improve; and that, in such a critical conjuncture, the eyes of all
Europe were upon them. He particularly recommended to them, that his
good brother and ally the king of Prussia might be supported in such a
manner as his magnanimity and active zeal for the common cause appeared
to deserve. To the commons he expressed his concern that the large
supplies they had already granted did not produce all the good fruits
they had reason to expect; but he had so great a reliance on their
wisdom, as not to doubt of their perseverance. He only desired suck
supplies as should be necessary for the public service, and told them
they might depend upon it, that the best and most faithful economy
should be used. He took notice of that spirit of disorder which had
shown itself among the common people in some parts of the kingdom; he
laid injunctions upon them to use their endeavours for discouraging
and suppressing such abuses, and for maintaining the laws and
lawful authority. He concluded with observing, that nothing would so
effectually conduce to the defence of all that was clear to the nation,
as well as to the reducing their enemies to reason, as union and harmony
among themselves. The time was, when every paragraph of this harangue,
which the reader will perceive is not remarkable for its elegance and
propriety, would have been canvassed and impugned by the country party
in the house of commons. They would have imputed the bad success of
the war to the indiscretion of the ministry, in taking preposterous
measures, and appointing commanders unequal to the service. They would
have inquired in what manner the protestant religion was endangered;
and, if it was, how it could be preserved or promoted by adhering to
allies, who, without provocation, had well nigh ruined the first and
principal protestant country of the empire. They would have started
doubts with respect to the late signal success in Germany, and hinted,
that it would only serve to protract the burden of a continental war.
They would have owned that the eyes of all Europe were upon them, and
drawn this consequence, that it therefore behoved them to act with the
more delicacy and caution in discharge of the sacred trust reposed in
them by their constituents: a trust which their consciences would not
allow to be faithfully discharged, should they rush precipitately into
the destructive measures of a rash and prodigal ministry; squander away
the wealth of the nation, and add