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THE

UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE.

No. XVI.-VOL. III.]

For MARCH, 1805.

A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE HON.
CHARLES JAMES FOX.

THERE is scarcely a sentiment more debasing to the character of man, than "I have nothing to do with public men and public affairs, I leave the consideration of them to abler hands." Now as there is no one whose condition may not be bettered or rendered worse by the wise, or mal-administration of government, it becomes all to reflect upon the choice of those persons who are placed in the seat of public rule. It was Cato's opinion, that every man should take one side or the other in all questions of importance connected with the commonwealth. Every individual in the empire is, as it were, a proprietor in the stock of national happiness and national fortune, and therefore ought to watch whether the best and fittest trustees are chosen for managing such great concerns. The mind of a man, whether rich or poor, cannot be more usefully employed sometimes than in estimating the capacities, developing the principles, and ascertain ing the virtues of those who offer themselves as candidates for high stations in the administration of public affairs. The celebrated man whose character fills the first few pages of this number of our Miscellany, comes under this description. An impartial account of his principles, professions, and prospects, will afford the most rational evidence by which the justice of his claim for public confidence can be decided. It has been said that "the sun of liberty rarely shines but on the tomb of some great patriot." It should seem to be the fate of Mr. Fox to spend his whole life in unavailing struggles for ameliorating the condition of his country. But why do we say unavailing his efforts are not wholly so if he has not exalted the political condition of his country, he has saved it from imminent peril. The influence of his talents put a period to a war the most destructive that ever a nation madly engaged in. Now though many are unwilling to give him his due share of praise on that occasion, because the desisting from proseenting that war was attended with the dismemberment of the empire; such persons ought to recollect that the perse VOL. III.

[NEW SERIES.

verance in it could not but endanger the whole together. England had the world in arms against her, and nothing could have contributed so effectually to accomplish the hostile views of France upon us at that time; as our continuing to wage a distant, expensive, and bloody war with a people whom the subduing (had that event been possible) could only have left in a ruined and exhausted state at our feet.

The writer of this sketch thinks it necessary thus early in the task he has assigned himself, to declare, that he has no connection with Mr. Fox, nor any of the friends with whom that gentleinan associates. He is not personally known to him, nor has he the vanity, as many others have, of hoping to raise himself in the remotest degree to the notice of this British worthy, by doing only that which truth and justice would extort from the greatest stranger.

Having therefore no personal bias for this great character, the writer is the more free to speak of that part of his public conduct for which he has been censured, and for which he is, perhaps, thought to have deserved censure. This sketch, then, is neither taken from the reproaches and surmises of Mr. Fox's enemies, nor from the assertions and panegyrics of his friends, but from those actions, concerning which every impartial man would be equally able to judge of the merit and demerit of their author.

A man so elevated as Mr. Fox, and whose abilities alone have distinguished him, must naturally occasion as much envy as emulation, and of course be exposed to the unmeaning panegyric of one party, and the indiscriminate invective of the other. We should hardly deserve credit for our professions of impartiality, if we were to assert that in the variety of scenes in which Mr. Fox has played so conspicuous a part, he is free from all faults. But we trust that if, after making allowances for them as drawbacks against his transcendent virtucs, it be affirmed that he is the first and greatest commoner in this country, the assertion is in no danger of contradiction.

Charles James Fox was born on the

the 13th of January, 1749, and is the

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second son of Henry, first Lord Holland, me. Indeed, it is with money, as it is by Lady Georgina Carolina, eldest daugh- with power, if it lie too long in the ter of the late Duke of Richmond. By same hand, it will corrupt the possessor. the mother's side, then, he is descended But the nobleman of that day, was not from the royal house of Stuart; he is, half so much to blame as the nobleman therefore, not only related to most of the of this. There was no law, at that ancient families of rank in this kingdom, time, forbidding the practice of turning but actually allied to the present reign- the public money to private advantage; ing family. By his father's side, how- whereas there is an act of parliament, ever, Mr. Fox derives no consequence framed in part by the recent noble delinfrom his ancestors. Without giving cre- quent, who thought proper to break it. dit to the idle stories about that parent, What will become of the virtue of our it is sufficient to say, that he laid the House of Commons, if a member of it, foundation of his own honours by his by the connivance of higher authority, talents and application to business. No- rewards such persons, as he pleases, thing was too intricate for him in the with the interest of a few hundred thouway of figures, and his address in parlia- sand pounds now and then, for we canment recommended him to the notice of not suppose he would be so inordinately George II. who, in the year 1754, made avaricious, as to keep the interest of so him secretary at war, and on the follow- many millions to himself!!! When we ing year, upon the resignation of Sir exclaim, Ah poor England! We do not Thomas Robinson, appointed him secre- mean to say, that our country has not tary of state for the southern c'epartment. precious boons to bestow, on the guardiIn 1763 he was, in the present reign, ans of its virtue and honour!!! But to created a peer by the title of Baron Hol- return to the man, who is the professed land, of Foxley. The seven years war, as subject of this brief memoir. His fait has been called, broke out in 1756, ther, though addicted to libertine habits and commenced under very unfortunate in the early part of his life, was exemauspices. The people grew dissatisfied, plary for the care he took of his chiland wished for a change of ministry. dren's education. He very soon perThe monarch, then so well advised, with- ceived in his son Charles James a ge out relinquishing his prerogative, gave nius which would one day attract uniway to the nation; and changing Mr. versal admiration. His rapid progress Fox for Mr. Pitt, all went well and pros- in the acquisition of classical learning at Eton school, obtained him a decided Mr. Fox, however, was not long un- superiority in every class he entered. employed for as most of those with As his father had always encouraged whom he had acted were re-instated in him to think freely, he acquired the power, by a coalition between the two habit of speaking readily, and, thereparties, he was nominated to the lucra- fore, in every enterprise which required tive post of paymaster-general of the an orator, he was generally fixed on by forces. It was in this office he accu- his playmates for their leader. That mulated that vast wealth, which he left manliness which a wise parent inspired to his heirs, and which exposed his cha- him with while young, never left him racter in the decline of life, to cutting for a moment under any circumstance sarcasm, and himself to the opprobrious of life. He was under the direction of appellation of "the public defaulter of Dr. Barnard, while at Eton, but he had unaccounted millions." This nobleman Dr. Newcombe, the late Bishop of Wacommenced and pursued his career, in terford, for private tutor, who thought an opposite direction to that of his son, with reason, that be derived more celefor he continued to the end of his life, brity from the circumstance of having the steady supporter of government. such a pupil, than from any preferment Whatever criminal speculations, there- whatever in the church. Nothing can fore, he might be guilty of, he had better shew the strength of his mind. numerous powerful friends, who were and of his constitution, than that by willing to wink at them. It is generally turns literature, by turns dissipation apfound, that those persons who are de- peared to engross his whole attention, termined to support government in all and yet the apparent preference of the its measures, are the least sound in prin- one, was not allowed to interfere with ciple. They seem to say, with an the other. He was observed, never to equally culpable nobleman of the pre- be satisfied with mediocrity in any pur sent day, "Who wants me, must pay suit. Whatever he set his heart on, he

