WILLIAMPITT。
（January1859。）
WilliamPitt，thesecondsonofWilliamPitt，EarlofChatham，andofLadyHesterGranville，daughterofHesterCountessTemple，wasbornonthe28thofMay1759。Thechildinheritedanamewhich，atthetimeofhisbirth，wasthemostillustriousinthecivilisedworld，andwaspronouncedbyeveryEnglishmanwithpride，andbyeveryenemyofEnglandwithmingledadmirationandterror。Duringthefirstyearofhislife，everymonthhaditsilluminationsandbonfires，andeverywindbroughtsomemessengerchargedwithjoyfultidingsandhostilestandards。InWestphaliatheEnglishinfantrywonagreatbattlewhicharrestedthearmiesofLouistheFifteenthinthemidstofacareerofconquest;
BoscawendefeatedoneFrenchfleetonthecoastofPortugal;
HawkeputtoflightanotherintheBayofBiscay;JohnsontookNiagara;AmhersttookTiconderoga;WolfediedbythemostenviableofdeathsunderthewallsofQuebec;ClivedestroyedaDutcharmamentintheHooghly，andestablishedtheEnglishsupremacyinBengal;CooteroutedLallyatWandewash，andestablishedtheEnglishsupremacyintheCarnatic。Thenation，whileloudlyapplaudingthesuccessfulwarriors，consideredthemall，onseaandonland，inEurope，inAmerica，andinAsia，merelyasinstrumentswhichreceivedtheirdirectionfromonesuperiormind。ItwasthegreatWilliamPitt，thegreatcommoner，whohadvanquishedFrenchmarshalsinGermany，andFrenchadmiralsontheAtlantic;whohadconqueredforhiscountryonegreatempireonthefrozenshoresofOntario，andanotherunderthetropicalsunnearthemouthsoftheGanges。Itwasnotinthenatureofthingsthatpopularitysuchasheatthistimeenjoyedshouldbepermanent。Thatpopularityhadlostitsglossbeforehischildrenwereoldenoughtounderstandthattheirfatherwasagreatman。Hewasatlengthplacedinsituationsinwhichneitherhistalentsforadministrationnorhistalentsfordebateappearedtothebestadvantage。Theenergyanddecisionwhichhademinentlyfittedhimforthedirectionofwarwerenotneededintimeofpeace。Theloftyandspirit—stirringeloquencewhichhadmadehimsupremeintheHouseofCommonsoftenfelldeadontheHouseofLords。Acruelmaladyrackedhisjoints，andlefthisjointsonlytofallonhisnervesandonhisbrain。Duringtheclosingyearsofhislife，hewasodioustothecourt，andyetwasnotoncordialtermswiththegreatbodyoftheopposition。ChathamwasonlytheruinofPitt，butanawfulandmajesticruin，nottobecontemplatedbyanymanofsenseandfeelingwithoutemotionsresemblingthosewhichareexcitedbytheremainsoftheParthenonandoftheColiseum。Inonerespecttheoldstatesmanwaseminentlyhappy。Whatevermightbethevicissitudesofhispubliclife，heneverfailedtofindpeaceandlovebyhisownhearth。Helovedallhischildren，andwaslovedbythem;and，ofallhischildren，theoneofwhomhewasfondestandproudestwashissecondson。
Thechild’sgeniusandambitiondisplayedthemselveswitharareandalmostunnaturalprecocity。Atseven，theinterestwhichhetookingravesubjects，theardourwithwhichhepursuedhisstudies，andthesenseandvivacityofhisremarksonbooksandonevents，amazedhisparentsandinstructors。Oneofhissayingsofthisdatewasreportedtohismotherbyhistutor。InAugust1766，whentheworldwasagitatedbythenewsthatMrPitthadbecomeEarlofChatham，littleWilliamexclaimed，"IamgladthatIamnottheeldestson。IwanttospeakintheHouseofCommonslikepapa。"AletterisextantinwhichLadyChatham，awomanofconsiderableabilities，remarkedtoherlord，thattheiryoungersonattwelvehadleftfarbehindhimhiselderbrother，whowasfifteen。"Thefineness，"shewrote，"ofWilliam’smindmakeshimenjoywiththegreatestpleasurewhatwouldbeabovethereachofanyothercreatureofhissmallage。"Atfourteentheladwasinintellectaman。Hayley，whomethimatLymeinthesummerof1773，wasastonished，delighted，andsomewhatoverawed，byhearingwitandwisdomfromsoyoungamouth。Thepoet，indeed，wasafterwardssorrythathisshynesshadpreventedhimfromsubmittingtheplanofanextensiveliterarywork，whichhewasthenmeditating，tothejudgmentofthisextraordinaryboy。Theboy，indeed，hadalreadywrittenatragedy，badofcourse，butnotworsethanthetragediesofhisfriend。ThispieceisstillpreservedatChevening，andisinsomerespectshighlycurious。Thereisnolove。Thewholeplotispolitical;
