circles, Lord Mansfield was boasting to him, which he was apt to do, of the quantity of business which he went through. Mr. Hume said, 'How was it possible!' Lord Mansfield said he would tell him his secret. When he went to the sittings at the Council or any of the other Courts he called for a list of the causes, and he could easily distinguish which would draw attention, and those he studied as well as he could or as his time permitted; the others he left to chance or off-hand opinions. Lord Camden always said that he was sure Lord Mansfield never decided a cause right or wrong from a pure motive all his life.
"Lord Holdernesse supported himself, as many a man has done before him and since, by his insignificance.
"Lord Ligonier was an old woman supported by the routine of office, and having no opinion of his own.
"Lord Anson the same; he had married Lord Hardwicke's daughter. Lord Hardwicke with great deliberation and sanctity sacrificed Admiral Byng to be shot, contrary to every rule of justice and to the best naval opinions, to stem the public clamour and save his son-in-law.
"Such was the Cabinet which had to carry through the war, under the direction of Mr. Pitt, who did it by the following means: first, by leaving the Duke of Newcastle the undisturbed enjoyment of the whole patronage of the Crown, the only idea he had of power; secondly, by indulging Mr. Fox's love of money, which took full possession of him as soon as Mr. Pitt had shut the door on his ambition;[1] and, thirdly (having, by this time, secured the public confidence, and got rid of his rivals by one means or another), by applying himself to gain the Court through the surest channel, Lady Yarmouth, and determining to go every length to please the King in his ruling passion and that of the Hanover family, viz. German measures and personal avarice. He unsaid everything with which he had made the House of Commons and the publick echo in order to get into
- ↑ Mr. Fox was Paymaster in this administration.
