Charles James Fox was a statesman, born January 24, 1749, the second son of Henry, first Lord Holland. He was sent to Eton, whence he removed to Hertford College Oxford.

		His father procured him a seat for the borough of Midhurst in 1768, before he was of legal age, and in 1770 he was appointed one of the lords of the admiralty, which situation he resigned in 1772, and was appointed a commissioner of the treasury. After being a supporter of the administration for six years, a quarrel with Lord North threw Fox into the ranks of the Whig opposition, where, along with Burke and others, he steadily assailed the government, especially on their American policy. In 1780 he was elected member for Westminster, and on the defeat of the administration of Lord North, and the accession of that of the Marquis of Rockingham, be obtained the office of secretary of state for foreign affairs (1782). But the death of the Marquis of Rockingham suddenly divided the party; and when the Earl of Shelburne became first lord of the treasury Fox retired. Soon after a union took place between his friends and those of Lord North, known as the coalition ministry, which was overthrown by Fox's famous East India Bill (1783). At the ensuing election nearly seventy of his friends lost their seats; but though Pitt had a decided majority, Fox still heeded a very strong opposition, and for some years political questions were contested on both sides of the house with a great display of talent.
Charles James Fox.

He took an active part against Warren Hastings, supported the efforts of Wilberforce against the slave-trade, and moved the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts.

He welcomed the breaking out of the French revolution, and his views on this subject led to a memorable break between him and his old friend Burke. Fox firmly opposed the principle on which the war against France was begun, and strenuously argued for peace on every occasion; but eventually, on becoming secretary for foreign affairs in 1806, acquiesced in its propriety.

His health, which had been impaired by his loose manner of living, now began rapidly to decline, and he died the same year a few months after the death of Pitt his great rival. As a powerful and purely argumentative orator he was of the very first class; although as to eloquence and brilliancy he perhaps yielded to Pitt, Burke, and Sheridan;

His history of the early part of the reign of James II. was published posthumously .