anditisremarkablethattheinterest，suchasitis，turnsonacontestaboutaregency。OnonesideisafaithfulservantoftheCrown，ontheotheranambitiousandunprincipledconspirator。AtlengththeKing，whohadbeenmissing，reappears，resumeshispower，andrewardsthefaithfuldefenderofhisrights。AreaderwhoshouldjudgeonlybyinternalevidencewouldhavenohesitationinpronouncingthattheplaywaswrittenbysomePittitepoetasteratthetimeoftherejoicingsfortherecoveryofGeorgetheThirdin1789。
ThepleasurewithwhichWilliam’sparentsobservedtherapiddevelopmentofhisintellectualpowerswasalloyedbyapprehensionsabouthishealth。Heshotupalarminglyfast;hewasoftenill，andalwaysweak;anditwasfearedthatitwouldbeimpossibletorearastriplingsotall，soslender，andsofeeble。Portwinewasprescribedbyhismedicaladvisers:anditissaidthathewas，atfourteen，accustomedtotakethisagreeablephysicinquantitieswhichwould，inourabstemiousage，bethoughtmuchmorethansufficientforanyfull—grownman。
Thisregimen，thoughitwouldprobablyhavekilledninety—nineboysoutofahundred，seemstohavebeenwellsuitedtothepeculiaritiesofWilliam’sconstitution;foratfifteenheceasedtobemolestedbydisease，and，thoughneverastrongman，continued，duringmanyyearsoflabourandanxiety，ofnightspassedindebateandofsummerspassedinLondon，tobeatolerablyhealthyone。Itwasprobablyonaccountofthedelicacyofhisframethathewasnoteducatedlikeotherboysofthesamerank。AlmostalltheeminentEnglishstatesmenandoratorstowhomhewasafterwardsopposedorallied，North，Fox，Shelburne，Windham，Grey，Wellesley，Grenville，Sheridan，Canning，wentthroughthetrainingofgreatpublicschools。LordChathamhadhimselfbeenadistinguishedEtonian:anditisseldomthatadistinguishedEtonianforgetshisobligationstoEton。ButWilliam’sinfirmitiesrequiredavigilanceandtendernesssuchascouldbefoundonlyathome。Hewasthereforebredunderthepaternalroof。HisstudiesweresuperintendedbyaclergymannamedWilson;andthosestudies，thoughofteninterruptedbyillness，wereprosecutedwithextraordinarysuccess。Beforetheladhadcompletedhisfifteenthyear，hisknowledgebothoftheancientlanguagesandofmathematicswassuchasveryfewmenofeighteenthencarrieduptocollege。Hewasthereforesent，towardsthecloseoftheyear1773，toPembrokeHall，intheuniversityofCambridge。Soyoungastudentrequiredmuchmorethantheordinarycarewhichacollegetutorbestowsonundergraduates。Thegovernor，towhomthedirectionofWilliam’sacademicallifewasconfided，wasabachelorofartsnamedPretyman，whohadbeenseniorwranglerintheprecedingyear，andwho，thoughnotamanofprepossessingappearanceorbrilliantparts，waseminentlyacuteandlaborious，asoundscholar，andanexcellentgeometrician。AtCambridge，Pretymanwas，duringmorethantwoyears，theinseparablecompanion，andindeedalmosttheonlycompanionofhispupil。A
closeandlastingfriendshipsprangupbetweenthepair。Thedisciplewasable，beforehecompletedhistwenty—eighthyear，tomakehispreceptorBishopofLincolnandDeanofStPaul’s;andthepreceptorshowedhisgratitudebywritingalifeofthedisciple，whichenjoysthedistinctionofbeingtheworstbiographicalworkofitssizeintheworld。
Pitt，tillhegraduated，hadscarcelyoneacquaintance，attendedchapelregularlymorningandevening，dinedeverydayinhall，andneverwenttoasingleeveningparty。Atseventeen，hewasadmitted，afterthebadfashionofthosetimes，byrightofbirth，withoutanyexamination，tothedegreeoftheMasterofArts。Buthecontinuedduringsomeyearstoresideatcollege，andtoapplyhimselfvigorously，underPretyman’sdirection，tothestudiesoftheplace，whilemixingfreelyinthebestacademicsociety。
