Wilkes,
it is, perhaps, the greatest misfortune of his life, that you should
have so many compensations to make in the closet for your former
friendship with him.
it is, perhaps, the greatest misfortune of his life, that you should
have so many compensations to make in the closet for your former
friendship with him.
Byron
--[MS.
erased.
]
[hf] _Said Wilkes I've done as much before_. --[MS. erased. ]
[534] {510}[On his third return to Parliament for Middlesex, October 8,
1774, Wilkes took his seat (December 2) without opposition. In the
following February, and on subsequent occasions, he endeavoured to
induce the House to rescind the resolutions passed January 19, 1764,
under which he had been expelled from Parliament, and named as
blasphemous, obscene, etc. Finally, May, 1782, he obtained a substantial
majority on a division, and the obnoxious resolutions were ordered to be
expunged from the journals of the House. ]
[535] [Bute, as leader of the king's party, was an open enemy; Grafton,
a half-hearted friend. The duke (1736-1811) would have visited him in
the Tower (1763), "to hear from himself his own story and his defence;"
but rejected an appeal which Wilkes addressed to him (May 3) to become
surety for bail. He feared that such a step might "come under the
denomination of an insult on the Crown. " A writ of _Habeas Corpus_ (see
line 8) was applied for by Lord Temple and others, and, May 6, Wilkes
was discharged by Lord Chief Justice Pratt, on the ground of privilege.
Three years later (November 1, 1766), on his return from Italy, Wilkes
sought to obtain Grafton's protection and interest; but the duke, though
he consulted Chatham, and laid Wilkes's letter before the King, decided
to "take no notice" of this second appeal. In his _Autobiography_
Grafton is careful to define "the extent of his knowledge" of Mr.
Wilkes, and to explain that he was not "one of his intimates"--a
_caveat_ which warrants the statement of Junius that "as for Mr.
Wilkes,
it is, perhaps, the greatest misfortune of his life, that you should
have so many compensations to make in the closet for your former
friendship with him. Your gracious Master understands your character;
and makes you a persecutor because you have been a friend" ("Letter
(xii. ) to the Duke of Grafton," May 30, 1769). --_Memoirs of Augustus
Henry, Third Duke of Grafton_, by Sir W. Anson, Bart. , D. C. L. , 1898, pp.
190-197. ]
[536] {511}[In 1774 Wilkes was elected Lord Mayor, and in the following
spring it fell to his lot to present to the King a remonstrance from the
Livery against the continuance of the war with America. Walpole (April
17, 1775, Letters, 1803, vi. 257) says that "he used his triumph with
moderation--in modern language with good breeding. " The King is said to
have been agreeably surprised at his demeanour. In his old age (1790) he
voted against the Whigs. A pasquinade, written by Sheridan, Tickell, and
Lord John Townshend, anticipated the devil's insinuations--
"Johnny Wilkes, Johnny Wilkes,
Thou greatest of bilks,
How changed are the notes you now sing!
[hf] _Said Wilkes I've done as much before_. --[MS. erased. ]
[534] {510}[On his third return to Parliament for Middlesex, October 8,
1774, Wilkes took his seat (December 2) without opposition. In the
following February, and on subsequent occasions, he endeavoured to
induce the House to rescind the resolutions passed January 19, 1764,
under which he had been expelled from Parliament, and named as
blasphemous, obscene, etc. Finally, May, 1782, he obtained a substantial
majority on a division, and the obnoxious resolutions were ordered to be
expunged from the journals of the House. ]
[535] [Bute, as leader of the king's party, was an open enemy; Grafton,
a half-hearted friend. The duke (1736-1811) would have visited him in
the Tower (1763), "to hear from himself his own story and his defence;"
but rejected an appeal which Wilkes addressed to him (May 3) to become
surety for bail. He feared that such a step might "come under the
denomination of an insult on the Crown. " A writ of _Habeas Corpus_ (see
line 8) was applied for by Lord Temple and others, and, May 6, Wilkes
was discharged by Lord Chief Justice Pratt, on the ground of privilege.
Three years later (November 1, 1766), on his return from Italy, Wilkes
sought to obtain Grafton's protection and interest; but the duke, though
he consulted Chatham, and laid Wilkes's letter before the King, decided
to "take no notice" of this second appeal. In his _Autobiography_
Grafton is careful to define "the extent of his knowledge" of Mr.
Wilkes, and to explain that he was not "one of his intimates"--a
_caveat_ which warrants the statement of Junius that "as for Mr.
Wilkes,
it is, perhaps, the greatest misfortune of his life, that you should
have so many compensations to make in the closet for your former
friendship with him. Your gracious Master understands your character;
and makes you a persecutor because you have been a friend" ("Letter
(xii. ) to the Duke of Grafton," May 30, 1769). --_Memoirs of Augustus
Henry, Third Duke of Grafton_, by Sir W. Anson, Bart. , D. C. L. , 1898, pp.
190-197. ]
[536] {511}[In 1774 Wilkes was elected Lord Mayor, and in the following
spring it fell to his lot to present to the King a remonstrance from the
Livery against the continuance of the war with America. Walpole (April
17, 1775, Letters, 1803, vi. 257) says that "he used his triumph with
moderation--in modern language with good breeding. " The King is said to
have been agreeably surprised at his demeanour. In his old age (1790) he
voted against the Whigs. A pasquinade, written by Sheridan, Tickell, and
Lord John Townshend, anticipated the devil's insinuations--
"Johnny Wilkes, Johnny Wilkes,
Thou greatest of bilks,
How changed are the notes you now sing!
