to it; and I believe, if you knew what the topickwas, you would commend my discretion.

1

That it should be a matter of publick discretion in me to be silent on the affairs of Ireland, is what on all accounts I bitterly lament. I stated to the House what I felt; and I felt, as strongly as human sensibility can feel, the extinction of my parliamentary capacity, where I wished to use it most. When I came into this Parliament, just fourteen years ago,-into this Parliament then, in vulgar opinion at least, the presiding Council of the greatest Empire existing (and perhaps, all things considered, that ever did exist,) obscure and a stranger as I was, I considered myself as raised to the highest dignity, to which a creature of our species could aspire. In that opinion, one of the chief pleasures in my situa(tion, what was first and uppermost in my thoughts, was the hope, without injury to this country, to be somewhat useful to the place of my birth and edu [cation, which, in many respects internal and external, I thought ill and impolitically governed. But when I found, that the House, surrendering itself to the guidance of an authority, not grown out of an -experienced wisdom and integrity, but out of the accidents of Court favour, had become the sport of the passions of men at once rash and pusillanimous; -that it had even got into the habit of refusing every thing to reason, and surrendering every

thing to force, all my power of obliging either my country or individuals was gone; all the lustre of my imaginary rank was tarnished; and I felt degraded even by my elevation. I said this, or something to this effect. If it gives offence to Ireland, I am sorry for it; it was the reason I gave for my silence; and it was, as far as it went, the true

one.

With you, this silence of mine and of others was represented as factious, and as a discountenance to the measure of your relief. relief. Do you Do you think us children? If it had been our wish to embroil matters, and, for the sake of distressing Ministry, to commit the two kingdoms in a dispute, we had nothing to do but (without at all condemning the propositions) to have gone into the commercial detail of the objects of them. It could not have been refused to us: and you, who know the nature of business so well, must know, that this would have caused such delays, and given rise during that delay to such discussions, >as all the wisdom of your favourite Minister could never have settled. But indeed you mistake your men. We tremble at the idea of a disunion of these two nations. The only thing, in which we differ with you, is this, that we do not think your attaching yourselves to the Court, and quarrelling with the independent part of this people, is the way to promote the union of two free Countries, or of holding them together by the most natural and salutary ties.

You

You will be frightened when you see this long Letter. I smile, when I consider the length of it, myself. I never, that I remember, wrote any of the same extent. But it shows me, that the reproaches of the country, that I once belonged to, and in which I still have a dearness of instinct more than I can justify to reason, make a greater impression on me, than I had imagined. But parting words are admitted to be a little tedious, because they are not likely to be renewed. If it will not be making yourself as troublesome to others, as I am to you, I shall be obliged to you, if you will show this, at their greatest leisure, to the Speaker, to your excellent kinsman, to Mr. Grattan, Mr. Yelverton, and Mr. Daly ;-all these I have the honour of being personally known to, except Mr. Yelverton, to whom I am only known by my obligations to him. If you live in any habits with my old friend, the Provost, I shall be glad, that he too sees this my humble apology.

Adieu! once more accept my best thanks for the interest you take in me. Believe, that it is received by an heart not yet so old, as to have lost its sus- ceptibility. All here give you the best old-fashioned I wishes of the season, and believe me, with the greatest truth and regard,

Beaconsfield, New Year's Day, 1780.

My dear Sir,

Your most faithful

and obliged humble Servant, Edmund Burke.

I am frightened at the trouble I give you and our friends; but I recollect, that you are mostly lawyers, and habituated to read long tiresome papers -and, where your friendship is concerned, without a fee; I am sure too, that you will not act the lawyer in scrutinizing too minutely every expression, which my haste may make me use. I forgot to mention my friend O'Hara and others, but you will communicate it as you please.

I

A LETTER

ΤΟ

JOHN MERLOTT, ESQ. *

Dear Sir,

AM very unhappy to find, that my conduct in

the business of Ireland, on a former occasion, had made many to be cold and indifferent, who would otherwise have been warm, in my favour. I really thought, that events would have produced a quite contrary effect; and would have proved to all the inhabitants of Bristol, that it was no desire of opposing myself to their wishes, but a certain knowledge of the necessity of their affairs, and a tender regard to their honour and interest, which induced me to take the part, which I then took. They placed me in a situation, which might enable me to discern what was fit to be done on a consideration of the relative circumstances of this country and all its neighbours. This was what you could not so well do yourselves; but you had a right to expect, that I should avail myself of the advantage, which I derived from your favour. Under the impression of this duty and this trust, I had endeavoured to

* An eminent merchant in the City of Bristol, of which Mr. Burke was one of the Representatives in Parliament.-It relates to the same subject as the preceding Letter.

render,