"He appears," says the noble lord, "to have been a person in whose bosom every fierce and malignant passion raged, without the control of a sound judgment, and without any kindly feeling to attemper his nature. Writing at a time when good or even correct composition was little studied, and in the newspapers hardly ever met with, his polished style, though very far from being a correct one, and further still from good pure English, being made the vehicle of abuse, sarcasm, and pointed invective, naturally excited a degree of attention, which was further maintained by the boldness of his proceedings. No man can read a page of any letter without perceiving that the writer has but one way of handling every subject, and that he constructs his sentences with the sole design of saying the most bitter things he can in the most striking way; without ever regarding in the least degree their being applicable or inapplicable to the object of the attack. The consequence is, that the greater part of his invective will just suit one bad man, or wicked minister, as well as another. It is highly probable that, whoever he might be, he had often attacked those with whom he lived on intimate terms, or to whom he was under obligations. This affords an additional reason for his dying unrevealed."

Again, adverting to the epoch of their publication, perhaps the comments on and appreciation by Burke of Junius, furnish the best evidence of the opinions then entertained respecting these famed epistles. In his place, in the House of Commons, that eloquent and accomplished orator thus alludes to the person and to the subject:

"How comes this Junius to have broke through the cobwebs of the law, and to range uncontrolled, unpunished through the land? The myrmidons of the court have been long, and are still pursuing him in vain. They will not spend their time upon me, or upon you, when the mighty boar of the forest, that has broke through all their toils, is before them. But what will all their efforts avail? No sooner has he wounded one than he lays another dead at his feet. For my part, when I saw his attack upon the King, I own my blood ran cold, I thought he had ventured too far, and that there was an end of his triumphs. Not that he had not asserted many truths. Yes, sir, there are in that composition many bold truths by which a wise prince might profit. It was the rancour and venom by which I was struck. In these respects the North Briton is as much inferior to him as in strength, wit, and judgment. But while I expected from this daring flight his final ruin and fall, behold him

• Lord Brougham, in a memoir of Lord Mansfield, "Sketches of Statesmen of the reign of George III."

CAUSES OF JUNIUS'S POPULARITY.

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rising still higher, and coming down souse upon both Houses of Parliament. Yes, he did make you his quarry, and you still bleed from the wounds of his talons. You crouched and still crouch beneath his rage; nor has he dreaded the terrors of your brow, sir; he has attacked even you-he has—and I believe you have no reason to triumph in the encounter. In short, after carrying away our royal eagle in his pounces, and dashing him against a rock, he has laid you prostrate. King, lords, and commons are but the sport of his fury. Were he a member of this house, what might not be expected from his knowledge, his firmness, and integrity? He would be easily known by his contempt of all danger, by his penetration, by his vigour. Nothing would escape his vigilance and activity. Bad ministers could conceal nothing from his sagacity; nor could promises or threats induce him to conceal any thing from the public."

Many causes are to be assigned for the immediate effect and popularity of the Letters of Junius. Amongst which may be enumerated their intrinsic merit, as literary compositions; the caustic severity of their personal satire; the exalted station and political power of the parties assailed; the vituperative replies of some of the individuals attacked; the legal prosecutions which were instituted against their printers and publishers; the profound and unexampled secrecy that involved their authorship during the five years in which they were successively produced, and for three quarters of a century since; and, finally, the numerous pamphlets and essayst which have been published, from time to time, in the vain endeavour to affix the authorship on particular individuals, and which have greatly contributed to keep these extraordinary Letters prominently before the public.

Sir Fletcher Norton, then Speaker of the House of Commons, (1770), was remarkable for large, black eye-brows.

† A catalogue raisonné of these would be a curiosity of literature, and would astonish the reader who has not devoted much attention to the subject. It was my intention to have given one on the present occasion, but the task would require more time than I can devote to it, and would augment the size of the present Essay, to its disadvantage. At least thirty volumes and pamphlets have been written and published, and I learn that three others are now preparing for the press-one of which is in America. The papers and letters in magazines, reviews, newspapers, and other periodicals are almost innumerable.

In the wide range of literature there is not to be found a case to parallel that now referred to. There never was a publication that has occasioned more inquiry, discussion, speculation, and research: -yet, strange to say, the veil, or mask assumed by the author has not hitherto been removed, the mysterious source of the stream that poured forth such "troubled waters" has never been traced to its spring head; the private character, the object, motives, and animus of the writer have never been satisfactorily explained and elucidated.

