1714.

chancellor and several other lords were nominated BOOK VI. to attend her. On being informed of the recommendation of the privy council, she expressed her entire approbation of it, and, giving with her own hands the treasurer's staff to the duke, charged him" to use it for the good of her people." The queen, after an interval of some hours, relapsing into her lethargic state, the council proceeded by the most vigorous measures to provide for the security of the kingdom. Orders were dispatched to several regiments of horse and dragoons to march towards the metropolis. Directions were given for equipping a fleet with all expedition. An express was sent off to the elector of Hanover, signifying, that the queen's life was despaired of; and desiring that he would, without delay, repair to Holland, where he would find a British squadron ready to convoy him to England. Instructions were at the same time dispatched to the earl of Strafford, ambassador at the Hague, to demand from the States the performance of their engagements, as guarantees of the protestant succession: and the heralds at arms were kept in waiting in order to proclaim the new king the instant the throne should become vacant. The queen continued to breathe rather than to Death of live till Sunday morning, Aug. 1, 1714, when she expired in the 50th year of her age, and 13th of her reign. No symptoms of popular tumult or

the Queen.

1714.

BOOK VI. discontent appeared on the proclamation of the successor, but on the contrary it was received with every token of joy; and, whatever might be intended, it is certain nothing was attempted and much less effected by the late queen and her ministers in favor of the Pretender. The death of that princess must, notwithstanding, upon the whole, be regarded as a very seasonable and fortunate event; for had Bolingbroke been fully established in the post of prime minister, it is impossible to ascertain the extent of the mischief which might eventually have resulted from the union of such uncommon talents with such a total want or disregard of principle.

Review of

the Cha

Queen

Anne.

Of the favorable opinion universally enterracter of tained by the English nation respecting the general purity and rectitude of intention which distinguished this last and best of the sovereigns of the house of Stuart, the epithet of the good queen Anne, so commonly applied to this princess, is itself a sufficient proof. This good queen, however, had imbibed in a very great degree the hereditary prejudices of her family respecting the nature and extent of the regal authority; and there is reason to believe that the successful resistance of the nation to the late king James was in her eyes justified only by the attempts made to establish popery upon the ruins of the protestant religion; to which, in the form exhibiting itself

to her perception, as inculcated and professed by BOOK VL the church of England, she entertained a zealous 171-4 attachment, or rather a blind and bigoted devo

tion.

As her prejudices, civil and religious, precisely coincided with those of the torics, she cherished a strong predilection for that powerful and dangerous faction, in opposition to the whigs, who were considered for the most part as latitudinarians in religion, or, at best, as cool and lukewarm friends of the church; and who certainly regarded the particular mode in which the protestant religion was professed as of little importance, when put in competition with the preservation, enlargement, or security of the civil and religious liberties of the kingdom. But however blameable were the maxims and measures of her administration, the queen, individually considered, merits our pity at least as much as our censure. Her partiality for her own family, and her dislike of the house of Hanover, were natural and pardonable. The queen's political conduct moreover, notwithstanding her high theoretical principles of government, was uniformly regulated by the strictest regard to the laws and liberties of the kingdom, for the welfare of which she entertained even a maternal solicitude. And if ever she indulged the idea of causing the crown at her decease to revert to the hereditary, and doubtless as she imagined the true and rightful, claimant, it

1714.

BOOK VI. was only on conditions which in her opinion would have effectually secured both the protestant religion, and the English constitution, from the hazard of future violation. In her person the queen was comely and majestic. Her voice was harmonious; she was not deficient in any of the accomplishments of her sex; and she was a model of relative and domestic virtues. Her disposition was, upon the whole, easy and gentle, though on particular occasions somewhat sullen and resentful; and she discovered an excessive jealousy of the minutest encroachments upon her authority. Her capacity was extremely limited, but her intentions were always upright and laudable; and throughout the entire course of her reign, whether under the influence of whigs or tories, she could boast the high and flattering eulogium of a boundless and irresistible popularity.

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APPENDIX.

VICTORY OF LA HOGUE.

A. D. 1692.

LETTER FROM ADMIRAL RUSSEL TO THE EARL OF

NOTTINGHAM.

Cape Barfleur S. W. distance 7 leagues, May 20, 1692.

"YESTERDAY about 3 in the morning, Cape Barfleur bearing S. W. and S. distance seven leagues, my scouts made the signal for seeing the enemy. The wind westerly, the French bore down upon me, and at eleven engaged me, but at some distance. We continued fighting till half an hour past five in the evening, at which time the enemy towed away with all their boats, and we after them. It was calm all day. About six there was an engagement to the westward of me, which I supposed to be the blue. It continued calm all night. I can give no particular account of things but that the French were beaten, and I am now steering away for Conquet Road, having a fresh gale easterly, but extremely foggy. I suppose that is the place they design for. If it please God to send us a little clear weather, I doubt not we shall beat their whole fleet. I saw in the night three or four ships blow up, but I know not what they were. as I am able to give a more particular relation, I will not be wanting."

So soon

1