may probably remove, by reviving, on this
occasion, our ancient forms of address, and declaring at once to his
majesty, and to all the powers of Europe, that we are far from approving
the late measures.

There is another reason why the short addresses of our ancestors may be
preferred to the modern forms, in which a great number of particular
facts are often comprehended. It is evident, that the addresses are
presented, before there can be time to examine whether the facts
contained in them are justly stated; and they must, therefore, lose
their efficacy with the people, who are sufficiently sagacious to
distinguish servile compliance from real approbation, and who will not
easily mistake the incense of flattery for the tribute of gratitude.

With regard to the propriety of the address proposed to your lordships,
which is, like others, only a repetition of the speech, there is, at
least, one objection to it too important to be suppressed.

It is affirmed in the speech, in what particular words I cannot exactly
remember, that since the death of the late German emperour, the interest
of the queen of Hungary has been diligently and invariably promoted; an
assertion which his majesty is too wise, too equitable, and too generous
to have uttered, but at the persuasion of his ministers.

His majesty well knows, that no important assistance has been hitherto
given to that unhappy princess; he knows that the twelve thousand men,
who are said to have been raised for the defence of the empire, those
mighty troops, by whose assistance the enemies of Austria were to be
scattered, never marched beyond the territory of Hanover, nor left that
blissful country for a single day. And is it probable that the queen
would have preferred money for troops, had she not been informed that it
would be more easily obtained?

Nor was even this pecuniary assistance, though compatible with the
security of Hanover, granted her without reluctance and difficulty; of
which no other proof is necessary, than the distance between the promise
and the performance of it. The money, my lords, is not yet all paid,
though the last payment was very lately fixed. Such is the assistance
which the united influence of justice and compassion has yet procured
from the court of Britain.

Our ministers have been, therefore, hitherto, my lords, so far from
acting with vigour in favour of the house of Austria, that they have
never solicited the court of Muscovy, almos