The life of William Wilberforce / by his sons, Robert Isaac Wilberforce and Samuel Wilberforce ; abridged from the London edition by Caspar Morris.

  • Wilberforce, Robert Isaac, 1802-1857.
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The life of William Wilberforce / by his sons, Robert Isaac Wilberforce and Samuel Wilberforce ; abridged from the London edition by Caspar Morris. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    one of those whom the revolution stripped of every thing but their faith and loyalty ; and when residing as an emi- grant in England, he received from Mr. Wilberforce a will- ing and ample return of hrs present hospitality. Nothing could exceed his kindness to them : for a fortnight he was their constant attendant; he made them acquainted with the noblesse who resided in the neighbourhood of Rheims ; he gave them permission to sport over the domain of the Arch- bishop ; and upon his return, introduced them to a familial- footing at the palace. In their many conversations with the Abbe, Mr. Pitt was the chief speaker. Although no master of the French vocabulary, his ear, quick for every sound but music, caught readily the intonations of the language; and he soon spoke it with considerable accuracy. He inquired carefully into the political institutions of the French ; and the Abbe has stored up his concluding sentence— Mon- sieur, vous n'avez point de liberte politique, mais pour la liberte civile, vous en avez plus que vous ne croyez. The position Mr. Pitt had occupied at home, attracted the observation of the French. An aged Marechale at Rheims sought in him a purchaser for her most costly wines, and disclaimed earnestly his assurances of poverty. Leministre doit avoir, sans doute, cinque ou six mille livres sterling de rente. And at Paris, whither they removed upon the 9th of September, it was hinted to him through the intervention of Horace Walpole, that he would be an acceptable suitor for the daughter of the celebrated Neckar. Neckar is said to have offered to endow her with a fortune of £14,000 per annum : but Mr. Pitt replied, I am already married to my country. The story of their embarrassments at Rheims preceded them to Fontainbleau, where, by special invitation, they soon joined the gala festivities of the court, and Mr. Pitt was often rallied by the Queen, who asked whether he had lately heard from his friend the epicier. The diary of this period gives a brief notice of each day's proceedings. As for instance :— October 20th. Saw sights. Bought books. Dined Mar- quis de la Fayette's, pleasing enthusiastical man: his wife a sweet woman. Dr. Franklin, Mr. Page, Crillon's aid du camp, young Franklin, Noailles, Madame Boufflers there. Free the Spanish colonies. At home at night preparing for departure. Mr. Wilberforce received with interest the hearty greet- ings which Dr. Franklin tendered to a rising member of the