Memoirs of the life of sir Samuel Romilly, written by himself, ed. by his sons, Volume 3

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Page 258 - I console myself with thinking that the humblest situation of life has its duties, which one must feel a satisfaction in discharging ; that, at least, my conscience will bear me the pleasing testimony of having intended well; and that, after all, true happiness is much less likely to be found in the high walks of ambition than in the " secretum iter et fallentis semita vitae.
Page 248 - I have sacrificed every consideration of my own to the wishes and opinions of my people. I make it my humble and ardent prayer to Almighty God, that Great Britain may not feel the evils which might result from so great a dismemberment of the empire, and that America may be free from...
Page 47 - At a later period of my life, after a success at the bar which my wildest and most sanguine dreams had never painted to me — when I was gaining an income of 8000/. or 9000/. ayear — I have often reflected how all that prosperity had arisen out of the pecuniary difficulties and confined circumstances of my father.
Page 143 - Let me hope, Sir, that if aught in my character impresses you with esteem towards me, if aught in my misfortunes marks me as the victim of policy and not of resentment, I shall experience the operation of these feelings in your breast, by being informed that I am not to die on a gibbet.
Page 222 - This House is not a representative of the people of Great Britain. It is the representative of nominal boroughs, of ruined and exterminated towns, of noble families, of wealthy individuals, of foreign potentates.
Page 207 - February 27th, in the house of commons, that an humble address be presented to his majesty, that the farther prosecution of offensive war on the continent of North America, for the purpose of reducing the revolted, colonies to obedience by force...
Page 417 - He speaks of titles of nobility with true republican contempt, and says that "they afford no idea," that 1 Rights of Man. "no such animal as a Count or an "Earl can be found any where but in imagination." Bentham leads the same kind of life as usual at Hendon: seeing nobody, reading nothing, and writing books which nobody reads.
Page 142 - Americans not justified in continuing the war, after the offer of sue) favorable terms as the commissioners held out to them, why did he keep his command for two years afterwards ? . . . . " The arguments used by Clinton and Arnold in their letters to Washington, to prove that Andre...
Page 257 - London, Jan. 7. 1783. It would seem, my dear Roget, by your last letter, that you thought I had affected doubt of succeeding in the way of life on which I am to enter, only to draw from you such praises as might encourage me in my pursuit. That object, had it been mine, must have been fully gratified by your silence, which, introduced as it is, is a greater encouragement to me, and is more offensive to modesty even than a panegyric upon talents which your indulgence might have supposed me to possess.
Page 105 - ... rule had been adopted, namely, that every motion should be reduced into writing in the form of a proposition before it was put from the chair, instead of proceeding, as was their constant course, by first resolving the principle as they called it...

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