At the same time she supposes she must not take the liberty of returning it; that would be too English: she is almost tempted to say that his Lordship's extreme politeness is too French."[1]
The imputation of insincerity was, indeed, indignantly denied by those who had the most abundant opportunities of knowing Shelburne intimately. Franklin and Morellet repeatedly insisted on his perfect straightforwardness, and attributed the attacks made upon him to jealousy;[2] Mlle. de l'Espinasse considered frankness to be one of the distinguishing characteristics of his nature;[3] and it was of Shelburne that Sir W. Jones quoted the line of Shakespeare,
"He was my friend, faithful and just to me;"
but Burke, to whom Sir W. Jones quoted the line, and all the Rockingham Whigs, said Shelburne was insincere, and Burke and the Rockingham Whigs were very honourable men in the estimation of the world.
