portant source of verification; but any deficiency of proof from this precaution of Francis has been most amply filled up by later intelligence.

Sir Denis le Marchant says, in his notes to Walpole's Memoirs of the Reign of King George III., “The evidence of Sir Philip Francis being the author of Junius has been observed by an eminent lawyer who took no part in the controversy, to be such as would be held conclusive by a jury on a question of fact. The authorship of Junius has even been attributed to Lord Chatham himself, one of the best-abused personages in that great political marvel; and so lately as 1858, a Mr. William Dowe, of New York, published a work to prove the above identity, but with considerably less success than several other speculations in the same field.

LORD CHATHAM SENDS HIS SECOND SON TO
CAMBRIDGE.

In the year 1773, Lord Chatham, having fixed upon the law for the profession of his second son, (William,) sent him to Pembroke Hall, Cambridge. His health being delicate, he was accompanied by Mr. Wilson, who lived with him for some time in the same college apartment. Lord Chatham wrote to the master of the college, expressing his wish that the two public tutors, Mr. Pretyman and Mr. Turner, should respectively devote an hour each day to his son's improvement. Thucydides had ever been a favourite author with Lord Chatham, and, by his express desire, was the first Greek book which his son read after he came to the University: the only other book which the father specified was Polybius; further he did not interfere with the system of academical education. At fourteen years old, William Pitt was eminently distinguished from the general order of boys, having already profited by the conversation and example of his father: in sitting at table with him, in walking with him about his grounds, and in attending him in his sick chamber, opportunities of benefiting by his long experience and his

great mind were offered, which were different from, and superior to, any knowledge to be acquired from books; and to these advantages is attributable Pitt's early display of his manly and astonishing qualities.

Lord Chatham writes from Burton-Pynsent, Oct. 30, 1773, to his son, in this playful strain:

"With what ease of mind and joy of heart I write to my loved William, since Mr. Wilson's comfortable letter of Monday. I do not mean to address you as a sick man: I trust in heaven that convalescent is the only title I am to give you in the ailing tribe; and that you are now enjoying the happy advantage of Dr. Glynn's acquaintance, as one of the cheerful and witty sons of Apollo, in his poetic, not his medical, attribute. But, though I indulge, with inexpressible delight, the thought of your returning health, I cannot help being a little in pain, lest you should make more haste than good speed to be well. . How happy the task, my noble, amiable boy, to caution you only against pursuing too much all those liberal and praiseworthy things, to which less happy natures are perpetually to be spurred and driven! I will not tease you with a long lecture in favour of inaction, and a competent stupidity, your best tutors and companions at present. You have time to spare, consider there is but the Encyclopædia, and when you have mastered all that, what will remain? You will want, like Alexander, another world to conquer. Your mamma joins me in every word; and we know how much your affectionate mind can sacrifice to our earnest and tender wishes. Brothers and sisters are well; all feel about you, think and talk of you as they ought. My affectionate remembrances go in great abundance to Mr. Wilson. Vive, vale, is the unceasing prayer of your truly loving father,

"CHATHAM."

By a letter in the Chatham Correspondence, vol. iii. p. 27, we learn that William Pitt, at the age of seven, already anticipated his future destiny. The children's tutor, Mr.

Wilson, writing to congratulate the Countess of Chatham on the new rank, adds:

"My Lord Pitt is much better, Lady Hester quite well, and Mr. William very near it. The last gentleman is not only contented in retaining his papa's name, but perfectly happy in it. Three months ago he told me, in a very serious conversation, 'He was glad he was not the eldest son, but that he could serve his country in the House of Commons like his papa."

LORD CHATHAM AND DR. FRANKLIN.

