316 THE WINTER TROUBLES. CHAP, cany with it dictation, or perhaps (after sitting [ awhile) would burst down upon the country at home and upon the army abroad with a hurri- cane of savage impeachments. Yet a forecast of the probable effect of his chairmanship might have been made in the very opposite direction, and on better grounds ; for, if it be true that ' moderation is strength,' "^^ the extravagance of the accusations he was likely to make would afford a good promise of weakness resulting in collapse ; so that possibly the result of his efforts might be no dire explosion at all, but only an opportune opening of the engine's safety-valve. This anticipation was strengthened by casting back a glance upon his career in the House of Commons. There, often in the eyes of new-comers, he had seemed to be a formidable denouncer who might almost break up the Con- stitution by railing at public men after the manner of the French Convention ; but the wise- acres (smiling) remembered that, although well accentuated by histrionic skill, his onslaughts had been used to end harmlessly, if not, indeed, with a jeer at the orator who was always accus- ing, yet always accusing in vain. He was only, they knew, a mock Kobespierre, who had no guillotine at command. other pro- The Committee had been so chosen, that ininent . . members of whilst givmg a fair representation to extreme mitteo. opinions, and even including the orator who had urged the despatch of delegates after the manner
- This, as the late Lord Hardinge told me, was a favourite
saying of the great Duke of Wellington.
