these, except miracle intervene, that she can stand long against stress!
Looking at the dismal matter from this distance, there is visible to me
in the foggy heart of it one lucent element, and pretty much one only;
the individual named William Pitt, as I have read him: if by miracle
that royal soul could, even for a time, get to something of Kingship
there? Courage; miracles do happen, let us hope!--This is whitherward
the grand Invasion had gone:--

TOULON, 10th APRIL, 1756. La Gallisonniere, our old Canadian friend, a
crooked little man of great faculty, who has been busy in the dockyards
lately, weighs anchor from Toulon; "12 sail of the line, 5 frigates and
above 100 transport-ships;" with the grand Invasion-of-England Armament
on board: 16,000 picked troops, complete in all points, Marechal Duc de
Richelieu commanding. [Adelung, viii. 70.] Weighs anchor; and, singular
to see, steers, not for England, and the Hessian-Hanover Defenders (who
would have been in such excellent time); but direct for Minorca, as the
surer thing! Will seize Minorca; a so-called inexpugnable Possession
of the English,--Key of their Mediterranean Supremacies;--really
inexpugnable enough; but which lies in the usual dilapidated state,
though by chance with a courageous old Governor in it, who will not
surrender quite at once.

APRIL 18th, La Gallisonniere disembarks his Richelieu with a Sixteen
Thousand, unopposed at Port-Mahon, or Fort St. Philip, in Minorca; who
instantly commences Siege there. To the astonishment of England and
his Grace of Newcastle who, except old Governor Blakeney, much in
dilapidation ("wooden platforms rotten," "batteries out of repair," and
so on), have nothing ready for Richelieu in that quarter. The story of
Minorca; and the furious humors and tragic consummations that arose on
it, being still well known, we will give the dates only.

FORT ST. PHILIP, APRIL 18th-MAY 20th. For a month, Richelieu, skilful in
tickling the French troops, has been besieging, in a high and grandiose
way; La Gallisonniere vigilantly cruising; old Blakeney, in spite of
the rotten platforms, vigorously holding out; when--May 19th, La
Gallisonniere descries an English fleet in the distance; indisputably
an English fleet; and clears his decks for a serious Affair just coming.
THURSDAY, 20th MAY, Admiral Byng accordingly (for it is he, son of that
old seaworthy Byng, who once "blew out" a minatory Spanish Fleet and
"an absurd Flame of War"