the court. Whoever the writers • The threats go further than are, they take the wrong way. I abuse : personal violence is de will do my duty unawed. What nounced. I do not believe it: it is am I to fear? That mendax infamia not the genius of the worft men of from the press, which daily coins this country in the worst of times, false facts and false motives? The But I have set my mind at reft lies of calumny carry no terror to The last end that can happen to me. I trust, that my temper of any man never comes too soon, if mind, and the colour and conduct he falls in support of the law and of my life, have given me a suit of liberty of his country (for, liberty armour against these arrows. ' If, is synonymous to law and governduring this king's reign, I have ever ment!) Such a thock, too, might be supported his government, and af. productive of public good: it might fifted his measures, I have done it awake the better part of the king. without any other reward than the dom out of that lethargy which consciousness of doing what I seems to have benumbed them; thought right. If I have ever op- and bring the mad part back to posed, I have done it upon the their senses, as men intoxicated are points themselves, without mixing sometimes stunned into sobriety. in party or faction, and without “ Once for all, let it be underany collateral views. I honour the stood, that no endeavours of this king, and respect the people. But kind will influence any man who many things acquired by the favour at present fits here. If they had of either are, in my account, ob- any effect, it would be contrary to jects not worth ambition. I' with their intent: leaning againft their su POPULARITY: But it is that popu- impreslion might give a bias the larity which follows; not that other way. But I hope, and I, 200 which is run after. It is that po- know, that I have fortitude enough

The la pularity which, sooner or later, to reift even that weakness. No never fails to do justice to the pur. libels, no threats, nothing that has suit of noble ends by noble means. happened, nothing that can hapI will not do that which my con- pen, will weigh a feather againft science tells me is wrong upon this allowing the defendant, upon this site occasion, to gain the huzzas of and every other question, not only thousands, or the daily praise of all the whole advantage he is entitled by the papers which come from the to from fubftantial law and juftice, press. "I will not avoid doing what but every benefit from the moi Fin

, and I think is right, though it (hould critical nicety of form, which any batte draw on me the whole artillery of other defendant could claim under that libels, all that falsehood and malice the like objeđtion. The only effect the can invent, or the credulity of a de. I feel is an anxiety to be able to

di tbe I luded populace can swallow. I explain the grounds upon can say with a great magistrate, we proceed; so as to satisfy all The upon an occasion and under cir- mankind, that a flaw of form givea cumstances not unlike, “ Lyr hoc way to in this cate, could not have with enimo femper fui, ut invidiar wir- been got over in any other.” tute purtam, gloriam, non imidiam In January 1770 lord Mansfield er non putaron."

again was offered the great feal

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2 ile e

foce

which

cacite

Say which was given to Mr. Charles by artful misrepresentations; the

Yorke ; and in Hilary term 1771, rage of a popular mob was soon di-
he a third time declined the same rected towards the most eminent

offer, and the seal was entrusted to perfons. Accordingly, in the night the lord Bathurst.

between Tuesday the oth and Wed. The year 1770 was also memor- neiday the 7th of June, his lordable for various attacks made on thip's house in Bloomibury-square

his lord thip's judicial character, both was attacked by a party of rioters, Yn it in the houses of lords and commons. who on the Friday and Tuesday SinnIn one of these, the propriety of a preceding had, to the amount of Gabor direction given to the jury in the many thousands, surrounded the

case of The King and Woodfall was avenues of both houses of parliaCage called in question, which occafioned ment, under pretence of attending this lorJthip 10 produce to the house lord George Gordon when he pre

a copy of the unanimous opinion of sented the petition from the Protes

the court of king's bench in that tant ailociation On Tuesday evende cause; which, after being much ing the prison of Newgate had been

canvaffed and opposed, was luffered thrown open, all the combustible

to stand its ground without being part reduced to ashes, and the in de over ruled.

felons let loose upon the public. On the 19th of October 1776, It was after this attempt to destroy

bis lord ihip was advanced to the the means of securing the victims bere, dignity of an earl of Great Britain, of criminal justice that the rioters cities by the title of earl of Mansfield, assaulted the residence of the chief

and to his male issue; and for want magistrate of the first criminal court

of such issue to Louisa viscountess in the kingdom; nor were they ce I be Stormont, and to her heirs male by dispersed till they bad burnt all the

ei David viscount Stormont her hul- furniture, pi&tures, books, manubus fuis band. The same title in 1792 was scripts, deeds, and in mort every

limited to lord Stormont himself, thing which fire could consume, ia who has since succeeded to it. his lordship's houte, so that nothing

