after, the late viceroy was
taken, and put to death by his successor, who readily complied with all
the conditions of his elevation. He conferred on his allies very liberal
rewards, and granted the company such extraordinary privileges, as fully
demonstrated how justly he merited their assistance. By this alliance,
and the reduction of Chandernagore, the French were entirely excluded
the commerce of Bengal and its dependencies; the trade of the English
company was restored, and increased beyond their most sanguine hopes; a
new ally was acquired, whose interest obliged him to remain firm to his
engagements: a vast sum was paid to the company and the sufferers at
Calcutta, to indemnify them for their losses: the soldiers and seamen
were gratified with six hundred thousand pounds, as a reward for the
courage and intrepidity they exerted; and a variety of other advantages
gained, which it would be unnecessary to enumerate. In a word, in
the space of fourteen days a great revolution was effected, and the
government of a vast country superior in wealth, fertility, extent,
and number of inhabitants to most European kingdoms, transferred by a
handful of troops, conducted by an officer untutored in the art of war,
and a general rather by intuition, than instruction and experience. But
the public joy at these signal successes was considerably diminished
by the death of admiral Watson, and the loss of Vizagapatam, an English
settlement on the Coromandel coast. The admiral fell a victim to the
unwholesomeness of the climate, on the sixteenth of August, universally
esteemed and regretted; and the factory and fort at Vizagapatam were
surrendered to the French, a few days after colonel Clive had defeated
the nabob.

ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF THE KING OF FRANCE.

We now turn our eyes to the continent of Europe, where we see the
beginning of the year marked with a striking instance of the dreadful
effects of frantic enthusiasm. France had long enjoyed a monarch, easy,
complying, good-natured, and averse to all that wore the appearance of
business or of war. Contented with the pleasures of indolence, he sought
no greatness beyond what he enjoyed, nor pursued any ambitious aim
through the dictates of his own disposition. Of all men on earth such a
prince had the greatest reason to expect an exemption from plots against
his person, and cabals among his subjects; yet was an attempt made upon
his life by a man, who though placed in t