was added the reduction of the island of Guadaloupe, under commodore More and general Hopson, an acquisition of great importance; but which was restored at the succeeding peace.

These successes in India and America were great, though achieved by no very expensive efforts on the contrary, the efforts the English made in Europe, and the operations of their great ally, the king of Prussia, were astonishing, yet produced no signal advantages.

England was all this time happily retired from the miseries which oppressed the rest of Europe; yet from her natural military ardour, she seemed desirous of sharing those dangers of which she was only a spectator. This passion for sharing in a continental war was not less pleasing to the king of England, from his native attachments, than from a desire of revenge upon the plunderers of his country. As soon therefore as it was known that prince Ferdinand had put himself at the head of the Hanoverian army, to assist the king of Prussia, his Britannic majesty, in a speech to his parliament, observed, that the late successes of his ally in Germany, had given a happy turn to his affairs, which it would be necessary to improve. The commons concurred in his sentiments, and liberally granted supplies both for the service of the king of Prussia, and for enabling the army formed in Hanover to act vigorously in conjunction with him.

From sending money over into Germany, the nation began to extend their benefits; and it was soon considered that men would be a more grateful supply. Mr. Pitt, who had at first come into popularity and power by opposing such measures, was now prevailed on to enter into them with even greater ardour than any of his predecessors. The hopes of putting a speedy end to the war by vigorous measures, the connections with which he was obliged to co-operate, and perhaps the pleasure he found in pleasing the king, all together incited him eagerly to push forward a continental war. However, he only conspired with the general inclinations of the people at this time, who, assured by the noble efforts of their only ally, were unwilling to see him fall a sacrifice to the united ambition of his enemies.

In order to indulge this general inclination of assisting the king of Prussia, the duke of Marlborough was at first sent into Germany with a small body of British forces to join prince Ferdinand, whose activity against the French began to be crowned with success. After some small successes gained by the allied army at Crevelt, the duke of Marlborough dying,

his command devolved upon lord George Sackville, who was at that time a favourite with the English army. However, a misunderstanding arose between him and the commander in chief, which soon had an occasion of being displayed at the battle of Minden, which was fought soon after. The cause of this secret disgust on both sides is not clearly known; it is thought that the extensive genius, and the inquisitive spirit of the English general, were by no means agreeable to his superior in command, who hoped to reap some pecuniary advantages the other was unwilling to permit. Be this as it will, both armies advancing near the town of Minden, the French began the attack with great vigour, and a general engagement of the infantry ensued. Lord George, at the head of the British and Hanoverian horse, was stationed at some distance on the right of the infantry, from which they were divided by a scanty wood that bordered on an heath. The French infantry giving ground, the prince thought that this would be a favourable opportunity to pour down the horse among them, and accordingly sent lord George orders to come on. These orders were but ill observed; and whether they were unintelligible, or contradictory, still remains a point for posterity to debate upon. It is certain that lord George shortly after was recalled, tried by a court-martial, found guilty, and declared incapable of serving in any military command for the future. The enemy, however, were repulsed in all their attacks with considerable loss, and at length giving way, were pursued to the very ramparts of Minden. The victory was splendid, but laurels were the only advantage reaped from the field of battle.

After these victories, which were greatly magnified in England, it was supposed that one reinforcement more of British troops would terminate the war in favour of the allies, and a reinforcement was quickly sent. The British army in Germany now, therefore, amounted to above thirty thousand men, and the whole nation was flushed with the hopes of immediate conquest. But these hopes soon vanished, in finding victory and defeat successively following each other. The allies were worsted at Corback, but retrieved their honour at Exdorf. A victory at Warbourg followed shortly after, and another at Zierenburg; but then they suffered a defeat at Compen, after which both sides went into winter quarters. The successes thus on either side might be considered as a compact, by which both engaged to lose much and gain little; for no advantages whatever followed from victory. The English at length began

to open their eyes to their own interest, and found that they were waging unequal war, and loading themselves with taxes for conquests that they could neither preserve or enjoy.

It must be confessed that the efforts of England at this time, over every part of the globe, were amazing; and the expense of her operations greater than had ever been disbursed by any nation before. The king of Prussia received a subsidy; a large body of English forces commanded the extensive peninsula of India; another army of twenty thousand men confirmed their conquests in North America; there were thirty thousand men employed in Germany, and several other bodies dispersed in different garrisons in various parts of the world; but all these were nothing to the force maintained at sea, which carried command wherever it came, and had totally annihilated the French power on that element. The courage and the conduct of the English admirals had surpassed whatever had been read of in history; neither superior force, nor number, nor even the terrors of the tempest could intimidate them. Admiral Hawke gained a complete victory over an equal numbe of French ships, on the coast of Bretagne, in Quiberon Bay, in the midst of a tempest, during the darkness of the night, and what a seaman fears more, upon a rocky shore.

