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first letter of the correspondence is extant。 In that letter Atterbury boasts of
having； during many years past； neglected no opportunity of serving the
Jacobite cause。 〃My daily prayer；〃 he says； 〃is that you may have success。
May I live to see that day； and live no longer than I do what is in my
power to forward it。〃 It is to be remembered that he who wrote thus was a
man bound to set to the church of which he was overseer an example of
strict probity； that he had repeatedly sworn allegiance to the House of
Brunswick； that he had assisted in placing the crown on the head of
George I。； and that he had abjured James III。； 〃without equivocation or
mental reservation； on the true faith of a Christian。〃
It is agreeable to turn from his public to his private life。 His turbulent
spirit； wearied with faction and treason； now and then required repose； and
found it in domestic endearments； and in the society of the most illustrious
of the living and of the dead。 Of his wife little is known： but between him
and his daughter there was an affection singularly close and tender。 The
gentleness of his manners when he was in the company of a few friends
was such as seemed hardly credible to those who knew him only by his
writings and speeches。 The charm of his 〃softer hour〃 has been
commemorated by one of those friends in imperishable verse。 Though
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
Atterbury's classical attainments were not great； his taste in English
literature was excellent； and his admiration of genius was so strong that it
overpowered even his political and religious antipathies。 His fondness for
Milton； the mortal enemy of the Stuarts and of the church； was such as to
many Tories seemed a crime。 On the sad night on which Addison was laid
in the chapel of Henry VII。； the Westminster boys remarked that Atterbury
read the funeral service with a peculiar tenderness and solemnity。 The
favourite companions； however； of the great Tory prelate were； as might
have been expected； men whose politics had at least a tinge of Toryism。
He lived on friendly terms with Swift； Arbuthnot； and Gay。 With Prior he
had a close intimacy； which some misunderstanding about public affairs at
last dissolved。 Pope found in Atterbury； not only a warm admirer； but a
most faithful； fearless； and judicious adviser。 The poet was a frequent
guest at the episcopal palace among the elms of Bromley； and entertained
not the slightest suspicion that his host； now declining in years； confined
to an easy chair by gout； and apparently devoted to literature； was deeply
concerned in criminal and perilous designs against the government。
The spirit of the Jacobites had been cowed by the events of 1715。 It
revived in 1721。 The failure of the South Sea project； the panic in the
money market； the downfall of great commercial houses； the distress from
which no part of the kingdom was exempt； had produced general
discontent。 It seemed not improbable that at such a moment an
insurrection might be successful。 An insurrection was planned。 The streets
of London were to be barricaded； the Tower and the Bank were to be
surprised； King George； his family； and his chief captains and councillors；
were to be arrested； and King James was to be proclaimed。 The design
became known to the Duke of Orleans； regent of France； who was on
terms of friendship with the House of Hanover。 He put the English
government on its guard。 Some of the chief malecontents were committed
to prison； and among them was Atterbury。 No bishop of the Church of
England had been taken into custody since that memorable day when the
applauses and prayers of all London had followed the seven bishops to the
gate of the Tower。 The Opposition entertained some hope that it might be
possible to excite among the people an enthusiasm resembling that of their
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
fathers； who rushed into the waters of the Thames to implore the blessing
of Sancroft。 Pictures of the heroic confessor in his cell were exhibited at
the shop windows。 Verses in his praise were sung about the streets。 The
restraints by which he was prevented from communicating with his
accomplices were represented as cruelties worthy of the dungeons of the
Inquisition。 Strong appeals were made to the priesthood。 Would they
tamely permit so gross an insult to be offered to their cloth？ Would they
suffer the ablest； the most eloquent member of their profession； the man
who had so often stood up for their rights against the civil power； to be
treated like the vilest of mankind？ There was considerable excitement； but
it was allayed by a temperate and artful letter to the clergy； the work； in all
probability； of Bishop Gibson； who stood high in the favour of Walpole；
and shortly after became minister for ecclesiastical affairs。
Atterbury remained in close confinement during some months。 He had
carried on his correspondence with the exiled family so cautiously that the
circumstantial proofs of his guilt； though sufficient to produce entire moral
conviction； were not sufficient to justify legal conviction。 He could be
reached only by a bill of pains and penalties。 Such a bill the Whig party；
then decidedly predominant in both houses； was quite prepared to support。
Many hot…headed members of that party were eager to follow the
precedent which had been set in the case of Sir John Fenwick； and to pass
an act for cutting off the bishop's head。 Cadogan； who commanded the
army； a brave soldier； but a headstrong politician； is said to have
exclaimed with great vehemence： 〃Fling him to the lions in the Tower。〃
But the wiser and more humane Walpole was always unwilling to shed
blood； and his influence prevailed。 When Parliament met； the evidence
against the bishop was laid before committees of both houses。 Those
committees reported that his guilt was proved。 In the Commons a
resolution； pronouncing him a traitor； was carried by nearly two to one。 A
bill was then introduced which provided that he should be deprived of his
spiritual dignities； that he should be banished for life； and that no British
subject should hold any intercourse with him except by the royal
permission。
This bill passed the Commons with little difficulty。 For the bishop；
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
though invited to defend himself； chose to reserve his defence for the
assembly of which he was a member。 In the Lords the contest was sharp。
The young Duke of Wharton； distinguished by his parts； his dissoluteness；
and his versatility； spoke for Atterbury with great effect； and Atterbury's
own voice was heard for the last time by that unfriendly audience which
had so often listened to him with mingled aversion and delight。 He
produced few witnesses； nor did those witnesses say much that could be of
service to him。 Among them was Pope。 He was called to prove that； while
he was an inmate of the palace at Bromley； the bishop's time was
completely occupied by literary and domestic matters； and that no leisure
was left for plotting。 But Pope； who was quite unaccustomed to speak in
public； lost his head； and； as he afterwards owned； though he had only ten
words to say； made two or three blunders。
The bill finally passed the Lords by eighty…three votes to forty… three。
The bishops； with a single exception； were in the majority。 Their conduct
drew on them a sharp taunt from Lord Bathurst； a warm friend of
Atterbury and a zealous Tory。 〃The wild Indians；〃 he said； 〃give no quarter；
because they believe that they shall inherit the skill and prowess of every
adversary whom they destroy。 Perhaps the animosity of the right reverend
prelates to their brother may be explained in the s