nation? It is a noble subject, and with your knowledge as well as judgment, you will easily acquire habits of eloquence; but habits they are, no less than playing on a mufical inftrument, or handling a pencil: and as the best musicians and fineft painters began with playing fometimes out of tune and drawing out of proportion, fo the greatest orators must begin with leaving fome periods unfinished, and perhaps with fitting down in the middle of a sentence. It is only by continued use that a speaker learns to exprefs his ideas with precision and foundness, and to provide at the beginning of a period for the conclusion of it; but to this facility of speaking, the habit of writing rapidly contributes in a wonderful degree. I would particularly impress this truth upon your mind, my dear friend, because I am fully convinced that an Englishman's real importance in his country, will always be in a compound ratio of his virtue, his knowledge, and his eloquence; without all of which qualities little real utility can refult from either of them apart; and I am no Life-V. I.

X

lefs perfuaded, that a virtuous and knowing man, who has no natural impediment, may by habit acquire perfect eloquence, as certainly as a healthy man who has the use of his muscles, may learn to fwim or to scate. When fhall we meet, and where, that we may talk over these and other matters? There are fome topics which will be more properly difcuffed in converfation than upon paper, I

mean on account of their copioufnefs; for believe me I fhould not be concerned, if all that I write were copied at the post-office, and read before the King in council. ***

* At the fame time I folemnly declare, that I will not enlift under the banners of a party; a declaration which is I believe uselefs, because no party would receive a man, determined as I am, to think for himself. To you alone, my friend, and to your interests, I am firmly attached, both from early habit and from mature reafon, from ancient affection unchanged for a fingle moment, and from a full conviction that fuch affection was well placed. The views and wishes of all

other men, I will analyze and weigh with that fufpicion and flownefs of belief, which my experience, fuch as it is, has taught me; and to be more particular, although I will be jealous of the regal part of our conftitution, and always lend an arm towards reftraining its proud waves within due limits, yet my most vigilant and strenuous efforts shall be directed against any oligarchy that may arife; being convinced, that on the popular part of every government depends its real force, the obligation of its laws, its welfare, its fecurity, its permanence. I have been led infenfibly to write more seriously than I had intended; my letters shall not always be fo dull: but with fo many public causes of grief or of refentment, who can at all times be gay?

In the memoirs of Mr. Jones, the year seventeen-hundred-and-eighty forms an interesting æra, in which his occupations were diverfified, his profpects extended, and his hopes expanded, more than at any former

period of his life. His profeffional practice had greatly increased, and fuggefted the faireft hopes of progreffive enlargement, and augmented profit: but as his views were more particularly directed to the vacant feat on the bench of Fort William, in Bengal, and as, from the kindness of Lord North, he was authorized to expect the early attainment of it, he was lefs folicitous to procure an augmentation of bufinefs, which, in the event of fuccefs in his India pursuits, he must altogether abandon. In this state of suspense, the political events of the times, received a more than ordinary fhare of his attention: he did not however enrol himself with any party; but looking up to the constitution and liberty of his country, as the objects of his political adoration, he cultivated an extensive acquaintance with men of all parties, and of the first rank and talents, without any facrifice of principle or opinion. No man had ever more right to apply to himself the character of "nullius addictus jurare in verba

magiftri." With respect to the American

it un

war, he early adopted fentiments upon favourable to the juftice of the British cause, and this opinion, once formed, would naturally acquire ftrength from the protraction of the contest, which he lamented with the feelings of a true patriot and friend to humanity. These reflections dictated a very animated and claffical Ode to Liberty, which he compofed in Latin, and printed in March; it ftrongly difplays his genius, erudition, feelings, and political principles *.

Sir Roger Newdigate having declared his intention of vacating his feat in parliament, as reprefentative of the University of Oxford, Mr. Jones was induced by a laudable ambition, and the encouragement of many respectable friends, to come forward as a candidate. The following letters will explain his hopes, his conduct, and disappointment on this occafion.

* Works, vol. x. p. 393. This ode was published under the title of Julii Melesigoni ad libertatem. The assumed name is formed by a transposition of the letters of Gulielmus Jonesius.