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the people and the ruin of the empire, — these sacrifices ofinterest and affection (the greatest surely a man can make) toconscience, will ever be remembered, by impartial men, to yourcredit, and cannot fail to exalt your character as a man ofintegrity, as a supporter of the indefeasible rights of mankind,far beyond the temporary reach of ministerial invective orpersonal malevolence.

“ Lord Effingham stands deservedly high in the estimation ofthe public, and Your Grace’s conduct is not less eminently great.

“ Party may say that you are mistaken, but it cannot say thatyou are not honest. Such instances of disinterested patriotismare uncommon in any history, and would have done credit tothe early periods of Roman history. — In these tinn.es, and in thisnation, when an attention to the public good is apt to be consideredby wise men as folly; when individuals in every clasts of life, Iliadalmost said in every department of the state, are more ashamed ofpoverty than of dishonour, and when luxury makes almost every in-dividual poor ; they demand the hearty approbation of every loverof his country.

“ I am, &c.”

Such were my sentiments of the defect of public principle, andof the progress of general luxury in 1775; and in 1813 they arenot altered. At the time I published this letter, I knew very littleof the Duke of Grafton, as an acquaintance; I had afterwards moreintimacy with him, and I was for many years, indeed as long ashe lived, happy in his friendship. It appears from some hundredsof his letters which he had ordered at his death to be returnedunread to me, that we had not always agreed either in our political