never be reimbursed unless the outlay proved beneficial to the
public. That they meant well they proved by staking thousands on
the success of their plan; and, if they erred in judgment, the
loss of those thousands was surely a sufficient punishment for
such an error. On this subject there would probably have been no
difference of opinion had not Somers been one of the
contributors. About the other patrons of Kidd the chiefs of the
opposition cared little. Bellamont was far removed from the
political scene. Romney could not, and Shrewsbury would not,
play a first part. Orford had resigned his employments. But
Somers still held the Great Seal, still presided in the House of
Lords, still had constant access to the closet. The retreat of
his friends had left him the sole and undisputed head of that
party which had, in the late Parliament, been a majority, and
which was, in the present Parliament, outnumbered indeed,
disorganised and disheartened, but still numerous and
respectable. His placid courage rose higher and higher to meet
the dangers which threatened him. He provided for himself no
refuge. He made no move towards flight; and, without uttering one
boastful word, gave his enemies to understand, by the mild
firmness of his demeanour, that he dared them to do their worst.

In their eagerness to displace and destroy him they overreached
themselves. Had they been content to accuse him of lending his
countenance, with a rashness unbecoming his high place, to an
illconcerted scheme, that large part of mankind which judges of a
plan simply by the event would probably have thought the
accusation well founded. But the malice which they bore to him
was not to be so satisfied. They affected to believe that he had
from the first been aware of Kidd's character and designs. The