ton Whigs were highly bepraised, while the opposition Rump was vilified; I myself being treated with an extraordinary portion of his most potent abuse.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

EARLY in the following week the new Ministry resumed their seats in the House of Commons; Mr. Broughton as leader.

On the question of the order of the day being put from the chair, Mr. Palmer rose, and, in a brief and temperate, but somewhat stern speech, called upon his former colleagues for an explanation of their conduct. Just before he sat down I was astonished, and even shocked, to behold Anstruther, whom I had believed to be in bed, enter the House. The sensation produced by this sudden and unexpected apparition was not confined to myself. The whole House partook of it; and Palmer was so astounded that he stopped short, and a minute elapsed before he could proceed. But the general surprise which marked his entrance was occasioned less by the unexpectedness of that event, the knowledge of his indisposition being confined to a few, than by the striking and sad alteration which a little more than a week had brought about in his personal appearance. His face was ghastly pale, and his fine features were sunk and distorted as by the ravages of sickness. His livid lips were firmly compressed, and his countenance wore an expression of calm but fearful determination; his carriage, which had always been peculiarly noble and imposing, was no longer erect, but his step was firmer than ever. Apparently regardless of the eyes which were fixed upon him, he walked up the floor and took his seat at the corner of a remote bench on the Opposition side. After the excitement of his presence had subsided, I quitted my seat on the Leader's bench and went to Anstruther.

"You have deceived me," was his angry salutation,

I earnestly remonstrated with him on the imprudence of which he had been guilty, and implored him not to speak, as in his state of health the excitement might be fatal to him. But he would not hear me.

"It is useless, Sydenham," cried he; "I am resolved; so return to your place."

Palmer followed me, and entreated him to go away; but he refused likewise to listen to his arguments, and peremptorily declared that he would not stir from the spot until he had given utterance to his sentiments. Thus repulsed, we desisted from farther expostulation, and left him with anxious apprehensions

of the hazard to which he exposed his precious life by thus yielding to his passions.

Broughton had risen after Palmer. He assumed a mild and conciliatory tone. Nothing, he said, would give him more pain than to be dissevered from his personal and political friends opposite, and he thanked them for affording him thus early an opportunity of exonerating himself from a charge, the suspicion of which was a grievous burden. He considered it the most gratifying proof of their regard, that they had reduced into a tangible form, the various assertions and rumours which malice and ignorance had circulated respecting him, for by a triumphant refutation of them he should be restored to the enjoyment of that confidence and esteem from which, it appears, he had lately been suspended. But in vindicating himself there, he should not have to encounter either malicious or ignorant, but enlightened and unprejudiced judges, whom he had moreover a right to expect their long experience of him would render tardy and reluctant to admit an unfavourable interpretation of his conduct.

He then proceeded, like a consummate advocate as he was, into an elaborate and artful defence of himself. He contended that he had not departed from the principles which had always governed his public conduct; and although the manner in which he had acted according to them might afford a handle to his enemies, and even deprive him of the regards of some wellmeaning friends, whose good opinions he valued, yet the consciousness of having performed his public duty would console him for such losses, and oppose an effectual shield to calumny.

"I am accused, Sir," said he, "of having deserted from my party. It is difficult to meet so vague an imputation. If the meaning of it be that I have not considered party connections superior to my country's claims-if at a time when a vigorous government was of the last importance to the country, neglected and brought almost to ruin by the contentions of parties-if at this time, instead of prolonging the existence of the spirit of faction, I aided in the establishment of a large and combined Administration, which, discarding the watchwords of either side, had for its object the cultivation of the national happiness -if this be the nature of the crime imputed to me, that I have preferred the public good to party interests-I am proud to plead guilty to the charge!"

He dilated upon this topic, and excused the secrecy of his proceedings, by the obvious argument, that, had he mentioned his design to his party, it might have been frustrated. He ended his defence, (in which was of course included that of his Whig coadjutors in office,) as is usual for orators in such cir◄ cumstances to do, with a flourish of sentences.

The speech was, certainly, altogether one of great ability, but, though listened to with perfect attention, it did not take, and when he sat down there were only a few faint and isolated "hears!"

Sir Francis Wriothesley and Mr. Anstruther rose together, but the latter gave way, and Sir Francis proceeded to address the House. He began by observing, that his expectations had been fulfilled, and that he could admire nothing in the Right Honourable Gentleman's defence but the talent with which it was conducted. He then, according to the excellent old style of debating, so superior to the slovenly and desultory mode which at present obtains, followed his antagonist, and refuted him step by step, not stopping to cull the mildest phrases in which to convey his meaning; nor, when he said a severe thing, marring the effect thereof, by tacking on to it a disclaimer of offence, as if he were speaking in an assembly of polite and gentle delegates from the Court, instead of honest and plainspoken representatives of the people. Sir Francis was loudly cheered when he concluded.

As soon as he had resumed his seat, Anstruther rose, and quitting his retired station, walked down the steps to the floor of the House, and stood at the table. This movement produced profound stillness, and the deepest anxiety was manifested to hear him.

