Memoirs by a Celebrated Literary and Political Character: From the Resignation of Sir Robert Walpole in 1742 to the Establishment of Lord Chatham's Second Administration in 1757 : Containing Strictures on Some of the Most Distinguished Men of that Time |
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Administration Admiralty army calamity Chancellor character coalition Colonel Townshend command commissioner conduct country gentlemen Court cowardice declared Dodington Duke of Argyle Duke of Bedford Duke of Cumberland Duke of Devonshire Duke of Newcastle Earl of Bath employment England Exchequer favour forces France French friends gave George Grenville Glover Gower Hanoverian Henry Pelham Holdernesse honour House of Commons inquiry insisted John Barnard juncture Junius King of Prussia King's land least Legge letter London Lord Carteret Lord Chesterfield Lord Cobham Lord Egmont Lord Temple Lyttelton Majesty's means measure meeting ment militia Minister ministry Minorca motion nation negociation occasion opinion opposition Parliament party Pelham person Pitt's ple's present Prince Pulteney refused regiment resolution Secretary Secretary at War sentiments sessions shew ships sions Sir John Barnard Sir Robert Walpole spirit ther tion took transactions Treasury troops utmost vote Waller whole Woodfall
Popular passages
Page 52 - I meant the cause and the public. Both are given up. I feel for the honour of this country, when I see that there are not ten men in it who will unite and stand together upon any one question. But it is all alike, vile and contemptible.
Page 153 - Lord Granville," says the earl of Chesterfield, " had great parts, and a most uncommon share of learning for a man of quality. He was one of the best speakers in the house of lords, both in the declamatory and the argumentative way. He had a wonderful quickness and precision in seizing the stress of a question, which no art, no sophistry, could disguise in him.
Page 112 - Every person in the fleet, who through cowardice, negligence, or disaffection, shall in time of action withdraw or keep back, or not come into the fight or engagement, or shall not do his utmost to take or destroy every ship which it shall be his duty to engage, and to assist and relieve...
Page 156 - Argyle, though the weakest reasoner, was the most pleasing speaker I ever knew in my life. He charmed, he warmed, he forcibly ravished the audience ; not by his matter certainly, but by his manner of delivering it.
Page 152 - ... which engaged him to pass most of his leisure and jovial hours with people whose blasted characters reflected upon his own. He was loved by many, but respected by none; his familiar and illiberal mirth and raillery leaving him no dignity. He was not vindictive, but on the contrary very placable to those who had injured him the most. His...
Page 153 - LORD GRANVILLE had great parts, and a most uncommon share of learning for a man of quality. He was one of the best speakers in the House of Lords, both in the declamatory and the argumentative way. He had a wonderful quickness and precision in seizing the stress of a question, which no art, no sophistry, could disguise to him.
Page 48 - Gideon is dead," writes one of his contemporaries, in 1762, " worth more than the whole land of Canaan. He has left the reversion of all -his milk and honey, after his son and daughter, and their children, to the Duke of Devonshire, without insisting on the Duke taking his name, or being circumcised.
Page 148 - ... country: hence he derived that influence which encouraged his unworthy pretensions to ministerial power ; nor was he less indebted to his experience of a Court, a long practice in all its craft, whence he had acquired a certain art of imposition, that in every...
Page 153 - He was neither ill-natured nor vindictive, and had a great contempt for money. His ideas were all above it. In social life he was an agreeable, goodhumoured, and instructive companion ; a great but entertaining talker. He degraded himself by the vice of drinking, which, together with a great stock of Greek and Latin, he brought away with him from Oxford, and retained and practised ever afterwards.
Page 152 - He could state and explain the most intricate matters, even in figures, with the utmost perspicuity. His parts were rather above business ; and the warmth of his imagination, joined to the impetuosity and restlessness of his temper, made him incapable of conducting it long together with prudence and steadiness.