XXXIV. ver. CHAP. hended the character of the emperor, studiously cultivated amity with a prince, whom she could render so pow1785. erful a coadjutor to herself. She most readily acceded Supported to hasty and ill digested schemes for gratifying his ambiby Russia. tion, that thereby she might prevent his obstruction, and secure his cooperation to the mature and well digested plans she had formed for extending her power and dominions; she also joined him in making overtures to the house of Bavaria, but these were peremptorily and inOpposed dignantly rejected. The king of Prussia being informby Prussia and Hano ed of the proposal, made very strong remonstrances; and having concerted with the two chief powers of Northern Germany, the electors of Saxony and Hanover, he effected a confederation for maintaining the indivisibility of the empire. The court of Vienna did every thing in its power to stop the progress of the combination, but it was joined by most of the other states, and France was known to be favourable to its object. Besides the insuperable impediments to the projects of Joseph from the well founded jealousy of foreign powers, great intestine commotions prevailed in his own dominions; his numberless innovations in the civil and religious establishments of Hungary and its appendages, had the usual effect of schemes of reform founded on abstract principles, without regard to the character, sentiments, and habits of the people, and produced much greater evils than those which they professed to remedy; by violating customs, offending prejudices, annulling prescriptions, and trenching on privileges, he drove his subjects to dissatisfaction, insurrection, and rebellion to quell the revolters required powerful and expensive efforts, nor were they finally reduced till the close of the campaign: these various causes prevented hostilities from being commenced against the states general. Pacific overtures were resumed under the mediation of the court of France, and the management of the count de Vergennes, the French prime minisAbandons ter the Dutch agreed to pay Joseph a certain sum of the navigation of the money in lieu of his claims over Maestricht, which he renounced for ever, and also resigned his pretensions to the free navigation of the Scheldt: less material disputes were Holland. compromised and adjusted, and a treaty of peace was Scheldt, and concludes peace with 61 XXXIV. tween and Hol land. state of concluded between Austria and Holland. Before the expi- CHAP. ration of the year, the Dutch and France entered into a new alliance, offensive and defensive. France was internally 1785. occupied in schemes of diminution of the immense debts Treaty bewhich she had contracted in the late war, and in the im- France provement of her manufactures and commerce. A merchant, raised to be prime minister, contributed to the speedy elevation of the mercantile profession in the opinion of Frenchmen; and trade, which before had been considered as derogatory to the character of a gentleman, Internal was now highly respected. Numberless treatises in fa- France. vour of agriculture, manufactures, and commerce, flowed from the fertile ingenuity of their writers, which, if they did not much inform or convince acute and distinguishing understandings, by striking ductile imaginations, influenced a much more numerous class. The lively fancies, ardent feelings, and impetuous spirits of Frenchmen were now turned to mercantile adventure; they conceived themselves happily emancipated from the old prejudices which had kept many of their forefathers in proud poverty. On other subjects also, they fancied they had dispelled the clouds of ignorance, and were enlightened by the sunshine of reason. There was at this time a great multi- Multipli plicity of ingenious writers in France, without that pa- genious tient investigation, research, cautious consideration, and writers. experimental reasoning, which only can lead to just, sound, and beneficial philosophy; to religious, moral, and political wisdom. A few eminent framers of hypotheses had given the tone to the rest; Helvetius, Rousseau, and Voltaire, taught infidelity to numerous classes of disciples, who admitted their doctrines upon the faith of their asseverations. Their multiplying votaries, professing to Doctrines disregard all superstitious bigotry, were still Roman ca- and Roustholics in reasoning: they admitted an infallible authority, seau impli if not in the pope, in Jean Jacques; decrees from the ved. mountains of Switzerland were received with no less veneration, than bulls had formerly been received from the Vatican; infidelity was become the prominent feature Prevaof the French character, and occupied the principal share infidelity. of conversation in fashionable societies. The royal family, indeed, were not tinctured with the prevalent impic city of in of Voltaire citly recei lence of CHAP. ty, but the indulgent liberality of the monarch did not XXXIV. watch and rigorously check such opinions with the vigilance which sound policy required, and neither he nor his ministers appeared to be aware of the dangers attending the diffusion of irreligion through a nation. 