RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM PITT.

LATE CHANCELlor of the exchequer, &c.

TO attempt the delineation of the life and character of a minifter of ftate, is, at all times, a difficult, delicate, and fometimes a dangerous task; for the paffions of the generality of men are too much agitated to attend to cool difcuffion while they contemplate the immediate political fituation of their country, more especially at a period like the prefent, fo replete with important and fingular events.

This country never had a minifter of whom fuch different opinions have been entertained as Mr. Pitt, and indeed no former one was ever placed in such critical circumftances. In fhort, the memorable history of this statesman, comprising, as it neceffarily muft, a review of his political operations, will be reforted to, at fome future period, as one of the most interefting and inftructive performances that can occupy the attention of mankind.

William Pitt, the illuftrious Earl of Chatham, had three fons, of whom, William is the youngest. He was born May 8, 1759, at a time when his father's glory was at its zenith; and when, in confequence of the wisdom of his councils, and the vigour and promptitude of his decifions, British valour reigned triumphant in every part of the globe.

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On the acceffion of his prefent majefty, that great ftatefiman, in confequence of new arrangements, chiefly recafioned by the rifing influence of the Earl of Bute, retired from the ftation which he had fo honourably filled; and configning his other fons to the care of others, he devoted his own time to the education of WILLIAM, on a strong and well-founded perfuafion (as he was in the habit of saying) that "he would one day encrease the glory of the name " of PITT."

His claffical knowledge Mr. Pitt acquired under the care of a private tutor at Burton Pynfent, the feat of his father; and the Earl took great pleasure in teaching him, while ftill a youth, to argue with logical precifion, and to fpeak with elegance and force. He judiciously accuftomed him to the practice of making accurate enquiries refpecting every fubject that caught his attention, and taught him not to remain fatisfied with a fuperficial obfervation of appearances.

Thefe leffons brought him into an early practice of cool and patient investigation, rarely, if ever, acquired by thofe who prefer the trappings of eloquence, and the fhowy ornaments of language, to plain fober diction, and pertinent matter of fact,

Under fuch an able paternal guide, an acute mind could not fail to imbibe a ftore of found practical knowledge. The Earl, with his ufual perfpicacity, fancied he faw in his fon a future ftatefman, and, in all probability, a future premier of his country alfo.

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It was a laudable ambition in a father, and to gratify it he fpared no exertions; directing his whole attention to the great object of rendering his fon accomplished in all things requifite to form a public character, and preferve the luftre already attached to the name of WILLIAM PITT.

He, himself, frequently entered into difputations with him, and encouraged him to converfe with others, upon fubjects far above what could be expected from his years. In the management of these arguments, his father would never cease to prefs him with difficulties; nor would he permit him to ftop, till the fubject of contention was completely exhaufted. By being inured to this method, the fon acquired that quality which is of the first confequence in public life-a fufficient degree of firmnefs, and prefence of mind, as well as a ready delivery, in which he was wonderfully aided both by nature and education.

That he might enjoy all the benefits of inftruction which this country could give him, and, at the fame time, by a rapid progrefs in the preliminary ftudies, qualify himself early for the fenate, he was taken, at between fourteen and fifteen years of age, from his father's roof, and the care of a very enlightened and worthy clergyman, Mr. (now Dr.) Wilfon, and fent to Pembroke college, Cambridge,, where he was admitted under the tuition of Meffrs. Turner and Prettyman, both very able men, and willing to fecond to the utmost of their power the intentions of his father.

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father. Mr. Prettyman was alfo his private inftructor, and a better choice could not have been made, as far as claffical and mathematical knowledge were concerned. For eloquence he could not look up to either of his inftructors; but his father's example and precepts required no further affiftance on that head,

In Cambridge he became a model to the young nobility and fellow-commoners; and it was not doubted that, if the privileges of his rank had not cxempted him from the ufual exercises for the bacheJor's degree, he would have been found among the first competitors for academical honours. On his admiffion, according to cuftom, to his mafter's degree, the public orator found it needless to search into genealogy, or even to dwell much upon the virtues of his father, for the eyes of the university were fixed on the youth; the enraptured audience affented to every encomium, and each breaft was filled with the livelieft prefages of his future greatnefs.

Mr. P. was afterwards entered a ftudent of Lincoln's Inn, and made fo rapid a progrefs in his legal ftudies, as to be foon called to the bar, with every profpect of fuccefs.

We are informed, that he once or twice went upon the Western circuit, and appeared as junior counsel in feveral canfes. He was, however, deftined to fill a more important ftation in the government of his country, than is usually obtained through the channel of the law.

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At the general election, 1780, we find him nominated by fome of the most refpectable perfons in Cambridge as a candidate to represent that university; but notwithstanding the high character he had obtained there, he found very few to second his pretenfions. In the following year, however, he was returned for the borough of Appleby, by the interest of Sir James Lowther. On taking his feat in the House of Commons, he enlifted himself on the fide of the party which had conftantly oppofed the minifter, Lord North, and the American war, and which regarded him with a degree of veneration; recognizing in his perfon the genius of his illuftrious father revived and acting, as it were, in him. His first speech was in favour of Mr. Burke's bill; and one of the firft acts, in which he took the lead in that House, was extremely well calculated to increase his popularity; this was his motion for a committee, to confult upon the most effectual means to accomplish a more equal reprefentation of the people in parliament, His propofitions were, indeed, rejected; but he continued to repeat and renew them from time to time; and thus kept up the public attention to this great object, which was, confequently more generally canvaffed that it ever had been before.

On the death of the Marquis of Rockingham, the old Whig party fell into a ftate of difunion, nearly bordering upon diffolution. A new arrangement took place foon after, and Lord Shelburne became the first lord of the treafury, affifted by Mr. Pitt, who aftonished