e mainly tory in politics, and its size made it less
open to corrupt influence. As a body, however, it was inferior in
ability and in devotion to its legislative duties to the small assembly
of earlier days.

Under Pitt's leadership, England during the years of peace which
succeeded the American war regained her place in the politics of Europe.
His attention, however, was chiefly devoted to domestic affairs. He was
eminently skilful in finance; he restored the public credit and freed
trade from artificial impediments. The corruption of parliament, of
which both whigs and tories had been guilty, was brought to an end; many
abuses and sinecures were abolished and public life became purer. Though
at first Pitt sustained some defeats in parliament, due both to mistakes
of his own and to the absence of party consolidation among his usual
supporters, his power rapidly increased until it became absolute in both
houses. He showed supreme ability in the management of parliament. With
much of his father's haughtiness of manner he combined a tactfulness and
self-control which his father never exhibited. He had nothing of Fox's
winning power, yet he became extremely popular in the house of commons,
for he showed himself worthy to lead men and able to lead them
successfully. His temper was sweet, his courage, patience, and
hopefulness unfailing, and his industry unwearied. That he loved power
is surely no reproach to a statesman who used it as he did with
single-hearted devotion to his country. For wealth and honours he cared
nothing. He was always poor, and soon became deeply in debt, chiefly
because he was too much occupied with public affairs to control his
household expenditure. While he disdainfully distributed titles and
ribbons among a clamouring crowd, he refused all such things for
himself. Some measures of reform which he advocated in early days he
dropped when he found that the country did not care for them, and in
later days altogether abandoned a liberal policy, for he was called on
to give England that which is infinitely more important than liberal
measures, the preservation of its constitutional and social life from
the danger of revolution.

[Sidenote: _THE WESTMINSTER SCRUTINY._]

When parliament met on May 19, 1784, the ministry carried the address in
the commons by 282 to 114. Pitt, however, soon found that he could not
reckon on this majority on every question. In the Westminster election
Fox had been opposed