nner by the lust and villany of Pere Girard, a noted Jesuit, who
underwent a trial before the parliament of Aix, and very narrowly
escaped the stake.

THE MINISTRY VIOLENTLY OPPOSED.

The parliament of Great Britain meeting on the thirteenth day of
January, the king in his speech declared, that the general tranquillity
of Europe was restored and established by the last treaty of Vienna;
and Don Carlos was actually possessed of Parma and Placentia; that six
thousand Spaniards were quietly admitted and quartered in the duchy of
Tuscany, to secure, by the express consent and agreement of the great
duke, the reversion of his dominions; and that a family convention was
made between the courts of Spain and Tuscany for preserving mutual
peace and friendship in the two houses. He told the commons, that the
estimates for the service of the current year would be considerably less
than those of former years. He recommended unanimity; he observed that
his government had no security but what was equally conducive to their
happiness, and to the protection of his people: that their prosperity
had no foundation but in the defence and support of his government. "Our
safety," said he, "is mutual, and our interests are inseparable."
The opposition to the court measures appears to have been uncommonly
spirited during the course of this session. The minister's motions were
attacked with all the artillery of elocution. His principal emissaries
were obliged to task their faculties to their full exertion, to
puzzle and perplex where they could not demonstrate and convince, to
misrepresent what they could not vindicate, and to elude the arguments
which they could not refute. In the house of commons, lord Hervey,
lately appointed vice-chamberlain of his majesty's household, made a
motion for an address of thanks, in which they should declare their
entire approbation of the king's conduct, acknowledge the blessings they
enjoyed tinder his government, express their confidence in the wisdom
of his councils, and declare their readiness to grant the necessary
supplies. This member, son to the earl of Bristol, was a nobleman
of some parts, which, however, were more specious than solid. He
condescended to act as a subaltern to the minister, and approved himself
extremely active in forwarding all his designs, whether as a secret
emissary or public orator; in which last capacity he appears to have
been pert, frivolous, and frothy. His motion was s