The Project Gutenberg eBook, Private Papers of William Wilberforce, by William Wilberforce, Edited by Anna Maria Wilberforce

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Title: Private Papers of William Wilberforce

Author: William Wilberforce

Editor: Anna Maria Wilberforce

Release Date: February 14, 2014 [eBook #44912]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PRIVATE PAPERS OF WILLIAM WILBERFORCE***

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PRIVATE PAPERS OF
WILLIAM WILBERFORCE

Private Papers

of

William Wilberforce

Collected and Edited, with a Preface, by A. M. Wilberforce

With Portraits

LONDON
1897

PREFACE

William Wilberforce is remembered on account of his long and successful efforts for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. In a House of Commons that counted Pitt, Fox, Burke, and Sheridan amongst its members, he held a front rank both as a speaker and debater. Of one of his speeches in 1789 Burke said, "it equalled anything he had heard in modern times, and was not, perhaps, to be surpassed in the remains of Grecian eloquence." And Pitt said, "Of all the men I ever knew Wilberforce has the greatest natural eloquence." But an even greater power than his oratory was perhaps the influence that he acquired over all ranks of society. Friendship is often the means by which influence is gained, and Wilberforce's friendship with Pitt, beginning long before his anti-Slave Trade days and continued till the end of Pitt's life, was no doubt the source of a strong personal influence.

It has been said that nothing in history is more creditable and interesting than Pitt's long and brotherly intimacy with Wilberforce, widely as they differed in their views of life.

To give an idea of the terms of their friendship these letters, possibly mislaid by the biographers of Wilberforce, from Pitt to Wilberforce are now published.[1]

Lord Rosebery thought the letters "among the most interesting we possess of Pitt," and we gladly acceded to his wish to print a few copies privately.

The Rev. W. F. Wilberforce has kindly consented to the publication of the matured estimate of Pitt's character mentioned in the "Life of Wilberforce," with an intimation that "it might hereafter appear in a separate form."

Other letters from some of the most distinguished men of the time show the many and varied interests of Wilberforce's life, and seem to us too valuable to remain hidden in obscurity.

The home letters published are from Wilberforce to his daughter Elizabeth, and to his son Samuel, afterwards Bishop of Oxford and Winchester. The letters to the latter are from the collection of 600 letters written by the father to the son.

A. M. Wilberforce.

Lavington, September 1, 1897.

[Pg viii]
[Pg ix]

CONTENTS

[Pg x]
[Pg xi]

ILLUSTRATIONS