I have never once condescended
to take the least notice of their invectives, or publicly to deny the
fact on which some of them were grounded. At the same time to you or
to any of my friends, I have been as ready as I ought to be in
disclaiming, in the most precise terms, writings that are as superior,
perhaps, to my talents, as they are most certainly different in many
essential points from my regards and my principles." Burke seems to
have been constantly bored on this subject, for he writes an angry
letter to Markham, then bishop of Chester. Charles Townshend writes to
him again to say that the Public require a more distinct disclaimer.
Burke answers, "I have, I daresay to nine-tenths of my acquaintances,
denied my being the author of Junius, or having any knowledge of the
author, whenever the thing was mentioned, whether in jest or earnest.
I now give you my word and honour that I am not the author of Junius,
and that I know not the author of that paper, and I do authorize you
to say so."

We believe that this is the first time in which Burke's disclaimer has
been made public; but our only surprise in the matter is, how he could
at any time have been considered as the author of Junius. We should
have rather said that he was the last man in the kingdom who ought to
have been suspected. The styles of Burke and Junius are totally
different: the one loose and flowing, the other terse and pungent; the
one lofty and imaginative, the other level and stern; the one taking
large views on every subject, and evidently delighting in the
largeness of those views, the other fixing steadily and fiercely upon
the immediate object of attack, and shooting every arrow point-blank.
Of course, we have no intention of wandering into a topic so
thoroughly beaten as that of the authorship of Junius; but we must
acknowledge, if Sir Philip Francis was not the man, no other nominal
candidate for the honour has been brought forward with equal claims.
The only objection which we have ever heard to his title as author is,
his not making it in person; for he was said to be a man of such
inordinate admiration of his own powers, that he could not have kept
the secret. It has been said, too, that no fear, after the lapse of
twenty years, could have prevented its being divulged. But there are
other motives than fear which might act upon a proud and powerful
spirit. The author of a work like Junius was clearly contemptuous of
mankind, and more contem