especial
favourite with the King, whose extraordinary regard for him originated
in the promptitude with which he responded to His Majesty's appeal, at a
moment of serious embarrassment, when the Duke of Grafton unexpectedly
threw up the Government, and Lord North consented to undertake it. "I
love you as a man of worth, as I esteem you as a Minister," writes the
King to him on one occasion; "your conduct at a critical moment I can
never forget." The Whigs were readily reconciled to Lord North's
appointment, because he was not mixed up in their differences. They
preferred a Minister who had no alliances amongst them to one of
themselves, whose elevation would have produced discontents in the camp.
At first there was a show of dissatisfaction, and some attempts were
made to foment the popular passions; but the dignified firmness of the
Sovereign, and the moderate bearing of the favourite, speedily
tranquillized the public mind, and enabled Lord North to carry on the
Government with energy and success.

In his private character, Lord North was irreproachable; as a debater,
he displayed some valuable qualities--patience and endurance, facility
of resources on occasions of emergency, great calmness and courage, and
a playful wit, which never startled by its brilliancy, but seldom failed
of its point. He betrayed no ostentation or vainglory in his position;
never offended by any undue exhibition of the powers he wielded; and
restricted himself severely to the discharge of his duties as an adviser
of the Crown, deprecating the title of Prime Minister, which he declared
was an office unknown to the Constitution of this country. As a
statesman, he never achieved a high or distinguished reputation. The
American war was the blot upon his career; nor can even his devotion to
the Sovereign entirely excuse him for remaining in office at His
Majesty's entreaty to pursue a course of colonial policy which his
reason and his conscience disapproved. This was a political fault, which
no circumstances can palliate. Others have done worse, no doubt, from
meaner motives; but the mere desire of serving the King does not absolve
the Minister from censure for having acted contrary to his own
convictions on a question of such grave importance.

Lord North continued to retain the royal favour until he entered into
the coalition with the Whigs. This was a step the King could not
forgive. No extremity could reconcile him to a measure so repulsive t