Townsend found that the Spectator was in the market. Following my father's advice he made the acquaintance of Mr. Hutton, and together, as co-proprietors and co-editors, they revived the Spectator. The complete success of this venture is now well known.

Bagehot did not replace Mr. Hutton but undertook the work of editing as well as directing the Economist himself. By living in London he found this was possible, at all events, for the time being. The uprooting from The Arches took place in May, 1861.

In the July number of the National Review, 1861, appeared Bagehot's essay on William Pitt, the text being "Life of the Right Hon. William Pitt by Earl Stanhope, author of the History of England from the Peace of Utrecht".

It was a subject after his own heart. Pitt's commanding character, his courage, his fortitude, his singular good fortune, his unrivalled opportunities while he still possessed the fervour of youth, all appealed to Bagehot's imagination. But perhaps what fascinated him most were certain characteristics in Pitt which cannot fail to remind those intimate with Bagehot of himself. "He (Pitt) was preserved," Bagehot writes, "from the characteristic degradation of well-intentioned and erudite youth by two great counteracting influences-a strong sense of humour and a genuine interest in great subjects. His sense of fun was, indeed, disguised from the vulgar by a rigid mask of grave dignity; but in private it was his strongest characteristic. 'Don't tell me,' he is said to have remarked, 'of a man's being able to talk sense; everyone can talk sense; can he talk nonsense?' And Mr. Wilberforce, the most cheerful of human beings, who had seen the most amusing society of his generation, always declared that Pitt's wit was the best which he had ever known. And it was likely to be; humour gains much by constant suppression, and at no time of life was Pitt ever wanting in dexterous words. No man who really cares for great things, and who sees the laughable side of little things, ever becomes a 'prig'." Again, how much of the following description of Pitt suggests Bagehot's own moods. "In all descriptions of Pitt's appearance in the House of Commons, a

led, such was the nature which had a on Bagehot than had any other after ted Irtin de contact with my father en belwer : hot's active and his in

as of thought which later Pacte works --The Fug.ish us ani Colicies, and the

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ay my father's "eath the
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cave England. Under:
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i, gish Goverment to whether he woul1

India He at once made it impossible for escumstances would home trouble without unuel Laing was then ut resigned the post in Sir Charles Trevelyan. 2, Bagehot wrote a long fire passages :--

: MINISTER FOR INDIA,

Trevelyan as Finance lections in the face of

nno profess to be itShether on such a subject say anything, but they 1. w a few words.

1859

Presented to Mrs Wilson by The Royal Academy of Scotland

DorM

He was then recalled, not for erroneous doctrines in finance, not for a single doctrine which he avowed, or a single doctrine which he combated, but for palpable and plain insubordination. There is, and must be, a supreme Government in India; Mr. Wilson was for the time the authorised and recognised organ of that Government. Sir Charles Trevelyan resisted that Government, and revolted against the policy of Mr. Wilson, and he has paid the inevitable penalty.

"The publication of the Madras despatches was a monstrous act of misjudgment and insubordination, but it was only an aggravated outbreak of an inherent disposition. Sir Charles Trevelyan has many eminent qualities-great acuteness, great industry, an ardent though ill-regulated public zealbut he never was a safe man; he never had a sound and simple judgment; from vanity or from some better motive, he has never been very willing to confine himself to his proper sphere, especially when it was a subordinate one. These are the very opposite qualities to those which India requires in the situation to which he has been appointed. . .

Referring to this article Bagehot received the following letter from Sir Charles Wood :

"SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA IN COUNCIL.

"DEAR SIR,

"INDIA OFFICE,
"28th November, 1862.

"I have been intending to write to you for a long time, ever since indeed I determined to send Sir C. Trevelyan to India.

"You naturally might view the appointment with a critical eye, and I have not a word to say against the criticism in the Economist on the subject. I believe, however, that you will find that he will be a much more faithful successor in Mr. Wilson's steps than Mr. Laing. He will maintain the Income Tax according to Wilson's avowed intention for the five years and fully carry out his plans for the management of the currency, as far as is possible after the derangement made in them of late. He is fully aware of the error which he committed and