In attempting to remove this mystic mask, to show the human face, and thereby relieve the public mind from further suspense and doubt, it is candidly admitted that no testamentary record,-no death-bed confession,-no long-concealed positive declaration can be adduced, as a single and conclusive proof of the authorship. Nor is it likely that such peremptory evidence will ever be found, or was ever left on record: for the perils of discovery naturally occasioned the most consummate wariness and precaution in the responsible actor. That he was a Protean performer is admitted by friends and by foes:-that he had the cunning of the fox, the eye of the lynx, and the craft and courage of the tiger, is equally evident. Hence we must not expect to find a direct and absolute proof in any one fact, but rather hope to trace the mystery to its source by circuitous and intricate ways. This has been my process on the present occasion, and the result is now submitted to that numerous class of readers who feel an interest in the elucidation of any literary mystery, generally, and of this in particular.

Accustomed for many years to a different branch of literature, I must acknowledge that I commenced, and have prosecuted the present task with diffidence and hesitation; but the fair and candid critic will make every reasonable allowance for defects of style, of logic, and of argument; and judge rather by the spirit and intention of the writer than by his language, or the polish of his periods. Had I the eloquence of a Junius, a Gibbon, a Burke, or a Johnson, I should be able to render more ample justice to the

THE AUTHOR'S EARLY NOTES ON JUNIUS.

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materials I have accumulated, and to the cause which I have ventured to advocate.

Aware that the subject is essentially connected with party politics, and that the Letters were originally, and have long been, regarded as libellous, treasonable, seditious, democratic, and republican, I must seek to propitiate the reader's impartiality and candour, by the assurance that for many years past I have endeavoured to discipline my own mind, and to cure it of all party bias. I have seen enough of men and their actions, to know that there are good and bad in each and every sect and party; and that moderation and tolerance are the best evidences of true patriotism and political worth, or excellence. Party feelings and prejudices I disclaim, as I have long been convinced of their folly and injustice.

Sceptical myself, I cannot expect a reader to surrender his judgment and conviction but upon the most cogent and conclusive grounds; and if the evidence on which my own opinion is based be trust-worthy it cannot fail to produce a corresponding result in the mind of the reader. Influenced solely by a love of truth and historical integrity, I have carefully and sedulously devoted much time, inquiry, and research to unravel a knot, the clue to which was presented many years ago to my young and inquisitive mind. Had I duly felt the importance of the subject when the first hints and facts were related to me; had I followed up the scent which was then strong and vivid, many curious and striking circumstances might have been discovered, and much labour, which has now been rendered necessary, might have been spared me: but after the printing of the "Beauties of England and Wales" had commenced (in the year 1800), my best mental energies were continually engaged in the prosecution of that work and in others which sprung out of it. Occasionally, however, the fame and mystery of the Letters of Junius attracted my study and attention; and I progressively accumulated hints, facts, and data, which about two years ago, on commencing an Auto-biography of my own literary life, I found amongst a mass of other papers. It was then my purpose to give

a brief epitome of them merely, in that personal Memoir; but I have been led, almost insensibly, to further research, and also to an extensive correspondence; and having thereby obtained a variety of new and remarkable information confirmatory of previous conjectures, and conclusive, as I believe, of the true authorship, I have been induced to offer them to the public in the present form and manner, independently of, and detached from, the intended Autobiography.

At the end of the last century, I visited the town of Hungerford, and several places in its vicinity, to collect materials for a topographical work, to be called "The Beauties of Wiltshire." I then formed an intimacy with the Rev. Dr. Popham, of Chilton, with whom I continued on familiar and corresponding terms till his death, at a very advanced age, in 1815. He was a man of learning, and of a literary turn. In his early professional career, he held the vicarage of Lacock, for more than twenty years. This being in the immediate vicinity of Bowood, he became an occasional guest at that splendid house and hospitable home; and there met many distinguished politicians, men of Science, Literature, and Art, during · the years 1769, 70, 71, and 72. Amongst them, Counsellor Dunning and Colonel Barré were the most regular and constant visitors and associates of its noble owner, Lord Shelburne. These three spent the parliamentary recess together at Bowood for many successive years. The Colonel and the Counsellor were protégés of the Nobleman, having represented in Parliament the boroughs of Calne, and of High Wycombe, both of which were in the gift or patronage of Lord Shelburne. Public men and public measures were necessarily the subjects of frequent conversation at these symposiums, amongst which the Letters of Junius had no small share of comment and criticism. The extraordinary finesse displayed in mixed parties by the three persons above named, and the difference of their language, when comparatively in conclave, excited the particular attention of my friend; and he became confirmed in opinion that they were either the authors of the