We come now to a period of his remained but the walls, which were lordship's life which furnishes an feen next morning almoti red hot event disgraceful to the age and from the violence of the flames, the country in which the fact was presenting a melancholy and awful committed. An union of folly, en- ruin to the eyes of the passengers. thusiasm, and knavery, had excited On Wednesday the devastation, alarms in the minds of some weak became almost general throughout people, that encouragements were London. The houses of many of given to the favourers and profef- the most respectable individuals had fors of the Roman Catholic faith been previoully attacked: that inconfiftent with religion and true evening the Fleet and King's bench policy. The act of parliament prisons were set on fire; the banks which excited the clamour bad of England, the inns of court, al. palled with little oppofition, and most all the public buildings, were had not received any extraordinary threatened with deftru&tion ; and support from lord Mansfield. The an universal contlagration must minds of the public were ioflamed have taken place, if the king had

not

not iffued a proclamation for the the dignity of his chara&er not to speedy and effectual interposition resort to the indemnification pro of the military power. Till then, vided by the legislature. His fet the foldiery had scarcely dared to timents on the subject of a repara. ad offensively jethe ordinary magi- tion from the state were communi. tirates were for the most part deter- cated to the board of works in a red, or prevented by various causes, letter dated 18th July 1780, wri. from giving their sanction to the ten in consequence of an applica employment of the troops; and in tion which they had made to him many places, the men under arms, (as one of the principal fufferers), with their officers at their head, pursuant to directions from the though drawn up in military order, treatury founded on a vote of the did nothing more than preserve a house of commons, requeling bim space between the incendiaries and to state the nature and amount of the crowd of fpectators, so as to his lots. In that letter, after fone have the effect of enabling the for- introductory expreflions of civility is the mer to demolish the houses and to the surveyor general, to whom it property of their fellow - subjects was addresled, his lord thip lays particu without interruption,

“ Belides what is irreparable, my So unexpected was this daring pecuniary lots is great. I

riod of their appointment fhall Cicéro. Their oratory differed in be thought to detract in some small species, but was equal in merit. degree from his merit. It is cer- There was at least no superiority tain many of his admirers saw with on the side of Pitt.-Mansfield's concern a connection with the op- eloquence was not indeed of that ponents of government at that daring, bold, declamatory kind, so juncture scarce compatible with the irresistibly powerful in the momendignity of the chief justice of Great tary bustle of popular assemblies; Britain. At length infirmities, but it was pofleffive of that pure

prefied upon him, and he became and attic fpirit, and seductive is unable to attend his duty with the power of persuasion, that delights, u din fame punctuality and afliduity with infructs, and eventually triumphs.

which he had been accustomed. It It has been very beautifully and bas been supposed that be held his justly compared to a river, that office after he was disabled from meanders through verdant meads

executing the duties of it from a and flowery gardens, reflecting in i wish to secure the succession to it of its crystal bolom the varied obje&s a very particular friend. Be this that adorn its banks, and refrething as it may, the chief justice con- the country through which it flows. tinued his office until the month of • To illustrate his oratory by exJune 1788, when he sent in his re- ample, would require voluminous ligpation

transcripts from the records of parFrom this period the bodily liament; and it is unnecessary, as in powers of his lord ship continued we can appeal to living recollection. pe to decline ; his mental faculties “ Having added weight and dig

however remained without decay nity to the seat of attorney and soli. sl almost to the last. During this citor-general, his reputation as a t time he was particularly inquistive speaker, a lawyer, and a politician,

and anxious about the proceedings elevated him to the peerage, and is in France. On the 20th of March the exalted poft of chief justice of la o 1793, after continuing some days England. He ascended to the digwine in a state of insensibility, he de- nities of state by rapid strides: they 12 parted this life, at the age of 88 were not bestowed by the caprice years.

of party favour or affection. They " In his political oratory," says a were (as was said of Pliny) liberal writer of the present times," he dispensations of power upon an obwas not without a rival, no one had ject that knew how to add new lustre the honour of furpassing him; and to that power, by the rational exerlet it be remembered, that his com tion of his own. petitor was Pitt.

“ Here we can speak of this “ The rhetorician that addressed great man within our own recollechimself to Tully in these memor- tion; and however party prejudices able words,--Demofthenes tibi pree. may adopt their different favourites, ripuit

, ne primus elles orator, tu illi and each contend in detracting from ne folus-anticipated their applica- the merit of the other, it is, we betion to Mansfield and Pitt.--If the lieve, generally understood, that one poffeffed Demofthean fire and precedence is allowed the earl of energy, the other was at least a Mansfield, as the first magistrate Vol. XXXV.

T

that

2001

No man has ever in an equal degree obscured by any fhade dark enough facts

that ever so pre-eminentlv graced “ It may be said of Mansheld as that important station. The wil- of Virgil t, that if he had any dom of his decifions, and unbiafled faults, they might be conhdered in tenor of his public couduct, will be the fame manner with those of held in veneration by the sages of some eminent fixed star, which, if the law, as long as the spirit of the they exist at all, are above the constitution and just notions of reach of human observation. The cquity continue to have existence. Juminous æther of his life was not poffessed that wonderful fagacity in to be denominated a defe&. Ön aina discovering chicanery and artifice, account of his descent, local prejus and separating fallacy from truth, dices and propensities were imputed to and fophiftry from argument, so as to him, and his conduct on that to hit the exact equity of the case. count examined with a microscopic He suffered not justice to be stran- eye; but the optic through which matipos gled in the nets of form.

it was viewed poffeffed a party “ His memory was astonishing- tinge equally odious and decep 297 he never took notes, or, if he did, tive. seldom or ever consulted then." “ His political principles were presteai His *Teferences to expressions whichever confiftent; and to preserve to fell from him in the course of the consistency in such stations and in jutt; debate, his quotations from such times as occupied the life of suce books, were so faithful, that they Mansfield, constitutes an ordeal ist

or