nation was infected with a spirit of avaricious enterprise. The infatuation prevailed; the stock increased to a surprising degree, and to nearly ten times the value of what it was first subscribed for.

After a few months, however, the people awaked from their dream of riches, and found that all the advantages which they expected were merely imaginary, while thousands of families were involved in one common ruin.

The principal delinquents were punished by parliament with a forfeiture of all such possessions and estates as they had acquired during the continuance of this popular frenzy ; and some care also was taken to redress the sufferers.

The discontents occasioned by these public calamities once more gave the disaffected party hopes of succeeding. But in all their counsels they were weak, divided, and wavering.

The first person who was seized upon suspicion was Francis Atterbury, bishop of Rochester, a prelate long obnoxious to the present government, and possessed of abilities to render him formidable to any ministry which he opposed. His papers were seized, and he himself confined to the Tower, in the year 1722. Soon after the duke of Norfork, the earl of Orrery, the lords North and Grey, and some others of inferior rank, were arrested and imprisoned. Of all these, however, only the bishop, who was banished, and Mr. Christopher Layer, a young gentleman of the Temple, who was hanged at Tyburn, felt the severity of government, the proofs against the rest amounting to no convictive evidence.

The commons about this time, finding many abuses had crept into the court of chancery, which either impeded justice, or rendered it venal, resolved in the year 1724, to impeach the chancellor, Thomas Parker, earl of Macclesfield, at the bar of the house of lords, for high crimes and misdemeanors. This was one of the most laborious and best contested trials in the annals of England. The trial lasted twenty days. The earl proved, that the sums which he had received for the sale of places in chancery, had been usually received by former lord chancellors, and reason told that such receipts were contrary to strict justice. Equity, therefore, prevailed above precedent; the earl was convicted of fraudulent practices, and condemned to pay a fine of thirty thousand pounds, with imprison ment until the sum should be paid, which was accordingly discharged in about six weeks after.

In this manner, the corruption, venality, and avarice of the times had increased with the riches and luxury of the nation.

Commerce introduced fraud, and wealth introduced prodiga lity.

It must be owned, that the parliament made some new ef forts to check the progress of vice and immorality, which now began to be diffused through every rank of life. But they were supported neither by the co-operation of the ministry, nor the voice of the people.

The king had not visited his electoral dominions in Hanover for two years, and, therefore, purposed a journey thi ther soon after the breaking up of the parliament in May 1727. Having appointed a regency in his absence, he embarked for Holland, and lay, upon his landing, at a little town called Voet. Next day he proceeded on his journey, and in two days more, between ten and eleven at night, arrived at Delden, to all appearance in perfect health. He supped there very heartily, and continued his progress early the next morning, but between eight and nine ordered his coach to stop. It being perceived that one of his hands lay motionless, Monsieur Fabrice, who had formerly been servant to the king of Sweden, and who now attended king George, attempted to quicken the circulation, by chafing it between his hands. As this had no effect, the surgeon, who followed on horseback, was called, and he also rubbed it with spirits. Soon after the king's tongue began to swell, and he had just strength to bid them hasten to Osnaburgh. Then falling insensibly into Fabrice's arms, he never recovered, but expired, on the eleventh day of June, about eleven o'clock forenoon, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, and the thirteenth of his reign.

EXERCISES.

In what years did the reign of George I. commence and terminate? Of whom was he the son? What promised him a happy reign? What was the character of the Stuart family? What was the maxim of George 1.? What qualifications did he possess? Did he study equally the interests of the Hanoverians and Britons? What proceedings followed on the death of the queen? How was Bolingbroke treated? How did George I. act on landing at Greenwich? By whom was the king surrounded? Whom did he admit into employment? Relate the conduct of the Whigs. What was the result of their partialities? To what clamour did it give rise? When did the first parliament meet, and who were predominant? What was expected, and what happened What were the proceedings of the two houses of parliament? By what names were the discontents now branded? Of whom were they considered the friends? For what purpose was a committee appointed? Who were taken into custody? Of what was lord Bolingbroke accused? Relate the speech of lord Coningsby. How was lord Oxford next day eceived in the House of Peers? What was alleged

