of a still more sensible kind in Lord Wycombe,[1] he must be very unreasonable if he does not consider them all compensated in Lord Henry. I never did see a young man I liked half so much. The little he has done is excellent; good sense, and good language to perfection; a little more force might be desirable, but that will come possibly when he speaks on greater occasions than he has yet done."[2] The greater occasion came with the debate on the charges against Dundas, now Lord Melville, in regard to his conduct as Treasurer of the Navy. "It is a matter of pride to any man," said Tierney, "who followed later in the debate, to be allowed to call himself the friend of such rising talents and eloquence."[3]
On the 15th January 1805, Lord Lansdowne dictated the following letter to Lord Holland. "The state of public affairs is such as to leave me little to regret, whether considered in a large or a narrow point of view, relative to persons or to things. As to the first, the contradictions and inconsistencies are endless, and afford a despicable view of human nature; and as to things, never was this country so totally void of plan as at present, the consequence of which must be such a total want of system both bad and good, as to mock all conjecture of what may happen. I am sorry to say that both Christianism and feudality are approaching every day to their downfall, without anything to replace the good of the one, or the bad of the other; but on the contrary, a spirit of destruction has arisen, which goes to pull down, without the least design of building anything in its room. The most striking feature is a general secresy in all parties, which is easily accounted for by a general want of confidence. But I hope we shall see you soon, which makes it unnecessary for me to enter into further details. I need not tell you that you will be sure to know everything Henry and I do, but there is one thing which I have more at heart than all the politics in the world,
