Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from A History of Our Own Times, Vol. 1 of 2: From the Accession of Queen Victoria to the General Election of 1880
There were eulogies pronounced upon him after his death ln both Houses of Parliament as a matter of course. It is not necessary, however, to set down to mere court homage or parliamentary form some Of the praises that were bestowed on the dead king by Lord Melbourne and Lord Brougham and Lord Grey. A certain tone Of sincerity, not quite free perhaps from surprise, appears to run through some of these expressions of admiration. They seem to say that the speakers were at one time or another considerably surprised to find that, after all, William really was able and willing on grave occasions to subordinate his personal likings and dislikings to considerations Of state policy and to what was shown to him to be for the good of the nation. In this sense at least he may be called a patriot-king. We have advanced a good deal since that time, and we require somewhat higher and more positive qualities in a sovereign now to excite our political wonder. Bat we must judge William by the reigns that went before, and not the reign that came after him; and, with that con sideration borne in mind, we may accept the panegyric Of Lord Melbourne and of Lord Grey, and admit that on the whole he was better than his education, his early oppor tunities, and his early promise.
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