Nor were events slow to prove his wisdom.

The war with Spain which he would have declared, Spain declared.

The treasure fleet which he would have seized, escaped us.

Finally, the peace when it came redounded to his credit, for in the main it secured his conquests--to the disgrace of his enemies, since more might have been obtained.
Such was the man who, restored to office and lately created an earl by the title of Chatham, lay ill at Bath in the spring of '67.

The passage of time, the course of events, the ravages of gout, in a degree the acceptance of a title, had robbed his popularity of its first gloss.