Thisnarrativehasnowreachedapoint，beyondwhichafullhistoryofthelifeofPittwouldbeahistoryofEngland，orratherofthewholecivilisedworld;andforsuchahistorythisisnottheproperplace。Hereaveryslightsketchmustsuffice;
andinthatsketchprominencewillbegiventosuchpointsasmayenableareaderwhoisalreadyacquaintedwiththegeneralcourseofeventstoformajustnotionofthecharacterofthemanonwhomsomuchdepended。
IfwewishtoarriveatacorrectjudgmentofPitt’smeritsanddefects，wemustneverforgetthathebelongedtoapeculiarclassofstatesmen，andthathemustbetriedbyapeculiarstandard。ItisnoteasytocomparehimfairlywithsuchmenasXimenesandSully，RichelieuandOxenstiern，JohndeWitt，andWarrenHastings。ThemeansbywhichthosepoliticiansgovernedgreatcommunitieswereofquiteadifferentkindfromthosewhichPittwasunderthenecessityofemploying。Sometalents，whichtheyneverhadanyopportunityofshowingthattheypossessed，weredevelopedinhimtoanextraordinarydegree。Insomequalities，ontheotherhand，towhichtheyowealargepartoftheirfame，hewasdecidedlytheirinferior。Theytransactedbusinessintheirclosets，oratboardswhereafewconfidentialcouncillorssate。Itwashislottobeborninanageandinacountryinwhichparliamentarygovernmentwascompletelyestablished。Hiswholetrainingfrominfancywassuchasfittedhimtobearapartinparliamentarygovernment;and，fromtheprimeofhismanhoodtohisdeath，allthepowersofhisvigorousmindwerealmostconstantlyexertedintheworkofparliamentarygovernment。Heaccordinglybecamethegreatestmasterofthewholeartofparliamentarygovernmentthathaseverexisted，agreaterthanMontagueorWalpole，agreaterthanhisfatherChatham，orhisrivalFox，agreaterthaneitherofhisillustrioussuccessors，CanningandPeel。
Parliamentarygovernment，likeeveryothercontrivanceofman，hasitsadvantagesanddisadvantages。Ontheadvantagesthereisnoneedtodilate。ThehistoryofEnglandduringthehundredandseventyyearswhichhaveelapsedsincetheHouseofCommonsbecamethemostpowerfulbodyinthestate，herimmenseandstillgrowingprosperity，herfreedom，hertranquillity，hergreatnessinarts，insciences，andinarms，hermaritimeascendency，themarvelsofherpubliccredit，herAmerican，herAfrican，herAustralian，herAsiaticempires，sufficientlyprovetheexcellenceofherinstitutions。Butthoseinstitutions，thoughexcellent，areassuredlynotperfect。Parliamentarygovernmentisgovernmentbyspeaking。Insuchagovernment，thepowerofspeakingisthemosthighlyprizedofallthequalitieswhichapoliticiancanpossess:andthatpowermayexist，inthehighestdegree，withoutjudgment，withoutfortitude，withoutskillinreadingthecharactersofmenorthesignsofthetimes，withoutanyknowledgeoftheprinciplesoflegislationorofpoliticaleconomy，andwithoutanyskillindiplomacyorintheadministrationofwar。Nay，itmaywellhappenthatthoseveryintellectualqualitieswhichgiveapeculiarcharmtothespeechesofapublicmanmaybeincompatiblewiththequalitieswhichwouldfithimtomeetapressingemergencywithpromptitudeandfirmness。ItwasthuswithCharlesTownshend。ItwasthuswithWindham。Itwasaprivilegetolistentothoseaccomplishedandingeniousorators。ButinaperilouscrisistheywouldhavebeenfoundfarinferiorinallthequalitiesofrulerstosuchamanasOliverCromwell，whotalkednonsense，orasWilliamtheSilent，whodidnottalkatall。Whenparliamentarygovernmentisestablished，aCharlesTownshendoraWindhamwillalmostalwaysexercisemuchgreaterinfluencethansuchmenasthegreatProtectorofEngland，orasthefounderoftheBataviancommonwealth。Insuchagovernment，parliamentarytalent，thoughquitedistinctfromthetalentsofagoodexecutiveorjudicialofficer，willbeachiefqualificationforexecutiveandjudicialoffice。FromtheBookofDignitiesacuriouslistmightbemadeoutofChancellorsignorantoftheprinciplesofequity，andFirstLordsoftheAdmiraltyignorantoftheprinciplesofnavigation，ofColonialministerswhocouldnotrepeatthenamesoftheColonies，ofLordsoftheTreasurywhodidnotknowthedifferencebetweenfundedandunfundeddebt，andofSecretariesoftheIndiaBoardwhodidnotknowwhethertheMahrattaswereMahometansorHindoos。Onthesegrounds，somepersons，incapableofseeingmorethanonesideofaquestion，havepronouncedparliamentarygovernmentapositiveevil，andhavemaintainedthattheadministrationwouldbegreatlyimprovedifthepower，nowexercisedbyalargeassembly，weretransferredtoasingleperson。Menofsensewillprobablythinktheremedyverymuchworsethanthedisease，andwillbeofopinionthattherewouldbesmallgaininexchangingCharlesTownshendandWindhamforthePrinceofthePeace，orthepoorslaveanddogSteenie。
Pittwasemphaticallythemanofparliamentarygovernment，thetypeofhisclass，theminion，thechild，thespoiledchild，oftheHouseofCommons。FortheHouseofCommonshehadahereditary，aninfantinelove。Throughhiswholeboyhood，theHouseofCommonswasneveroutofhisthoughts，oroutofthethoughtsofhisinstructors。Recitingathisfather’sknee，readingThucydidesandCicerointoEnglish，analysingthegreatAtticspeechesontheEmbassyandontheCrown，hewasconstantlyintrainingfortheconflictsoftheHouseofCommons。HewasadistinguishedmemberoftheHouseofCommonsattwenty—one。TheabilitywhichhehaddisplayedintheHouseofCommonsmadehimthemostpowerfulsubjectinEuropebeforehewastwenty—five。