ttention to the
arts."[609] His neglect of literature and the arts was the more
unfortunate because George III and his sons did not raise the tone of
the Court in this respect, witness the remark of the King to Gibbon at a
State function. "Well, Mr. Gibbon, it's always scribble, scribble, I
suppose."[610]

Apart from these obvious limitations in Pitt's nature, there was a
wealth of noble qualities, which ensured life-long devotion from those
who penetrated the protective crust and came to know, not the
statesman, but the man. In him the qualities that command respect and
excite affection were happily balanced. To a manly courage which never
quailed in the hour of disaster, and a good sense that provided sage
counsels alike in private and public affairs, he added the tenderer
gifts. His affection once given was not lightly withdrawn. He looked
always on the best side of men, and to that noble failing, if failing it
be, most of his blunders may be ascribed. Even when his confidence was
abused, he was loth to take revenge, so that Canning expressed regret at
his reluctance to punish those who betrayed him.[611] Such a man will
often make mistakes, but he will also inspire the devotion that serves
to repair them. Moreover, even his opponents were forced to admit the
conscientiousness of his conduct. On this topic the testimony of his
friend Wilberforce is of value; for they had differed sharply as to the
rupture with France in 1793; and, somewhat later, Wilberforce lamented
the relaxation of Pitt's efforts against the Slave Trade. Yet their
differences did not end their friendship; on 30th November 1797 the
philanthropist wrote as follows to Sir Richard Aclom on the subject of
the reformation of morals:

... There is one point only on which I will now declare we
perfectly coincide, I mean, that of a general moral reform being
the only real restorative of the health of our body politic. But
I hesitate not to say that, tho' the Government is in its system
and principle too much (indeed ever so little is, as I think,
too much) tainted with corruption, yet it is more sound than the
people at large. You appear to feel the disposition of the
public to yield an implicit assent to Ministers without stopping
to investigate the causes of that disposition (which are chiefly
to be found in the violence of the Opposition and the
established predominance of party). I will frankly avow no man