nowledge produced a connexion
between him and the money-corporations, which served to enhance his
importance. He perceived the bulk of mankind were actuated by a sordid
thirst of lucre; he had sagacity enough to convert the degeneracy of the
times to his own advantage; and on this, and this alone, he founded the
whole superstructure of his subsequent administration. In the late
reign he had by dint of speaking decisively to every question, by
boldly impeaching the conduct of the tory ministers, by his activity
in elections, and engaging as a projector in the schemes of the monied
interest, become a leading member in the house of commons. By his
sufferings under the tory parliament, he attained the rank of a martyr
to his party. His interest, his reputation, and his presumption daily
increased; he opposed Sunderland as his rival in power, and headed a
dangerous defection from the ministry, which evinced the greatness
of his influence and authority. He had the glory of being principally
concerned in effecting a reconciliation between the late king and the
prince of Wales; then he was re-associated in the administration with
additional credit; and, from the death of the earls of Sunderland and
Stanhope, he had been making long strides towards the office of prime
minister. He knew the maxims he had adopted would subject him to the
hatred, the ridicule, and reproach of some individuals, who had not yet
resigned all sentiments of patriotism, nor all views of opposition;
but the number of these was inconsiderable, when compared to that which
constituted the body of the community; and he would not suffer the
consideration of such antagonists to come in competition with his schemes
of power, affluence, and authority. Nevertheless, low as he had humbled
anti-ministerial association, it required all his artifice to elude,
all his patience and natural phlegm to bear, the powerful arguments that
were urged, and the keen satire that was exercised against his measures
and management, by a few members in the opposition. Sir William Wyndham
possessed all the energy of elocution; Mr. Shippen was calm, intrepid,
shrewd and sarcastic; Mr. Pulteney inherited from nature a good
understanding, which he had studiously cultivated. He was one of the
most learned members in the house of commons, extremely well qualified
to judge of literary productions; well read in history and politics;
deeply skilled in the British constitution, the detail of gov