Such was the glorious figure the British nation appeared in, to all the world at this time. But while their arms prospered in every effort tending to the real interests of the nation, an event happened, which for a while obscured the splendour of her victories. On the twenty-fifth of October, the king, without having complained of any previous disorder, was found, by his domestics, expiring in his chamber. He had arisen at his usual hour, and observed to his attendants, that as the weather was fine, he would take a walk in the gardens of Kensington, where he then resided. In a few minutes after his return, being left alone, he was heard to fall down upon the floor. The noise of this bringing his attendants into the room, they lifted him into bed, where he desired, with a faint voice, that the princess Amelia might be sent for; but before she could reach the apartment, he expired. An attempt was made to bleed him, but without effect; and afterwards the surgeons, upon opening him, discovered that the right ventricle of the heart was actually ruptured, and that a great quantity of blood was discharged through the aperture.

Oct. 25, 1 George the Second died in the seventy-seventh 1760. year of his age, and the thirty-third of his reign; lamented by his subjects, and in the midst of victory. If any

monarch was happy in the peculiar mode of his death, and the precise time of its arrival, it was he. The universal enthusiasm of the people for conquest was now beginning to subside, and sober reason to take her turn in the administration of affairs. The factions which had been nursing during his long reign had not yet come to maturity; but threatened, with all their virulence, to afflict his successor. He was himself of no shining abilities; and while he was permitted to guide and assist his German dominions, he intrusted the care of Britain to his ministers at home. However, as we stand too near to be impartial judges of his merits or defects, let us state his character as delivered by two writers of opposite opinions. "On whatever side," says his panegyrist, "we look upon his character, we shall find ample matter for just and unsuspected praise. None of his predecessors on the throne of England lived to so great an age, or enjoyed longer felicity. His subjects were still improving under him, in commerce and arts; and his own economy set a prudent example to the nation, which, however, they did not follow. He was in his temper sudden and violent; but this, though it influenced his conduct, made no change in his behaviour, which was generally guided by reason. He was plain and direct in his intentions; true to his word, steady in his favour and protection to his servants, not parting even with his ministers till compelled to it by the violence of faction. In short, through the whole of his life, he appeared rather to live for the cultivation of useful virtues than splendid ones; and satisfied with being good, left others their unenvied greatness."

Such is the picture given by his friends, but there are others who reverse the medal. "As to the extent of his understanding, or the splendour of his virtue, we rather wish for opportunities of praise, than undertake the task ourselves. His public character was marked with a predilection for his native country, and to that he sacrificed all other considerations. He was not only unlearned himself, but he despised learning in others; and though genius might have flourished in his reign, yet he neither promoted it by his influence or example. His frugality bordered upon avarice, and he hoarded not for his subjects, but himself. He was remarkable for no one great virtue, and was known to practise several of the meaner vices." Which of these two characters are true, or whether they may not in part be both so, I will not pretend to decide. If his favourers are numerous, so are they who oppose them; let posterity, therefore, decide the contest.

A. D. 1760.

GE

GEORGE III.

EORGE the Second was succeeded by his grandson, king George the Third, our present most gracious sovereign, whose father never ascended the throne, having died while he was only prince of Wales. His majesty's first care after his accession, was to assemble the parliament; which met in November, and settled the annual sum of 800,0001. upon the king, for the support of his household, and of the honour and dignity of his crown; or, as it is usually called, the Civil List: and this grant is to continue in force during his life. The whole supply, for the service of the ensuing year, amounted to 19,616,1191. 19s. 94d. an immense sum, which none but a commercial nation could raise, but which yet, perhaps, was not greater than was absolutely necessary for carrying on the various operations of the very extensive war in which we were then engaged.

As his majesty could not espouse a Roman catholic, he was precluded from intermarrying into any of the great families of Europe; he therefore chose a wife from the house of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, the head of a small but sovereign state in the north-west of Germany; and the conduct of his excellent consort has hitherto been such as to give him no reason to repent of his choice.

A. D.

1761.j

The nuptials were celebrated on the eighth of September; and, on the twenty-second of the same month,,.