The line of politics pursued by Alderman Sawbridge was strictly in unison with Lord George's principles at this eventful period. Both

were strenuous in their efforts to shorten the duration of parliaments. This is a characteristic trait in Junius, and it is evident from the interest uniformly manifested by that writer towards Alderman Sawbridge, that he was not only personally acquainted with him, and respected his private character, but was a sincere admirer of his principles as a politician.

The first letter that Wilkes received from Junius is wholly on the subject of appointing Mr. Sawbridge Lord Mayor. Had Junius been a disinterested writer, or had he been sufficiently acquainted with the regulations of the Mayoralty, he would not have attempted to alter the regular succession, as there appears to have been nothing in the private character of Mr. Nash to pass his name over.

Mr. Wilkes, in reply, explains his reasons for not acceding to Junius's wishes, and candidly informs him, that he thinks Junius possesses too favourable an opinion of Alderman Sawbridge.

Sawbridge was a military man, far more fitted for the field than the civic chair. Why Junius should make a confidant of Wilkes to endeavour to place his friend in that elevated station must now be matter of conjecture; certain it is,

he wished Wilkes to befriend him. On the receipt of Mr. Wilkes's answer, Junius was angry with him for non-compliance with his request; he was also mortified in the extreme, when he heard Mr. Nash had triumphed." What an abandoned prostituted idiot," he observes to Mr. Woodfall, " is your Lord Mayor. The shameful mismanagement which brought him into office, gave me the first, and an unconquerable disgust."

Junius must have had some private motive for taking such an extraordinary interest in the success of Alderman Sawbridge. His friendship for that gentleman is apparent in many other instances.

Letter LIX. 5 October, 1771-he says

"In these circumstances it were much to be desired, that we had many such men as Mr. Sawbridge to represent us in parliament. I speak from common report and opinion only, when I impute to him a speculative predilection in favour of a republic. In the personal conduct and manners of the man, I cannot be mistaken. He has shewn himself possessed of that republican firmness, which the times require, and by which an English gentleman may be as usefully and as honourably distinguished, as any citizen of ancient Rome, of Athens, or Lacedæmon."

In the conclusion of Letter LII. 24 July, 1771

"As for Mr. Sawbridge, whose character I really respect, I am astonished he does not see through your duplicity."

I have now gone through the several articles specified in the Preface, as essential to the character of Junius, and, I believe, every candid reader must acknowledge that the evidence adduced is clear, sound, and indisputable. Other circumstances of a political nature, such as questions relative to the Falkland Islands, Convention with Spain, &c., will be noticed in the parliamentary summary of his Lordship's life. Previous to entering upon this interesting and important termination of our Enquiry, I shall touch upon the secrecy preserved by the author, which will draw our attention to one very important fact hitherto unexplained.

From a combination of circumstances, I am strongly prejudiced with the opinion, that Junius was the sole depository of his own secret ; that it was of too great importance to entrust to the confidence of a second person, although there are one or two expressions in his correspondence with Mr. Woodfall that would argue to the contrary. These, however, are much more easily accounted for, than the numerous reasons he assigned why concealment was necessary. If other persons had been in the confidence

of Junius, in all probability some unguarded expression or inadvertency, would either have revealed the author to the world, or would have given some clue, which, ere this, might have led to a discovery.

In Private Letter, No. 8, Junius says

"The last letter you printed was idle and improper, and, I assure you, printed against my own opinion. The truth is, there are people about me, whom I would wish not to contradict, and who had rather see Junius in the papers, ever so improperly, than not at all. I wish it could be recalled."

The fact is, he considered the Letter in question beneath his dignity, as a writer in the high station of Junius; and therefore endeavoured to persuade Mr. Woodfall that he had yielded to the opinion of others: with regard to the remaining clause, we may either take it as it literally stands, or, that those about him, knowing he was hostile to the Government, would like to read any thing in the papers censuring the conduct of those men who had been privy to his disgrace at court, without having the slightest knowledge that he himself was the real author..

With respect to the gentleman who conducted the conveyancing department, it is evident that this was a mere deception, should any one occasionally get a glimpse of him. Had he

employed such a gentleman, the waiters at the coffee-houses must have known him, by his so frequently going backwards and forwards, and therefore would not have refused delivering up the letters.

In No. 51. he says, "The gentleman who transacts the conveyancing part of our correspondence, tells me there was much difficulty last night. For this reason, and because it could be no way material for me to see a paper on Saturday which is to appear on Monday, I resolved not to send for it."

He could not have

Mr. Woodfall in

any

In No. 58 he says,

explained the reason to other way.

"Your letter was twice refused last night, and the waiter as often attempted to see the person who sent for it."

This evidently implies that he was in waiting near the spot, till the chairman returned. As a further confirmation of the opinion that this gentleman, was himself, we need only refer to Mr. Jackson's testimony, who stated, "that he once saw a tall gentleman, dressed in a light coat, with bag and sword, throw into the office door, opening in Ivy-lane, a letter of Junius's, which he picked up, and immediately followed the bearer of it into St. Paul's Church-yard, where he got into a hackney coach and drove off.”

Now this tall gentleman wore a bag and sword. Lord George always wore a bag, and although