the ultra Tories; who, stripped of the power and patronage with which they have so long bolstered up their importance, are exposed to the nation in all the nakedness of their generally despised principles. Meanwhile, the king, personally strong in the affec tions of his people, is further supported by the counsels of a ministry, which, though I am not inclined to prophecy, I will for once venture to predict, will enjoy as well as deserve the confidence of the country, in a higher degree than any which has hitherto figured in the annals of British history.

In thus bringing my views and reasonings on the Catholic question through you before the public, I am far from the vanity of supposing that I have thrown any new light on the subject. I cannot doubt that every argument of any value which I have brought forward has been repeatedly urged before, and placed in stronger lights than my abilities and powers of language have allowed. Still my labors may not be wholly useless. The perverse obstinacy with which you and your party, year by year, attempt to perplex the question, imposes on us the necessity of similar perseverance: we are compelled to be always on the watch to expose your wiles, and to bring back the question to its true principles. These, undeterred by constant repetition, we are obliged to insist on, "line on line and precept on precept." I do not doubt that you are as well convinced as I am that our cause will ultimately, and, as speaking of national events, very speedily prevail. Twenty victories give yours no security, one defeat annihilates it. The struggle is now merely for time. The question is not suffered to go to its long home, because it has still to give power to a certain party, preferment to certain churchmen, or another return to certain members of Parliament. When it no longer serves these objects, it will slip through the legislature as quietly as the annual Mutiny Bill; and we shall all wonder for what we have been so long and so obstinately contending.

Whether it will still be of sufficient endurance to place the mitre on the brows of the Rector of Stanhope, I will not hazard a conjecture; but even that event will in no degree increase the respect with which I subscribe myself,

His very obedient humble Servant,

T. GISBORNE, JUN.

P.S.-The foregoing sheets were already in the press when I first heard of Mr. Canning's fatal illness. I am thankful that I have said nothing of him while living which I could wish to

retract now he is dead. The words I have used, faintly express the admiration in which I held his character and his talents; and, should I speak of him now, my feeble voice would be drowned in the full swell of lamentation which has burst forth, in an unexampled degree, from every corner, not only of our own, but of neighboring kingdoms. If any of those who assailed him during his life, should now feel that they were led by unworthy motives to overstep the bounds of moderation and fairness, I would rather leave them to the correcting influence of such reflections, than take advantage of an excited state of popular feeling to turn against them the tide of public indignation.

August 18, 1827.

END OF NO. LVI.