pretended to take a retrospective view of his
character, and produced a number of anecdotes to his prejudice, which
had never before seen the light, and but for this occasion had probably
never been known. Not that all the writings which appeared on this
subject contained fresh matters of aggravation against lord George
Sackville. Some writers, either animated by the hope of advantage, or
hired to betray the cause which they undertook to defend, entered the
lists as professed champions of the accused, assumed the pen in his
behalf, devoid of sense, unfurnished with materials, and produced
performances which could not fail to injure his character among all
those who believed that he countenanced their endeavours, and supplied
them with the facts and arguments of his defence. Such precisely was the
state of the dispute when lord George arrived in London. While prince
Ferdinand was crowned with laurel; while the king of Great Britain
approved his conduct, and, as the most glorious mark of that
approbation, invested him with the order of the garter, while his
name was celebrated through all England, and extolled, in the warmest
expressions of hyperbole, above all the heroes of antiquity; every mouth
was opened in execration of the late commander of the British troops in
Germany. He was now made acquainted with the particulars of his imputed
guilt, which he had before indistinctly learned. He was accused of
having disobeyed three successive orders he had received from the
general, during the action at Minden, to advance with the cavalry of
the right wing, which he commanded, and sustain the infantry that were
engaged; and, after the cavalry were put in motion, of having halted
them unnecessarily, and marched so slow, that they could not reach
the place of action in time to be of any service, by which conduct the
opportunity was lost of attacking the enemy when they gave way, and
rendering the victory more glorious and decisive. The first step which
lord George took towards his own vindication with the public, was in
printing a short address, entreating them to suspend their belief with
respect to his character, until the charge brought against him should
be legally discussed by a court-martial, a trial which he had already
solicited, and was in hopes of obtaining.

HE DEMANDS A COURT-MARTIAL.

Finding himself unable to stem the tide of popular prejudice, which
flowed against him with irresistible impetuosity, he might