Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 1.djvu/275

264 BURKE He also opposed a motion for reform in parliament. At this time Mr. Fox and he still continued in terms of friendship, though they did not frequently meet; but when, in 1791, a bill was proposed for the formation of a consti- tution in Canada, Burke, in the course of the discussion, entered on the general principle of the rights of man, proceeded to its offspring the constitution of France, and ex pressed his conviction, that there was a design formed in this country against its constitution. After some of the members of his own party had called Mr. Burke to order, Mr. Fox spoke, and, after declaring his conviction, that the British constitution, though defective in theory, was in practice excellently adapted to this country, repeated his praises of the French revolution, which, he thought, on the whole, one of the most glorious events in the history of mankind. He then proceeded to express his dissent from Burke's opinions on the subject, as inconsistent with just views of the inherent rights of mankind. These be- sides, he said, were inconsistent with Mr. Burke's former principles. Burke, in reply, complained of having been treated by Fox with harshness and malignity; and, after defending his opinions with regard to the new system pursued in France, denied the charge of inconsistency, and insisted that bis opinions on goverament had been the same during all his political life. He said that Mr. Fox and he had often differed, and there had been no loss of friendship between them, but there is something in the cursed Frenc revolution that envenoms every thing. Fox whispered, " there is no loss of friendship between us." Burke, with great warmth, answered, "There is! I know the price of my conduet; our friendship is at an end." Mr. Fox was very greatly agitated by this renunciation of friendship, and made many concessions, but still maintained that Burke had formerly held very different principles, and that he himself had learned from him those principles which he now reprobated, at the same time enforcing the allega-