in some intrigues in
order to reascend the throne, his son, the reigning king, ordered his
person to be seized at Montcalier, and conveyed to Rivoli, under a
strong escort. His wife, the marchioness de Spigno, was conducted to
Seva. The old king's confessor, his physician, and eight-and-forty
persons of distinction, were imprisoned. The citadel of Turin was
secured with a strong garrison; and new instructions were given to the
governor and senate of Chamberri. The dispute which had long subsisted
between the king of Prussia and the young prince of Orange, touching the
succession to the estates possessed by king William III. as head of the
house of Orange, was at last accommodated by a formal treaty signed at
Berlin and Dieren. The Dutch were greatly alarmed about this time with
an apprehension of being overwhelmed by an inundation, occasioned by
worms, which were said to have consumed the piles and timber-work that
supported their dykes. They prayed and fasted with uncommon zeal, in
terror of this calamity, which they did not know how to avert in any
other manner. At length they were delivered from their fears by a hard
frost, which effectually destroyed those dangerous animals. About this
time, Mr. Dieden, plenipotentiary from the elector of Hanover, received,
in the name of his master, the investiture of Bremen and Verden from the
hands of the emperor.

MEETING OF THE PARLIAMENT.

The history of England at this period cannot be very interesting, as
it chiefly consists in an annual revolution of debates in
parliament,--debates, in which the same arguments perpetually recur on
the same subjects. When the session was opened on the sixteenth day of
January, the king declared that the situation of affairs, both at home
and abroad, rendered it unnecessary for him to lay before the two houses
any other reasons for calling them together, but the ordinary dispatch
of the public business, and his desire of receiving their advice in such
affairs as should require the care and consideration of parliament. The
motion made in the house of commons for an address of thanks, implied,
that they should express their satisfaction at the present situation of
affairs both at home and abroad. The motion was carried, notwithstanding
the opposition of those who observed, that the nation had very little
reason to be pleased with the present posture of affairs; that the
French were employed in fortifying and restoring the harbour of Dunk