Howe, lately the most virulent of the Whigs, had been, by the loss of his place, turned into one of the most virulent of the Tories.

The deserter brought to the party which he had joined no weight of character, no capacity or semblance of capacity for great affairs, but much parliamentary ability of a low kind, much spite and much impudence.

No speaker of that time seems to have had, in such large measure, both the power and the inclination to give pain.
The assistance of these men was most welcome to the Tory party; but it was impossible that they could, as yet, exercise over that party the entire authority of leaders.

For they still called themselves Whigs, and generally vindicated their Tory votes by arguments grounded on Whig principles.

[487] From this view of the state of parties in the House of Commons, it seems clear that Sunderland had good reason for recommending that the administration should be entrusted to the Whigs.