Page:Memoirs of a Trait in the Character of George III.djvu/133

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while the command of temper which characterizes it far exceeds what experience commonly leads us to expect, either among philosophical recluses, or men of the world. Withal, not the least consideration, for it bespeaks uncommon attention, is the manifest contradiction here found to the rancorous assumptions of Junius—a man (or a woman, or a mental hermaphrodite) whose maleyolent passions centred in self, notwithstanding his stormy pretensions to the amor patriæ. Such unfounded personalities lead only to the conviction, that he never desired to meet with attributes in his Sovereign directly the reverse of those his effrontery hurled at the throne, from behind the dead wall, where he snorted through his pasteboard gnomon, or "grinned horribly a ghastly smile," but ducked down with affright, if in danger of being discovered, which he declared he could not survive three days.[1]—Let us hear him. "Accustomed to the language of courtiers, you measure their affections by the vehemence of their expressions, and when they only praise you indirectly, you admire their sincerity."—The party spirit of this writer may be

    singular patience and perseverance of their Sovereign. A prophet is without honour in his own country, and alas, a beneficent King is so here: even though his merit shines with irrefragable lustre when set off against that of the most celebrated of his contemporaries.

  1. The consciousness of his ignominious ingratitude, if detected, probably led to this extraordinary declaration.