accidental impression (we believe a fit of illness) suddenly
changed his whole course. He turned his attention to public life,
entered the House of Commons, and suddenly astonished every body by
his total transformation from a mere man of fashion to a vigorous and
brilliant public orator. He was the most logical of public speakers,
without the formality of logic, and the most imaginative, without the
flourish of fancy. For ten years, Flood was the leader of the House,
on whichever side he stood. He was occasionally in opposition, and the
champion of opposition politics in his earlier career; but at length,
unfortunately alike for his feelings and his fame, he grew indolent,
accepted an almost sinecure place, and indulged himself in ease and
silence for full ten years. A loss like this was irreparable, in the
short duration allotted to the living supremacy of statesmanship. No
man in the records of the English parliament has been at his highest
vigour for more than ten years; he may have been _rising_ before, or
inheriting a portion of his parliamentary distinction--enough to give
dignity to his decline; but his true time has past, and thenceforth he
must be satisfied with the reflection of his own renown. Flood had
already passed his hour when he was startled by the newborn splendour
of Grattan. The contest instantly commenced between those
extraordinary men, and was carried on for a while with singular
animation, and not less singular animosity. The ground of contest was
the constitution of 1782. The exciting cause of contest was the wrath
of Flood at seeing the laurels which he had relinquished seized by a
younger champion, and the daring, yet justified confidence of Grattan
in his own admirable powers to win and wear them. Flood, in the
bitterest pungency of political epigram, charged Grattan with having
sold himself to the people, and then sold the people to the minister
for prompt payment. (A vote of L50,000 had been passed to purchase an
estate for Grattan.) Grattan retorted, that "Flood, after having sold
himself to the minister, was angry only because he was interrupted in
the attempt to sell himself to the people." The country, fond of the
game of partizanship, ranged itself under the banners of both,
alternately hissed and applauded both, and at length abandoned both,
and in its new fondness for change, adopted the bolder banners of
revolution. Both were fighting for a shadow, and both must have known
it; but