oa. 25, 1760. apartment he expired. An attempt was made to bleed him, but without effect; and afterwards, the furgeons, upon opening him, difcovered that the right ventricle of the heart was actually ruptured, and that a great quantity of blood was difcharged through the aper ture. George the fecond died in the feventyfeventh year of his age, and the thirty-third of his reign; lamented by his fubjects, and in the midst of victory. If any monarch was happy in the peculiar mode of his death, and the precife time of its arrival, it was he. The univerfal enthusiasm of the people for conqueft, was now beginning to subside, and fober reason to take her turn in the adminiftration of affairs. The factions which had been nurfing during his long reign, had not yet come to maturity; but threatened, with all their virulence, to afflict his fucceffor. He was himself of no fhining abilities; and while he was permitted to guide and affift his German dominions, he entrusted the care of Britain to his minifters at home. However, as we stand too near to be impartial judges of his merits or defects, let us ftate his character as delivered by two writers of oppofite opinions. "On whatever fide, fays his panegyrift, "we look upon his character, we fhall find "ample ample matter for juft and unfufpected praise. None of his predeceffors on the "throne of England, lived to fo great an age, "or enjoyed longer felicity. His fubjects "were still improving under him, în com"merce and arts; and his own œconomy 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 τε દ change in his behaviour, which was general ly guided by reafon. He was plain and "direct in his intentions; true to his word, fteady in his favour and protection to his "fervants, nor parting even with his minifters "till compelled to it by the violence of faction. "In short, through the whole of his life he દ appeared rather to live for the cultivation "of useful virtues than fplendid ones; and "fatisfied with being good, left others their "unenvied greatness." ‹ As Such is the picture given by his friends, but there are others who reverse the medal. "to the extent of his understanding, or the ແ fplendour of his virtue, we rather wish for "opportunities of praife, than undertake "the task ourselves. His public character was marked with a predilection for his na❝tive "tive 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 flou"rifhed in his reign, yet he neither promoted it "by his influence or example. His frugality "bordered upon avarice, and he hoarded not "for his fubjects, but himself. He was re"markable for no one great virtue, and was known to practise feveral of the meaner "vices." Which of these two characters are true, or whether they may not in part be both fo, I will not pretend to decide. If his favourers are numerous, fo are thofe who oppose them; let pofterity, therefore, decide the conteft. INDE X. A ADDISON, Mr. made fecretary of ftate, 195 Almanza, battle of, 123 Anne, princefs, deferts the interefts of her father, 41-is Sache- 1 Sacheverel, 146-fummons a new parliament, 148- hopes to take one of the galleons, 280-traverses the duke of, joins with Monmouth, 6-lands in Afton, Mr. fent to inform James of a confpiracy formed Affaffina- |