Essays, Critical and Miscellaneous (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1858 Excerpt: ... every measure of which ihe effect would be to lower the importance, and consequently the price, of their votes. About the income of their power, so to speak, they are quite ready to make bargains. Bui they are not easily persuaded to part with any frag mentof the principal. It is curious lo observe how, during the long continuance of this Parliament--the pensionary Parliament, as it was nicknamed by contemporaries--though ever/ circumstance seemed to be favourable to the crown, the power of the crown was constantly; siDking, and that of the Commons constantly rising. The meetings of the Houses were more. frequent than in former reigns; their interference was more harassing to the government ihan in former reigns; they had begnn to make peace, to make war, to pull down, if they did not set up, administrations. Already a new class of statesmen had appeared, unheard of before that time, but common ever since. Under the Tudors and the earlier Stuarts, it was generally by courtly arts or by official skill and knowledge that a politician raised himself to power. From the time of Charles II. down to our own days a different species of talent, parliamentary talent, has been the most valuable of all the qualifications of an English statesman. It has stood in the place of all other acquirements. It has covered ignorance, weakness, rashness, the most fatal maladministration. A great negotiator is nothing when compared with a great debater; and a minister who can make a successful speech need trouble himself little about an unsuccessful eipedition. This is the talent which has made judges without law, and diplomatists without French--which has sent to the Admiralty men who did not know the stern of a ship from her bowsprit, and to the India Board men who did not know ...