So triumphant was the Administration that the very creatures of Mr. Pitt were forward to chant their praises and stigmatize their opponents. Besides a sermon against libels, preached on the 30th of January by Dr. Lyttelton, Bishop of Carlisle, there was at this time a servile tract against Faction, published by Dr. Browne, who, a few years before, had written a thing, called _An Estimate_, which, notwithstanding its pert and silly positions, had met with unaccountable success. In that piece Mr. Pitt had been his hero. This Browne, the ape of Pope, and who had written some poems, not without merit, had afterwards produced two very indifferent tragedies;[66] and, lastly, an absurd treatise on Music, which he pretended to apply to the formation of a visionary Government. He ended his life deplorably by his own hand in a fit of illness and madness, having been invited to Russia to assist the Czarina in some of her ostentatious projects on legislation, and being oppressed, either with imaginary glory, or despondence of supporting his reputation.[67] These panegyrics, or vindications, answered no better to the Ministers than their severity. Williams, the re-printer of the North Briton, being sentenced to the pillory, he went thither in a coach marked 45, the number of the famous paper for which Wilkes suffered, and which became his hieroglyphic with the mob, who near the pillory erected a gallows, on which they hanged a boot with a Scotch bonnet. At the same time 200_l._ was collected for Williams. CHAPTER IV. Isle of Man Act.--King’s Illness.--Motion respecting _Ex-officio_ Informations.--Warburton.--Dismissal of Officers.--Newfoundland and Virginia Petitions. Among Grenville’s economic projects, one was to purchase from the Duke of Athol the sovereignty of the Isle of Man, which was the harbour and _entrepot_ of the smugglers between Great Britain and Ireland, and who were secured by the jurisdiction of that Peer. As the Duke was unwilling to part with his property, Grenville, well-founded in his scheme, determined to force it from him by Act of Parliament, or to oblige him to compound under that terror. A bill was accordingly brought in for that purpose, and the Duke and Duchess[68] were heard by their counsel. Mr. Grey Cooper,[69] who pleaded their cause, made a most admired speech at the bar of the House, and the Scotch members and the Opposition supported the Duke’s rights. At last the matter was adjusted by purchase of the title of the Duke and Duchess, for which the former received 70,000_l._, and her Grace 2000_l._ a year for life. On the 20th the House was called over, as appointed; but, Mr. Pitt not appearing, the magnificent threats of motions which our party had thrown out, were again laid aside, and at last dropped, from various reasons as will be mentioned, but particularly by the great event to which the King suddenly falling ill gave birth.