The Impeachment of the House of BrunswickBradlaugh, Charles
History
The Impeachment of the House of Brunswick
Bradlaugh, Charles
Great Britain -- History -- 1714-1837; Hanover, House of
Phillimore asks: "Had it not been for the unlimited power of borrowing,
how many unjust and capricious wars would have been avoided! How
different would be our condition, and the condition of our posterity!
If half the sum lavished to prevent any one bearing the name of Napoleon
from residing in France, for replacing the Bourbons on the thrones of
France and Naples, for giving Belgium to Holland, Norway to Sweden,
Finland to Russia, Venice and Lombardy to Austria, had been employed by
individual enterprise, what would now be the resources of England?"
An extract, giving Lord Brougham's summary of George III's life and
character, may, we think, fairly serve to close this chapter: "Of a
narrow understanding, which no culture had enlarged; of an obstinate
disposition, which no education perhaps could have humanized; of strong
feelings in ordinary things, and a resolute attachment to all his own
opinions and predilections, George III. possessed much of the firmness
of purpose which, being exhibited by men of contracted mind without any
discrimination, and as pertinaciously when they are in the wrong as
when they are in the right, lends to their characters an appearance of
inflexible consistency, which is often mistaken for greatness of mind,
and not seldom received as a substitute for honesty. In all that related
to his kingly office he was the slave of deep-rooted selfishness; and no
feeling of a kindly nature ever was allowed access to his bosom whenever
his power was concerned."
CHAPTER V. THE REIGN OF GEORGE IV
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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