in doctrine, discipline, or practice, the English Sectaries will be found not deftitute of a confiderable tincture of enthufiafm or prejudice. For it is abfurd to fuppofe the diffent of the ge nerality to be founded on reafon, whether it be or be not capable of a reasonable vindication. Sectaries taking them in the aggregate, will also with their religious prejudices combine more rigid morals than can with probability be expected in the promifcuous multitude. On this account, and from that degree of knowledge and intelligence which, from obvious and permanent causes, will be very generally diffused among them, though few perhaps will drink deep of the fountain of Philofophy, or attain to the highest seats in the temple of Science, they will certainly, upon the whole, poffefs very extenfive influence in the grand sphere of civil and focial life. If then these people obferve a disposition in Government to treat them with contempt and rigor-if they perceive an eagerness in the ruling powers on every occafion, to show that they are regarded by them as perfons partially difaffected to the Constitution, as men undeferving of confidence, who are endured by the lenity, and not protected by the juftice of the Government, a spirit of refentment, animofity, and rancor, will be most furely excited*.

By

"An effe ulla major aut infignior contumelia poteft, quam partem civitatis velut CONTAMINATAM haberi? Quid eft aliud quam exilium inter eadem mania, quam relegationem pati? Sic nos fub legis fuperbiffimæ vincula conjicitis, quá dirimatis focietatem civilem, quafque ex una civitate faciatis." Liv. lib. iv. cap. 4.

Thus the wisdom of antiquity pronounced. But in the view of fools wisdom is doomed to appear as folly. A few extracts from the celebrated pamphlet afcribed to the prefent Bishop of Rochefter (Dr. Horfley), entitled "Review of the Cafe of the Proteftant Diffenters," will afford a complete fpecimen of the language and fentiments which, fince the revival of the TORY SYSTEM, have been most fashionable and acceptable at the Court." That a Diffenter, whatever may be his integrity and piety, is an unfit perfon to be intrusted with authority or influence in a State, is an axiom in politics, this High-church Prelate affirms, of which a regular proof is not wanting.In this country the Statefman finds an Established Church amidst a variety of brawling Sects, all clamorous against the Hierarchy, to whofe candor and liberality they are in great part indebted for TOLERATION.It becomes the friends of peace and order, whenever the univerfal acknowledgment of the right of private judgment is pretended, to proteft ALOUD against it.The exclufions of the Corporation and Teft acts hardly amount to incapacities"-and for the reafon which his Lordship affigns, an Auto de Fê by which the tribunal of the Holy Inquifition commits the bodies of Heretics to the flames for the good of their fouls, inflicts no punishments, " because they are only fuch as the delinquent hath, by a

recantation

By being conftantly fufpected, they will become the just objects of fufpicion. By being falfely branded as difaffected, they will become truly difaffected: and though that difaffection may not produce any immediately vifible effect; nay, though the indiscreet expreffions of anger and political alienation on their part, in confequence of great and recent provocations, fhould expose them to the temporary warmth of general resentment; yet in the ceaseless viciffitudes of human affairs an impreffion may, at some crifis favourable to a fudden and unexpected change of fentiment, be made on the public mind, which shall ftrikingly demonftrate this odious fyftem of policy to be as devoid of wisdom, as it is of justice and magnanimity. On these general axioms the History of the present Reign will afford in many respects an inftructive and mournful comment.

In the month of March (1761) while the Parliament was yet fitting, very alarming commotions took place in feveral of the northern counties, in confequence of the expiration of the three years term of fervice prefcribed by the Militia Act, and the new ballot now about to take place. At Hexham in the county of Northumberland, the juftices being affembled for the purpose of enforcing the act, the populace, regarding this military

There is too much

recantation of his errors, in his own power to remove." reason, as his Lordhip intimates, to fufpect that the principles of a Nonconformist in religion and a Republican in politics are infeparably united;" and yet the Non-conformists are univerfally allowed to have been in fact the firmeft friends of thofe Monarchs who have treated them as friends." The truth feems to be," fays his Lordship, contrary to the uniform and pofitive tenor of the hiftoric evidence that the Diffenters were equally with the Papifts the original objects of the Teft a&t! ! !The Corporation Act with great wisdom and juftice hath provided for the perpetual exclufion of the Non-conformifts. It matters little what might be the original purpose of the Teit Act. It now ftands in the Statute-book a declared provifion against the Diffenters.This argument (the inefficacy of the Teft) proves the expediency of Queen Anne's ftatute against occafional conformity.-The NON-CONFORMISTS have no claim upon the GRATITUDE, the JUSTICE, or the IMPARTIALITY of the British Government.-Should the Teft Laws be repealed, the work of Reformation will go on till one ftone will not be left ftanding upon another of the admired fabric of the British Conftitution." Such are the maxims which conftitute the wisdom and policy of the prefent reign with regard to the Diffenters; and yet it is made a fubject of wonder and reproach that the Diffenters are become difcontented and indignant--as if Diffenters did not participate of the common paffions and feelings of human nature. "REST, REST, IMMORTAL SPIRITS of LockE, HOADLEY and SOMERS! Seck not to know by what improvements on your exploded principles the Houfe of Brunfwic now governs the Empire of Britain !"

