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greatest master of the whole art of parliamentary government that has ever
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
existed； a greater than Montague or Walpole； a greater than his father
Chatham； or his rival Fox； a greater than either of his illustrious successors；
Canning and Peel。
Parliamentary government； like every other contrivance of man； has its
advantages and disadvantages。 On the advantages there is no need to dilate。
The history of England during the hundred and seventy years which have
elapsed since the House of Commons became the most powerful body in
the state； her immense and still growing prosperity； her freedom； her
tranquillity； her greatness in arts； in sciences； and in arms； her maritime
ascendency； the marvels of her public credit； her American； her African；
her Australian； her Asiatic empires； sufficiently prove the excellence of her
institutions。 But those institutions； though excellent； are assuredly not
perfect。 Parliamentary government is government by speaking。 In such a
government； the power of speaking is the most highly prized of all the
qualities which a politician can possess： and that power may exist； in the
highest degree； without judgment； without fortitude； without skill in
reading the characters of men or the signs of the times； without any
knowledge of the principles of legislation or of political economy； and
without any skill in diplomacy or in the administration of war。 Nay； it may
well happen that those very intellectual qualities which give a peculiar
charm to the speeches of a public man may be incompatible with the
qualities which would fit him to meet a pressing emergency with
promptitude and firmness。 It was thus with Charles Townshend。 It was
thus with Windham。 It was a privilege to listen to those accomplished and
ingenious orators。 But in a perilous crisis they would have been found far
inferior in all the qualities of rulers to such a man as Oliver Cromwell；
who talked nonsense； or as William the Silent； who did not talk at all。
When parliamentary government is established； a Charles Townshend or a
Windham will almost always exercise much greater influence than such
men as the great Protector of England； or as the founder of the Batavian
commonwealth。 In such a government； parliamentary talent； though quite
distinct from the talents of a good executive or judicial officer； will be a
chief qualification for executive and judicial office。 From the Book of
Dignities a curious list might be made out of Chancellors ignorant of the
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
principles of equity； and First Lords of the Admiralty ignorant of the
principles of navigation； of Colonial ministers who could not repeat the
names of the Colonies； of Lords of the Treasury who did not know the
difference between funded and unfunded debt； and of Secretaries of the
India Board who did not know whether the Mahrattas were Mahometans
or Hindoos。 On these grounds； some persons； incapable of seeing more
than one side of a question； have pronounced parliamentary government a
positive evil； and have maintained that the administration would be greatly
improved if the power； now exercised by a large assembly； were
transferred to a single person。 Men of sense will probably think the
remedy very much worse than the disease； and will be of opinion that
there would be small gain in exchanging Charles Townshend and
Windham for the Prince of the Peace； or the poor slave and dog Steenie。
Pitt was emphatically the man of parliamentary government； the type
of his class； the minion； the child； the spoiled child； of the House of
Commons。 For the House of Commons he had a hereditary； an infantine
love。 Through his whole boyhood； the House of Commons was never out
of his thoughts； or out of the thoughts of his instructors。 Reciting at his
father's knee； reading Thucydides and Cicero into English； analysing the
great Attic speeches on the Embassy and on the Crown； he was constantly
in training for the conflicts of the House of Commons。 He was a
distinguished member of the House of Commons at twenty…one。 The
ability which he had displayed in the House of Commons made him the
most powerful subject in Europe before he was twenty…five。 It would have
been happy for himself and for his country if his elevation had been
deferred。 Eight or ten years； during which he would have had leisure and
opportunity for reading and reflection； for foreign travel； for social
intercourse and free exchange of thought on equal terms with a great
variety of companions； would have supplied what； without any fault on his
part； was wanting to his powerful intellect。 He had all the knowledge that
he could be expected to have； that is to say； all the knowledge that a man
can acquire while he is a student at Cambridge； and all the knowledge that
a man can acquire when he is First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of
the Exchequer。 But the stock of general information which he brought
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from college； extraordinary for a boy； was far inferior to what Fox
possessed； and beggarly when compared with the massy； the splendid； the
various treasures laid up in the large mind of Burke。 After Pitt became
minister； he had no leisure to learn more than was necessary for the
purposes of the day which was passing over him。 What was necessary for
those purposes such a man could learn with little difficulty。 He was
surrounded by experienced and able public servants。 He could at any
moment command their best assistance。 From the stores which they
produced his vigorous mind rapidly collected the materials for a good
parliamentary case； an