DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70302#0165
LIFE OF LORD CAMELFORD.
141
of those who chanced to fall within the sphere of their
operation. These mischiefs, however, were not the re-
sult of a bad heart; for when reason and reflection re-
covered the dominion which the love of every species of
extravagancy had usurped in his mind, he thought no
sacrifice too great, to repair the injuries the gratification
of his humour had occasioned. He exhibited a singular
compound of human virtues and frailties; being dis-
tinguished for eccentric boldness and intrepidity of spirit;
for many acts of noble, but oddly irregular, beneficence ;
for a love of frolic ; and a passion for national and
scientific pursuits; at one time for uncommon dignity,
good sense, and enlargement of sentiments ; at another,
for unreasonable positiveness; for liberality of expence
without foolish vanity or mad profusion ; so that those
who studied his character with the greatest attention,
knew not whether they ought most to admire his virtues
and occasional rectitude of understanding, or to lament
his dangerous eccentricities.
Thomas Pitt, Lord Camelford, was the great grandson
of the famous Governor Pitt, who acquired the greater
part of an ample fortune in India, by the advantageous
purchase of a diamond, which was sold in Europe with
great profit, to the Duke of Orleans, regent of France.
He was related by blood and marriage to some of the first
families in the kingdom; his father, who was elevated to
the peerage, in 1784, being the nephew of the late Earl
of Chatham, and his sister having married Lord Gren-
ville.
Lord Camelford was born February 26, 1775. In his
spirit and temper, when a boy, there appeared something
which, though vigorous and manly, was, however, pecu-
liar and unmanageable. He received at Bern, in Swit-
zerland, the first rudiments of his education, which he
afterwards completed at the Charter-house. In compli-
ance
141
of those who chanced to fall within the sphere of their
operation. These mischiefs, however, were not the re-
sult of a bad heart; for when reason and reflection re-
covered the dominion which the love of every species of
extravagancy had usurped in his mind, he thought no
sacrifice too great, to repair the injuries the gratification
of his humour had occasioned. He exhibited a singular
compound of human virtues and frailties; being dis-
tinguished for eccentric boldness and intrepidity of spirit;
for many acts of noble, but oddly irregular, beneficence ;
for a love of frolic ; and a passion for national and
scientific pursuits; at one time for uncommon dignity,
good sense, and enlargement of sentiments ; at another,
for unreasonable positiveness; for liberality of expence
without foolish vanity or mad profusion ; so that those
who studied his character with the greatest attention,
knew not whether they ought most to admire his virtues
and occasional rectitude of understanding, or to lament
his dangerous eccentricities.
Thomas Pitt, Lord Camelford, was the great grandson
of the famous Governor Pitt, who acquired the greater
part of an ample fortune in India, by the advantageous
purchase of a diamond, which was sold in Europe with
great profit, to the Duke of Orleans, regent of France.
He was related by blood and marriage to some of the first
families in the kingdom; his father, who was elevated to
the peerage, in 1784, being the nephew of the late Earl
of Chatham, and his sister having married Lord Gren-
ville.
Lord Camelford was born February 26, 1775. In his
spirit and temper, when a boy, there appeared something
which, though vigorous and manly, was, however, pecu-
liar and unmanageable. He received at Bern, in Swit-
zerland, the first rudiments of his education, which he
afterwards completed at the Charter-house. In compli-
ance