serving at my present age, than at thirty-six? Is disinterested contempt of life and fortune less practicable at the age of ninety, than at an earlier period? or are those who find themselves approaching the close of their mortal pilgrimage, more likely to sacrifice liberty and truth to the extension of a precarious existence, and for the sake of life to surrender all which can give to life any real value? How different were the feelings of SOLON, who, when he opposed with vigour, though without success, the tyranny of Pisistratus, and was asked what had inspired him with such undaunted courage, replied, 66 MY OLD AGE." You and I, Bishop of London, would, I trust, at no period of life,

be disposed to make so precious a sacrifice, for the prolongation of life: and however infirm my mortal frame may now be, I feel, at the present moment, as fitted for the trial I then underwent before the Bishop of Chester and the two Judges, and as ready to meet the danger and abide the event, as at any preceding period of my life.

MR. LYTTELTON. Patriotic feelings like these, my dear Lord, are then more likely to increase than diminish in advanced life?

BISHOP HOUGH. So, indeed I should conceive. But I have still more proof

that old age is not incapacitated for

public life. If the peace and prosperity of a country afford evidence of the talents of a minister, who ever deserved the name of a great Statesman, better than the present Premier of France, in his 89th year?-I mean the amiable, the honest, and the pacific FLEURY: vet the Cardinal was near seventy-four, when he undertook the administration of the kingdom of France; which in the course of little more than fourteen years * he has by peaceful measures in a great degree restored, exhausted as it was by the

*FLEURY'S reverse of fortune took place soon after this time. He died broken-hearted in 1713, at the disastrous effects of the war which commenced in 1740. He was then turned of ninety.

profusion and ambition of the late monarch and his ministers. And, my dear Mr. Lyttelton, you must pardon me when I observe, that your political opponent, SIR ROBERT WALPOLE, has merit with me in that respect. To his co-operation, with the mild and equitable minister of France, we are indebted for a greater extension of peace, than we have enjoyed for a long time. Our late monarch, indeed, was not exempt, nor I fear is our present sovereign, from the infectious desire of military glory.

MR. LYTTELTON. I must remind you then, my Lord, of your warm panegyric on King William, and the Duke of Marlborough; and ask

whether there was no itch, no infectious desire of military glory in them.

BISHOP HOUGH. There might have been.-GOD only knows the heart of man.-But there was a cause. The clouds of bigotry and despotism threatened misery and havock to our quarter of the globe: and those heroes were the instruments to which, under an over-ruling providence, Europe is chiefly indebted for the civil and religious liberty which it enjoys. We have now (and I grieve to hear it) declared war against Spain, and are rejoicing in the capture of Porto Bello; prepared by