ness, and when his enemies found they could not answer his arguments, they amputated his ears. Walpole threw himself into the front rank of this powerful phalanx, and attacked his persecutors in a review of the proceedings of the Lower House, during the last session,* which must have greatly disturbed the existing ministry and their partisans. The dedication was written by the author's friend, Pulteney, and addressed to an anonymous peer, who, however, was well known to be the Earl of Oxford. The writers of this pamphlet wisely took every precaution to keep their implication in it a secret.

By this time Walpole had been re-elected once more for Lynn Regis, and had been permitted to take his seat in the new Parliament which assembled in February 1714. Early in that session he was vigorously employed in defending his friend Steele, whom a Tory majority, however, succeeded in expelling the House, for what they pronounced seditious libels in the "Crisis" and "Englishman." He made an able speech on this occasion which has been much admired. Steele also distinguished himself greatly when heard in his own defence: both orations proceeded from Walpole.t But the Tories were paramount, and without scruple got rid of every troublesome opponent.

* "A Short History of the last Parliament." Said to have been written at the suggestion of Lord Somers; commenced on a Thursday, and finished on the following Tuesday." Royal and Noble Authors." Lord Orford's Works.

This is cited in "Bishop Newton's Autobiography," as a remarkable instance of the fertility of Walpole's resources, for

Much against his will, the Duke of Marlborough had been prevailed on to retain his command; but he was deceived both by friends and foes; for the new ministry while they urged him to proceed vigorously against the enemy, were, with the connivance of the Queen, secretly arranging a discreditable treaty with the King of France. Pursued with petty persecutions, slandered, and plundered in every way that malice could suggest, and power execute, the Duke at last found himself obliged to become a voluntary exile, and accompanied by the Duchess and a small suite, left England to the misgovernment of the intriguing faction, by whom he had been pursued with such vindictive hostility. That faction during their few years of rule, contrived to degrade their country more than he had elevated it, and hurried their deceived mistress, who too late discovered the fatal error of her misplaced confidence, into a premature grave.

Throughout the period of the decline and fall of his patron Marlborough, Mr. Walpole had steadily supported his interests, and when Harley strove to form a ministry of his partisans, with a sprinkling of the more respectable Whigs, he rejected his proposal, and forced him to rely upon the Tories and Jacobites

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both speeches were master-pieces of eloquence, yet totally distinct in character and in argument. Subsequently, Steele brought out "An Apology for himself and his Writings, occasioned by his expulsion from the House of Commons," which he gratefully dedicated to his friend.

alone. When the Whig Administration was attacked he rushed to its rescue in print, and produced two masterly pamphlets, which proved to the nation the shameful misrepresentations that had been circulated against them. The Duke entertained a warm friendship for him, which the Duchess shared, till in subsequent years, the greatness of the Walpole name excited her sarcastic spirit, and a refusal to gratify some of her caprices created her enmity.

Unwarned by the fate of his friend, or the punishments he had already suffered, Walpole continued his opposition with increasing zeal, particularly insisting on the importance of the Protestant succession, and exposing the intrigues of the Pretender and his adherents. In these intrigues, St. John was deeply involved, and as he knew that the feelings of the Queen were far from affectionate towards her relatives at Hanover, he threw his brilliant talents into the scale in which she seemed balancing her prejudices against the expressed will of the nation, fully confident that he had thus secured for himself the highest honours of the State. It so happened that at the moment the intriguers thought themselves sure of success, the Queen was seized with apoplexy, and the Whigs took their measures with such celerity, that the succession of the son of the Electress Sophia was secured without a struggle, as soon as Queen

"The Thirty-five Millions Accounted for," and "The History of the Last Parliament."

Anne had breathed her last. This event took place on the 1st of August, 1714.

On the succession of George I. there was, of course, a change of men as well as of measures, for the Jacobite intrigues were well known, and it could not be expected that the new sovereign would be very favourably inclined towards those who had tried to deprive him of the throne. St. John (Bolingbroke) was one of the first to feel how deeply he had offended when he found himself summarily dis missed from his office of Secretary of State, in which he was succeeded by Lord Townshend, having Lord Stanhope as a colleague. The Duke of Marlborough was restored to the chief command of the army, the Paymaster of the Forces being Walpole, who had the further pleasure of beholding many of his warmest friends filling important posts in the new Administration. Indeed, although Somers, Shrewsbury, Halifax, Sunderland, Cowper, Devonshire, Wharton, Nottingham, as well as other eminent men of the same party were Members of the Government, the real influence was in the hands of Townshend and Walpole; and the former, since his marriage with Walpole's sister Dorothy, in the preceding year, had completely identified himself in interest with his talented colleague.

It could scarcely be expected that the men who had suffered so much from the despotism of the late Ministry should not call their oppressors to account now that their relative positions were so completely

changed. Politicians are not a forgiving race. Those amongst them who happen to be wise as serpents certainly have not been found harmless as doves too many of them with the reptile's wisdom, must needs appropriate his sting; but in this instance it must be acknowledged not only that the Whigs had endured great provocations, but that the conduct of their opponents was such as on public grounds they could not overlook. The House of Commons was a high court of judicature, and was bound to try such of its members as had set its laws at defiance, and endeavoured to render nugatory the measures it had adopted for the preservation of the State. Of these criminals, the first brought before them for trial were Bolingbroke, the late Secretary, the Earl of Strafford, a plenipotentiary, and Matthew Prior, the poet,* who had been employed by the Tories as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of France. They were called before a committee of the Privy Council, of the proceedings of which the latter has left an account,† though it is to be feared not a

*Men of literary reputation then had a chance of distinguishing themselves in the civil service of their country, and Prior's was not thrown away. He was appointed Gentleman of King William's bed-chamber, Secretary to the Congress at the Hague, 1690, Principal Secretary for Ireland, and also held some other offices, but being involved in Tory intrigues, whilst on an embassy to France, his promising career was brought to a sudden termination by the Whig Ministry of George I.

"History of his own Time," compiled from the original manuscripts of his late Excellency, Matthew Prior, 1740. Octavo, p. 417.