It is soothing to envy to believe that what is splendid cannot be solid, that what is clear cannot be profound.

Very slowly was the public brought to acknowledge that Mansfield was a great jurist, and that Burke was a great master of political science.

Montague was a brilliant rhetorician, and, therefore, though he had ten times Harley's capacity for the driest parts of business, was represented by detractors as a superficial, prating pretender.

But from the absence of show in Harley's discourses many people inferred that there must be much substance; and he was pronounced to be a deep read, deep thinking gentleman, not a fine talker, but fitter to direct affairs of state than all the fine talkers in the world.

This character he long supported with that cunning which is frequently found in company with ambitious and unquiet mediocrity.