availed himself of this opportunity of visiting the institution of Mr. Fellenberg, at Berne, in Switzerland. Of this institution, (which consists of a seminary for the education, and "moral and religious improvement of the poor; "an academy for the richer classes of society; "an agricultural institution for a limited num"ber of pupils; and a manufactory of agricul"tural implements;") and a similar one, at Yverdun, conducted by Mr. Pestallozi, which he also visited on this occasion-he afterwards gave a detailed account before the Education Committee of 1818.

On the 13th of March, 1817, Mr. Brougham, in a Speech distinguished for its great power, and liberal sentiments, and displaying, in a striking manner, his extensive knowledge of all topics connected with the trading and commercial interests of the country, proposed to the House of Commons a series of resolutions, attributing a great portion of the distress, then so generally felt, to the severe pressure of taxation, under which the nation laboured; and expressive of the opinion of the House, that the foreign policy pursued by the Ministry, had

not been such as to obtain for the country those commercial advantages, which its influence in foreign courts fairly entitled the people to expect: these resolutions were, however, negatived by 118 to 63. On the 11th of July, he again brought the state of the nation under the consideration of the House, and proposed an address to the Prince Regent, condemning, in forcible terms, the foreign and domestic policy of the Ministry, whose measures, the address stated, had "neither been calculated "to fulfil the hopes, to alleviate the suffer"ings, nor to recover the affections of the people." This address was negatived without a division.

In the same Session, he obtained a renewal of the Committee for enquiring into the state of education among the lower orders of the metropolis; strenuously opposed the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act; and took a part in the debates on the address in answer to the Prince Regent's Speech, Mr. Tierney's motion for a Committee on the public expenditure, Mr. Canning's Embassy to Lisbon, the Civil Service Compensation Bill, &c. &c.

C

Mr. Brougham, in the Session of 1818, spoke at some length against the Bill for indemnifying Ministers, and on the discussions relative to the Royal Dukes Marriages, the Tithe Law Amendment Bill, the Repeal of the Septennial Act, the Budget, and Parliamentary Reform. On the 5th of March, he obtained the appointment of a Select Committee, to enquire into the education of the lower orders. This Committee, the labours of which were not (like those of former Committees on the same subject) confined to the metropolis, in the course of the Session presented five reports, containing a great body of the most valuable and interesting matter; and Mr. Brougham introduced a Bill, for the appointment of a Commission of enquiry into the abuses of public charities, which was passed, after being considerably modified in the House of Lords, especially by the introduction of a Clause, confining the investigations of the Commissioners to those Charities only which were connected with education, although this restriction was taken off by an Act introduced by the Ministry in the following Session. When the Commission under this Act was issued, the public expressed

great dissatisfaction that Mr. Brougham's name had been omitted, since his indefatigable industry, and intimate acquaintance with every thing connected with the objects of the Commission, obviously rendered him the most proper person to be appointed. In those times, however, the qualifications of persons who were nominated to official situations of this nature, were but little regarded, political sentiments, and powerful connections, being almost exclusively considered.

At the General Election in 1818, Mr. Brougham, at the request of a respectable body of freeholders, offered himself as a Candidate for the County of Westmoreland, with which his family had been so long connected; but the influence of the House of Lowther was at that time so powerful in this County, that notwithstanding his brilliant talents, and the popularity he had acquired in his Parliamentary career, he was unsuccessful. He, however, avowed his determination of renewing the contest from time to time, until the independence of the County should be fully established. At the close of the Poll (which continued four

days) the numbers were, Lord Lowther, 1211; Colonel Lowther, 1157; Mr. Brougham, 889.

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In September, 1818, he published " a Letter "to Sir Samuel Romilly, upon the Abuse of Charities; with an Appendix, containing Minutes of Evidence taken before the Edu"cation Committee." This little work, of which as many as ten editions were sold in a few months, produced a powerful effect on the public mind, which neither the arguments, nor the virulence of the numerous opponents it called forth, were able to diminish.*

Mr. Brougham's principal Speeches in the House of Commons (to which he was again returned for Winchelsea) during the Session of 1819, were delivered on the investigation of a Complaint against the Custos Rotulorum of Limerick, on certain proposed Resolutions relative to the Public Income and Expenditure, and in defence of the Education Committees

* The principal Pamphlets published on the occasion are enumerated in the Quarterly Review, No. 38, in which there is a clever, though far from candid or fair, Review of the Letter to Sir Samuel Romilly.