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influence。 His haughty and aspiring spirit was not to be satisfied with the
mere show of power。 Any attempt to undermine him at Court； any
mutinous movement among his followers in the House of Commons； was
certain to be at once put down。 He had only to tender his resignation； and
he could dictate his own terms。 For he； and he alone； stood between the
King and the Coalition。 He was therefore little less than Mayor of the
Palace。 The nation loudly applauded the King for having the wisdom to
repose entire confidence in so excellent a minister。 His Majesty's private
virtues now began to produce their full effect。 He was generally regarded
as the model of a respectable country gentleman； honest； good…natured；
sober； religious。 He rose early： he dined temperately： he was strictly
faithful to his wife： he never missed church； and at church he never missed
a response。 His people heartily prayed that he might long reign over them；
and they prayed the more heartily because his virtues were set off to the
best advantage by the vices and follies of the Prince of Wales； who lived in
close intimacy with the chiefs of the opposition。
How strong this feeling was in the public mind appeared signally on
one great occasion。 In the autumn of 1788 the King became insane。 The
opposition； eager for office； committed the great indiscretion of asserting
that the heir apparent had； by the fundamental laws of England； a right to
be Regent with the full powers of royalty。 Pitt； on the other hand；
maintained it to be the constitutional doctrine that； when a Sovereign is； by
reason of infancy； disease； or absence； incapable of exercising the regal
functions； it belongs to the Estates of the realm to determine who shall be
the vicegerent and with what portion of the executive authority such
vicegerent shall be entrusted。 A long and violent contest followed； in
which Pitt was supported by the great body of the people with as much
enthusiasm as during the first months of his administration。 Tories with
one voice applauded him for defending the sick…bed of a virtuous and
unhappy Sovereign against a disloyal faction and an undutiful son。 Not a
few Whigs applauded him for asserting the authority of Parliaments and
the principles of the Revolution； in opposition to a doctrine which seemed
to have too much affinity with the servile theory of indefeasible hereditary
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right。 The middle class； always zealous on the side of decency and the
domestic virtues； looked forward with dismay to a reign resembling that of
Charles II。 The palace； which had now been； during thirty years； the
pattern of an English home； would be a public nuisance； a school of
profligacy。 To the good King's repast of mutton and lemonade； despatched
at three o'clock； would succeed midnight banquets； from which the guests
would be carried home speechless。 To the backgammon board at which the
good King played for a little silver with his equerries； would succeed faro
tables from which young patricians who had sate down rich would rise up
beggars。 The drawing…room； from which the frown of the Queen had
repelled a whole generation of frail beauties； would now be again what it
had been in the days of Barbara Palmer and Louisa de Querouaille。 Nay；
severely as the public reprobated the Prince's many illicit attachments； his
one virtuous attachment was reprobated more severely still。 Even in grave
and pious circles his Protestant mistresses gave less scandal than his
Popish wife。 That he must be Regent nobody ventured to deny。 But he and
his friends were so unpopular that Pitt could； with general approbation；
propose to limit the powers of the Regent by restrictions to which it would
have been impossible to subject a Prince beloved and trusted by the
country。 Some interested men； fully expecting a change of administration；
went over to the opposition。 But the majority； purified by these desertions；
closed its ranks； and presented a more firm array than ever to the enemy。
In every division Pitt was victorious。 When at length； after a stormy
interregnum of three months； it was announced； on the very eve of the
inauguration of the Regent； that the King was himself again； the nation
was wild with delight。 On the evening of the day on which His Majesty
resumed his functions； a spontaneous illumination； the most general that
had ever been seen in England； brightened the whole vast space from
Highgate to Tooting； and from Hammersmith to Greenwich。 On the day on
which he returned thanks in the cathedral of his capital； all the horses and
carriages within a hundred miles of London were too few for the
multitudes which flocked to see him pass through the streets。 A second
illumination followed； which was even superior to the first in
magnificence。 Pitt with difficulty escaped from the tumultuous kindness of
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
an innumerable multitude which insisted on drawing his coach from Saint
Paul's Churchyard to Downing Street。 This was the moment at which his
fame and fortune may be said to have reached the zenith。 His influence in
the closet was as great as that of Carr or Villiers had been。 His dominion
over the Parliament was more absolute than that of Walpole of Pelham had
been。 He was at the same time as high in the favour of the populace as
ever Wilkes or Sacheverell had been。 Nothing did more to raise his
character than his noble poverty。 It was well…known that； if he had been
dismissed from office after more than five years of boundless power； he
would hardly have carried out with him a sum sufficient to furnish the set
of chambers in which； as he cheerfully declared； he meant to resume the
practice of the law。 His admirers； however； were by no means disposed to
suffer him to depend on daily toil for his daily bread。 The voluntary
contributions which were awaiting his acceptance in the city of London
alone would have sufficed to make him a rich man。 But it may be doubted
whether his haughty spirit would have stooped to accept a provision so
honourably earned and so honourably bestowed。
To such a height of power and glory had this extraordinary man risen
at twenty…nine years of age。 And now the tide was on the turn。 Only ten
days after the triumphal procession to Saint Paul's； the States…General of
France； after an interval of a hundred and seventy…four years； met at
Versailles。
The nature of the great Revolution which followed was long very
imperfectly understood in this country。 Burke saw much further than any
of his contemporaries： but whatever his sagacity descried was refracted
and discoloured by his passions and his imagination。 More than three
years elapsed before the principles of the English administration
underwent any material change。 Nothing could as yet be milder or more
strictly constitutional than the minister's domestic policy。 Not a single act
indicating an arbitrary temper or a jealousy of the people could be imputed
to him。 He had never applied to Parliament for any extraordinary powers。
He had never used with harshness the ordinary powers entrusted by the
constitution to the executive government。 Not a single state prosecution
which would even now be called oppressive had been instituted by him。
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
Indeed； the only oppressive state prosecution instituted during the first
eight years of his administration was that of Stockdale； which is to be
attributed not to the government； but to the chiefs of the opposition。 In
office Pitt had redeemed the pledges which he had； at his entrance into
public life； given to the support