He was a Whig--a huge mountain of a colossal Whig--all the world knew that.

No opponent would have dreamed of tampering with his Whiggery, nor would any brother Whig have dreamed of doubting it.

But he was a Whig who gave very little practical support to any set of men, and very little practical opposition to any other set.

He was above troubling himself with such sublunar matters.

At election time he supported, and always carried, Whig candidates: and in return he had been appointed lord lieutenant of the county by one Whig minister, and had received the Garter from another.