OF

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

EDMUND BURKE;

BETWEEN THE YEAR 1744,

AND THE PERIOD OF HIS DECEASE, IN 1797.

EDITED BY

CHARLES WILLIAM, EARL FITZWILLIAM,

AND LIEUTENANT-GENERAL

SIR RICHARD BOURKE, K.C.B.

IN FOUR VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

LONDON:

FRANCIS & JOHN RIVINGTON,

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD, & WATERLOO PLACE.

1844.

PREFACE.

ALTHOUGH more than forty years have elapsed since the death of Mr. Burke, the examination of the papers he left after him has been but lately brought to a close. This delay has arisen not so much from the quantity of materials found after his decease (though these were not inconsiderable), as from the particular circumstances of the persons to whom the papers were given in charge. Upon the death of Mr. Burke in 1797, Dr. French Laurence, an eminent civilian, and member of the House of Commons, and Dr. Walker King, afterwards Bishop of Rochester, were entrusted with the care of all the papers of their deceased friend. The professional and parliamentary avocations of the former of these gentlemen, left him but little

time to examine with attention the blotted and confused manuscripts which came under his review. Something, however, in the way of arrangement appears to have been attempted by him shortly after Mr. Burke's death; and, conjointly with Dr. King, he carried through the press the first eight volumes of the octavo edition of Burke's works. Dr. Laurence had, at one time, indeed, entertained the hope of being able to give to the world a life of his friend, which, coming from his pen, and with his knowledge of the subject, would have been invaluable. But it was the will of Providence, that the useful and honourable career of this distinguished man should be short; and he died early in the year 1809, having done little or nothing in furtherance of his design. The whole charge of the papers, both formally and effectively, remained from that period until 1812 with Dr. Walker King, who in December, 1808, had been raised to the see of Rochester. In the spring of 1812, the widow of Edmund Burke died at Beconsfield, and, by her last will, gave to Earl Fitzwilliam, the Bishop of Rochester, and the