them to march; but instead of obeying this command, they grounded their arms, and insisted on the payment of their guineas. The order being repeated in a very resolute tone, some of them prepared to attend to it; when a man stept out of the ranks, and reproved them for their want of firmness. This man Major Windham seized with his own hand, in order to commit him a prisoner to the Guard-house, and in this attempt, assisted by some of the men belonging to his own company, he at length succeeded, though amidst a shower of stones, and in defiance of the interruption offered by the soldiers, and the populace in their train, three of whom he was compelled to silence by blows.

As a rescue seemed likely to be attempted, the Major determined to remain with his prisoner all night. At four in the morning, the expected attack was begun by a party of the militia, with fixed bayonets. On their demanding the prisoner to be given up, Major Windham, standing at the door, with his sword drawn, plainly told them that while he had life to defend the Guard-house, the offender should not be allowed to escape. The soldiers, encouraged by the mob, were now proceeding to acts of violence, when the prisoner, stepping forward, requested them not to hurt his Major, who was the best of men, and declared that if they released him, he would again surrender himself into custody. This declaration contributed to appease the mutineers, who, however, were not effectually reduced to obedience, until the civil power had found it necessary to interfere; after

would and Aldborough, two small towns on the Suffolk coast.

This intrepid conduct only served to increase the respect of the corps towards him, while they were desirous to forget the occasion which had called for it. By his humanity, as well as by his courage, he secured their esteem, having, as far as lay in his power, discountenanced corporal punishments, which were then more frequently inflicted in the army than at present. But his useful services as a militia officer were soon brought to a close. It happened, on a march, that imprudently, and in a sort of frolic, he joined two brother-officers in riding through a deep rivulet, after which they were obliged to keep on their wet clothes for many hours. The consequences of this adventure were fatal to one of the party, who died soon afterwards; another, now living, is said to have saved himself by a timely application of brandy; while Mr. Windham was thrown into a fever of a most alarming kind, from the effects of which it is certain that his constitution never thoroughly recovered. For many days he kept his bed at Bury St. Edmund's, without any hopes being entertained of his recovery. At length, he was thought to have regained strength enough to undertake a tour on the Continent, which was recommended for the re-establishment of his health. He accordingly employed nearly two years of his life in a journey through Switzerland and Italy.

From this tour he returned at a critical moment, in September 1780. The Parliament had just been

dissolved, and Sir Harbord Harbord (the late Lord Suffield), who had represented Norwich for more than twenty years, had been obliged to relinquish his hopes there, in consequence of a powerful coalition which his colleague Mr. Bacon (one of the Lords of Trade) had formed with Mr. Thurlow, a citizen of the place, and a brother of the Lord Chancellor. But the friends of Sir Harbord being determined not to give him up tamely, invited him back again, and placed him in nomination, jointly with Mr. Windham, whom they supposed to be then out of the kingdom, but whose vigorous speech against the American war had made so strong an impression on them that his absence had not weakened his popularity. It happened, singularly enough, that, without the least knowledge of what had just passed in his favour, he arrived at Norwich, in his way from London to Felbrigg, just three days before the poll commenced. It was too late, however, to secure his election; but his colleague, Sir Harbord Harbord, was returned with Mr. Bacon ; while Mr. Windham, with all the disadvantages of his situation, had the satisfaction of counting a very respectable poll, as well as of securing warm assurances of support, whenever a future occasion might require it.

Though he did not obtain a seat in Parliament, he lived from this time much in town, and connected himself with some of the most eminent political and literary men of the day. Before he made his tour to the Continent, he had become a member of the cele

his friendships with the leading members of that Society, and more particularly with its two most distinguished ornaments, Dr. Johnson and Mr. Burke. For the former he entertained sentiments of the highest respect and regard, which the Doctor appears to have returned with equal warmth. The high commendation with which Johnson noticed him, in a letter to Dr. Brocklesby, though it has been often repeated, ought not here to be omitted. "Mr. Windham," said he, " has been here to see me; he came I think forty miles out of his way, and staid about a day and a half; perhaps I may make the time shorter than it was. Such conversation I shall not have again till I come back to the regions of literature, and there Windham is inter stellas Luna minores *" This letter

An

was written at Dr. Taylor's house at Ashbourne. eulogium like this, proceeding from a literary giant of seventy, certainly no professor of the art of praising, must be thought a valuable testimony to the merits of a young man, who could hardly be said to have yet rendered himself eminent on the stage of public life t.

* Boswell's Life of Johnson, vol. iv. p. 374. 3d edition.

† At a still earlier period, Mr. Windham's character was duly appreciated by a writer of no ordinary class, in the letters first published in 1779, under the name of the younger Lord Lyttelton. After describing the most conspicuous wits of the day, and comparing their respective powers in conversation, the author says to his correspondent, "It surprises me that you should leave Windham out of your list, who (observe my prophecy) will become one of the ablest and most shining characters that the latter part of this age will produce. I hazard little in such a presentiment; his talents, judgment, and attainments will verify it."

When Johnson was on his death-bed, Mr. Windham manifested the kindest attention to him, by his frequent visits, as well as by lending him the services of Cawston (the faithful servant before alluded to), who sat up with Johnson the night before his death. The funeral was attended by Mr. Windham, whom his deceased friend had remembered in a codicil to his will, by the bequest of a book* selected from his library.

Of Mr. Burke, it is needless to say, that, during a long-tried friendship, political and personal, he found in Mr. Windham a faithful associate, and warm admirer. Their opinions seldom differed; but on a highly important occasion, hereafter to be noticed, upon which they did differ, such was Mr. Windham's deference to the wisdom and experience of his friend, that he surrendered his judgment to Mr. Burke's. From his connection with this eminent man, and with his old school-fellow Mr. Fox, he now became, though out of Parliament, a sort of member of the party then in opposition, or rather of that branch of it of which the Marquis of Rockingham was considered as the leader. In this character, he was strongly solicited to become a candidate for Westminster, whenever a vacancy should take place. The proposal was at first rather agreeable to him, but as his opinions on the then popular question of Parliamentary Reform widely differed from those of his intended constituents,

w Poetæ Græci Heroici per Henricum Stephanum. See Bos