us ftate his character as delivered by two writers of opposite opinions, On whatever fide, fays his panegyrift, we "look upon his character, we fhall find ample "matter for juft and unfufpected praife. None "of his predeceffors on the throne of England "lived to fo great an age, or enjoyed longer felicity. His fubjects were ftill improving under "him, in commerce and arts; and his own ceconomy fet a prudent example to the nation, "which, however, they did not follow. He was, "in his temper, fudden and violent; but this, "though it influenced his conduct, made no "change in his behaviour, which was generally "guided by reafon. He was plain and direct in "his intentions; true to his word, fteady in his "favour and protection to his fervants, not part 66 ing even with his minifters 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 ufeful virtues than fplendid 66 ones; and fatisfied with being good, left others "their unenvied greatness." As to Such is the picture given by his friends, but there are others ho reverfe the medal. "the extent of his understanding, or the fplendour of his virtue, we rather with for opportunities "of praife, than undertake to task ourselves. His public character was marked with a predilection "for his native country, and to that he facrificed "all other confiderations. He was not only un"learned himself, but he defpifed learning in "others; and though genius might have Hou"rithed in his reign, yet he neither promoted it "by by his influence or example. His frugality "bordered upon avarice, and he hoarded not for his fubjects, but himself. He was remarkable ❝ for "for no one great virtue, and was known to 66 practise feveral of the meaner vices." Which of these two characters is true, or whether they may not in part be both fo, I will not pretend to decide. If his favourers are numerous, fo are those who oppose them; let pofterity, therefore, decide the conteft. INDEX. INDE X. A ADDISON, Mr. made fecretary of ftate, 32 Anne, princefs, deferts the intereft of her father, 30; is fufpected of difaffection, 51; ascends the throne of England, 62; her parentage, 63; her character at that time, ib. her council divided in opinion, ib. is attached to the earl of Marlborough, why, 64; declares war against France, ib. her allegations against Lewis XIV. 65; creates Marlborough a duke, 68; gains the confent of the commons to augment her forces, 70; orders a magnificent palace to be built at Woodstock, 76; her noble deportment to Charles, fon of the emperor, 79; her councils governed by a Whig ministry, 83; begins to balance in favour of the Tories, ib. appoints commiffioners to treat of an union with Scotland, 87; gives the royal fanction to that happy event, 91; is attached to Mrs. Masham, 92; beftows bifhoprics on clergymen who had condemned the Revolution, 94; endeavours to reconcile her minifters, 95; is in danger of being deferted by her miniftry, ib. perceives the unbounded power acquired over her councils by the duke of Marlborough and the lord Treafurer, ib. refolves to change her miniftry, 96; orders Harley to refign his office, ib. repofes an entire confidence in that gentleman, ib. discovers a public partiality in favour of the Tories, ib. is a private fpectator at the trial of Sacheverel, 98; favours Sacheverel, ib. fummonfes a new parliament, 100; receives addreffes from all parts of the kingdom, 105; her reasons for disliking the Whig miniftry, 106; is difgufted with the dutchefs of Marlborough, ib. her conduct towards the duke duke of Marlborough, ib. fecure in her popularity, 107; diffembles her refentment towards the Whigs, ib. wishes for the duke's removal, ib. treats the dutchefs with contempt, 108; begins the changes in her ministry, ib. refolves to become entirely free, ib. difplaces all the Whigs, Marlborough excepted, ib. recommends the profecution of the war with vigour, 109; difiiffes Marlborough from all his employments, 113; tranfmits a memorial, from the court of France, to the Dutch, 115; orders her minifter to fign certain preliminary articles, ib. purport of her letter to the ftates general, 120; prevents a duel between the duke of Marlborough and the earl Powlet, 121; ratifies the treaties of peace and commerce with France, 122; informs her parlia ment of the steps fhe had taken, ib. her disagreeable fituation, 127 is perplexed in the choice of a treafurer, 128; declares the fhall not furvive the fatigue, ib. finks into a lethargy, ib. her life is defpaired of ib. her death, 129; her character, ib. Anfon, commodore, appointed to the command of a fquadron defined for the South feas, 187; fails with five ships of the line, &c. 188: lands on the ifland of St. Catharine, ib his fleet difperfed by a tempeft, ib. attacks, plunders, and fets fire to the city of Paita, ib. hopes to take one of the galleons, ib. traverfes the Pacific Ocean, 189; affembles all his men into one fhip, ib. flecrs for the island of Tinian, ib. fails for China, ib. fteers for America, ib. discovers and takes a Spanish galleon, ib. returns to England, ib. Argyle, duke of, joins with Monmouth, 6; lands in Scotland, ib. taken and exccuted, ib. —, John, duke of, opposes the earl of Mar, 145; fome account of, ib. defeats the rebels, 146 Afbton, Mr. fent to inform James of a confpiracy form ed in his favour, 50; taken in his paffage to France, ib. tried and executed, ib. Affaffination plot, account of, 55 Athlone, taken by the English, 47 Atterbury, Francis, bishop of Rochefter, fent to the Tower, 164; banished the kingdom, 166 Augh Aughrim, battle of, 47 B BAKER, major, his noble defence of Londonderry, 40 Balmerino, lord, joins the rebels, 209; tried and found guilty, 218; beheaded on Tower-hill, ib. Barcelona, taken by the English, 80 Barclay, fir George, engages in the affaffination plot, 55; flies on the plot's being difcovered, 56 Barnard, fir John, his fcheme for diminishing the intereft of the funds, 181 Bath, earl of, declares for the prince of Orange, 28 Blackhole at Calcutta, what, 253; dreadful fcere there, 254 Blenheim, battle of, 73 Blount, Mr. forms the South-fea fcheme, 192 Bolingbroke, lord. See St. John. Bonne, taken by the English, 70 Bouchain, taken by the allies, 113 Boyne, battle of, 45 Braddock, general, marches against Fort du Quefne, 2355 his unfortunate defeat, 236 Breslau, battle of, 271 Broxholme, in Torbay, the prince of Orange lands at, 27 Burrington, major, joins the prince of Orange, 28 Bynge, Sir George, fent to the Mediterranean, 158; totally defeats the Spanish fleet, ib. John, admiral, fent out with a fleet to relieve Minorca, 239; refused assistance from the governor of Gibraltar, ib. makes no attempt to land troops for the relief of Minorca, 240; defcries French fleet, ib. refolves to act upon the defenfive, ib. his great kill in naval tactics, ib. keeps aloof while part of his fleet is engaged with the enemy, ib. holds a council of war, ib. incurs the national refentment, ib. fatisfied with his own conduct, 241; is |