DIGITISED MANUSCRIPTS

i ( 34) headed a deputation to the King, and in the words that he had ‘never been a Wilkite,’ almost made a recantation of his past, extracting thereby from the King the flattering remark, that ‘he had never seen so well-bred a Lord Mayor.’ Even in the championship of popular principles Wilkes made a similar recantation. On meeting an old woman who raised, at sight of him, the old ery, ‘Wilkes and Liberty!’ he stopped her with li the observation, ‘Hush! you old fool, that was all over long ago.’ To extol Wilkes beyond his merits would be falling into the same exaggeration as to undervalue the services he rendered the country. If not a great man, he undoubtedly was a very remarkable one. In an age which abounded with the greatest statesmen and men of letters, he contrived to play a prominent part and hold a conspicuous position. The impression he generally produced is well sun- marised in the judgment passed on him by Dr. Johnson, the literary autocrat of the day. Though detesting his principles and opposed to him in every way, Dr. Johnson, after spending some time in his company, said, ‘Jack has a variety of talk, Jack is a scholar, and Jack has the manners of a gentleman.’ His success is all the more striking considering his questionable character and the mediocrity of his oratorical powers. His attack on his wife,