Thisnarrativehasnowreachedapoint，beyondwhichafullhistoryofthelifeofPittwouldbeahistoryofEngland，orratherofthewholecivilisedworld;andforsuchahistorythisisnottheproperplace。Hereaveryslightsketchmustsuffice;
andinthatsketchprominencewillbegiventosuchpointsasmayenableareaderwhoisalreadyacquaintedwiththegeneralcourseofeventstoformajustnotionofthecharacterofthemanonwhomsomuchdepended。
IfwewishtoarriveatacorrectjudgmentofPitt’smeritsanddefects，wemustneverforgetthathebelongedtoapeculiarclassofstatesmen，andthathemustbetriedbyapeculiarstandard。ItisnoteasytocomparehimfairlywithsuchmenasXimenesandSully，RichelieuandOxenstiern，JohndeWitt，andWarrenHastings。ThemeansbywhichthosepoliticiansgovernedgreatcommunitieswereofquiteadifferentkindfromthosewhichPittwasunderthenecessityofemploying。Sometalents，whichtheyneverhadanyopportunityofshowingthattheypossessed，weredevelopedinhimtoanextraordinarydegree。Insomequalities，ontheotherhand，towhichtheyowealargepartoftheirfame，hewasdecidedlytheirinferior。Theytransactedbusinessintheirclosets，oratboardswhereafewconfidentialcouncillorssate。Itwashislottobeborninanageandinacountryinwhichparliamentarygovernmentwascompletelyestablished。Hiswholetrainingfrominfancywassuchasfittedhimtobearapartinparliamentarygovernment;and，fromtheprimeofhismanhoodtohisdeath，allthepowersofhisvigorousmindwerealmostconstantlyexertedintheworkofparliamentarygovernment。Heaccordinglybecamethegreatestmasterofthewholeartofparliamentarygovernmentthathaseverexisted，agreaterthanMontagueorWalpole，agreaterthanhisfatherChatham，orhisrivalFox，agreaterthaneitherofhisillustrioussuccessors，CanningandPeel。
Parliamentarygovernment，likeeveryothercontrivanceofman，hasitsadvantagesanddisadvantages。Ontheadvantagesthereisnoneedtodilate。ThehistoryofEnglandduringthehundredandseventyyearswhichhaveelapsedsincetheHouseofCommonsbecamethemostpowerfulbodyinthestate，herimmenseandstillgrowingprosperity，herfreedom，hertranquillity，hergreatnessinarts，insciences，andinarms，hermaritimeascendency，themarvelsofherpubliccredit，herAmerican，herAfrican，herAustralian，herAsiaticempires，sufficientlyprovetheexcellenceofherinstitutions。Butthoseinstitutions，thoughexcellent，areassuredlynotperfect。Parliamentarygovernmentisgovernmentbyspeaking。Insuchagovernment，thepowerofspeakingisthemosthighlyprizedofallthequalitieswhichapoliticiancanpossess:andthatpowermayexist，inthehighestdegree，withoutjudgment，withoutfortitude，withoutskillinreadingthecharactersofmenorthesignsofthetimes，withoutanyknowledgeoftheprinciplesoflegislationorofpoliticaleconomy，andwithoutanyskillindiplomacyorintheadministrationofwar。Nay，itmaywellhappenthatthoseveryintellectualqualitieswhichgiveapeculiarcharmtothespeechesofapublicmanmaybeincompatiblewiththequalitieswhichwouldfithimtomeetapressingemergencywithpromptitudeandfirmness。ItwasthuswithCharlesTownshend。ItwasthuswithWindham。Itwasaprivilegetolistentothoseaccomplishedandingeniousorators。ButinaperilouscrisistheywouldhavebeenfoundfarinferiorinallthequalitiesofrulerstosuchamanasOliverCromwell，whotalkednonsense，orasWilliamtheSilent，whodidnottalkatall。Whenparliamentarygovernmentisestablished，aCharlesTownshendoraWindhamwillalmostalwaysexercisemuchgreaterinfluencethansuchmenasthegreatProtectorofEngland，orasthefounderoftheBataviancommonwealth。Insuchagovernment，parliamentarytalent，thoughquitedistinctfromthetalentsofagoodexecutiveorjudicialofficer，willbeachiefqualificationforexecutiveandjudicialoffice。FromtheBookofDignitiesacuriouslistmightbemadeoutofChancellorsignorantoftheprinciplesofequity，andFirstLordsoftheAdmiraltyignorantoftheprinciplesofnavigation，ofColonialministerswhocouldnotrepeatthenamesoftheColonies，ofLordsoftheTreasurywhodidnotknowthedifferencebetweenfundedandunfundeddebt，andofSecretariesoftheIndiaBoardwhodidnotknowwhethertheMahrattaswereMahometansorHindoos。