Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 1.djvu/446

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CAULFIELD. 435 eordiality which had for some time subsisted between Lord Charlemont and Lord Northington, had considerably cooled. The introduction of John Scott (afterwards Earl of Clonmell), and John Fitzgibbon (afterwards Earl of Clare) to power, had alienated his lordship from the viceroy, whom, on the other hand, the conyention had alienated from Lord Charlemont, who had continued his attendances at the viceroy's levee, after the convention was dissolved; bat his visits were received with such cold civility, that he now decliued them entirely. He had done the state important services in that very convention, and gratitude, rather than frowns and coldness, was the due meed of bimself and many of his friends, who acted with him, and now shared in the same unworthy treat- ment. The coalition ministry of Mr. Fox and Lord North were soon removed from their places, and Lord Northing. ton of course from the government of Ireland, and was succeeded by the Duke of Rutland. Early in 1786, Lord Charlemont was elected president of the Royal Irish Academy, incorporated under the auspices of his majesty, and to which such a president was both an honour and an ornament, as well as an able and active promoter of its laudable purposes, which embraced the three compartments of science, polite literature, and anti- quities. The volunteer army-the great objects of its forma- tion being now accomplished, began rapidly to diminish in its numbers. This circumstance was observed by Lord Charlemont; but his solicitude and attention to them, suffered no abatement; and ia this and the following year their reviews were continued, for he was aware that if he relinquished the command of those bands, there were not wanting some who might seize on that command, for purposes not so patriotic as his own ; besides that, it was more wise to suffer those corps to fade away tacitly under his calm and auspicious rule, thab that they should receive an apgry and ill-timed mandate from the castle, for dis- persion; which, instead of obedience, might have produced