military compulfion as a tyrannical and infupportable grievance, collected to the number of many thousands, armed with clubs and other offenfive weapons, with which they affaulted the guard of foldiers stationed for the protection of the Magistrates. The Riot Act was read without effect, and they were proceeding to ftill greater outrages, when the military received orders to fire upon the affailants, five-and-forty of whom were killed on the spot, and no less than three hundred miserably wounded, amongst whom were many women and children; and various of the rioters were in the fequel apprehended, tried, and executed. By a refolute exertion of military force, a general and fullen fubmiffion to the Act was at length obtained; but the wisdom and humanity of those by whom the Bill was originally framed, still remained at least as problematic as before. In the course of the summer the King declared in Council his refolution to demand in marriage the Princess Charlotte-Sophia of Mecklenburg Strelitz: and the Earl Harcourt being appointed Ambaffador Plenipotentiary to the Court of Strelitz, the contract of marriage, after a negotiation not very tedious, was figned, and the Princefs conducted to Stade, whence the embarked on board one of the royal yachts, and arrived at the Palace of St. James's, September 8, the nuptial ceremony being the fame evening performed in the Chapel Royal. And on the 22d of September the coronation of their Majesties was celebrated with much pomp and magnificence. The new Queen foon acquired great popularity by the sweetness and affability of her manners, which by the prudence and propriety of her conduct fhe has invariably retained.

The operations of the war were ftill carried on with the accuftomed vigor and fuccefs. In the month of June, the island of Dominique, important from its fituation between the islands of Martinico and Guadaloupe, was reduced with little difficulty or lofs by an armament commanded by Sir James Douglafs and a body of troops under Lord Rollo. A far more hazardous enterprise was undertaken about the fame time against the Ifland of Belleifle, fituated oppofite the harbor of Vannes

VOL. I.

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on

on the coaft of Bretagne. The island was defended by a ftrong fortrefs, conftructed by the famous Vauban, near the town of Palais. On the firft difembarkment of the troops, they met with a very fevere repulfe, being compelled precipitately to retreat, with the lofs of near 500 men. But the English commanders, General Hodgson and Commodore Keppel, fecure of the zeal and ardor of their troops, rendered bold and fanguine by a long continuance of profperity, determined to make another effort, which was attended with happier fuccefs and a body of marines and grenadiers, making good their landing on the craggy point of Lomeria, fuftained their pofition with wonderful intrepidity against a very fuperior force, till joined by the remaining troops amounting to eight or ten thousand men. M. de St. Croix the French commander then recalled his detachments, and prepared for a vigorous defence of the citadel, the avenues to which he had fortified with fix additional redoubts, which, with much effufion of blood, were fucceffively attacked and carried by the English, who now urged, with the moft perfevering ardor, the fiege of the citadel. On the 7th of June, a practicable breach being made, and a general affault apprehended on the part of M. de St. Croix, that officer demanded a capitulation, which was granted on the moft honorable conditions. Thus, at the expence of two thoufand lives, and an enormous fum expended in naval and military preparations, the English achieved the conqueft of a barren rock, affording no produce excepting the laurels of victory.

At the termination of the fuccessful campaign of 1759, overtures had been made, agreeably to the intimation in the Speech from the Throne, by the Kings of Great Britain and Pruffia to the Courts of Vienna and Verfailles, for a general accommodation of differences, which did not appear wholly unacceptable; and after fome communications through the medium of Prince Lewis of Brunfwic, refiding at the Hague in quality of Commander in Chief of the Armies of the Republic, and Guardian of the young Stadtholder, it was agreed

to

to open a general congrefs at Augfburg. Various caufes of delay however concurred to prevent the execution of this project*, and the Court of Vienna was not yet prepared to relinquish its claim to Silefia. But the enfuing campaign of 1760 proving very difaftrous to France, whofe finances were now reduced to a state of the moft diftreffing derangement, the French Ambassador refident at Stockholm delivered a declaration to the Swedish Monarch in February 1761, importing his Sovereign's earnest defire to adopt effectual measures for reftoring the peace of Europe:-that in concerting with his Allies a general plan of pacification, he was disposed abundantly to display his moderation whenever Great Britain should be inclined to acquiesce in reasonable terms:-that in confequence of the expences and calamities attendant on the war, he was conftrained to leffen his fubfidies; and fhould the war continue, he could no longer promise an exact compliance with the letter of his engagements. In the month of March, a memorial was tranfmitted by the hands of Prince Gallitzin, the Ruffian Ambaffador at the Court of London, from the Duc de Choifeul Prime Minister of France, to Mr. Secretary Pitt, fignifying the firm determination of His Moft Christian Majefty fo to act in concert with his Allies at the future Congrefs, as to demonftrate his fincere difpofition to promote the interefts of humanity, and restore the peace of Europe. His Moft Chriftian Majefty expreffed his defire "that the particular accommodation between France and England fhould be united with the general pacification of Europe; but as the objects of the war between these two Powers. were totally foreign to the disputes in Germany, he thought C 2

it

*The principal obftruction to the meeting of this Congrefs, the object of which was to restore tranquillity to fo many kingdoms, arofe, as the Royal Hiftorian tells us, from this curious punctilio :-It was objected by England and Pruffia, that as no war was waged against the Emperor, but only against the Empress as Queen of Hungary, &c. his Imperial Majefty had no right to fend an Ambaffador to the Congrefs. But the Emperor not choofing to defift from his pretenfions, and being in fact a party concerned as Head of the Empire, under the BAN of which the King of Pruffia in his capacity of Elector had been put by the Diet, and the validity of which would have been thus virtually confirmed, the whole plan of pacification proved abortive,Hiftoire de la Guerre de Sept Ans.