2.  It was in 1823, whilst I was residing in India, that Lord Holland’s edition of Walpole’s Memoires of the Last Ten Years of the Reign of George the Second suggested to me this notion; and it was shortly afterwards communicated to several of my friends.  The edition of Junius which I had with me, was that of Mr. Woodfall the younger, in three volumes; and I am not at present by any means satisfied that all the letters which the editor assigns to Junius were written by him:  but in this hasty notice I must proceed upon the supposition that they were.

3.  It will be remembered that the Memoires were composed by Walpole in secrecy, and that he left them in a sealed box, which, by his will, was forbidden to be opened till many years after his death.  The letters from which the corresponding passages are given below are all published as Letters of Junius by Mr. Woodfall, and are of dates later than the time when Walpole wrote his Memoires; but half a century earlier than the time when they were printed.

Note by the transcriber:  there follows a table, in which letters of Junius are presented for comparisons side by side with writings of Walpole.  I have changed the format to present them in sequence.  Return to text.

Junius:  I own, my lord, that yours is not an uncommon character.  Women, and men like women, are timid, vindictive, and irresolute.  Woodfall’s Junius, vol. ii, p. 168.

Walpole:  As it is observed that timorous natures like those of women are generally cruel, Lord mansfield might easily slide into rigour, etc.-Walpole’s Memoires, vol. ii. p. 175.

Junius:  Without openly supporting the person, you (Lord Mansfield) have done essential service to the cause; and consoled yourself for the loss of a favourite family by reviving and establishing the maxims of their government.-vol. ii, p. 182.

Walpole:  The occasions of the times had called him (Lord Mansfield) off from principles that favoured an arbitrary king-he still leaned towards an arbitrary government.-vol. ii. p. 266.

Junius:  You (Lord Mansfield) would fain be thought to take no share in government, while in reality you are the mainspring of the machine.-vol. ii. p. 179.

Walpole:  Pitt liked the dignity of despotism; Lord Mansfield the reality.-Vol. ii. p. 274.

Junius:  You secretly engross the power, while you decline the title of minister.-vol. ii. p.179.

Walpole:  He was timid himself, and always waving what he was always courting.-Vol. ii. p. 336.

Junius:  In council he generally affects to take a moderate part.-vol. ii. p. 354.  At present there is something oracular in the delivery of my opinion.  I speak from a recess which no human curiosity can penetrate.-vol. i. p. 314.

Walpole:  The conduct was artful, new and grand:  secluded from all eyes, his (Lord Chatham’s) orders were received as oracles.-vol. ii. p. 347.