ThestockoflearningwhichPittlaidinduringthispartofhislifewascertainlyveryextraordinary。Infact，itwasallthatheeverpossessed;forheveryearlybecametoobusytohaveanysparetimeforbooks。TheworkinwhichhetookthegreatestdelightwasNewton’sPrincipia。Hislikingformathematics，indeed，amountedtoapassion，which，intheopinionofhisinstructors，themselvesdistinguishedmathematicians，requiredtobecheckedratherthanencouraged。Theacutenessandreadinesswithwhichhesolvedproblemswaspronouncedbyoneoftheablestofthemoderators，whointhosedayspresidedoverthedisputationsintheschools，andconductedtheexaminationsoftheSenateHouse，tobeunrivalledintheuniversity。Norwastheyouth’sproficiencyinclassicallearninglessremarkable。
Inonerespect，indeed，heappearedtodisadvantagewhencomparedwithevensecond—rateandthird—ratemenfrompublicschools。Hehadnever，whileunderWilson’scare，beeninthehabitofcomposingintheancientlanguages:andhethereforeneveracquiredthatknackofversificationwhichissometimespossessedbycleverboyswhoseknowledgeofthelanguageandliteratureofGreeceandRomeisverysuperficial。ItwouldhavebeenutterlyoutofhispowertoproducesuchcharmingelegiaclinesasthoseinwhichWellesleybadefarewelltoEton，orsuchVirgilianhexametersasthoseinwhichCanningdescribedthepilgrimagetoMecca。Butitmaybedoubtedwhetheranyscholarhasever，attwenty，hadamoresolidandprofoundknowledgeofthetwogreattonguesoftheoldcivilisedworld。ThefacilitywithwhichhepenetratedthemeaningofthemostintricatesentencesintheAtticwritersastonishedveterancritics。HehadsethisheartonbeingintimatelyacquaintedwithalltheextantpoetryofGreece，andwasnotsatisfiedtillhehadmasteredLycophron’sCassandra，themostobscureworkinthewholerangeofancientliterature。Thisstrangerhapsody，thedifficultiesofwhichhaveperplexedandrepelledmanyexcellentscholars，"heread，"
sayshispreceptor，"withaneaseatfirstsight，which，ifIhadnotwitnessedit，Ishouldhavethoughtbeyondthecompassofhumanintellect。"
TomodernliteraturePittpaidcomparativelylittleattention。
HeknewnolivinglanguageexceptFrench;andFrenchheknewveryimperfectly。WithafewofthebestEnglishwritershewasintimate，particularlywithShakspeareandMilton。ThedebateinPandemoniumwas，asitwelldeservedtobe，oneofhisfavouritepassages;andhisearlyfriendsusedtotalk，longafterhisdeath，ofthejustemphasisandthemelodiouscadencewithwhichtheyhadheardhimrecitetheincomparablespeechofBelial。Hehadindeedbeencarefullytrainedfrominfancyintheartofmanaginghisvoice，avoicenaturallyclearanddeep—toned。Hisfather，whoseoratoryowednosmallpartofitseffecttothatart，hadbeenamostskilfulandjudiciousinstructor。Atalaterperiod，thewitsofBrookes’s，irritatedbyobserving，nightafternight，howpowerfullyPitt’ssonorouselocutionfascinatedtherowsofcountrygentlemen，reproachedhimwithhavingbeen"taughtbyhisdadonastool。"
Hiseducation，indeed，waswelladaptedtoformagreatparliamentaryspeaker。Oneargumentoftenurgedagainstthoseclassicalstudieswhichoccupysolargeapartoftheearlylifeofeverygentlemanbredinthesouthofourislandis，thattheypreventhimfromacquiringacommandofhismothertongue，andthatitisnotunusualtomeetwithayouthofexcellentparts，whowritesCiceronianLatinproseandHoratianLatinAlcaics，butwhowouldfinditimpossibletoexpresshisthoughtsinpure，perspicuous，andforcibleEnglish。Theremayperhapsbesometruthinthisobservation。ButtheclassicalstudiesofPittwerecarriedoninapeculiarmanner，andhadtheeffectofenrichinghisEnglishvocabulary，andofmakinghimwonderfullyexpertintheartofconstructingcorrectEnglishsentences。HispracticewastolookoverapageortwoofaGreekorLatinauthor，tomakehimselfmasterofthemeaning，andthentoreadthepassagestraightforwardintohisownlanguage。Thispractice，begununderhisfirstteacherWilson，wascontinuedunderPretyman。Itisnotstrangethatayoungmanofgreatabilities，whohadbeenexerciseddailyinthiswayduringtenyears，shouldhaveacquiredanalmostunrivalledpowerofputtinghisthoughts，withoutpremeditation，intowordswellselectedandwellarranged。
