Encyclopædia americana. A popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, a new ed.; including a copious collection of original articles in American biography; on the basis of the 7th ed. of the German Conversations-lexicon. Ed. by Francis Lieber, assisted by E. Wigglesworth ...

BUTTE-BUTLER. 347
of Wales than her son's particular tutors, and was, in future, to live as a private
the earl of Harcourt and the bishop of man. George Grenville succeeded him
Norwich, that they resigned their offices. in the ministry. B. soon perceived the
Lord Waldegrave and the bishop of Lin- weakness of the administration, and encoin, who were chosen in their stead, deavored to unite himself with Pitt. The
opposed him unsuccessfully. George II plan failed, and the exasperation of the
died Oct. 25, 1760, and, two days after, people was redoubledl. B. was still conB. was appointed member of the privy sidered as the soul of the royal resolutions,
council. Ill March, 1761, the parliament and particularly as the author of the
was dissolved. B. was made secretary of stamp act, which kindled the first flame
state, in the place of lord Holderness, and of discord between Great Britain and the
appointed Charles Jenkinson, afterwards North American colonies. Certain it is,
Iord Hawkesbury and earl of Liverpool, that his friends spoke zealously against its
his under-secretary. Legge, chancellor of repeal. Those ministers who did not
the exchequer, was removed. Pitt (the support B.'s views were removed. His
great Chatham), who saw his influence in adherents, who called themselves friends
the new council annihilated,' gave in his of the king, formed a powerful party.
resignation the same year. This event They were stigmatized with the old name
made an unfavorable impression on the of cabal, and were denounced as the aunation; but B., possessing the unbounded thors of all the present evils. In 1766, B.
confidence of his king, stood at the head declared, in the house of lords, that he
of the state. Soon after, he removed the had wholly withdrawn from public busiold duke of Newcastle, then first lord of ness, and no longer saw the king; still it
the treasury, and the only one of the for- was not doubted that his great influence
mer ministry remaining in office, and imr- continued. On the death of the princess
mediately took this important post upon of Wales, 1772, he seems first to have
himself; receiving, at the same time, the given up all participation in the affairs of
order of the garter. After a severe con- government. The public hatred towards
test in parliament, he concluded a peace him ceased, and he was forgotten. He
with France. The terms for England spent his last years on his estate. A costwere perhaps not disproportionate to the ly botanical garden, a library of 30,000
successes obtained during the war; but it volumes, excellent astronomical, philowas disgraceful that the king of Prussia, sophical and mathematical instruments,
in violation of former treaties, should have afforded him occupation. His favorite
been left to his fate. B. was obliged to study was botany, with which he was inhear the most bitter reproaches; yet he timately acquainted. For the queen of
succeeded in winning the popular favor, England, he wrote the Botanical Register,
and every thing seemed to promise the which contained all the different kinds of
power of the minister a long continuance. plants in Great Britain (9 vols., 4to.).
He had rendered the whigs objects of This work is remarkable, both for its
suspicion to the king, and excluded them splendor, in which it excels all former
fiom the administration; on the contrary, botanical works, and for its rarity. Only
he favored the tories, even the former 12 copies were printed, at an expense of
Jacobites, and thus surrounded the king more than ~10,000 sterling. B. died in
with persons whose principles coincided 1792. IHe had more pretension than abilwith his own, especially with his Scotch ity. By engaging in politics, for which he
countrymen. The people murmured, and had neither talent nor knowledge, he lost
numberless pamphlets attacked the min- his own quiet, and his imprudent inceasister with bitterness, who was slowly ures brought trouble and confusion on the
gaining the confidence of the public, when nation. IHe was reproached with haughnew causes of dissatisfaction produced a tiness; but this was the fault of a noble
great irritation against him. To discharge spirit; and he steadily refused, during his
the debt contracted by the war, he was ministry, to employ venal writers. Disobliged to negotiate a loan, the interest of trustful and reserved, he has been describwhich was to be paid by a tax on cider, ed as harsh, imperious and obstinate; yet
perry, &c. In spite of the opposition, the he was generally irresolute, and even
bill passed both houses. The city of timid. His morals were irreproachable.
London in vain petitioned the king to In private life, he displayed an amiable
refuse his consent. The influence of B. simplicity.
seemed unbounded, when it was made BUTLER, James, duke of Ormond; an
known, contrary to expectation, that he eminent statesman in the reigns of Charles
had resigned his office as prime minister, I and II. He was born at London; sue,,