Onthesegrounds，somepersons，incapableofseeingmorethanonesideofaquestion，havepronouncedparliamentarygovernmentapositiveevil，andhavemaintainedthattheadministrationwouldbegreatlyimprovedifthepower，nowexercisedbyalargeassembly，weretransferredtoasingleperson。Menofsensewillprobablythinktheremedyverymuchworsethanthedisease，andwillbeofopinionthattherewouldbesmallgaininexchangingCharlesTownshendandWindhamforthePrinceofthePeace，orthepoorslaveanddogSteenie。
Pittwasemphaticallythemanofparliamentarygovernment，thetypeofhisclass，theminion，thechild，thespoiledchild，oftheHouseofCommons。FortheHouseofCommonshehadahereditary，aninfantinelove。Throughhiswholeboyhood，theHouseofCommonswasneveroutofhisthoughts，oroutofthethoughtsofhisinstructors。Recitingathisfather’sknee，readingThucydidesandCicerointoEnglish，analysingthegreatAtticspeechesontheEmbassyandontheCrown，hewasconstantlyintrainingfortheconflictsoftheHouseofCommons。HewasadistinguishedmemberoftheHouseofCommonsattwenty—one。TheabilitywhichhehaddisplayedintheHouseofCommonsmadehimthemostpowerfulsubjectinEuropebeforehewastwenty—five。
Itwouldhavebeenhappyforhimselfandforhiscountryifhiselevationhadbeendeferred。Eightortenyears，duringwhichhewouldhavehadleisureandopportunityforreadingandreflection，forforeigntravel，forsocialintercourseandfreeexchangeofthoughtonequaltermswithagreatvarietyofcompanions，wouldhavesuppliedwhat，withoutanyfaultonhispart，waswantingtohispowerfulintellect。Hehadalltheknowledgethathecouldbeexpectedtohave;thatistosay，alltheknowledgethatamancanacquirewhileheisastudentatCambridge，andalltheknowledgethatamancanacquirewhenheisFirstLordoftheTreasuryandChancelloroftheExchequer。
Butthestockofgeneralinformationwhichhebroughtfromcollege，extraordinaryforaboy，wasfarinferiortowhatFoxpossessed，andbeggarlywhencomparedwiththemassy，thesplendid，thevarioustreasureslaidupinthelargemindofBurke。AfterPittbecameminister，hehadnoleisuretolearnmorethanwasnecessaryforthepurposesofthedaywhichwaspassingoverhim。Whatwasnecessaryforthosepurposessuchamancouldlearnwithlittledifficulty。Hewassurroundedbyexperiencedandablepublicservants。Hecouldatanymomentcommandtheirbestassistance。Fromthestoreswhichtheyproducedhisvigorousmindrapidlycollectedthematerialsforagoodparliamentarycase;andthatwasenough。Legislationandadministrationwerewithhimsecondarymatters。Totheworkofframingstatutes，ofnegotiatingtreaties，oforganisingfleetsandarmies，ofsendingforthexpeditions，hegaveonlytheleavingsofhistimeandthedregsofhisfineintellect。Thestrengthandsapofhismindwerealldrawninadifferentdirection。ItwaswhentheHouseofCommonswastobeconvincedandpersuadedthatheputforthallhispowers。
Ofthosepowerswemustformourestimatechieflyfromtradition;
forofalltheeminentspeakersofthelastagePitthassufferedmostfromthereporters。Evenwhilehewasstillliving，criticsremarkedthathiseloquencecouldnotbepreserved，thathemustbeheardtobeappreciated。TheymorethanonceappliedtohimthesentenceinwhichTacitusdescribesthefateofasenatorwhoserhetoricwasadmiredintheAugustanage:"Hateriicanorumilludetprofluenscumipsosimulexstinctumest。"Thereis，however，abundantevidencethatnaturehadbestowedonPittthetalentsofagreatorator;andthosetalentshadbeendevelopedinaverypeculiarmanner，firstbyhiseducation，andsecondlybythehighofficialpositiontowhichheroseearly，andinwhichhepassedthegreaterpartofhispubliclife。
AthisfirstappearanceinParliamentheshowedhimselfsuperiortoallhiscontemporariesincommandoflanguage。Hecouldpourforthalongsuccessionofroundandstatelyperiods，withoutpremeditation，withouteverpausingforaword，withouteverrepeatingaword，inavoiceofsilverclearness，andwithapronunciationsoarticulatethatnotaletterwasslurredover。