Ofalltheremainsofantiquity，theorationswerethoseonwhichhebestowedthemostminuteexamination。Hisfavouriteemploymentwastocompareharanguesonoppositesidesofthesamequestion，toanalysethem，andtoobservewhichoftheargumentsofthefirstspeakerwererefutedbythesecond，whichwereevaded，andwhichwereleftuntouched。Norwasitonlyinbooksthatheatthistimestudiedtheartofparliamentaryfencing。
Whenhewasathome，hehadfrequentopportunitiesofhearingimportantdebatesatWestminster;andheheardthem，notonlywithinterestandenjoyment，butwithaclosescientificattentionresemblingthatwithwhichadiligentpupilatGuy’sHospitalwatcheseveryturnofthehandofagreatsurgeonthroughadifficultoperation。Ononeoftheseoccasions，Pitt，ayouthwhoseabilitieswereasyetknownonlytohisownfamilyandtoasmallknotofcollegefriends，wasintroducedonthestepsofthethroneintheHouseofLordstoFox，whowashisseniorbyelevenyears，andwhowasalreadythegreatestdebater，andoneofthegreatestorators，thathadappearedinEngland。
Foxusedafterwardstorelatethat，asthediscussionproceeded，Pittrepeatedlyturnedtohim，andsaid，"Butsurely，MrFox，thatmightbemetthus;"or，"Yes;buthelayshimselfopentothisretort。"WhattheparticularcriticismswereFoxhadforgotten;buthesaidthathewasmuchstruckatthetimebytheprecocityoftheladwho，throughthewholesitting，seemedtobethinkingonlyhowallthespeechesonbothsidescouldbeanswered。
Oneoftheyoungman’svisitstotheHouseofLordswasasadandmemorableerainhislife。Hehadnotquitecompletedhisnineteenthyear，when，onthe7thofApril1778，heattendedhisfathertoWestminster。Agreatdebatewasexpected。ItwasknownthatFrancehadrecognisedtheindependenceoftheUnitedStates。TheDukeofRichmondwasabouttodeclarehisopinionthatallthoughtofsubjugatingthosestatesoughttoberelinquished。Chathamhadalwaysmaintainedthattheresistanceofthecoloniestothemothercountrywasjustifiable。Butheconceived，veryerroneously，thatonthedayonwhichtheirindependenceshouldbeacknowledgedthegreatnessofEnglandwouldbeatanend。Thoughsinkingundertheweightofyearsandinfirmities，hedetermined，inspiteoftheentreatiesofhisfamily，tobeinhisplace。Hissonsupportedhimtoaseat。
Theexcitementandexertionweretoomuchfortheoldman。Intheveryactofaddressingthepeers，hefellbackinconvulsions。Afewweekslaterhiscorpsewasborne，withgloomypomp，fromthePaintedChambertotheAbbey。Thefavouritechildandnamesakeofthedeceasedstatesmanfollowedthecoffinaschiefmourner，andsawitdepositedinthetranseptwherehisownwasdestinedtolie。
Hiselderbrother，nowEarlofChatham，hadmeanssufficient，andbarelysufficient，tosupportthedignityofthepeerage。Theothermembersofthefamilywerepoorlyprovidedfor。Williamhadlittlemorethanthreehundredayear。Itwasnecessaryforhimtofollowaprofession。Hehadalreadybeguntoeathisterms。Inthespringof1780hecameofage。HethenquittedCambridge，wascalledtothebar，tookchambersinLincoln’sInn，andjoinedthewesterncircuit。Intheautumnofthatyearageneralelectiontookplace;andheofferedhimselfasacandidatefortheuniversity;buthewasatthebottomofthepoll。Itissaidthatthegravedoctors，whothensaterobedinscarlet，onthebenchesofGolgotha，thoughtitgreatpresumptioninsoyoungamantosolicitsohighadistinction。Hewas，however，attherequestofahereditaryfriend，theDukeofRutland，b...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：