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 BURKE 251 assemblage of talents than had perhaps ever appeared ia any age or country. Fox had long been a member of the house of commons, but had never hitherto distinguished himself for oratorical abilities or political efficiency. Stimulated to exertion by the hitherto unrivalled elo- quence and powers of Burke, he now commenced that glorious career in which he persevered until his decease; and Fox and Burke were not only regarded with admi- ration by the opposition, of which they were the un- daunted champions and supporters, but were viewed by the minister and his adherents with mingled admiration and dread. The political connection now formed between these two great men soon led to an intimate friendship, which continued to unite them both in public and private life for many years. The mistaken measures of the administration had now driven the Americans to the necessity of taking up arms in defence of their civil rights. The struggle was long and arduous. On the one hand, an extensive and fertile country, firmly united in the support of their rights; on the other, a nation so divided within itself that a majority perhaps of its inhabitants rejoiced in the successes of those whom the goveroment would have taught them to regard as enemies. During the whole of the contest, Burke uniformly and ardently opposed the measures of Lord North, and defended and encouraged the Americans in the pursuit of those privileges for which they fought; a conduct which, notwithstanding the endeavours of his biographers to establish a thorough consistency through- out the whole of his political life, we can by no means reconcile with that which he afterwards pursued when France was engaged in a similar contest. In the course of this war he delivered many brilliant speeches which are convincing evidences of the vast extent of his genius, and the great superiority of his eloquence. Duting the summer of 1776, Burke, together with several other leaders of opposition, took the extraordinary,