Page:Life of William Shelburne (vol 1).djvu/273

Rh men were dupes to his imposing manners, and gave him credit for a great deal more ability than he had. Whatever some might pretend, there was but one opinion about his military incapacity, but he was supposed to have great Civil talents; as for principle, it was not what the Court wanted, and in point of attachment they thought themselves on many accounts perfectly sure of him. The papers which were laid before Parliament and published, sufficiently prove how much they were mistaken; the papers which were withheld from Parliament and remain in the office, prove still more strongly Lord George's incapacity. He endured every species of indignity, from particularly, and other officers with whom he was obliged to correspond. There was a general diffidence as to his honour, and a general disrespect for his person, which was greatly heightened by the treatment he underwent in the House of Commons and the poor figure he made there. He sent out the greatest force which this country ever assembled, both of land and sea forces, which together perhaps exceeded the greatest effort ever made by any nation, considering the distance and all other circumstances, but was totally unable to combine the operations of the war, much less to form any general plan for bringing about a reconciliation. The best plan which was formed in the office was one which was given in by General Arnold. The inconsistent orders given to Generals Howe and Burgoyne could not be accounted for except in a way which it must be difficult for any person who is not conversant with the negligence of office to comprehend.

"Among many singularities he had a particular aversion to being put out of his way on any occasion; he had fixed to go into Kent or Northamptonshire at a particular hour, and to call on his way at his office to sign the dispatches, all of which had been settled, to both these Generals. By some mistake those to General Howe were not fair copied, and upon his growing impatient at it, the office, which was a very idle one, promised to send it to the country after him, while they dispatched the others