Consistently  with  the  principles  and  objects  it  had  always
adhered  to,  the  Review  engaged,  with  its  usual  animation,
in  all  these  discussions.  But  Jeffrey,  though  as  enthusias-
tic a  reformer  as  was  consistent  with  prudence,  made  few
personal  contributions  in  this  form  to  the  cause.  Public
affairs,  indeed,  were  generally  the  smallest  of  his  depart-
ments, though  in  none,  when  he  ventured  into  it,  was  his
wisdom  more  conspicuous  ;  but  after  this  he  cultivated
the  subject  even  more  sparingly  than  he  used  to  do.  Be-
tween 1815  and  1820,  inclusive,  he  seems  to  have  only
written  one  article  directly  on  British  politics.  Nobody
who  lived  in  1819  and  1820  can  have  forgotten  the  fright-
ful condition  of  large  portions  of  the  population ;  when
demagogues  aggravated  the  real  miseries  of  want,  by
ascribing  it  to  wilful  human  causes.  It  was  the  most
horrid  period  since  the  days  of  1793.  Jeffrey's  humanity
would  not  allow  him  to  avoid  giving  a  few  words  of  advice
on  such  a  crisis ;  and  in  October,  1819,  he  wrote  a  short
N  17


194  LIFE    OF   LORD    JEFFREY.
