Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/279

Rh in oppoſing the bill for inflicting pains and penalties on that prelate.

The judicious obſervations he made an the trial of the biſhop, and the manner in which he ſummed up and compared a long and perplexed kind of evidence, with inimitable art and perſpicuity, may be ſeen in the duke’s ſpeech upon that extraordinary occaſion, which is a laſting proof of his amazing abilities in the legiſlative capacity, as well as of his general knowledge of public buſineſs.

He, however, did not confine this ſpirit of oppoſition to the houſe of lords, but exerted it both in city and country, promoting in all kinds of elections ſuch perſons as were ſuppoſed to be no fautors of the court. Such was the hatred he now conceived to the miniſtry, and ſuch his deſire of becoming eminent; that he even puſhed himſelf into the city of London; was inverted with the rights and privileges of a citizen, and was entered a member of the wax-chandler’s company; by virtue of which he appeared at all meetings, charmed all ſocieties, and voted in his own right upon all occaſions.

Notwithſtanding his aſtoniſhing activity in oppoſition to the court, he was not yet ſatisfied that he had done enough. He could not be in all places, and in all companies at once. As much an orator as he was, he could not talk to the whole nation, and therefore he printed his thoughts twice a week, in a paper called the True-Briton, ſeveral thouſands of which being diſperſed weekly, the duke was pleaſed to find the whole kingdom giving attention to him, and admiring him as an author, though they did not at all approve his reaſoning.

Thoſe political papers, which were reckoned by ſome the ſtandard of good ſenſe, and elegant ,