misc writings and speeches(米斯克说与写3)-第31章
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fame and fortune may be said to have reached the zenith。 His influence in
the closet was as great as that of Carr or Villiers had been。 His dominion
over the Parliament was more absolute than that of Walpole of Pelham had
been。 He was at the same time as high in the favour of the populace as
ever Wilkes or Sacheverell had been。 Nothing did more to raise his
character than his noble poverty。 It was well…known that； if he had been
dismissed from office after more than five years of boundless power； he
would hardly have carried out with him a sum sufficient to furnish the set
of chambers in which； as he cheerfully declared； he meant to resume the
practice of the law。 His admirers； however； were by no means disposed to
suffer him to depend on daily toil for his daily bread。 The voluntary
contributions which were awaiting his acceptance in the city of London
alone would have sufficed to make him a rich man。 But it may be doubted
whether his haughty spirit would have stooped to accept a provision so
honourably earned and so honourably bestowed。
To such a height of power and glory had this extraordinary man risen
at twenty…nine years of age。 And now the tide was on the turn。 Only ten
days after the triumphal procession to Saint Paul's； the States…General of
France； after an interval of a hundred and seventy…four years； met at
Versailles。
The nature of the great Revolution which followed was long very
imperfectly understood in this country。 Burke saw much further than any
of his contemporaries： but whatever his sagacity descried was refracted
and discoloured by his passions and his imagination。 More than three
years elapsed before the principles of the English administration
underwent any material change。 Nothing could as yet be milder or more
strictly constitutional than the minister's domestic policy。 Not a single act
indicating an arbitrary temper or a jealousy of the people could be imputed
to him。 He had never applied to Parliament for any extraordinary powers。
He had never used with harshness the ordinary powers entrusted by the
constitution to the executive government。 Not a single state prosecution
which would even now be called oppressive had been instituted by him。
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
Indeed； the only oppressive state prosecution instituted during the first
eight years of his administration was that of Stockdale； which is to be
attributed not to the government； but to the chiefs of the opposition。 In
office Pitt had redeemed the pledges which he had； at his entrance into
public life； given to the supporters of parliamentary reform。 He had； in
1785； brought forward a judicious plan for the improvement of the
representative system； and had prevailed on the King； not only to refrain
from talking against that plan； but to recommend it to the Houses in a
speech from the throne。 （The speech with which the King opened the
session of 1785； concluded with an assurance that His Majesty would
heartily concur in every measure which could tend to secure the true
principles of the constitution。 These words were at the time understood to
refer to Pitt's Reform Bill。） This attempt failed； but there can be little
doubt that； if the French Revolution had not produced a violent reaction of
public feeling； Pitt would have performed； with little difficulty and no
danger； that great work which； at a later period； Lord Grey could
accomplish only by means which for a time loosened the very foundations
of the commonwealth。 When the atrocities of the slave trade were first
brought under the consideration of Parliament； no abolitionist was more
zealous than Pitt。 When sickness prevented Wilberforce from appearing in
public； his place was most efficiently supplied by his friend the minister。 A
humane bill； which mitigated the horrors of the middle passage； was； in
1788； carried by the eloquence and determined spirit of Pitt； in spite of the
opposition of some of his own colleagues； and it ought always to be
remembered to his honour that； in order to carry that bill； he kept the
Houses sitting； in spite of many murmurs； long after the business of the
government had been done； and the Appropriation Act passed。 In 1791 he
cordially concurred with Fox in maintaining the sound constitutional
doctrine； that an impeachment is not terminated by a dissolution。 In the
course of the same year the two great rivals contended side by side in a far
more important cause。 They are fairly entitled to divide the high honour of
having added to our statute…book the inestimable law which places the
liberty of the press under the protection of juries。 On one occasion； and
one alone； Pitt； during the first half of his long administration； acted in a
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
manner unworthy of an enlightened Whig。 In the debate on the Test Act；
he stooped to gratify the master whom he served； the university which he
represented； and the great body of clergymen and country gentlemen on
whose support he rested； by talking； with little heartiness； indeed； and with
no asperity； the language of a Tory。 With this single exception； his conduct
from the end of 1783 to the middle of 1792 was that of an honest friend of
civil and religious liberty。
Nor did anything； during that period； indicate that he loved war； or
harboured any malevolent feeling against any neighbouring nation。 Those
French writers who have represented him as a Hannibal sworn in
childhood by his father to bear eternal hatred to France； as having by
mysterious intrigues and lavish bribes； instigated the leading Jacobins to
commit those excesses which dishonoured the Revolution； as having been
the real author of the first coalition； know nothing of his character or of his
history。 So far was he from being a deadly enemy to France； that his
laudable attempts to bring about a closer connection with that country by
means of a wise and liberal treaty of commerce brought on him the severe
censure of the opposition。 He was told in the House of Commons that he
was a degenerate son； and that his partiality for the hereditary foes of our
island was enough to make his great father's bones stir under the pavement
of the Abbey。
And this man； whose name； if he had been so fortunate as to die in
1792； would now have been associated with peace； with freedom； with
philanthropy； with temperate reform； with mild and constitutional
administration； lived to associate his name with arbitrary government；
with harsh laws harshly executed； with alien bills； with gagging bills； with
suspensions of the Habeas Corpus Act； with cruel punishments inflicted on
some political agitators； with unjustifiable prosecutions instituted against
others； and with the most costly and most sanguinary wars of modern
times。 He lived to be held up to obloquy as the stern oppressor of England；
and the indefatigable disturber of Europe。 Poets； contrasting his earlier
with his later years； likened him sometimes to the apostle who kissed in
order to betray； and sometimes to the evil angels who kept not their first
estate。 A satirist of great genius introduced the fiends of Famine； Slaughter；
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
and Fire； proclaiming that they had received their commission from One
whose name was formed of four letters； and promising to give their
employer ample proofs of gratitude。 Famine would gnaw the multitude till
they should rise up against him in madness。 The demon of slaughter would
impel them to tear him from limb to limb。 But Fire boasted that she alone
could reward him as he deserved； and that she would cling round him to
all eternity。 By the French press and the French tribune every crime that
disgraced and every calamity that afflicted France was ascribed to the
monster Pitt and his guineas。 While the Jacobins were dominant； it was he
who had corrupted the Gironde； who had raised Lyons and Bordeaux
against the Convention； who had suborned Paris to assassinate Lepelletier；
and Cecilia Regnault to assassinate Robespierre。 When the Thermidorian
reaction came； all the atrocities of the Reign of Terror were imputed to
him。 Collet D'Herbois and Fouquier Tinville had been his pensioners。 It
was he who had hired the murderers of September； who had dictated the
pamphlets of Marat and the Carmagnoles of Barere； who had paid Lebon
to deluge Arras with blood； and Carrier to choke the Loire with corpses。
The truth is； that he liked neither war nor arbitrary government。 He
was a lover of peace and freedom； driven； by a stress against which it was
hardly possible for any will or any intellect to struggle； out of the course to
which his inclinations pointed； and for which his abilities and
acquirements fitted him； and forced into a policy repugnant to his feelings
and unsuited to his talents。
The charge of apostasy is grossly unjust。 A man ought no more to be
called an apostate because his opinions alter with the opinions of the great
body of his contemporaries than he ought to be called an oriental traveller
because he is always going round from west to east with the globe and
everything that is upon it。 Between the spring of 1789 and the close of
1792； the public mind of England underwent a great change。 If the change
of Pitt's sentiments attracted peculiar notice； it was not becau
