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INTERESTS OF GEEAT BRITAIN. 495ceed for any length of time in England. At its head wereplaced Lord Grenville, as first lord of the treasury, and Mr.Fox, as secretary of state for foreign affairs. 1 By this arrangement the foreign policy of England was intrusted toone, who, all his life,had been the distinguished antagonistof Pitt. Even since the death of both, public opinion hasbeen divided in England as to which has the higher claimto praisea; question the more difficult to settle, becauseparty spirit almost necessarily exercises an influence over allwho seek to answer it. With all his genius, with all hisbrilliant talents as a speaker, Fox, nevertheless, wanted thatcalmness of mind which is indispensable to the great man ofbusiness in practicallife. He saw through the medium ofhis passions,and spoke under their influence ;while thesteady coolness of Pitt is displayed no less in the details ofbusiness than in his speeches, which, never overcharged,seem only designed to convince. Which of the two tookthe most correct view of the great objects which, in theirtime, excited so much interest, is perhaps no longer a matterof doubt. We may admire Fox as a speaker and as an historian ;but who will now attempt to rank him beside hisgreat rival as a statesman ? Even great good nature in himwas dangerous, as it inclined him too much to judge ofothers by himself.When Fox was placed atthe helm of affairs, the continental relations of England, with the exception of those ofthe North, were dissolved in ; Germany they could not beeasily renewed, as the southern states had leagued themselveswith France, and the confederation of the Rhine, which wasWithafterwards formed, rendered it altogether impossible.Spain the war was again renewed with Prussia the rela;tions were doubtful. 2 They soon, however, became decidedly hostile, as Prussia, in compliance with the dictatesof France, took possessionof Hanover. Fox rightly judged1In February, 1806.2 After the capture of the Spanish galliots, (4th October,) the relations ofEngland and Spain have been so diligently investigated by a celebratedwriter, that I deem it only necessary to refer to them : Fr Genz autJientischeDarstellung der Verhaitnisse Zwischen England und Spanien, 1806. Iagree with the author, that England was justified in treating Spain as anenemy at any time, yet not without a previous declaration of war. The morestrenuously England contended for the maintenance of international law, themore importantit became that she should observe its forms.