RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET,

Publisher in Ordinary to Her Majesty.

1866.

[The Author reserves the right of Translation.]

PREFACE

ΤΟ

THE THIRD VOLUME.

SEVEN years have elapsed since the appearance of the second volume of the "Life of Fox;" but the interest of the subject has by no means decreased, and while I regret that I have not been able to treat it as it deserves, the importance of the period, from 1793 to 1806, appears to me to be such, that, among the materials for a future historian, a Whig view of Mr. Fox's career during that time ought to find a place.

Lord Stanhope has given to the world a very interesting "Life of Pitt," and has placed before us all that can be said in favour of the policy of that statesman, in no unfair or uncandid spirit towards his opponents.

Among other materials for history and biography, the following works may be mentioned :

:

"Mémoires tirés des Papiers d'un Homme d'Etat," 13 volumes. This work is chiefly by Armand François d'Allonville, Count d'Allonville. He was, however, greatly assisted by M. Beauchamp and M. Schubert, who are said to have compiled, jointly or separately, volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10, of the series. It is also said that Beauchamp first thought of

the work. There can be no doubt, I believe, of the authenticity of the documents contained in these volumes. The statesman from whose collections these papers have been drawn, is supposed to be Prince Hardenberg.

"The Life and Opinions of Charles, second Earl Grey," in one volume, by Lieut.-Gen. Grey, is a work which contains many letters of Lord Grey, the intimate friend of Mr. Fox, his successor as the leader of the Whig party, and the great minister of the Reform Bill.

The "Memoirs of the Court and Cabinets of George III.,” by the Duke of Buckingham, contain the valuable letters of Lord Grenville and Mr. Thomas Grenville, the one the able colleague of Pitt, the other the early and attached friend of Fox.

The "Diaries and Correspondence of the Earl of Malmesbury" give very fully the opinions of that masterly diplomatist. Lord Holland's "Memoirs of the Whig Party;" the "Journal and Correspondence of Lord Auckland;" the "Diary of the Right Hon. W. Windham;" the "Diaries and Correspondence of the Right Hon. George Rose;" "The Great War with France," by Lieut.-Gen. Sir Henry Bunbury; "Memoir of Sir Ralph Abercromby," by Lord Dunfermline; "Life of Sheridan," by Thomas Moore; "Life of Lord Sidmouth," by the Dean of Norwich; these and many other works throw a light upon the transactions in which so many men of the highest abilities, statesmen, orators, generals, and admirals, were engaged. All these volumes deserve to be studied by those who wish to form an opinion on the conduct of the English Government, and the

English Opposition, during the momentous wars of the French Revolution.

I have not mentioned the histories of Thiers, of Alison, and of Adolphus: they are well known. A work which has recently appeared, called “La Révolution," by Edgar Quinet, is well worthy of study. M. Quinet appears to me to have traced the succession of events, hitherto almost inexplicable, which occurred during the French Revolution, with great originality, and, in most cases, with very sound judgment.

PEMBROKE LODGE,

October 8th, 1866.

R.