city. Those who know how strongly, through
his whole life, his judgment was biassed by his passions, may not
unnaturally suspect that he has left us rather a caricature than a
likeness; and yet there is scarcely, in the whole portrait, a single
touch of which the fidelity is not proved by facts of unquestionable
authenticity.

The public generally regarded the King's friends as a body of which Bute
was the directing soul. It was to no purpose that the Earl professed to
have done with politics, that he absented himself year after year from
the levee and the drawing-room, that he went to the north, that he went
to Rome. The notion that, in some inexplicable manner, he dictated all
the measures of the court was fixed in the minds, not only of the
multitude, but of some who had good opportunities of obtaining
information, and who ought to have been superior to vulgar prejudices.
Our own belief is that these suspicions were unfounded, and that he
ceased to have any communication with the King on political matters some
time before the dismissal of George Grenville. The supposition of Bute's
influence is, indeed, by no means necessary to explain the phenomena.
The King, in 1765, was no longer the ignorant and inexperienced boy who
had, in 1760, been managed by his mother and his Groom of the Stole. He
had, during several years, observed the struggles of parties, and
conferred daily on high questions of state with able and experienced
politicians. His way of life had developed his understanding and
character. He was now no longer a puppet, but had very decided opinions
both of men and things. Nothing could be more natural than that he
should have high notions of his own prerogatives, should be impatient of
opposition, and should wish all public men to be detached from each
other and dependent on himself alone; nor could anything be more natural
than that, in the state in which the political world then was, he should
find instruments fit for his purposes.

Thus sprang into existence and into note a reptile species of
politicians never before and never since known in our country. These men
disclaimed all political ties, except those which bound them to the
throne. They were willing to coalesce with any party, to abandon any
party, to undermine any party, to assault any party, at a moment's
notice. To them all administrations, and all oppositions were the same.
They regarded Bute, Grenville, Rockingham, Pitt, without one sentimen