[Born 1792. Still living.]
The third son of the sixth Duke of Bedford. Has served many offices of
state, amongst others that of Prime Minister of England. The recognised
leader of the Whig party, and the representative of the school of
Charles James Fox. The author of a work on the Constitution of England,
of a tragedy, and of other books. The editor, also, of the Memoirs of
Thomas Moore, the poet. Lord John Russell is considered one of our first
constitutional statesmen. His course is not always so distinctly marked
as to be obvious and intelligible to every looker-on. Now he is too
liberal for Conservatives, now too conservative for Liberals; to-day he
offends the lovers of religious toleration by his legislation against
spiritual freedom; to-morrow he will distress bigotry by his zeal for
religious independence. Yet Lord John is a man of mark and influence:
and when he suffers his soul to be kindled into warmth, the sympathies
of men rally involuntarily around him. The prominent feature in the
character of this distinguished statesman, is the supreme absence of
self-mistrust, be the matter in hand what it may.