1785. Confi dence of the monied interest in Pitt. Great and BRITISH Commerce continued to increase and extend; increasing the flourishing state of trade, together with the announced prosperity of Britain. project of Mr. Pitt for the discharge of the national debt, raised the stocks in a short time from fifty-four to seventy, in the three per cents, consolidated the barometer of the other funds. The mercantile and moneyed interest, in its various departments and corporations, evidently reposed in the chancellor of the exchequer a confidence which they the talents and integ had bestowed upon no minister since the time of his father. rity of Mr. They conceived the highest opinion of his integrity and talents, approved the principles on which he was proceed. ing, and the regulations he had actually proposed, and were thoroughly satisfied with the rapid advances of trade, as well as the increasing means of enlarging their capitals. While ministers impressed the public with a favourable idea of their qualifications to promote the prosperity of the country, the supporters of opposition were foremost in their efforts to amuse and entertain; wit and temporary satire appeared with brilliancy and force in the Rolliad, a mock heroic poem, of which the professed hero was a respectable and worthy gentleman, Mr. Rolle of Devonshire, a zealous friend of administration, and therefore held up by their opponents to ridicule. The notes on the poem display considerable humour, and illustrate the feelings, sentiments, and opinions of opposition, concerning the general politics of the times. The death of Mr. Warton, the poet laureat, also afforded an occasion to ingenuity for exhibiting a sarcastic account of ministerial characters in the birth-day odes; performances satirically inscribed with the names of various gentlemen and noblemen as candidates for the vacant office, and, as in characteristic compositions, presenting specimens of their poetical powers by odes on the king's birth-day. The respective essays painted the alleged foibles of the chief supporters of the cabinet: viewed together, the Rolliad and the birthday odes presented ministerial men and measures in the Satirical literature, XXXIV. light in which the satirists of opposition at this period CHAP. wished them to be beheld, and are not therefore unconnected with the serious literature and politics of the antiministerial party. 1785. A CAUSE affecting literary property was this year Question determined by the court of session, the chief civil tribunal of literary property. of Scotland. The compilers of the Scottish Encyclopedia had inserted in that work large extracts from Dr. Gilbert Stewart's history of Scotland, and his history of the reformation of Scotland: Mr. Stewart prosecuted them for piracy, and the transcripts being long and continuous, the court, having a power of determining equitably as well as legally, gave sentence in favour of the prosecutor, on the ground that the defenders had quoted more, and with less interruption, than was allowed by the rules of literary property. The principle of the judgment appeared to be, that large and connected passages copied from a literary work, tend to injure the sale of that work, and consequently lessen the value of the property to the rightful owner. Mr. Hast PEACE having been now completely established between Return of the East India company and Tippoo Saib, tranquillity was ings, a diffused over British India. During the recess, Mr. great subject of temHastings, the governor general returned; and the periodi- porary cal writings of the times teemed with attacks and vindica- iterature. tions of his character. 曦 CHAP. XXXV. CHAP. XXXV. 1786. parlia the king's speech. Meeting of parliament.-King's speech.-Views of Mr. Fox concerning continental alliances.-The duke of Richmond's scheme for fortifying the dock yards-submitted to parliament.-Arguments for and against.-Speech of Mr. Sheridan on the fortifications.-The bill is rejected by the casting vote of the speaker.-Alteration in the mutiny bill.—Mr. Pitt's plan for appropriating an annual million to the payment of the national debt.-Mr. Sheridan takes the most active part in controverting the minister's financial propositions.-Farther measures of the minister for preventing frauds against the revenue. Proposes to subject foreign wines to the excise.-A bill for the purpose is passed into a law. Bill appointing commissioners to examine the crown lands.-The conduct of Mr. Hastings becomes a subject of inquiry.—Public opinion concerning Mr. Hastings. Mr. Burke opens the subject. His introductory speech.-Proposes to proceed by impeachment.-Presents á summary of the alleged criminal acts.-A majority, including Mr. Pitt, finds ground of impeachment in the proceedings against Cheyt Sing-Mr. Dundas's bill för improving the government of British India.-Supplies.--Session terminates. ON the 24th of January 1786, parliament was assembled. The speech from the throne mentioned the amicable conclusion of the disputes which had threatened Meeting of the tranquillity of Europe, and the friendly dipositions of ment, and foreign powers towards this country: it expressed the royal satisfaction, that his majesty's subjects now experienced the growing blessings of peace in the extension of trade, improvement of revenue, and increase of public credit. For the farther advancement of those important objects, the king relied on the continuance of that zeal and industry which was manifested in the last session of parliament. The resolutions which they had laid before |