Page:Modern literature (1804 Volume 2).djvu/75

 bumper, half shut his eyes, curled up his nose, looked contemptuous and great. "I think nothing of Pitt's ability, a superficial young man. If I had been prime minister, now you would have seen the country in a very different situation; men of letters and wisdom should have been the sole governors. I should not have employed a copying clerk in an office, unless he could speak Greek; moreover, unless he was conversant in metaphysical, physical, and moral erudition and science. Not a letter should have been written of which a Cicero could be ashamed. The epistles upon plain business should have been attuned to Cicero in harmony, and swelled to Cicero in magnificence. How do you like my phraseology, is it not worthy of the subject?" "Highly," said the doctor, "but as to the matter of fact, Cicero's letters upon business have nei