to fay the truth, unless when united to profound judg ment, as in Mr. Canning, or neceffary for a particular crifis of affairs, is more ornamental than useful in a Statefman. It is not recorded of Lord Caftlereagh that he never faid a good thing in his life, except about the Bed of Rofes (viz. George Rofe's).-However, no one can deny the vigorous powers of his mind, and the inexhaustible copioufnefs of his oratory. The depth and variety of his political talents have been finely described by Mr. Canning, the leader of the party; and yet, ftrange to tell, the expreffion which conveyed the highest panegyric, has been interpreted by the deplorable ignorance of the times into fatire and ridicule. We all remember Mr. Canning's allufion to "the two Strings of the Noble Lord's Bow," a faying which was fuppofed to reflect on his Lordship's readi nefs to keep places with any party. Now, the fact is, that Mr. Canning meant to defcribe Lord Caftle reagh as a perfon most prompt in expedient, moft fertile in ftratagem, invincible in intrigue. He is ex ext ally the πολυμητες or the ποικιλόμητις of Homerone who never is at a loss for trick whenever he has a place or any thing else to gain-a quality moreover which always has been esteemed effential to a great man.

Lord Caftlereagh's oratory, too, denotes a mind of various and fertile refources. It is fmooth, flowing, and equable, and abfolutely inexhaustible. It is not, indeed, diftinguished by the majestic dignity of Mr. Pitt, or by the irreliftible energy or variety of Mr. Fox, but it is much fuperior to the ftyle of either. I always confilered it a defect in thofe great men, that their fpeeches arrogated too much of the attention of the Houfe, and impofed a fpecies of vaffalage on the Members. Now, Lord Caftlereagh's fpeeches exact 110 autention, and impofe no conftraint, If you shoofe to go away you may, and whenever you return you have loft nothing. This is for the honour of the House, and leaves every one free from every fpecies of influence

and repofe. The advantage

influence or delufion. Lord Caftlereagh's fpeeches leave the Members at perfect liberty to go and come as they like; nay, rather, they invite them to fleep of this is manifeft. The Members, aroufed by the cry of Question! are ready to proceed to the vote, cool, collected, and refreshed in mind and body, as befits the character of grave and ?? dependent Senators, and not disturbed, and inflamed, anu difcompofed by the effects of a tyrannical eloquence!

Mr. Perceval, who next appears, is, indeed, lefs by the head and fhoulders * than the preceding, but nevertheless a fweet and perfuafive orator. It has been a fubject of furprife, how, being really a man of parts, he fhould be found in the ranks of this Oppo fition, as if they did not need men of parts! It has been ridiculously reported, that he is juratus in verba of Mr. Canning, in confequence of a certain agreement figned by the Oppofition, by which, like the Dungs and Flints of the thop-board, they ftipulate eternal fidelity to each other, and never to accept any offers which fhall not include them all. I certainly have heard fuch a round robin; but who has figned it, or who has not figned it, I do not pretend to know. What, how ever, has this to do particularly with Mr. Perceval? He is a very indefatigable speaker, and one of the moft, able politicians in the lift of Mr. Canning's adherents. If Mr. Canning and Lord Castlereagh have got his name to the round robin, I give them credit for fecuring the aid of fuch an' Achilles in the fiege of the Treafuy Bench.

Next comes Mr. George Rofe, the Neftor of the Oppofition, who three political ages paft, has lived the fourth to fee." Mr. Role, indeed, has diftinguifhed himself in the heroic times of politics, when thofe we have mentioned were hardly born. 'He' therefore excels in Council, and contrives in fecret thofe

measures which his young friends are to execute în public.

(

T

"Mammon led them on,

Mammon, the leaft erected fpirit that fell

From Heaven; for even in Heav'n his looks and thoughts
Were always downward bent, admiring more

The riches of Heaven's pavement, trodden gold,
Than aught divine."

