"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to tura from the holy commandment delivered to them."

ESSAY IV.

The Reign of GEORGE II. continued, from the Resignation of Sir Robert Walpole to the Peace of Aisla Chapelle.

A, D. 1742-1748.

THE removal of the prime minister from an office which he had long sustained in defiance of public opinion, and of which he had proved himself wholly unworthy afforded general satisfaction. The change to which it led, was expected to prove an effectual remedy for all the evils which had arisen out of his mal-administration. As the recent losses which had been sustained, and the national burdens which had been imposed, were all placed to the account of the late minister, it was concluded, that in consequence of his resignation, a happy reverse would immediately take place; that commerce would instantly revive; that taxation would be diminished; and that the victories of Blenheim and Ramilies would be renewed, But it soon appeared that these hopes were visionary and unfounded. A partial change of ministers, indeed, took place; but the system of foreign and domestic policy adopted by those who succeeded to office, was precisely the same. Though some of the leaders of opposition, who had been long accustomed to declaim with vehe mence against the measures of administration, placed at the head of affairs, they did not scruple to pur

were now

sue the most objectionable and ruinous projects of the ex-minister. The new members of the cabinet were, lord Carteret, secretary of state; Mr. Sandys, one of the lords of the treasury; the earl of Harrington, and Mr. Pulteney, afterwards earl of Bath, members of the privy council. Of these, lord Carteret was considered the chief, who enjoyed nearly the same degree of ministerial influence, which had been possessed by his predecessor in office. In some respects his counsels were more acceptable to the king, inasmuch as he encouraged those continental measures which George II. was most anxious to adopt, and which he deemed essential to the safety of his electoral dominions.

The war with Spain had now continued several years, and, though attended with partial successes, had been far from gratifying either the vanity or the cupidity of the British nation. The victories of Marlborough were not yet forgotten; the ambition of France continued to be an object of national jealousy; and a continental alliance, for the purpose of restraining that ambition within legitimate bounds, was still considered a necessary measure of selfdefence. The state of things on the continent of Europe furnished a pretext for the renewal of war, and Flanders was fixed upon as the principal scene of action, in the hope that some new laurels might be gathered on those plams, which had been the theatre of Marlborough's triumphs. The immediate cause of this new continental war was, a dispute which arose relative to the right of succession to the imperial crown, after the death of Charles VI. It had been settled by the Pragmatic Sanction, (to which most of the European powers had acceded,) that the queen of Hungary, the emperor's daughter, should succeed to the government of Germany; but an attempt was now made by France, Prussia, and Saxony, to place the elector of Bavaria on the imperial throne. It was not necessary that England should interfere in this quarrel, in any other character than that of a mediator: but the new ministers resolved to gratify the wishes of their royal master, by entering the lists as combatants, and declaring war against France and her allies. The rubicon was no sooner past, than numerous detachments of Eng

lish soldiers were dispatched to the Netherlands, which, when united to the Hanoverian and Dutch troops, constituted a formidable army. By the prompt assistance of the British government, the queen of Hungary was speedily restored to her patrimonial rights by being put in possession of her hereditary dominions.

This primary object of the war having been attained, it was determined to follow up the successes of the allies, by making a vigorous combined attack on the frontiers of the French empire. With this view it was proposed to form a junction between the British and Hanoverian troops, commanded by the earl of Stair, and those of the queen of Hungary, under the command of prince Charles of Lorraine. The marshal de Noailles marched at the head of sixty thousand French soldiers, to prevent this formidable junction, and succeeded in overtaking the British army near the village of Dettingen. A battle became inevitable, which was fought under the most dis advantageous circumstances on the part of the allies, who were nearly destitute of provisions, and fatigued with a harassing march. The utmost bravery was manifested by both armies, but the victory remained doubtful. In this action, George II. who had recently, arrived at the camp, exposed himself to the enemy's cannon with great intrepidity, and animated his troops by his presence, and example. Several other engagements took place during this campaign, in which the balance of victory turned more decidedly in favour of the French, particularly the sanguinary battle of Fontenoy, and the memorable sieges of Fribourg and Tournay. For these successes, France was chiefly indebted to the consum mate skill of her famous general, the celebrated count de Saxe, who succeeded de Noailles in the command of her armies.

