Page:Memoirs of a Trait in the Character of George III.djvu/101

Rh November 28th, 1772. Mr. William Harrison, in his Father's name, presented the above memorial; and Lord Sandwich gave him the following answer.—The memorial you delivered in has been read. We do not find it contains any new matter, and the Board has already told you what they will have done, and they have no reason to alter their opinion—To which Mr. Harrison replied, my Lord, I am sorry to differ with your Lordship, and did hope there was new matter; as from the trial which has been at Richmond, I have leave to say, his Majesty is well satisfied. Here Lord Sandwich interrupted him, and said,—Sir, to be sure, your authority is very great; but if you have a mind to try what experiments you will, that is nothing to this Board. We have nothing to do with them; the Board has told you what they will have done: and they will not alter.

Certainly there never was a better illustration of the common phrase "the laws of the Medes and Persians alter not' They could draw a line which was not to be stepped over as authoritatively, as Popilius Lena; and George 3rd unexpectedly found himself almost as much in limbo as Antiochus. The wand of the "proud republican," or the circle he drew, could not be more restrictively menacing than were the eccentric flights of these functionaries; in whom it seemed impossible to separate an irritated and degrading stimulus from more correct motives. But the words, "Sir, to be sure, &c."