His first administration lasted seventeen years.That long period is divided by a strongly marked line into two almost exactly equal parts.The first part ended and the second began in the autumn of 1792.Throughout both parts Pitt displayed in the highest degree the talents of a parliamentary leader.During the first part he was a fortunate and, in many respects, a skilful administrator.With the difficulties which he had to encounter during the second part he was altogether incapable of contending: but his eloquence and his perfect mastery of the tactics of the House of Commons concealed his incapacity from the multitude.
The eight years which followed the general election of 1784 were as tranquil and prosperous as any eight years in the whole history of England.Neighbouring nations which had lately been in arms against her, and which had flattered themselves that, in losing her American colonies, she had lost a chief source of her wealth and of her power, saw, with wonder and vexation, that she was more wealthy and more powerful than ever.Her trade increased.Her manufactures flourished.Her exchequer was full to overflowing.Very idle apprehensions were generally entertained, that the public debt, though much less than a third of the debt which we now bear with ease, would be found too heavy for the strength of the nation.Those apprehensions might not perhaps have been easily quieted by reason.But Pitt quieted them by a juggle.He succeeded in persuading first himself, and then the whole nation, his opponents included, that a new sinking fund, which, so far as it differed from former sinking funds, differed for the worse, would, by virtue of some mysterious power of propagation belonging to money, put into the pocket of the public creditor great sums not taken out of the pocket of the tax-payer.The country, terrified by a danger which was no danger, hailed with delight and boundless confidence a remedy which was no remedy.The minister was almost universally extolled as the greatest of financiers.Meanwhile both the branches of the House of Bourbon found that England was as formidable an antagonist as she had ever been.France had formed a plan for reducing Holland to vassalage.But England interposed; and France receded.Spain interrupted by violence the trade of our merchants with the regions near the Oregon.But England armed; and Spain receded.Within the island there was profound tranquillity.The King was, for the first time, popular.During the twenty-three years which had followed his accession he had not been loved by his subjects.His domestic virtues were acknowledged.But it was generally thought that the good qualities by which he was distinguished in private life were wanting to his political character.As a Sovereign, he was resentful, unforgiving, stubborn, cunning.Under his rule the country had sustained cruel disgraces and disasters; and every one of those disgraces and disasters was imputed to his strong antipathies, and to his perverse obstinacy in the wrong.One statesman after another complained that he had been induced by royal caresses, intreaties, and promises, to undertake the direction of affairs at a difficult conjuncture, and that, as soon as he had, not without sullying his fame, and alienating his best friends, served the turn for which he was wanted, his ungrateful master began to intrigue against him, and to canvass against him.Grenville, Rockingham, Chatham, men of widely different characters, but all three upright and high-spirited, agreed in thinking that the Prince under whom they had successively held the highest place in government was one of the most insincere of mankind.His confidence was reposed, they said, not in those known and responsible counsellors to whom he had delivered the seals of office, but in secret advisers who stole up the back stairs into his closet.In Parliament his ministers, while defending themselves against the attacks of the opposition in front, were perpetually, at his instigation, assailed on the flank or in the rear by a vile band of mercenaries who called themselves his friends.These men constantly, while in possession of lucrative places in his service, spoke and voted against bills which he had authorised the First Lord of the Treasury or the Secretary of State to bring in.But from the day on which Pitt was placed at the head of affairs there was an end of secret influence.His haughty and aspiring spirit was not to be satisfied with the mere show of power.Any attempt to undermine him at Court, any mutinous movement among his followers in the House of Commons, was certain to be at once put down.He had only to tender his resignation;and he could dictate his own terms.For he, and he alone, stood between the King and the Coalition.He was therefore little less than Mayor of the Palace.The nation loudly applauded the King for having the wisdom to repose entire confidence in so excellent a minister.His Majesty's private virtues now began to produce their full effect.He was generally regarded as the model of a respectable country gentleman, honest, good-natured, sober, religious.He rose early: he dined temperately: he was strictly faithful to his wife: he never missed church; and at church he never missed a response.His people heartily prayed that he might long reign over them; and they prayed the more heartily because his virtues were set off to the best advantage by the vices and follies of the Prince of Wales, who lived in close intimacy with the chiefs of the opposition.