HehadlessamplitudeofmindandlessrichnessofimaginationthanBurke，lessingenuitythanWindham，lesswitthanSheridan，lessperfectmasteryofdialecticalfence，andlessofthathighestsortofeloquencewhichconsistsofreasonandpassionfusedtogether，thanFox。YetthealmostunanimousjudgmentofthosewhowereinthehabitoflisteningtothatremarkableraceofmenplacedPitt，asaspeaker，aboveBurke，aboveWindham，aboveSheridan，andnotbelowFox。Hisdeclamationwascopious，polished，andsplendid。Inpowerofsarcasmhewasprobablynotsurpassedbyanyspeaker，ancientormodern;andofthisformidableweaponhemademercilessuse。Intwopartsoftheoratoricalartwhichareofthehighestvaluetoaministerofstatehewassingularlyexpert。Nomanknewbetterhowtobeluminousorhowtobeobscure。Whenhewishedtobeunderstood，heneverfailedtomakehimselfunderstood。Hecouldwitheasepresenttohisaudience，notperhapsanexactorprofound，butaclear，popular，andplausibleviewofthemostextensiveandcomplicatedsubject。Nothingwasoutofplace;nothingwasforgotten;minutedetails，dates，sumsofmoney，wereallfaithfullypreservedinhismemory。Evenintricatequestionsoffinance，whenexplainedbyhim，seemedcleartotheplainestmanamonghishearers。Ontheotherhand，whenhedidnotwishtobeexplicit，——andnomanwhoisattheheadofaffairsalwayswishestobeexplicit，——hehadamarvellouspowerofsayingnothinginlanguagewhichleftonhisaudiencetheimpressionthathehadsaidagreatdeal。Hewasatoncetheonlymanwhocouldopenabudgetwithoutnotes，andtheonlymanwho，asWindhamsaid，couldspeakthatmostelaboratelyevasiveandunmeaningofhumancompositions，aKing’sspeech，withoutpremeditation。
Theeffectoforatorywillalwaystoagreatextentdependonthecharacteroftheorator。Thereperhapsneverweretwospeakerswhoseeloquencehadmoreofwhatmaybecalledtherace，moreoftheflavourimpartedbymoralqualities，thanFoxandPitt。ThespeechesofFoxoweagreatpartoftheircharmtothatwarmthandsoftnessofheart，thatsympathywithhumansuffering，thatadmirationforeverythinggreatandbeautiful，andthathatredofcrueltyandinjustice，whichinterestanddelightuseveninthemostdefectivereports。Noperson，ontheotherhand，couldhearPittwithoutperceivinghimtobeamanofhigh，intrepid，andcommandingspirit，proudlyconsciousofhisownrectitudeandofhisownintellectualsuperiority，incapableofthelowvicesoffearandenvy，buttoopronetofeelandtoshowdisdain。Pride，indeed，pervadedthewholeman，waswrittenintheharsh，rigidlinesofhisface，wasmarkedbythewayinwhichhewalked，inwhichhesate，inwhichhestood，and，aboveall，inwhichhebowed。Suchpride，ofcourse，inflictedmanywounds。Itmayconfidentlybeaffirmedthattherecannotbefound，inallthetenthousandinvectiveswrittenagainstFox，awordindicatingthathisdemeanourhadevermadeasinglepersonalenemy。Ontheotherhand，severalmenofnotewhohadbeenpartialtoPitt，andwhotothelastcontinuedtoapprovehispublicconductandtosupporthisadministration，Cumberland，forexample，Boswell，andMatthias，weresomuchirritatedbythecontemptwithwhichhetreatedthem，thattheycomplainedinprintoftheirwrongs。Buthispride，thoughitmadehimbitterlydislikedbyindividuals，inspiredthegreatbodyofhisfollowersinParliamentandthroughoutthecountrywithrespectandconfidence。Theytookhimathisownvaluation。Theysawthathisself—esteemwasnotthatofanupstart，whowasdrunkwithgoodluckandwithapplause，andwho，iffortuneturned，wouldsinkfromarroganceintoabjecthumility。ItwasthatofthemagnanimousmansofinelydescribedbyAristotleintheEthics，ofthemanwhothinkshimselfworthyofgreatthings，beingintruthworthy。Itsprangfromaconsciousnessofgreatpowersandgreatvirtues，andwasneversoconspicuouslydisplayedasinthemidstofdifficultiesanddangerswhichwouldhaveunnervedandboweddownanyordinarymind。Itwascloselyconnected，too，withanambitionwhichhadnomixtureoflowcupidity。Therewassomethingnobleinthecynicaldisdainwithwhichthemightyministerscatteredrichesandtitlestorightandleftamongthosewhovaluedthem，whilehespurnedthemoutofhisownway。