During Dr. Franklin's residence in England as provincial agent from the United States, he was received with great courtesy by Lord Chatham. On his Lordship making a motion in the Lords concerning America, on Jan. 20, 1775, he took Franklin to the House, and saying aloud to the doorkeeper, "This is Dr. Franklin, whom I would have admitted into the House," they readily opened for him the door near the bar. In commenting upon the debate, Dr. Franklin says: "I was quite charmed with Lord Chatham's speech in support of his motion. He impressed me with the highest idea of him as a great and most able statesman." And in a letter to Lord Stanhope, he says: "Dr. F. is filled with admiration of that truly great man (Lord Chatham). He has seen in the course of life sometimes eloquence without wisdom, and often wisdom without eloquence; in the present instance he sees both united, and both, as he thinks, in the highest possible degree." Franklin subsequently visited Lord Chatham at Hayes, and dined with him and his family; and on coming to town his Lordship called upon the Doctor in Craven-street, to consult him on his bill relating to conciliatory measures with America, "he being," says Franklin, "not so confident of his own judgment, but that he came to set it right by mine, as men get their watches by a regulator. He stayed with me," says the Doctor, "near two hours, his equipage waiting at the door; and being there while people were

coming from church, it was much taken notice of and talked of, as at that time was every little circumstance that men thought might possibly any way affect American affairs. Such a visit from so great a man on so important a business, flattered not a little my vanity; and the honour of it gave me more pleasure, as it happened on the very day twelve months that the ministers had taken so much pains to disgrace me before the Privy Council."

Franklin paid a second visit to Lord Chatham at Hayes, to discourse on his Lordship's plan, and was present next day in the House of Lords when Chatham introduced his measure. It was vehemently opposed by Lord Sandwich, who could not believe it to be the production of any British Peer, and, adds Franklin," that it appeared to him rather the work of some American; and turning his face towards me, who was leaning on the bar, said he fancied he had in his eye the person who drew it up, one of the bitterest and most mischievous enemies this country had ever known. This drew the eyes of many Lords upon me; but as I had no inducement to take it to myself, I kept my countenance as immovable as if my features had been made of wood.

"Lord Chatham, in his reply to Lord Sandwich, took notice of his illiberal insinuation, that the plan was not the person's who proposed it: declared that it was entirely his own; a declaration he thought himself the more obliged to make, as many of their Lordships appeared to have so mean an opinion of it; for if it was so weak or so bad a thing, it was proper in him to take care that no other person should unjustly share in the censure it deserved. That it had been heretofore reckoned his vice not to be apt to take advice; but he made no scruple to declare that if he were the first minister of this country, and had the care of settling this momentous business, he should not be ashamed of publicly calling to his assistance a person so perfectly acquainted with the whole of American affairs as the gentleman alluded to, and so injuriously reflected on; one, he was pleased to say, whom all Europe held in high estimation for his knowledge and wisdom,

and ranked with our Boyles and Newtons; who was an honour, not to the English nation only, but to human nature. I found it (adds Franklin) harder to stand this extravagant compliment than the preceding equally extravagant abuse; but kept as well as I could an unconcerned countenance, as not conceiving it to relate to me."

THE AMERICAN WAR.-THE "TAPESTRY" SPEECH.

During the greater part of the year 1775, and throughout the whole of 1776, the state of Lord Chatham's health compelled him to be absent from Parliament. He was now extremely infirm; but the sense of personal inconvenience, of health, and of life, was absorbed in the consideration of his country's danger. On May 30, 1777, his Lordship attended in his place to make another motion deprecating hostilities with America: he came to the House wrapped in flannels, and supported on crutches. His speech, in the vigour and brilliancy which it displayed, was a strong instance of the triumph of the mind over the infirmities of the body. In this speech occurred the memorable sentence: "You talk of your numerous friends to annihilate the Congress, and of your powerful enemies to disperse their army: I might as well talk of driving them before me with this crutch !" which is described to have been one of the most emphatic and effective sentences ever pronounced by him.

In the discussion which followed Lord Chatham's speech on the Address, on the opening of the Session of 1777 (Nov. 18), Lord Suffolk undertook to defend the employment of the Indians in the American war, his Lordship contending that, besides its policy and necessity, the measure was allowable on principle, for that "it was perfectly justifiable to use all the means that God and Nature put into our hands." This last expression rekindled the flame of Lord Chatham's indignation, and (says Thackeray) "occasioned one of the sublimest bursts of eloquence which history has recorded."

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"I am astonished!" exclaimed his Lordship, suddenly