does not bear the title of a play? Thus, from the procedent before us, we shall be gradually prevailed upon to revive a general IMPRIMATUR, and then adieu to the liberties of Great Britain. I admit, my lords, that the stage ought not to meddle with politics; but for this very reafon, among others, I object to the bill before us; for I fear it will be the occafion of its meddling with nothing elfe-it will be made fubfervient to the politics of the court only. This we know was actually the cafe in king Charles the Second's days; we know that Dryden, the poet-laureat of that reign, made his wit and genius thus fubfervient to the defigns of the court. When the second Dutch war was in contemplation, he wrote his," Amboyna," in which he represents the people of Holland as avaricious, cruel, and ungrateful. When the Exclufion Bill was moved for, he wrote his "Duke of Guife," in which those who were zealous for preferving and fecuring the liberties and religion of their country, were expofed as a faction leagued together for the purpose of excluding a virtuous and heroic prince from that throne which was his lawful right, on account of his adopting a faith different from their own. The peculiar province of the ftage, my lords, is, to expose thofe vices and follies which the laws cannot lay hold of; but under the restraint of an arbitrary court license, it will be entirely perverted from its proper ufe. To a man bred in the habits of a court, that may appear to be a libel against the court which is only a juft and falutary fatire upon its vices and follies. Courtiers, my lords, are too polite to reprove one another; the only place where they can meet with any just rebuke is a free, though not a licentious ftage. But by this bill, instead of leaving it what it now is, and always ought to be-a fcourge for fashionable vices-it will be converted into a channel for propagating them throughout the kingdom. Let us confider, my lords, that arbitrary power has feldom or never been introduced into any country but by flow degrees, ftep by step, left the people fhould perceive its ap proach. proach. When the preparatory steps are made, the people may then indeed fee flavery and arbitrary power making huge and hideous ftrides over the land, when it is too late to avert the impending ruin. The bill before us I confider as a step very neceflary to this purpofe; and fhould fuch defign ever be formed by any ambitious king or guilty minifter, he would have reason to thank us for having so far facilitated his attempt; though fuch thanks, I am convinced, every one of your lordships would blufh to receive, and fcorn to deferve." The ill effects apprehended by this generous and patriotic nobleman have not, however, been as yet very apparent : and it must be acknowledged, that in a very few inftances only does the invidious difcretion vested by this bill in the lord-chamberlain seem to have been capriciously or improperly exercised.* In The GUSTAVUS VASA of Brooke, the MUSTAPHA of Mallet, and the EDWARD AND ELEONORA of Thomson, were in the number of the dramas rejected under the authority of this act. The first of these performances is animated throughout by a noble and enthusiastic spirit of liberty; but the writer protests in his prefatory remarks, "that he had nothing to fear or hope from party or preferment-his attachments were only to truth; that he was conscious of no other principles, and was far from apprehending that fuch could be offenfive." There were, however, fome paffages in this tragedy which could not fail to be invidiously applied, if they could be fuppofed not invidiously defigned. A fpecimen or two may fuffice: "Are ye not mark'd, ye men of Dalecarlia, In recording the transactions of the fucceeding year (1738), it is unfortunately neceffary to notice the violent misunderstanding which arose between the regency of Hanover and the king of Denmark, refpecting the petty lordrip of Steinhorft, the revenue of which scarcely exceeded 1,000l. fterling per annum. The caftle of Steinhorst, garrifoned by a flight detachment of Danish dragoons, was carried by affault, and the king of Denmark made great warlike preparation in order to revenge this affront, which most affuredly would never have been offered, had not Hanover depended upon the aid and protection of England. And the king of Denmark, confcious of his inability to cope. with Hanover, and her ALLY, had the address to convert this incident to his own advantage, by concluding a convention with the king of England, agreeably to which he engaged to hold in readiness a body of 6000 men for the fer vice he had "attained