He was an orator whose voice was uplifted throughout a long and
strenuous life in condemnation of all the brutalities and oppression of
his time, and to whose eloquence the triumphant cause of freedom
stands for ever in deep obligation.
His great speech on Law Reform in the House of Commons, in 1828,
took six hours to deliver, and the concluding passage, which mounted
to a plane of lofty declamation, displayed no sign of exhaustion, and
was listened to with strained attention by an absorbed and crowded
audience:--
"The course is clear before us; the race is glorious to run. You
have the power of sending your name down through all times,
illustrated by deeds of higher fame, and more useful import, than
ever were done within these walls.
"You saw the greatest warrior of the age--conqueror of
Italy--humbler of Germany--terror of the North--saw him account
all his matchless victories poor, compared with the triumph you
are now in a condition to win--saw him contemn the fickleness of
fortune, while, in despite of her, he could pronounce his
memorable boast, 'I shall go down to posterity with the Code in my
hand!'
"You have vanquished him in the field; strive now to rival him in
the sacred arts of peace! Outstrip him as a lawgiver, whom in arms
you overcame! The lustre of the Regency will be eclipsed by the
more solid and enduring splendour of the Reign.
Pages:
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94