Poorhimself，hewassurroundedbyfriendsonwhomhehadbestowedthreethousand，sixthousand，tenthousandayear。
PlainMisterhimself，hehadmademorelordsthananythreeministersthathadprecededhim。Thegarter，forwhichthefirstdukesinthekingdomwerecontending，wasrepeatedlyofferedtohim，andofferedinvain。
Thecorrectnessofhisprivatelifeaddedmuchtothedignityofhispubliccharacter。Intherelationsofson，brother，uncle，master，friend，hisconductwasexemplary。Inthesmallcircleofhisintimateassociates，hewasamiable，affectionate，evenplayful。Theylovedhimsincerely;theyregrettedhimlong;andtheywouldhardlyadmitthathewhowassokindandgentlewiththemcouldbesternandhaughtywithothers。Heindulged，indeed，somewhattoofreelyinwine，whichhehadearlybeendirectedtotakeasamedicine，andwhichusehadmadeanecessaryoflifetohim。Butitwasveryseldomthatanyindicationofundueexcesscouldbedetectedinhistonesorgestures;and，intruth，twobottlesofportwerelittlemoretohimthantwodishesoftea。Hehad，whenhewasfirstintroducedintotheclubsofSaintJames’sStreet，shownastrongtasteforplay;buthehadtheprudenceandtheresolutiontostopbeforethistastehadacquiredthestrengthofhabit。Fromthepassionwhichgenerallyexercisesthemosttyrannicaldominionovertheyounghepossessedanimmunity，whichisprobablytobeascribedpartlytohistemperamentandpartlytohissituation。Hisconstitutionwasfeeble;hewasveryshy;andhewasverybusy。
ThestrictnessofhismoralsfurnishedsuchbuffoonsasPeterPindarandCaptainMorriswithaninexhaustiblethemeformerrimentofnoverydelicatekind。ButthegreatbodyofthemiddleclassofEnglishmencouldnotseethejoke。Theywarmlypraisedtheyoungstatesmanforcommandinghispassions，andforcoveringhisfrailties，ifhehadfrailties，withdecorousobscurity，andwouldhavebeenveryfarindeedfromthinkingbetterofhimifhehadvindicatedhimselffromthetauntsofhisenemiesbytakingunderhisprotectionaNancyParsonsoraMarianneClark。
NopartoftheimmensepopularitywhichPittlongenjoyedistobeattributedtotheeulogiesofwitsandpoets。Itmighthavebeennaturallyexpectedthatamanofgenius，oflearning，oftaste，anoratorwhosedictionwasoftencomparedtothatofTully，therepresentative，too，ofagreatuniversity，wouldhavetakenapeculiarpleasureinbefriendingeminentwriters，towhateverpoliticalpartytheymighthavebelonged。TheloveofliteraturehadinducedAugustustoheapbenefitsonPompeians，Somerstobetheprotectorofnonjurors，HarleytomakethefortunesofWhigs。ButitcouldnotmovePitttoshowanyfavoureventoPittites。Hewasdoubtlessrightinthinkingthat，ingeneral，poetry，history，andphilosophyoughttobesuffered，likecalicoandcutlery，tofindtheirproperpriceinthemarket，andthattoteachmenofletterstolookhabituallytothestatefortheirrecompenseisbadforthestateandbadforletters。Assuredlynothingcanbemoreabsurdormischievousthantowastethepublicmoneyinbountiesforthepurposeofinducingpeoplewhooughttobeweighingoutgroceryormeasuringoutdraperytowritebadormiddlingbooks。But，thoughthesoundruleisthatauthorsshouldbelefttoberemuneratedbytheirreaders，therewill，ineverygeneration，beafewexceptionstothisrule。Todistinguishthesespecialcasesfromthemassisanemploymentwellworthyofthefacultiesofagreatandaccomplishedruler;andPittwouldassuredlyhavehadlittledifficultyinfindingsuchcases。Whilehewasinpower，thegreatestphilologistoftheage，hisowncontemporaryatCambridge，wasreducedtoearnalivelihoodbythelowestliterarydrudgery，andtospendinwritingsquibsforthe"MorningChronicle"yearstowhichwemighthaveowedanallbutperfecttextofthewholetragicandcomicdramaofAthens。Thegreatesthistorianoftheage，forcedbypovertytoleavehiscountry，completedhisimmortalworkontheshoresofLakeLeman。
ThepoliticalheterodoxyofPorson，andthereligiousheterodoxyofGibbon，mayperhapsbepleadedindefenceoftheminist...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：