differtation too far, to trace the mifrepresentations of Mr. Hume relative to the conduct of lord Shaftefbury fubfequent to his refignation of office, and public junction with the oppofition, of which he was immediately acknowledged as the head. It muft fuffice to fay, that the hiftorian exhibits a character incongruous, incredible, impoffible a character from no one vice exempt, yet the object of universal affection and veneration not the veneration of the mafs of the people merely, but of the best and wifeft men of the age and country in which he lived an Effex, an Holles, a Ruffel and a Sydney. And to the injurious reproaches of Mr. Hume may with infinitely preponderating advantage be oppofed the difcriminating applaufe of the celebrated Locke, founded on long and intimate knowledge; who fays of this nobleman, that in all the variety of changes of the last age • he was never known to be either bought or frighted out of his public principles.' And M. le Clerc tells us, that, to the end of his life, Mr. Locke recollected with the greatest pleafure the delight which he had found in the con⚫ verfation of lord Shaftesbury; and when he spoke of his good qualities, it was not only with efteem, • but with admiration.'

"When at length reduced to the neceffity of taking refuge in Holland, he was received by the repub lic, which according to his enemies he had laboured to fubvert, with the highest honours. On his arrival at Amfterdam, he was vifited by feveral of the states and perfons of diftinction, one of whom fmiling remarked, My lord, nondum est

deleta Carthago.' They told him they were fenfible his fufferings were for the proteftant cause, that he had been their real friend, and that he had no enemies but who were theirs likewife. They affured him of their constant protection, and ordered his portrait to be hung up in their public room. On his death, which happened fhortly after, they put themfelves into mourning. Even the fhip which conveyed his body to England, was adorned with ftreamers and fcutcheons, and the whole apparatus was, by an exprefs decree of the ftates, exempted from the payment of tolls, fees and cuftoms. On the fubfequent landing at Poole in Dorfetfhire, it was met by a cavalcade of the principal gentlemen of the county, who attended the proceffion to his ancient feat of Winborne, where, after all his political conflicts, he repofed from his labours, and received a peaceful and honourable inter

ment."

fels of her favourites, they were not restrained, by the fear of her refentment, from abufing indulged power, and violating the obligations of gratitude. Although fhe had imbibed all the keennef's of a party fpirit, yet he was deterred from purfuing its impulfe by the firit appearance of danger. She difcarded the tories, who, from the confi. dence of her patronage at the beginning of her reign, were running into a courfe of meafures, tending to the difunion of her fubjects, and the danger of the proteftant fucceffion. Under the awe of a ruling junto, fhe gave her fanction to the continuance of the war, contrary to the bent of her own judgment and feelings, at a time when the had the opportunity of putting an end to it, upon terms more advantageous for Britain, than those which were finally obtained. Haraffed at the clofe of her days by the jealoufies of the whigs, and their urging fecurities for the proteftant fettlement, which did violence to her affections, fhe was prevented by the apprehenfion of perfonal danger, more than by principle or inclination, from taking any refolute steps for transferring the fucceffion of the crown to her brother.

"She had high notions of prerogative, which however produced no worse effect, than rendering her partial to its advocates.

The ingratitude of her first favourites rendered queen Anne more fufpicious and guarded, after their difmiffion; and a distrust of her minifters, and an unwillingness to yield to their advice in the last years of her reign, were one caufe of their flowness in the profecution of that fyftem of meafures, which was expected from the promises they had made to the tories, before they came into power. They

had gained the queen's favour by recommending to her the exercise of independent authority; and this made her afterwards the more pofitive in refifting any propofal which did not immediately meet with her approbation.

"This princefs has had the fingu lar fate of being both praised, and condemned, for her conduct as a relation. By one party she has been reprefented as an amiable pattern of domestic tenderness; and by another, as an odious example of filial depravity. She was a kind and dutiful wife; and though encumbered with the cares of royalty, and depreffed with bodily infirmities, the never omitted the minutest conjugal refpect, and attended the fick-bed of her husband with fympathy and tenderness, almost unexampled in the higher ranks of life. She loved her children with the fondest affection, and paid the most affiduous attention to their health and education. But he has been accufed of hard-heartedness in abandoning her father in the hour of his extremity.

"While we afcribe what all have approved of, in the domeftic behaviour of Anne, to a fenfe of duty, and her own native difpofition, we ought not to overlook thofe peculiar circumftances in her fituation, which afford fome apology for the fufpenfion of natural affection, though they do not amount to a juftification of it. The habit of a blind deference to the advice of lord and lady Churchill, and a confcientious anxiety for the proteftant religion, expofed to the extremity of danger, ftifled the emotions of filial tendernefs, in a moment of fingular agitation and perplexity, and precipitated her into an action, which would have been inexcufable, if it had been the refult of

cool

cool deliberation, and originated from motives of intereft and ambition.

