按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
manufacturers； the merchants； in short； nineteen…twentieths of those who
had good roofs over their heads and good coats on their backs； became
eager and intolerant Antijacobins。 This feeling was at least as strong
among the minister's adversaries as among his supporters。 Fox in vain
attempted to restrain his followers。 All his genius； all his vast personal
influence； could not prevent them from rising up against him in general
mutiny。 Burke set the example of revolt； and Burke was in no long time
joined by Portland； Spencer； Fitzwilliam； Loughborough； Carlisle；
Malmesbury； Windham； Elliot。 In the House of Commons； the followers of
the great Whig statesman and orator diminished from about a hundred and
sixty to fifty。 In the House of Lords he had but ten or twelve adherents left。
There can be no doubt that there would have been a similar mutiny on the
ministerial benches if Pitt had obstinately resisted the general wish。
Pressed at once by his master and by his colleagues； by old friends and by
old opponents； he abandoned； slowly and reluctantly； the policy which was
dear to his heart。 He laboured hard to avert the European war。 When the
European war broke out； he still flattered himself that it would not be
necessary for this country to take either side。 In the spring of 1792 he
congratulated the Parliament on the prospect of long and profound peace；
and proved his sincerity by proposing large remissions of taxation。 Down
to the end of that year he continued to cherish the hope that England might
be able to preserve neutrality。 But the passions which raged on both sides
of the Channel were not to be restrained。 The republicans who ruled
France were inflamed by a fanaticism resembling that of the Mussulmans
who； with the Koran in one hand and the sword in the other； went forth；
conquering and converting； eastward to the Bay of Bengal； and westward
to the Pillars of Hercules。 The higher and middle classes of England were
animated by zeal not less fiery than that of the Crusaders who raised the
cry of Deus vult at Clermont。 The impulse which drove the two nations to
121
… Page 122…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
a collision was not to be arrested by the abilities or by the authority of any
single man。 As Pitt was in front of his fellows； and towered high above
them； he seemed to lead them。 But in fact he was violently pushed on by
them； and； had he held back but a little more than he did； would have been
thrust out of their way or trampled under their feet。
He yielded to the current： and from that day his misfortunes began。
The truth is that there were only two consistent courses before him。 Since
he did not choose to oppose himself； side by side with Fox； to the public
feeling； he should have taken the advice of Burke； and should have availed
himself of that feeling to the full extent。 If it was impossible to preserve
peace； he should have adopted the only policy which could lead to victory。
He should have proclaimed a Holy War for religion； morality； property；
order； public law； and should have thus opposed to the Jacobins an energy
equal to their own。 Unhappily he tried to find a middle path； and he found
one which united all that was worst in both extremes。 He went to war： but
he would not understand the peculiar character of that war。 He was
obstinately blind to the plain fact； that he was contending against a state
which was also a sect； and that the new quarrel between England and
France was of quite a different kind from the old quarrels about colonies
in America and fortresses in the Netherlands。 He had to combat frantic
enthusiasm； boundless ambition； restless activity； the wildest and most
audacious spirit of innovation； and he acted as if he had to deal with the
harlots and fops of the old Court of Versailles； with Madame de
Pompadour and the Abbe de Bernis。 It was pitiable to hear him； year after
year； proving to an admiring audience that the wicked Republic was
exhausted； that she could not hold out； that her credit was gone； and her
assignats were not worth more than the paper of which they were made； as
if credit was necessary to a government of which the principle was rapine；
as if Alboin could not turn Italy into a desert till he had negotiated a loan
at five per cent。； as if the exchequer bills of Attila had been at par。 It was
impossible that a man who so completely mistook the nature of a contest
could carry on that contest successfully。 Great as Pitt's abilities were； his
military administration was that of a driveller。 He was at the head of a
nation engaged in a struggle for life and death； of a nation eminently
122
… Page 123…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
distinguished by all the physical and all the moral qualities which make
excellent soldiers。 The resources at his command were unlimited。 The
Parliament was even more ready to grant him men and money than he was
to ask for them。 In such an emergency； and with such means； such a
statesman as Richelieu； as Louvois； as Chatham； as Wellesley； would have
created in a few months one of the finest armies in the world； and would
soon have discovered and brought forward generals worthy to command
such an army。 Germany might have been saved by another Blenheim；
Flanders recovered by another Ramilies； another Poitiers might have
delivered the Royalist and Catholic provinces of France from a yoke
which they abhorred； and might have spread terror even to the barriers of
Paris。 But the fact is； that； after eight years of war； after a vast destruction
of life； after an expenditure of wealth far exceeding the expenditure of the
American war； of the Seven Years' War； of the war of the Austrian
Succession； and of the war of the Spanish Succession； united； the English
army； under Pitt； was the laughing…stock of all Europe。 It could not boast
of one single brilliant exploit。 It had never shown itself on the Continent
but to be beaten； chased； forced to re…embark； or forced to capitulate。 To
take some sugar island in the West Indies； to scatter some mob of half…
naked Irish peasants； such were the most splendid victories won by the
British troops under Pitt's auspices。
The English navy no mismanagement could ruin。 But during a long
period whatever mismanagement could do was done。 The Earl of Chatham；
without a single qualification for high public trust； was made； by fraternal
partiality； First Lord of the Admiralty； and was kept in that great post
during two years of a war in which the very existence of the state
depended on the efficiency of the fleet。 He continued to doze away and
trifle away the time which ought to have been devoted to the public
service； till the whole mercantile body； though generally disposed to
support the government； complained bitterly that our flag gave no
protection to our trade。 Fortunately he was succeeded by George Earl
Spencer； one of those chiefs of the Whig party who； in the great schism
caused by the French Revolution； had followed Burke。 Lord Spencer；
though inferior to many of his colleagues as an orator； was decidedly the
123
… Page 124…
THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
best administrator among them。 To him it was owing that a long and
gloomy succession of days of fasting； and； most emphatically； of
humiliation； was interrupted； twice in the short space of eleven months； by
days of thanksgiving for great victories。
It may seem paradoxical to say that the incapacity which Pitt showed
in all that related to the conduct of the war is； in some sense； the most
decisive proof that he was a man of very extraordinary abilities。 Yet this is
the simple truth。 For