benevolence of his intentions were always apparent: but he was, from the nature of his fituation, compelled to throw himself into the hands of a party; and from the easiness of his difpofition he was too often perfuaded to acquiefce in measures which a more perfect acquaintance with the real ftate of facts and opinions would have shewn to be as contrary to his interefts, as there is reafon to believe they frequently were to his inclination. In the view of Europe at large, he sustained the character of a prudent, an able, and a fortunate prince. And if, in contemplating the hiftory of this reign, we have juft caufe to lament the weaknesses and defects of the external fyftem of policy by which its counfels were influenced; we have ample reason, on the other hand, to express our ardent wishes, that the noble fpeculative principles of government, and of liberty civil and religious, which this monarch was not only ready but anxious on all occafions to avow, and by which the general tenor of his conduct was regulated, may never cease to be the distinguishing and favorite characteristics of the royal and electoral houfe of BRUNSWIC.

With refpect to the general state of literature and the arts during this reign, it may fuffice to obferve, that notwithftanding the total neglect of the court, and the violence of party rage, defcriptive of this as well as of the former reign, they continued to flourish in a very high degree; and we view with furprise, amidst scenes of contention and turbulence, a conftellation of geniufes fhedding a peculiar luftre over this period of British hiftory. Scarcely had LOCKE, TEMPLE, and DRYDEN, the departing luminaries of the former age, funk below the western sky; when ADDISON, SWIFT, POPE, SHAFTESBURY and BOLINGBROKE arose in the caft. The writings of Addison, in particular, merit a moft diftinguifhed and honorable mention. Amidst the din of hoftile and malignant factions, they exhibit an almost éloudless picture of urbanity, candor, good sense, and beneficence. The advantage which the community has reaped

from

from the wide and almoft boundless diffufion of them, no power of calculation can ascertain. And exclufive of their moral and political merit, his exquifite delineations of life and manners will charm as long as our nation and language exist. In poetry, Pope rofe far fuperior to all his contemporaries; and if inferior to any in that mode of versification which he chose to adopt, he is inferior to Dryden alone. In the province of architecture, Gibbs and Kent, with unequal steps and at almost viewless distance, followed the celebrated fir Chriftopher Wren; of whom the magnificent plan for rebuilding the city of London in 1666-an effort of genius which can never be contemplated without admiration and indignant regret-would have alone fufficed to perpetuate the memory. And at this period the English school of painting could produce, a Thornhill excepted, no greater artift than Jervas, whofe name is indeed immortalized-not by the warmth divine" of his own performances, but of

the verfe eternal which embalms the dead." During the courfe of this reign, fir ISAAC NEWTON terminated his long career of life; but his career of fame and glory will be coeval only with that of the world itself, whose laws he has developed and explained, with an energy and fagacity wholly ftupendous, and approaching, perhaps, the limits of fupernatural intelligence.

BOOK

GEORGE II.

BOOK III.

GEORGE II. his acceffion. Affembles and fwears anew the privy council. Declares his firm purpose to preferve invio late the conftitution in church and flate-and to cultivate the alliances with foreign powers. Concludes a treaty with Spain at Seville. His angry mention of incendiaries—and remarkable speech from the throne. Concludes a treaty of peace with the emperor. Guarantees the Pragmatic Sanction. Receives the inveftitures of Bremen and Verden. His exSends' a fleet traordinary message to the house of commons. to the Tagus, for the protection of Portugal. Character of the earl of Chesterfield—and fpeech against licensing the Rage. Character of Secretary Pelham. Duke of Newcastle, his character, and impenetrable fecrefy. Achmet III. his extraordinary depofition. Anne Iwanowna, empress of Ruffia, her acceffion, and conqueft's over the Ottomans. Duke of Argyle's character-oppofes the bill for inflicting penalties on Edinburgh. Death of Auguftus, king of Poland, and its political confequences. Acceffion of pope Clement XII. Sir John Bernard opposes the foreign loan bill—his speech against the requifition of an unlimited vote of credit-and plan for reducing the public debt. Duke of Berwick reduces Fort Kehl and Traerback-killed by a cannon ball at the fiege of Philipsburg. Character of lord Carteret-is appointed to the government of Ireland—his wife adminif tration. He refigns his offices, joins the oppofition, and fupperts the penfion bill. Declares against votes of credit.