He spoke at first in a tone, the calmness of which was evidently that of suppressed passion. He commented upon the coalition in a strain of bitterness rather than of severity. His exquisite satire, the keenness of which frequently inflicted deeper wounds than Broughton's mangling sarcasm, seemed now to have lost its edge, because not used with that temper and delicacy which are requisite to render it efficient. At length, în allusion to Broughton's defence, his indignation broke forth in the following unparliamentary language.

"I had always believed the Right Honourable Gentleman to be possessed of an extraordinary moral audacity; but we have this night witnessed the most extraordinary proof of it in the attempt to assume as an act of exalted patriotism that treacherous desertion of party-that gross violation of engagements of which he has been guilty. The Athenian orator could, by the force of his eloquence, persuade the spectators of his overthrow that he was in fact victor in the struggle:-I know not whether the address of the Right Honourable Gentleman is sufficient to convince the House that private baseness is public virtue!"

Here he was stopped by a general cry of "Order!" The Speaker rose and admonished him on the irregularity of the language to which he had given utterance: he expected that Mr. Anstruther would retract the offensive expression he had used.

Mr. Anstruther replied: "Sir; I regret that the impetus of a just indignation should have carried me beyond the line of order; but the sentiment which I have expressed is advised and deliberate, although the language may have been unparliamentary. For the latter, I apologize to the House; the former, I repeat in its full force, as applied to the Right Honourable Gentleman opposite." Loud cheers.

Upon this Broughton rose and quitted the House. Anstruther proceeded with, and cut short his speech, and having finished it, also withdrew. Palmer and I, of course, understanding the meaning of these movements, followed, and were informed that Broughton and Anstruther had respectively driven away in their carriages. We immediately walked to Anstruther's residence, where we found himself in the library, in the act of sealing a note, which he directed a servant, who was waiting, to carry immediately to Mr. Broughton's house in Downing

street.

"I am sending," said he to me, when the footman had left the room, "to let Broughton know that I shall be at your house, should he wish to make any communication to me, in consequence of what has taken place."

He was in a state of violent excitement, to the deep concern of Palmer and myself, who could not but apprehend the worst consequences to his health from his temerity. We abstained, however, from any remark upon his provocation of a duel with Broughton, fearing to aggravate passions which were already alarmingly high. The reason of his removing from his own house being obvious, we simply asked him if his carriage was in attendance to take us thither?

"Of course not," he replied: "the carriage might be observed and traced; we must walk there."

"Have you entirely lost your reason?" inquired Palmer calmly: "do you mean to encounter the night air with a fever upon you?"

"There is no fear," answered he impatiently: "it is but a step, and I can wrap a large cloak about me.'

We insisted, however; and, to be free of our importunities, he suffered a hackney-coach to be sent for. When it arrived, we three entered it; and, as a precaution, Anstruther, dispensing with the attendance of the servant, and mentioning that he should, perhaps, not return that night, instructed him to tell thecoachman to drive to Claverton House. We went accordingly as far as Piccadilly, and then desired the man to return to Great George-street. We quitted and dismissed the vehicle at the corner of the street, and walked to my house.

While we were sitting together, in expectation of intelligence from Broughton, we gathered from Anstruther the circumstances which caused his sudden and ill-omened appearance that even

ing in the House of Commons. He had suspected Palmer and myself of deceiving him in our report of public affairs, concerning which he had regularly and anxiously, during his illness, applied to either of us, when we visited him, for information. To ascertain whether his surmise was just, he had examined us separately, and unfortunately detected a discrepancy in our evidence upon a trivial point. This was, however, sufficient to set him on fire, and he called for the newspapers. The consequence was the surprising and disastrous event of the evening.

We subsequently learned from Anstruther's faithful servant, that when his master asked for the daily prints, he, bearing in mind the injunctions which he had received, both from the medical attendant and ourselves, hesitated to comply with the dangerous request; but upon its being repeated in a tone of command, which he could not dare to resist, he had brought him the journals. This was late in the day, after we had called. Godfrey (the valet) immediately despatched notes to the physician, (my friend Dr. Henniker,) Palmer, and myself, apprizing us respectively of what he had been obliged to do. Neither of these notes came to hand until it was too late to benefit by them, in consequence of our having all been out of the way when they were delivered at our several residences.

"I do not blame you," said Anstruther, "from having concealed from me the real state of things, because I fully appreciate the kindness of your motive; but I would not, for the Premiership, have foregone this opportunity of venting my feelings. It is a great weight off my mind, and the removal of an obstacle to my recovery."

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Anstruther was not himself deluded by this opinion, which he expressed only to assure us, whose deep anxiety we could not altogether restrain from external demonstration. Conscious that he had, by blind obedience to his impetuous passions, rashly dared even death itself, he endeavoured to disguise from us the sad effects of his temerity, which he already began to experience. But the dreaded symptoms of a relapse became every minute more palpable; and perceiving that they attracted our serious attention, he attempted to divert it by repeatedly expressing his surprise that he had not yet received a communication from Broughton. In answer to these remarks, Palmer and I gave utterance to our apprehensions-thinking it not only idle, but reprehensible to abstain from doing so any longer, and entreated him that he would permit us to send for Dr. Henniker. At first, he attempted, though faintly, to laugh at our fears; but when we urged them, he consented merely "to satisfy us." I wrote a hasty note to my worthy friend, requesting him to come without delay, and mentioning the urgency of the case. I then ordered a chamber to be prepared for my illustrious guest.