658

LIFE OF COBDEN. Lg

1867. Bulwer’s Riensi, and so he was prepared for ignoran®
Ar. 63. scurrility, selfishness, ingratitude, and all the other ww
pleasant qualities that every honest politician must meet
with. When the news of the great reverse reached hiro he
took it with a certain composure. He put the case to Cob:
den, exactly as to a historical observer five-and-twenty year’
later it would seem that it ought to have been put.

« Venice. April 16.

“My pear CoBDEN,
“1 have been intending to write to you from da
to day since I received your letter. It was most refreshing
to me to read if, although its topics were not of the most
pleasing, but it came at the right time, and it said the right
thing, and was just such as I needed. . . . .
“In the sudden break-up of the ‘School’ of which
have been the chief professors, we may learn how far we
have been, and are ahead, of the public opinion of our tie
We purpose not to make a trade of politics, and not to use
as may best suit us the ignorance and the prejudices of oO
countrymen for our own advantage, but rather to try ¥
square the policy of the country with the maxims of comm”
sense and of a plain morality. The country is not yet ripe for
this, but it is far nearer being so than at any former periods
and I shall not despair of a revolution in opinion which shal
within a fow years greatly change. the aspect of affairs with
reference to our Foreign policy. During the comparatively
short period since we entered public life, see what has bee?
done. Through our labours mainly the whole creed of
millions of people, and of the statesmen of our day, has bee?
totally changed on all the questions which affect commerc®
and customs duties, and taxation. They now agree to I"
pudiate as folly, what, twenty years ago, they accepted a8
wisdom. Look again at our Colonial policy. Through the