Page:Memoirs of a Trait in the Character of George III.djvu/114

Rh Claimant and to the public: but none of those who spoke, nor perhaps any person in the House, knew the disgraceful origin of that measure. Had Mr. Burke had leisure to trace it to the separate commission; and discovered that by the resolutions of the obtrusive and consequential character, who took every thing to himself on that occasion, an outlay of at least £900 might have been incurred, for which no funds were provided; and yet that the Board of Longitude never enquired into the truth, of that nobleman's statements; though it is pretended on the minutes, 9th February, 1765, that they "duly weighed and considered the same," his eloquence would have held up such gross incapacity, or such culpable neglect to the contempt and odium it merited.—Lord North acts a neutral part fairly enough. He had either wanted time, or inclination, to notice the proceedings of the commission of Longitude; and William Harrison had not succeeded in drawing his attention to the subject, when he wrote to him by his Majesty's advice. Yet there was a course which might have enabled his lordship to come forward in the House with his mind not like a partial blank. He knew that the