While his thoughts were thus employed, he learned that the Auditorship of the Exchequer had suddenly become vacant.

The Auditorship was held for life.

The duties were formal and easy.

The gains were uncertain; for they rose and fell with the public expenditure; but they could hardly, in time of peace, and under the most economical administration, be less than four thousand pounds a year, and were likely, in time of war, to be more than double of that sum.

Montague marked this great office for his own.