nding that in Lord Goderich he had a minister who,
instead of deciding, asked his royal master for advice, sent for the
Duke of Wellington to undertake the government, a change in the carriage
of his grace was perceived by some who had the opportunity to form an
opinion on such a subject. If one might venture to use such a word
in reference to such a man, we might remark, that the duke had been
somewhat daunted by the selection of Mr Canning. It disappointed great
hopes, it baffled great plans, and dispelled for a season the conviction
that, it is believed, had been long maturing in his grace's mind; that
he was the man of the age, that his military career had been only a
preparation for a civil course not less illustrious; and that it was
reserved for him to control for the rest of his life undisputed the
destinies of a country, which was indebted to him in no slight degree
for its European pre-eminence. The death of Mr Canning revived, the rout
of Lord Goderich restored, these views.

Napoleon, at St Helena, speculating in conversation on the future career
of his conqueror, asked, "What will Wellington do? After all he has
done, he will not be content to be quiet. He will change the dynasty."

Had the great exile been better acquainted with the real character of
our Venetian constitution, he would have known that to govern England
in 1820, it was not necessary to change its dynasty. But the Emperor,
though wrong in the main, was right by the bye. It was clear that the
energies that had twice entered Paris as a conqueror, and had made kings
and mediatised princes at Vienna, would not be content to subside into
ermined insignificance. The duke commenced his political tactics early.
The cabinet of Lord Liverpool, especially during its latter term, was
the hot-bed of many intrigues; but the obstacles were numerous, though
the appointing fate, in which his grace believed, removed them. The
disappearance of Lord Castlereagh and Mr Canning from the scene was
alike unexpected. The Duke of Wellington was at length prime minister,
and no individual ever occupied that post more conscious of its power,
and more determined to exercise it.

This is not the occasion on which we shall attempt to do justice to a
theme so instructive as the administration of his grace. Treated with
impartiality and sufficient information, it would be an invaluable
contribution to the stores of our political knowledge and national
experience. Througho