the lottery of life honour is the great prize. It is the opinion of the people for which the candidate at an election contends; and on the same principles he will barter the opinion of the people, their rights and liberty, and his own independence and character, not for gold, but for the friendship of a court-favourite. Not that gold has not its weight too, for the great and powerful have that also to bestow:—it is true, that
——"In their Livery
Walk Crowns and Crownets, Realms and Islands
As Plates drop from their Pockets."
But opinion is a still more insinuating and universal menstruum for dissolving honesty. That sweet smile that hangs on princes' favours is more effectual than even the favours themselves!
ON COURT INFLUENCE.
(Concluded.)
"To be honest as this world goes, is to be one man picked out of ten thousand."
January 10, 1818.
We are all of us more or less the slaves of opinion. There is no one, however mean or insignificant, whose approbation is altogether indifferent to us; whose flattery does not please, whose contempt does not mortify us. There is an atmosphere of this sort always about us, from which we can no more withdraw ourselves than from the air we breathe. But the air of a Court is the concentrated essence of the opinion of the world. The atmosphere there is mephitic. It is subtle poison, the least exhalation of which taints the vitals of its victims. It is made up of servile adulation, of sneering compliments, of broken promises, of smiling professions, of stifled opinions, of hollow thanks, of folly and lies—
"Soul-killing lies, and truths that work small good."