against him? What was the opinion of Sir Joseph Jekyl? What was Oxford's defence? What was the declaration of Dr. Mead? Who fled to the Continent, and what was ordered respecting their names and possessions? How long was lord Oxford confined in the Tower? To what did he owe the preservation of his fortune and title? What kindled the flames of rebellion in Scotland? Who headed the rebels ? What was the number of his vassals? What title did he assume? What number of ships arrived from France, and what did they contain? Who opposed the ear of Mar? Who had the superiority in point of numbers? How was that superiority more than compensated? Where did they come to an engagement? Which general claimed the victory? Why did the marquis of Tullibardine forsake the earl of Mar? How was the rebellion prosecuted in England? Who at the court of France were implicated in the project of the Chevalier? Who discovered their designs and communicated them to the British ministry? What was the consequence of that information? Did the adherents of prince James concert their measures with ability and secresy? What was the declaration of major-general Pepper at Oxford? Relate the progress and extinction of the rebellion in the northern counties of England? When did the Chevalier hazard his person amongst his friends in Scotland? Did he discover either judgment or fortitude in that enterprise? From what port of Scotland did he set sail, and where did he land? How were the rebels treated? What noblemen were brought to trial? How did Nithisdale escape? How did Derwentwater and Kenmure meet their fate? Against whom were bills found by the commissioners for trying the rebels? Who effected their escape from prison? How many suffered at Tyburn? How many were hanged at Preston and Manchester? Of how many did the king spare the lives, and to what country were they transported? What once more raised the hope of prince James? By whose assistance was a new insurrection in England expected to be raised? Who was fixed on to conduct the expedition? With what number of ships and troops did he set sail? How many additional stand of arms did he receive? What frustrated the expedition? What induced Philip to sign e quadruple alliance? Of what town was John Law a native, and what cheme did he devise? Relate the nature and consequences of the Southea scheme. How were the principal delinquents punished? What prevented the hopes of the disaffected party, or Tories, from succeeding? Who was seized on suspicion and sent to the Tower? Who were afterwards imprisoned? What was the fate of the bishop?—and of Christopher Layer? Why was the chancellor Thomas Parker earl of Macclesfield arraigned? How long did his trial last? What was his sentence? Did parliament make any effort to check the vices of that period? In what year did the king purpose visiting his Hanoverian dominions? What befel him at Voet? In what year of his age and reign did he expire?

UPON

PON the death of George the First, his son, George the Second, came to the crown. His abilities were inferior to those of his father, and he was strongly biassed with a partiality to his dominions on the continent. The chief person, and he who afterwards engrossed the greatest share of power under him, was Sir Robert Walpole; who through the two preceeding reigns had risen from low beginning into great estimation. He was considered as a martyr to his cause in the reign of Queen Anne; and when the tories could no longer overpower him, he still persisted in his animosity against them.

In 1731, a treaty was signed at Vienna, by the Emperor, the King of Great Britain, and the King of Spain, which settled the peace of Europe on its former footing, and put off a threatening war. During this interval of peace, little occurred worthy of notice, except in the British parliament, where disputes between the court and the country party were pursued with unceasing animosity. In this year 1731, a society of men had united themselves into a company, by the name of the Charitable Corporation, with the professed intention of lending money on legal interest to the poor, upon small pledges, and to persons of higher rank upon proper security.

Their capital, at first limited to thirty thousand pounds, was increased to six hundred thousand. This capital was supplied by subscription, and the care of it entrusted to a proper number of directors. This company having continued for more than twenty years, the cashier, George Robinson, member for Marlow, and the warehouse-keeper. John Thompson, disappeared in one day. Five hundred thousand pounds of capital was found to be embezzled, by means which the proprietors could not discover. They therefore brought their grievance before parliament by petition, when a secret committee having been appointed, a most iniquitous system of fraud was soon discovered, which had been carried on by Robinson and Thompson, in concert with some of the directors, for embezzling the capital, and cheating the proprietors. Many persons of rank were concerned in this conspiracy, and some of the first characters in the nation did not escape

censure.

A spirit of avarice and rapacity infected every rank of life about this time; no less than six members of parliament were expelled for the most sordid acts of knavery. Sir Robert Sutton, Sir Archibald Grant, and George Robinson, for their frauds in the management of the Charitable Corporation schemes; Dennis, Bond, and Serjeant Burch, for the fraudulent sale of the late Earl of Derwentwater's estate, and lastly, John Ward, of Hackney, for forgery. Luxury had given birth to prodigality, the parent of the meanest arts of peculation. It was at that time asserted in the House of Lords, that not one shilling of the numerous estates forfeited for rebellion in the former reigns was ever applied to the service of the public, but became the reward of fraud and venality.

Ever since the treaty of Seville, the Spaniards in America had insulted and distressed the commerce of Great Britain; and the British merchants had attempted to carry on an illicit trade in their dominions. Availing themselves of a privilege, which had never been clearly ascertained, of the right of cutting logwood in the Bay of Campeachy, and gathering salt in the island of Tortuga, the English merchants introduced contraband commodities upon the Spanish continent in America.

The Spaniards, determined to remedy this evil, resorted to the most severe measures, and many of the subjects of Great Britain were sent to dig in the mines of Potozi. Our ministry endeavoured to effect a redress of these grievances by negociations; but their efforts were unavailing. The Spanish guard