perous.

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Both peers and commons, listening your
command;

While Sully's sense its weight to you affords,
His nervous sweetness shall adorn your

words.

What praise to Pitt, to Townshend, e'er was due,

followed with ardor. He soon demon- continent. From the theatre of dissistrated his attachment to the finer sensi- pation and pleasure, he was transplanted bilities of humanity, by always espous- into that of oratory and politics; if ing the weakest side, in those contests the former had been to him more atwhich occasionally disturb the society tractive and fascinating, this was the of youths. He often presided as judge most important and honourable; and in disputes, and when he saw a school- the father being no stranger to the fellow borne down by partiality and pre- lively and impetuous disposition of his judice, he exerted his maiden eloquence son, foresaw that a seat in parliament in favour of justice. Lord Carlisle was would detach him from a course which a cotemporary, and so admired the threatened injury to his health and ruin young Mr. Fox, for his generosity and to his fortune. Lord Holland, therepenetration in speaking, that he wrote fore, at the general election in 1768, the following beautiful verses in pro- procured him the return for Midhurst, phecy, of what might be expected from in Sussex. Every person under age is this precocious and elegant scholar. by law incompetent to judge for him"How will my Fox,alone, by strength of parts, self, and still less, deemed capable of Shake the loud senate, animate the hearts making laws for others: on this ground Of fearful statesmen! while around you he was ineligible to sit in the house of stand commons, not being quite twenty years of age. However this happened, whether by design or accidental oversight in the committee of privileges, and in the speaker; it may be considered as a singular circumstance in this great political actor entering on the public stage. No In future times, my Fox, shall wait on you." could not but be known) was perhaps a notice being taken of his nonage (for it From Eton he went to Oxford, where compliment of indulgence, or he is said to have read nine or ten hours other venal motive in those who counted' every day, during the whole term, with- on his support at his outset. The exerout inconvenience from a series of noc- tions and display of tatents in a youth, turnal rambles, in which he displayed never fail to conciliate good-will, and equal assiduity. The tedious unifor- even affection: it has since been the mity of a college did not agree with case with his rival Mr. Pitt. No memthe ardor of his mind. His talents were ber in his noviciate ever excited so much not to be chained to the frigid acquisi- anxiety and expectation. He satisfied tion of science, and the languid enjoy- the fondest hopes of all who knew him. ments of a contemplative life. He He was the subject of conversation in wished for active and enterprising scenes, every fashionable company. His mode and obtained leave of his father to make of speaking had so much originality in the usual tour. it, and had so much of the voice of naThough every thing in the form of ture, that he attracted universal admiraluxury and dissipation struck his fancy, tion. His maiden speech was on the yet had he an equal appetite for in- subject of Mr. Wilkes' petition from the quiry, and no man was better qualified King's Bench prison, to be admitted to to derive instruction from that novelty take his seat, and thereby satisfy the dewhich travelling affords. To resist the sire of his constituents. It is true that attractions of French vivacity and Italian on this question he did not take the poluxury, he had the considerations of his pular side, the side on which the best country's welfare, and the honour of and most constitutional lawyers declared his character. These were sometimes the justice to lie. It has been imagined, of too feeble an influence to prevent that if he had favoured that side, he him from taking intoxicating pleasure, would not have been allowed to retain and withholding him from the gaming- his seat, on account of his minority. Thus table. His father being apprized of his parliamentary career began in the thee excesses, urged him to return support of the measures of government,

home.

some

He was obliged to comply, and so much did the minister of that day though we doubt not with considerable value that support, that in a short time reluctance, as he had entered into the Mr. Fox was advanced to a seat at the elegant and pleasurable societies of some admiralty board. No sooner, however, ef the most beautiful women on the was he made acquainted with the areana

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