Don

Prince Eugène op

Cardinal Fleury
Offers the me-

Don Carlos fucceeds to the duchy of Parma, and conquers Naples and Italy. Death of queen Caroline. Charles VI. offended at the treaty of Seville-bis unfuccessful war with Turkey. Charles Emmanuel, king of Sardinia, fucceeds to the crown on the refignation of his father-orders him to be feized, and with France and Spain declares war against the emperor. Prince of Lorraine defeated by the king of Pruffia at Prague, and fuperfeded in command by marshal Daun. Death of pope Benedict XIII. Sir John Hynde Cotton's defcription of a genuine whig. pofes the duke of Berwick on the Rhine. gains the reverfion of Lorrain for France. diation of France to accommodate the differences between Spain and England. Frederick, prince of Wales, arrives in England-married to Augufta, princess of Saxe Gotha. Motion in the house of Commons for fettling on him 100,000%. per annum. Colony of Georgia fettled. Herring, archbishop of Canterbury, his character. Sir Joseph Fekyl oppofes the fyftem of fubfidies. King of Portugal differs with the court of Spain. Unexpected elevation of Mahomet V. to the throne. Rife of Methodism. Sir Paul Methuen oppofes the excife bill. Lord Molefworth's memorable observation repeated. General Murray appointed governor of Quebeck. His gallant defence of that city. He co-operates with general Amburft in the reduction of Montreal. Prince of Orange marries the princess-royal of England—his character. Mr. Pitt engages with ardor in the German war, -and his reasons. Remarkable execution of captain Porteus. Mr. Pulteney inveighs against grants for fecret fervices, and expofes the inconfiftent politics of the court. name is ftruck off the privy-council lift. Mr. Sands revives the place bill. Earl of Scarborough opposes a dangerous motion of the duke of Marlborough- his character. Attempt to repeal the feptennial act. Bishop of Bangor's remarkable declaration refpecting regal influence. Shippen opposes the increase of the civil lift revenue, and the farther

His

continuance

continuance of the flanding army-speech against unlimited votes of credit. Slefuick guaranteed by the emperor and Ruffa. Stanislaus, king of Poland, besieged in Dantzick. Difference between Denmark and Hanover respecting the lardfaip of Steinburk. Swift, dean of St. Patrick, his infolence. Victor Amadeus, king of Sardinia, refigns his crown-attempts in vain to refume it. Marefchal Villars effumes the command of the army in Lombardy. Expels the Imperialists from the Milanefe-dies. Sir Robert Walpole prefents a bill to parliament against foreign loans-extraordinary defence of the measures recommended from the house abis political character delineated-bill for the revival of the falt duties-bis direct alienation of the finking fundhis excife bill—with fingular fagacity oppofès a dangerous mation of lord Morpeth's-delivers the king's message, re* quiring an extraordinary vote of credit-oppofes the repeal of the test--bi: motives. Horace Walpole defends the treaty of Vienna. His fingular affertion respecting the army-defends the votes of credit-moves for a fubfidy to Denmark,-and is known under the name of Balance-mafter. Sir William Wyndham oppofes the alienation of the finking fund — his memorable speech on the motion for repealing the feptennial

bill.

ON N the arrival of an exprefs from Ofnaburg with the intelligence of the death of the king, the new monarch, affembling the privy council, commanded the members to be fworn anew; and declared to them his firm purpose to preferve inviolate the conftitution in church and state, and to cultivate thofe alliances which his father had made with foreign princes. All the great officers of ftate were continued in their places; and it was at once apparent that the political system established by the late king would suffer no effential alteration. The prime minifter, fir Robert Walpole, feemed even to poffefs an higher and more exclufive

fhare