"And in a précis of his foreign relations, 66 66 Supplies me with matter for future orations Magnanimous Monarch! in him I can see"Or fancy I can—some resemblance of me; "In birth almost equal, in manners as bland, "In temper as sweet, and as mild in command; "As grateful, as modest-the blushes you view "Forbid me the flattering theme to pursue ; 66 I give but a sketch-you who know me the best "Will fill up the outline and colour the rest. "Give me then the rank, which the wise and the bold "(Such as MURAT and I) are predestined to hold; "And none but a fool or a knave can be jealous "Of one, whom his merit exalts o'er his fellows. "What though a few blockheads should grudge me the meed, "With scorn we shall see the deserter secede; 66 My rhet'ric alone will suffice to your aid; "And of it I may say, as we did to the trade "Of the prices of beer-(to detain you no longer) He said; but no plaudit ensued-not a cheer! Hear!"" And the judges pronounced-not a voice saying noThat weak as they were, they had not run so low In temper, in manners, in candour and birth, To bow to this blustering 66 son of the earth;"‡ A bug-bear composed, like the idol of old, Of clay and of brass, dizen'd over with gold! * This answer was made by Mr. Whitbread on a complaint of the increased prices of porter.-E. †Tho. Creevey, Esq. M. P. for Morpeth. He had been Secretary to the Board of Controul in the Talents' administration.-E. Terræ filius. A kind of general accuser, who at the Saturnalia of University commencements assumed a licence of arraigning all mankind. THE CHOICE OF A LEADER. No. II. Feb. 11, 1815. THEN TIERNEY* arose: one might see that an air 66 He began-very soberly stroking his chin Although I should never have wish'd to begin "This kind of discussion, yet since we are in it, "With some plain remarks I'll detain you a minute. "Let us see what is chiefly required in a Leader? "Not the fire of a bully, the phlegm of a pleader: “Not a blusterer tearing a passion to rags ;' "Not one who at nothing laboriously fags, George Tierney, Esq., M. P. for Appleby. Treasurer of the Navy under Lord Sidmouth, President of the Board of Controul with All the Talents.-E. "But sound common sense, quiet, pliant, and cool; "An address-which can work with a fact like a tool; “A conscience—not qualmish, nor apt to grow sick; "An art-as plain dealing to pass off a trick: "To these, with a plausible manner and face, "My scheme for a Leader assigns the first place. "The next proposition I mean to advance "Is this that our chief should be skill'd in finance: "Can one, not expert at financial debate, "To any extent, clog the wheels of the State? "What hope have we left but to bare to the axe "That root of exertion the Property Tax? "This done, a wise chief might proceed to assault "The Excise and the Customs, the Land and the Malt; "And then it might be to the country revealed "That taxes are needless, and should be repealed; "And that, by disbanding the Army and Fleet, "Economical Statesmen might make both ends meet. "For my part, I'll vote for no leader alive "Who cannot explain two and two to make five: "What though he should have, for full twenty years past,* "Foretold that our credit no longer could last ; "What though, when his statements had led to suppose "That Omnium would fall, it immediately rose ; "And on t'other hand, when he chanced to foretell "That Omnium would rise, it immediately fell; "What though, by confounded ill luck, 'twere decreed, "What he praises should fail-what he censures succeed: "I repeat what I said, two and two should make five, "And finance is the nail that is certain to drive! The speaker here is made to describe what is supposed to be his own parliamentary course. It cannot be denied that Mr. Tierney has a great deal of good sense, and some arithmetical knowledge; but his financial assertions have been generally disproved both by figures and facts.-E. |