"WILLIAM THE THIRD.

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turbulent of oppositions without any zeal for freedom, and chap.had served the most arbitrary of monarclis without any igsj.zeal for monarchy; had voted for the Exclusion Bill with-out being a Protestant, and had adored the Host withoutbeing a Papist; had sold his country at once to both thegreat parties which divided the Continent, had takenmoney from Prance, and had sent intelligence to Holland.

As far, however, as he could be said to have any opinions,his opinions were Whiggish. Since his return from exile,his influence had been generally exerted in favour of theWhig party. It was by his counsel that the Great Sealhad been entrusted to Somers, that Nottingham had beensacrificed to Russell, and that Montague had been pre-ferred to Pox. It was by his dexterous management thatthe Princess Anne had been detached from the opposition,and that Godolphin had been removed from the head ofthe Board of Treasury. The party which Sunderland haddone so much to serve now held a new pledge for hisfidelity. His only son, Charles Lord Spencer, was just Lord

. . . Spcnccr.

entering on public life. The precocious maturity of theyoung man’s intellectual and moral character had excitedhopes which were not destined to be realized. His know-ledge of ancient literature, and his skill in imitating thestyles of the masters of Roman eloquence, were applaudedby veteran scholars. The sedateness of his deportmentand the apparent regularity of his life delighted austeremoralists. He was known indeed to have one expensivetaste; but it was a taste of the most respectable kind. He