the chagrin of little disappointments or temporary
disgusts, which yet would not have impelled them to enlist as soldiers
on the common terms of perpetual slavery. In consequence of such a
succession, the whole kingdom would soon have been stocked with members
of a disciplined militia, equal if not superior to any army of professed
soldiers. But this scheme would have defeated the purpose of the
government, which was more afraid of domestic foes than of foreign
enemies; and industriously avoided every plan of this nature,
which could contribute to render the malcontents of the nation more
formidable.

CHARACTERS OF THE MINISTERS.

Before we proceed to the transactions of parliament in this session, it
may not be amiss to sketch the outlines of the ministry as it stood at
this juncture. The king's affection for the earl of Portland had begun
to abate in proportion as his esteem for Sunderland increased, together
with his consideration for Mrs. Villiers, who had been distinguished by
some particular marks of his majesty's favour. These two favourites are
said to have supplanted Portland, whose place in the king's bosom was
now filled by Van Keppel, a gentleman of Guelderland who had first
served his majesty as a page, and afterwards acted as private secretary.
The earl of Portland growing troublesome, from his jealousy of this
rival, the king resolved to send him into honourable exile, in quality
of an ambassador-extraordinary to the court of France; and Trumball, his
friend and creature, was dismissed from the office of secretary, which
the king conferred upon Vernon, a plodding man of business who had acted
as under-secretary to the duke of Shrewsbury. This nobleman rivalled the
earl of Sunderland in his credit at the council-board, and was supported
by Somers, lord chancellor of England, by Russel now earl of Orford,
first lord of the admiralty, and Montague, chancellor of the exchequer.
Somers was an upright judge, a plausible statesman, a consummate
courtier, affable, mild, and insinuating. Orford appears to have been
rough, turbulent, factious, and shallow. Montague had distinguished
himself early by his poetical genius; but he soon converted his
attention to the cultivation of more solid talents. He rendered himself
remarkable for his eloquence, decemment, and knowledge of the English
constitution. To a delicate taste he united an eager appetite for
political studies. The first catered for the enjoyments of