their commerce loaded with heavy duties, and confidered their new privilege of trading to the English plantations in the West Indies as a very uncertain advantage. In the English houses alfo it was obferved, that the union of a rich with a poor nation would be always beneficial to the latter, and that the former could only hope for a participation of their neceffities. It was faid that the Scotch reluctantly yielded to this coalition, and that it might be likened to a marriage with a woman against her confent. It was fupposed to be an union made up of so many unmatched pieces, and fuch incongruous ingredients, that it could never take effect. It was complained, that the proportion of the land-tax paid by the Scotch, was fmall and unequal to their fhare in the legislature.

To thefe arguments in both nations, befide the fhew of a particular anfwer to each, one great argument was used, which preponderated against all the leffer ones. It was obferved, that all inconveniencies were to be overlooked in the attainment of one great folid advantage; that of acting with an uniformity of councils for the benefit of a community naturally united. The party, therefore, for the union prevailed; and this meafure was carried in both nations, through all the obstacles of pretending patriotism and private intereft ; from which we may learn, that many great difficulties are furmounted, because they are not feen by those who direct the operation; and that fchemes, which theory deems impracticable, will often fucceed in experiment.

Thus notwithstanding all oppofition made by the Tories, every article of the union was approved by a great majority in the house of lords, which, being fent to be ratified by the house of commons, Sir Simon Harcourt, the folicitor, prepared the bill in fuch an artful manner as to pre

vent all debates. All the articles as they paffed in Scotland were recited by way of preamble; and in the conclufion there was one clause, by which the whole was ratified, and enacted into a law. By this contrivance, those who were defirous of starting new difficulties found themselves difabled from pursuing their aim; they could not object to the recital, which was barely a matter of fact: and they had not ftrength fufficient to oppose all the articles at once, which had before paffed with the approbation of the majority. It paffed in the house of commons by a majority of one hundred and fourteen; it made its way through the house of lords a fecond time with equal eafe, and when it received the royal fanction, the queen expreffed the utmost fatisfaction.

CHA P. XLI.

ANNE. (Continued.)

T is a little extraordinary that through all the tranfactions relative to the union, the Tories violently oppofed it; for they confidered the Scotch in a body as Whigs, and fuppofed that their interest would become more powerful by this affociation. But never were men more agreeably disappointed than the Tories were in this particular. The majority of the Scotch nation, which was entirely against uniting with England, were fo much diffatisfied with this meafure, that they immediately joined in oppofing the miniftry, by whom they were thus compelled to unite. The members themselves were difaffected to the measure, and fecretly ftrove to undermine thofe by whom their power had been thus established.

The

The body of English Tories were not lefs difpleafed with an union, of which they had not fagacity to diftinguifh the advantages. They were for fome time become the majority in the kingdom, but found themselves oppofed by a powerful coalition at court. The dutchefs of Marlborough had long been in poffeffion of the queen's confidence and favour; and turned the eafinefs of her mistress's temper to her own advantage, as well as that of her party. The duke of Marlborough, her husband, was at the head of the army that was devoted to him. Lord Godolphin, his fon-in-law, was at the head of the treafury, which he managed fo as entirely to co-operate with the ambition of the duke. But an unexpected alteration in the queen's affections was going to take place, which was entirely owing to their own mismanagement. Among the number of those whom the dutchefs had introduced to the queen, to contribute to her private amusement, was one Mrs. Masham, her own kinfwoman, whom fhe had raifed from indigence and obfcurity. The dutchefs having gained the afcendant over the queen, became petulant and infolent, and relaxed in thofe arts by which the had rifen. Mrs. Masham, who had her fortune to make, was more humble and affiduous; fhe flattered the foibles of the queen, and affented to her prepoffeffions and prejudices. She foon faw the queen's inclination to the Tory fet of opinions, their divine right and paffive obedience; and inftead of attempting to thwart her as the dutchefs had done, the joined in with her partiality, and. even outwent her in her own way.

She began to infinuate to the queen, that the Tories were by far the majority of the people.: That they were displeased with a miniftry that attempted to rule their fovereign, and had lavished the treasures of the nation on wars, which they

chofe

chofe to carry on in order to continue in power. But though this intriguing woman feemed to act from herself alone, the was in fact the tool of Mr. Harley fecretary of state, who alfo fome time before had infinuated himfelf into the queen's good graces; and who determined to fap the credit of Godolphin and Marlborough. His aim was to unite the Tory intereft under his own fhelter, and to expel the Whigs from the advantages which they had long enjoyed under government. Harley, better known afterwards by the title of lord Oxford, was a man poffeffed of uncommon erudition, great knowledge of bufinefs, and as great ambition. He was clofe, phlegmatic, and cool; but at the fame time fonder of the fplendours of office than the drudgeries of it:

翼

In his career of ambition, he chofe for his coadjutor Henry St. John, afterwards the famous lord Bolingbroke, a man of greater eloquence and great ambition, enterprizing, reftlefs, active, and haughty, with fome wit, and little principle. This ftate man was at first contented to act in an inferior capacity, fubfervient to Oxford's defigns. It was not till afterwards, when he understood the full extent of his own parts and influence, that he was fired with the ambition of being firft in the ftate, and afpired to deprefs his firft promoter.

To this junto was added Sir Simon Harcourt, a lawyer, a man of great abilities. Thefe uniting,, exerted their endeavours to rally and reconcile the fcattered body of the Tories; and diffufed af furance among their partizans, that the queen' would no longer bear the tyranny of a Whig miniftry. She had ever been, they faid, a friend in her. heart to the Tory and high-church party, by, which appellation this faction now chofe to be diftinguished; and to convince them of the truth of their affertions, the queen herfelf fhortly after be

ftowed

ftowed two bifhoprics on clergymen, who had openly condemned the revolution.

It was now perceived that the people themselves began to be weary of the Whig miniftry whom they formerly careffed. To them they imputed the burdens under which they groaned, burdens which they had been hitherto animated to bear by the pomp of triumph; but the load of which they felt in a pause of fuccefs. No new advantage had of late been fhewn them from the Netherlands. France, instead of finking under the weight of the confederacy, as they had been taught to expect, feemed to rife with fresh vigour from every overthrow. The English merchants had lately sustained repeated loffes, for want of proper convoys; the coin of the nation was vifibly diminished, and the public credit began to decline.

The miniftry were for a long time ignorant of thefe fecret murmurings, or, fecure in their own ftrength, pretended to defpife them. Inftead, therefore, of attempting to mitigate the cenfures propagated against them, or to soften the virulence of the faction, they continued to teafe the queen with remonftrances against her conduct; and upbraided her with ingratitude for thofe fervices which had fecured her glory. The murmurs of the nation, first found vent in the house of lords, where the earl of Wharton, feconded by lord · Somers, expatiated upon the fcarcity of money, the decay of trade, and the mifmanagement of the navy. This complaint was backed by a petition from the fheriffs and merchants of the city, aggravating their loffes by fea for want of convoys, and these complaints were proved by witneffes. It began now to be urged, that attacking France in the Netherlands, was taking the bull by the horns; attempting the enemy where it was beft prepared for a deferce. Oxford was at the bot