467 467 K. GEORGE III. IN tracing the long feries of royal defcents which has taken place in this Island fince the foundation of the English Monarchy, it will be difficult, perhaps impoffible, to name any Prince who has fucceeded to the Crown under circumstances. of greater and more fignal advantage than the prefent fovereign. At the head of a firm, vigilant and popular Administration, was placed a minifter illuftrious by the fplendor of his talents, and the magnanimity of his conduct; under whose superior afcendent, party spirit and parliamentary opposition seemed extinguished. Great Britain, in conjunction with her numerous colonies and dependencies, exhibited to the world a grand political association, actuated by one common interest, and united, amidst a thousand fubordinate diverfities of opinion, in the facred bonds of duty and affection. That fatal predilection for the claims of the exiled Houfe of Stuart, formerly fo prevalent, and which had rendered the task of Government fo difficult in the preceding reigns, was now no more. Notwithstanding the long continuance of a foreign war, the most complicated and extenfive in which Great Britain had ever been engaged, the internal ftate of the Kingdom was not only perfectly tranquil, but in the highest degree flourishing and profperous. The vaft increase of commerce and manufactures enabled her to fupport the immenfe expence incurred VOL. I. in the profecution of it, with a facility, and even an alacrity, altogether unprecedented and astonishing; and her more recent operations had in every part of the globe been attended with the moft brilliant and fafcinating fuccefs. As to the new Monarch himfelf, though his character was far from being as yet perfectly developed, a very strong and apparently juft partiality predominated in his favor. During the late reign he had uniformly abftained from all public interference in the affairs of Government. His manners were in the highest degree decorous, his morals unblemished, and his perfonal accomplishments correfponded with the elevation of his rank and station. All appearances feemed to augur a reign of uninterrupted glory and felicity; and the regret, which the Nation for a moment felt at the fudden demise of the good old King, was immediately abforbed in the tranfports of joy excited by the aufpicious commencement of the reign of the young Monarch, who had very lately attained the age of complete majority; being born June 4, 1738. It must however be acknowledged that certain circumstances exifted, which in the minds of perfons of deeper reflection occafioned fufpicions and apprehenfions, not perfectly according with the feelings of the national enthufiafm. Throughout almoft the whole courfe of the late reign, the Prince of Wales, father of the prefent King, from various caufes of jealousy and discontent too easily arising from the doubtful and difficult fituation of an Heir apparent, had been in direct and avowed oppofition to the Court. So far as the means of judging are afforded us, the Prince in his general system of policy feems to have been diftinguished by the rectitude of his intention, the generofity and ingenuoufnefs of his conduct. He was defirous to govern the English Nation upon maxims truly English, and was fired with the noble ambition of realizing. in his own perfon that grand and perfect model of A PATRICT KING, delineated by the happieft effort of a tranfcendent genius. In confequence however of the coalition of the Whigs, which took place after the refignation of Sir Robert |