the topmoft round," he adopted, like his famous predeceffor Becket, a totally new fyftem of principles and conduct. By the vehemence and pertinacity of his oppofition, he effentially impeded on all occafions the meritorious endeavors of the court for the advancement, and fecurity, of the general fyftem of civil and religious liberty. And in a more efpecial manner he labored to counteract the grand effort made by that generous and beneficent statefman, lord Stanhope, under the auspices of the late king, for the annihilation of those odious diftinctions which divided, and which continue to divide, the nation, and to perpetuate the animofity of contending factions. Dr. Wake was fucceeded by Dr. Potter, tranflated from the fee of Oxford-a man morofe in difpofition, and in deportment haughty; but of extenfive learning and exemplary morals. After filling the metropolitan throne ten years, this prelate was fucceeded by Dr. Herring, archbishop of York, of whom it is difficult to be too profufe in the praife. Placed at the head of the national conmmunion, he appeared scarcely lefs pre-eminent in dignity of character than of ftation; and the various excellencies afcribed by the poet to various contemporary ornaments of the epifcopal bench were in him happily confolidated: "Secker is decent, Rundle has a heart, Manners with candor are to Benfon given, POPE vice of Great Britain. In return, Denmark, in addition to the stated pay of these troops, was to receive a fubfidy of 250,000 crowns per annum, and the lardship of Steinhorft was ceded to Hanover. When the duke of Newcastle produced this treaty in the fucceeding feffion for parliamentary ratification, lord Carteret earnestly requested to be informed what use was intended to be made of these troops, as it was expressly ftipulated by the articles of the treaty, that they fhould neither be employed on board the fleet, nor be tranfported in whole or in part beyond fea, nor ferve against France or Spain, except in Germany or Flanders. His grace, however, not being at liberty to divulge THE KING'S SECRETS, the fubfidy was granted; and at the fame time, in confequence of a meffage from the throne, ftating the exigency of public affairs, a vote of credit conformable to a similar resolution of the commons paffed the house, notwithstanding the animated remonftrances of lord Carteret, who declared that nothing could be more dangerous to the constitution than this practice, which was but of modern date in England; it was never heard of before the Revolution, and but rarely till the nation was bleffed with the prefent administration. "Such a demand," he said, "our anceftors would have heard with amazement, and rejected with fcorn. If a general and unlimited vote of credit and confidence," his lordship affirmed, "were to become a customary compliment at the end of every feffion, parliaments would grow defpicable in the eyes of the people; and it might be depended upon as an infallible confequence, that when parliaments were once perceived to be ufelefs and fervile, they would, by a rapid gradation, become arbitrary and tyrannical." BOOK GEORGE II. BOOK IV. Inhuman treatment of captain Jenkins. Parliament prorogued. Sir Robert Walpole's reluctance to a war with Spain. His mafterly vindication of the convention at Pardo. Acts with vigor on the commencement of the war. His fpirited reply to the motion for his removal from office. Is left in a minority, and in danger of impeachment. Refigns his office, and is created earl of Oxford. Parliamentary enquiry into his conduct. Review of his adminiftration. Sir William Wyndham's remarks on the convention of Madrid. His death and character. Prince of Wales divides in perfon against the convention with Spain. His reply to the king's meffage. Cardinal Fleury offers the mediation of France to reconcile the differences betwixt Spain and England. George II. declares war against Spain and France. Signs a neutrality treaty for Hanover. His fortunate efcape at Dettingen. Concludes a treaty with the king of Sardinia. Admiral Vernon takes Porto Bello. Fails in his attempt on Carthagena. Commodore Anfon fails for the South Sea, and returns after a circumnavigation of the globe. Death of the emperor of Germany. Emprefs of Ruffia's acceffion. Orders 40,000 men to the Rhine. Queen of Hungary fucceeds to the hereditary dominions of Auftria. Her diftreffes. Receives immenfe fubfidies from England. King of Pruffia fucceeds to the crown. His unexpected invafion of Silefia. Gains the battle of Molwitz and Czaflaw. Entire province of Silefia ceded to him. Invades Bohemia. Treaty with the emperor. |