CHAPTER XXI.
There was another considerable person, of precisely the same standing, in whose progressive reputation our Sexagenarian appears to have taken a lively interest.
He was born of respectable parentage, in a provincial town, who, however, bestowed no better education upon him, than the grammar school of this same town afforded. He was accordingly transplanted to the university, unaccompanied by that eclat, with which young men are often introduced from public schools, with inferior pretensions both of learning and abilities. He was soon, however, distinguished; and the progress to his degree was marked by the general prediction, that he would attain the highest honours. In this interval, and in the course of the university exercises, the writer of this sketch became acquainted with him, and was greatly impressed with his acuteness and ingenuity. The prediction concerning him was verified to the fullest extent.—He was in the very first class, and arrived at the summit of his literary ambition.
He did not wait a great while for the usual testimony of the approbation of his college; but not long after he had obtained a Fellowship, partly from infirm health, and partly from the desire of extending his literary acquisitions, he went abroad. How successfully he obtained one at least of his objects, literary reputation, has been demonstrated by some of the most learned and valuable works which modern times have produced.
Learning, however, in the abstract, does not always lead to independence; and the person of whom we are speaking, was perhaps principally indebted for his subsequent elevation in life, to a political work, in which it is far from easy to decide which is most entitled to admiration, the force of its argument, or the auspicious period which was selected to introduce it. The French Revolution had begun to circulate its venomous and destructive poison through the different states of Europe, and through Germany in particular. To effect this with greater certainty, the powerful engine of the press was but too successfully employed. And as this country was from the very beginning the firm, unshaken opponent of French principles, all the powers of argument, of misrepresentation, indeed of falsehood, were exercised, to debilitate the influence of England, to assign undue motives to all its public acts, to shake its alliances, and impair its credit.
Fortunately at this time—this momentous time, an Englishman was found in Germany, who had the patriotism, the spirit, and the sagacity, to vindicate his country from the hostile attacks of the mischievous hireling writers, in the interest of France, and who exercised with superior skill, in the cause of truth and justice, weapons which the revolutionists and their crew had sharpened and employed for the basest and worst of purposes. The work in question was published in German at Leipsic, (since so memorable for the discomfiture and overthrow of Bonaparte) in the year 1799, and not only vindicated Great Britain from the foul slanders of the German Journalists, either in the absolute pay of France, or meditating similar anarchy at home, but proved incontestibly that a rupture with France, was a thing unavoidable on the part of this country.
Such is the force of truth, and such was the power of the writer’s arguments, that the first and most distinguished Reviews in Germany, the Algemeine Literatur-Zeitung, the Gottingen Review, and even the famous Mr. Genz, acknowledged that the point proposed, was fully established, and Great Britain fairly vindicated from the calumnies directed against its Ministers. That such a production would secure for its author a favourable reception on his return to England, could hardly admit of a doubt. Accordingly, on his revisiting his native country, he was without delay introduced to Mr. Pitt, through the medium of the Bishop of L. He had an immediate mark of ministerial favour conferred upon him, which he is still permitted to retain, with a promise of succeeding in reversion to a dignified and lucrative appointment, which he now fills with the highest reputation.
The subject of politics, however, seems to have been forced upon him by local and peculiar circumstances; the natural bias of his mind, and his studies, had a very different direction. The most celebrated Theological writers on the Continent had exercised his talents, and occupied his time so effectually, that the result was the publication of a work, which no scholar would choose, and no theological student ought, to be without. Others, equally important and valuable, in the strict line of his profession, have succeeded; and whether his profound erudition, his sagacity in detecting error, his subtilty of disputation, or his facility of writing, be considered, there are but few authors of modern times who can submit to a competition with him. He bears, however, his faculties meekly; and though in a very lofty situation, his manners are extremely conciliating without the smallest symptoms of superciliousness or arrogance, even towards his opponents.
Illud magis vereor ne ignorans veram iter gloriæ, gloriosum putes, plus te unum posse quam omnes, et metui a civibus tuis quam diligi, malis.