The importance of fuch a Counsellor in attacking the Treafury Bench, must be obvious. No man is better acquainted than. Mr. Rofe with the ftrength and weakness of the fortrefs he and his confederates befiege. Animated as he is too by a knowledge of the value of the prize, the "riches of Heaven's pavement, trodden geld," no exertion of valour or policy will be omitted that can contribute to recover what has been lost.

But it is impoffible to enumerate the virtues of every hero in this fmall but patriotic band; fo that I muit difmifs but with an epithet between them, Hufkisson and Sturgefs, late Secretaries to the Treafury,

Fortemque Gyan, fortemque Cloanthunt.

Thefe, however, and more-Ex-Secretaries, ExTreafurers, Ex-Lords of the Treafury and Admiralty, Ex-Clerks, et hoc genus omne, ftimulated by common intereft, and bound together by the indiffoluble tie of the Round Robin, are preparing, like Milton's Devils, to force their way up to the Treafury, and the enfuing campaign I forefee will exhibit feats of policy. and oratory, if not of arms, fuch as never were difplayed fince the establishment of regular armies of Debaters.

Dec. 30.

I am, Sir, yours, &c.

PHILODEMON.

DEATH

DEATH OF SAMUEL CHIFFNEY

[From the Morning Chronicle.]

MR. EDITOR,

IN a late paper I obferved a notice of the death of the celebrated Mr. Chiffney; in which, I know not by what mistake (but probably an error of the press), he is called Jockey.

As it would be wrong to fuffer this mistake to defcend to pofterity uncorrected, juftice to his memory requires it to be told, that he was one of the most emi nent Conveyancers of his time; and that more property has been transferred by his practice than by that of the most laborious of the profeffion in our Inns of Court.→ This was, no doubt, owing in part to the ability he displayed in his profeffional engagements, but perhaps more to the wonderful expedition with which he did the bufinefs of thofe gentlemen who employed him. A few minutes were with him quite fufficient to make over an immenfe property, which would have coft the lawyers fcores of weeks, or months, and many acres of parchment. Yet while outftripping all competition in this way, he was never known to admit any of those flaws, or errors, which render poffeffion dubious or precarious. The course he took was that which generally tended most effectually to reach the main object. Amidít doubts and perplexities, he faw his way clearly before him, and pursued it with an ardour which diftanced all competition. Popular, however, as he was in this fine, it must be allowed that his employers did not commiffion him to do business for them, without much circumfpection. Befides the recommendations of perfons of judgment, his merits were well weighed before they entrusted him either with money, plate, or landed eftates.

It cannot be a matter of furprife, if fuch unbounded confidence fometimes made him vain. He might well be vain of the eafy familiarity with which he was

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treated

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by perfons of the highest rank. It could not mt be very flattering, that he had often the eyes of half a fenate fixed upon him, and that they who could not enjoy this happiness, read of his exploits with an impatience and ardour which is often denied to heroes and statesmen.

His temperance was most exemplary. He often practifed abstinence to a degree that made it be believed that he had much to anfwer for. But thofe who knew him beft confidered this rather as a matter of perfonal convenience than of confcience. He ftudied his health, that he might not be burdensome to those he was most clofely connected with, and avoided every thing that had a tendency to pamper the flesh, or to leffen the weight he had attained by a punctual difcharge of his duty.

He poffeffed a fingular acuteness of understanding. Without the parade of a long train of argument, he comprehended, as if by instinct, the inftructions given him, and readily took a hint, where circumlocution might have been unneceffary, or explanation improper. Although of a highly animated turn, and noteafily overtaken, he has been known to reftrain himself in a most wonderful manner, and to yield the. fuperiority while he feemed to be ftrugging for victory. Like other wife men, he knew the value of delay, and the motto on fome of his rings was

"Curtando reftituit rem."

His manners, although profeffional, were without pedantry. He never affected to freak above the level of his hearers. He underftood the terms of breeding perfectly, and knew how to deal with the ignorant and the knowing.

Of his leffer accomplishments, he was a master of the fcience of pedigree, and the only branch of it that is now thought of any value. He was often confulted in the forming of tender connexions. In the union of the fexes, he not only difcouraged the alliance of age

with