"In all the different ftations fhe filled, this princess had the merit of observing the stricteft rules of conomy, in the management of her fortune; while fhe was not deficient in charity, and exceeded in bounty to her favourites.

"In the difcharge of religious duties, he was regular and exemplary. Her zeal for the profperity of the church was attefted by extending the means of public inftructions; by augmenting, at her own expence, the livings of the poor clergy; and by expreffing, on all occafions, a folicitude for the purity of the clerical character.

"She poffeffed a confiderable degree of tafte for the fine arts; amufed herself with mufic and painting; and delivered her public fpeeches with a melodious propriety, that charmed the ears of her audi

ence.

"The deceitfulness of grandeur, as a criterion of happiness, has often been inferred from the condition of royalty; and was remarkably verified in the life and reign of queen Anne. We behold a nation rifing, under her aufpices, to the fummit of profperity. While fignal fuccefs crowned her military exertions abroad, agriculture, commerce, manufactures, fcience, and literature, advanced, with rapid fteps, at home; every event, and every improvement, which contribute to the opulence, the power, and the

renown of a nation, distinguish the reign of queen Anne, as the most propitious and brilliant recorded in the annals of Britain. But when we follow this princess into retirement, and furvey the incidents of her private life, what a contrafted fcene difclofes itself to view; and how much are we ftruck with the wide diftinction between external grandeur, and perfonal felicity!

"She furvived a numerous family of children; the duke of Gloucefter, deftined by the act of settlement to fucceed her, lived to the age of twelve; and exhibited early bloffoms of every accomplishment, that could elevate the hopes of a nation, and delight the heart of a parent.

"The poffeffion of a crown, held upon the condition of ratifying the degradation and exile of her own family, muft have coft her many a pang; which fhe durft not impart to the most confidential friends. While looked up to as the first potentate in Europe, and loaded with congratulations upon the fuccefs of her arms, fhe was a flave in her own houfe; and subjected to daily affronts and mortifications, from the infolence and ufurpations of her fervants. Emancipated, at length, from her chains, the only entered upon a new scene of vexation and trial; and all her remaining days were embittered by the jealoufies of her people, the turbulence of faction, and the contentions and outrage of a distracted cabinet."

CHARACTER

σε

Q

UEEN Caroline was faid to have been very handfome at her marriage, foon after which fhe had the fmall-pox; but was little marked by it, and retained a moft pleafing countenance. It was full of majesty or mildnefs as he pleafed, and her penetrating eyes expreffed whatever the had a mind they fhould. Her voice too was captivating, and her hands beautifully fmall, plump and graceful. Her understanding was uncommonly strong; and fo was her refolu tion. From their earliest connec tion fhe had determined to govern the king, and deferved to do fo; for her fubmiffion to his will was unbounded, her fenfe much fuperior, and his honour and intereft always took place of her own: fo that her love of power, that was predominant, was dearly bought, and rarely ill-employed. She was ambitious too of fame; but fhackied by her devotion to the king, the feldom could purfue that object. She wifhed to be a patronefs of learned men: but George had no refpect for them or their works; and her majefty's own tafte was not very exquifite, nor did he allow her time to cultivate any ftudies. Her generofity would have difplayed itself, for the valued money but as the inftrument of her good purposes: but he ftinted her alike in almost all her paffions; and though he wished for nothing more than to be liberal, fhe bore the imputation of his avarice, as she did of others of his faults. Of ten when she had made prudent and proper promifes of preferment, and

could not perfuade the king to com ply, the fuffered the breach of word to fall on her, rather than reflect on him. Though his affection and confidence in her were implicit, he lived in dread of being fuppofed to be governed by her; and that filly parade was extended even to the moft private moments of business with my father whenever he entered, the queen rofe, curtfied and retired, or offered to retire. Sometimes the king condefcended to bid her ftay-on both occafions fhe and fir Robert had previously settled the bufinefs to be difcuffed. Sometimes the king would quafh the propofal in queftion; and yield after re-talking it over with her-but then he boafted to fir Robert that he himself had better confidered it.

"One of the queen's delights was the improvement of the garden at Richmond; and the king believed he had paid for all with her own money-nor would he ever look at her intended plans, faying, he did not care how the flung away her own revenue. He little fufpected the aids fir Robert furnished to her from the treasury. When he died, he was indebted twenty thousand pounds to the king.

"Her learning I have faid was fuperficial; her knowledge of languages as little accurate. The king, with a bluff Weftphalian accent, spoke English correctly. The queen's chief ftudy was divinity; and the had rather weakened her faith than enlightened it. She was at leaft not orthodox; and her confidante lady Sundon, an abfurd and pompous fimpleton, fwayed her countenance

towards