The first operations of the British navy during this war were equally unsuccessful. A squadron sent into the Mediterranean, under the command of admirals Lestock and Matthews, failed of accomplishing the object of its equipment, in consequence of the dissensions of its principal officers, some of whom were afterwards tried by a court-martial and broken. But this failure was

in some measure compensated by the victories of admirals Rowley and Warren over the French and Spanish fleets, and the capture of the important fortress of Louisburg in Cape Breton by general Pepperell.

From the period of James's abdication, it had been the uniform practice of the French government in time of war, to threaten this kingdom with invasions in favour of the real or pretended descendants of that prince. This measure was again resorted to, on the present occasion, and apparently with greater seriousness and determination. Fifteen thousand veterans were assembled at Dunkirk, ready for embarkation, and twenty ships of the line were put into commission for their conveyance. The command of these troops, on their arrival in England, was to be entrusted to count de Saxe; and Charles Edward, a youth of great enterprise, the son of the pretender, was to accompany the expedition, as his father's representative. But scarcely had the fleet in which this invading army was embarked, quitted the harbour, when the British admiral, sir J. Norris, came in sight, with a much larger squadron; in consequence of which, the French commander, conscious of the great disparity of strength between himself and the enemy, put back to port, after having encountered a severe gale, by which many of the transports were rendered unfit for further service. Soon after the return of the expedition, the troops of which it had been composed were ordered to join the army of the Netherlands.

But the enterprising son of the pretender was not so easily to be diverted from his purpose. Though deprived of the powerful assistance of France, he resolved on one of the most daring and adventurous exploits recorded in history. Accompanied by seven faithful adherents, he embarked on board a small frigate, lent him by the French government, and safely arrived in the bay of Lochaber, on the 27th July, 1745. Soon after his landing, he was joined by about fifteen hundred Highlanders, conducted by the chiefs of their several clans. At the head of this devoted band, the youthful adventurer proceeded to Perth, where he caused his father to be proclaimed king; and thence advanced, by rapid marches, towards the capital of

Scotland, which he entered almost without opposition, though he was still unable to obtain possession of the castle, for want of artillery. Sir John Cope, who com manded the royal forces in that part of Scotland, having been joined by several regiments from England, ventured to give the enemy battle near Preston-pans; but was defeated with great loss. Among the valuable British officers who fell in this action, was the excellent colonel Gardiner, whose piety was equal to his valour, and whose name and memory are justly endeared to posterity, by the record of his many public and private virtues given by his amiable friend and biographer.

The victory obtained by the rebels at Preston-pans greatly augmented their strength, and emboldened many, who had hitherto kept back, to join the standard of the pretender. The earl of Kilmarnock, the lords Balmerino, Cromartie, Elcho, Pitsligo, Ogilvie, and other persons of distinction, now came forward openly, bringing with them a numerous train of vassals and dependents. Lord Lovat acted a more cautious part, yet, by permitting his eldest son to repair to the pretender's camp, he sufficiently ind cated the bent of his own inclinations. Strengthened by these reinforcements, the young adventurer, after having spent a few days at Edinburgh, pushed forward towards the English frontiers. The duke of Cumberland, who, commanded the British army in Flanders, received imme diate orders to return with a strong detachment of troops; but before he could arrive, the rebels had entered England, and taken possession of many of its norther towns. They proceeded without opposition, till they came within a hundred miles of the metropolis, where the greatest consternation prevailed, and the arrival of the enemy was almost hourly expected. But the kingdom was happily saved from this calamity, not so much by the vigour of its ruling authorities, as by the dissensions and insubordination of the rebel chiefs. The Highland offcers, impatient of controul, refused to proceed farther, though the way to the capital lay open before them; but formed a sudden and unanimous resolution to return to Scotland, where they expected to meet with a more vigorous support. After their arrival in their own