of good government, of public and private virtue, the spirit of party. Yet, in the midft of his most vigorous efforts, he will proceed with that circumfpection and warinefs which are neceffary in the attack of a foe fo ftrongly intrenched; of an ufurper who has impofed his authority on innumerable adherents, and feems even to have established his throne in their hearts. He will not harbour unreafonable fufpicions against neutral Members of Parliament; nor hesitate to cherish independence, by publicly afcribing to their intentions and conduct the credit which they appear to deferve. Much lefs will he afford room for his fupporters to conclude, that he feels gratified when they seize fome favourable instant of giving vent to their treasured inveteracy against thofe, who profefs to be unconnected with either fide. In fuftaining the affaults of his antagonists, he will preferve a due medium between the impenetrable filence of difdain, and the forenefs of diftempered fenfibility. detecting inconclufive arguments, in repelling unfounded imputations, he will not allow himfelf the base fatisfaction of unjuft or acrimo nious retorts on his opponents. Anxious, by

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the accomplishment of his plans, to promote the public good, he will be cautious not to leffen his chance of fuccefs by exafperating his adverfaries to unremitting and virulent refiftance, for the sake of gratifying his vanity by a short-lived triumph, or indulging the angry feelings of the moment in a sharp reply. He will remember that nothing is fo irritating as affected contempt. He will remember that confiftent fimplicity and frankness, combined with approved difinterestednefs and ability, with the aid of an unruffled temper and conciliating manners, will charm down even the rage of Party. Nor will he forget that the time may come, and perhaps ere long, when the welfare of his country may indispensably require him to unite with fome of those very men, who are now drawn up in array against him. He will therefore beware left by his indifcretion he thould make the breach so wide, that the refentment of the individuals concerned will render it almost irreparable; or that the public feelings will revolt at the idea of its being closed, and prevent him from ever being able to convince the Nation that the union could be dictated by virtuous principles.

VOL. I.

S

He

He will not be deterred, by a dread of the trouble and risk of a conteft with Oppofition, nor even by the apprehenfion of general unpopularity, from bringing forward any propofal which he deems, on a ferious and impartial review of all the circumstances of the cafe, conducive to the public intereft. He will never decline to interweave into his plans an improvement fuggefted by his enemies, from a fear left they should arrogate to themselves the merit of the whole; nor will he reject or difcountenance useful Bills introduced by them, from an unwillingness that the fuccefs of the measure should raise the propofers of it in general esteem. He will never fupport the unwife or iniquitous project of a colleague in office; nor be led, on principles of honour, to defend it, notwithstanding his conviction of its demerit, after it has been carried into effect. Ministers have been known publicly and in unqualified terms to applaud those very measures of a co-adjutor, which they have freely condemned in private; and to applaud them with warmth increafing, as it should seem, in pro portion to their consciousness of the weakness of the defence. An upright Minifter will not impro

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improperly fubmit to the popular cry and ferment of the day; nor ever give his fanction to what is radically immoral and unjust, however loudly it may be demanded by the voice of the Nation. If a fudden emergence requires him, in conformity to the difcretion afforded him in certain cafes by the spirit of the British Constitution, which deems particular laws fubordinate to the general fafety, to tranfgrefs the letter of exifting ftatutes; either in advifing the iffuing of royal proclamations; in the application of public money, or in any other inftance; he will at once ftate the proceeding to Parliament, and ask for indemnity. He will not wait to be dragged before the tribunal of the public, and difgracefully compelled to accept from his enemies, as a boon, what he might have claimed as a debt from national gratitude. In propofing taxes, rules of internal police, financial or commercial regulations, those especially which involve a multiplicity of oaths, he will not be more attentive to the profpect of revenue, than to the liberty, the comfort, the manners, and the morals of the people. He will not impede the reform of Public Inftitutions and Establishments, nor of Parliament itself, from an apprehenfion

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prehenfion left his minifterial patronage and influence fhould thus be reduced. He will maintain and act on the principles which he has formerly maintained, as long as he continues perfuaded of their folidity; but if he fhould ceafe to believe them true, he will manfully avow the change in his fentiments, and the train of reasoning by which it has been effected. He will never fuffer falfe fhame, or a mistaken point of honour, to detain him in a wrong path, even though by abandoning it he should incur the charge of inconfiftency.

For the fake of his own character, as well as on principles of general utility, he will be defirous, on every seasonable occafion, to draw afide that mysterious veil which commonly envelops the Statesman, and by the promise of concealment encourages him to criminality. He will ftudiously fet an example of that fyftem of publicity, which Minifters ought to be universally anxious to adopt; and which his fucceffor in office may find means of avoiding, unless constrained to observe it by the authority of precedent. He will not involve his country in danger by unfeasonable disclosures to Parliament, from the dread of fubjecting himself