attack rather than as
bulwarks of liberty. The writer's political opinions are based on narrow
grounds; he exhibits no power of generalisation or philosophic thought.
Sheltered by his carefully guarded anonymity, he exercised a vile
ingenuity in devising how he might wound most deeply persons whom he
dared not attack in his own name. Without regard to decency or truth he
mocks with devilish glee at the vices, failings, and misfortunes of the
objects of his hatred. His attacks on the chief ministers of the crown,
on Grafton, Bedford, North, Weymouth, and Sandwich, on Mansfield, and on
the king himself, excited intense curiosity. Before long their violence
defeated their purpose and the disgraceful "Letter to the King,"
published in December, 1769, excited general disgust.

The anger caused by the issue of the struggle with the Middlesex
electors found voice in petitions to the throne. Middlesex sent up a
manifesto, which was virtually adopted by London, accusing the ministers
of treason; Westminster prayed for a dissolution of parliament, and some
counties and boroughs followed its example, arguing that the presence of
Luttrell, who had not been duly elected, invalidated every act of the
existing parliament. London further declared itself against the court
party by electing Beckford, a prime mover in promoting the Surrey
petition, as lord mayor. The country, however, was not all on the same
side; the petitions were not, as a rule, signed by many of the larger
freeholders, and by the end of the year the movement seemed at a
stand.[81] In July Chatham appeared at court restored to health. The
king received him kindly, but must have been vexed to hear that he
disapproved of the policy of the ministers, specially with regard to the
Middlesex election. He treated Grafton with extreme coldness, and
Camden, who had sneered at him in his absence, at once followed his
lead. He allied himself with the opposition, with Temple, Grenville, and
their following, and with the Rockingham party, so far as measures were
concerned. With the Rockinghams, however, he was never wholly at one;
his violence, and habit of looking beyond parliament to the peopl