582 Remarkable Speech of Richard Cromwell. great honour abroad, and in full peace at home all England, Scotland, and Ireland, dwelling fafely, every man under his vine, and under his fig-tree, from Dan even to Beersheba. He is gone to reft, and we are entered into his labours; and, if the Lord hath ftill a bleffing for thefe lands, (as I trust he hath) as our peace hath been lengthen ed out to this day, fo fhall we go on to reap the fruit, and gather the harvest, of what his late highness hath fown and laid the foundation of. For my own part, being, by the pro- It is agreeable, not only to my trust, nations. 1 ។ Britif and with hearts (I perfuade myfelf) to You are come up from your feveral confult together for their good: I can countries, as the heads of your tribes, having nothing in my defign, but the maintenance of the peace, laws, and lifay, I meet you with the fame defires, berties, both civil and Christian, of thefe nations; which I fhall always make and be ready to spend my life for. the measure and rule of my government, affairs, and to have your advice in them: We have fummoned you up at this time, to let you know the state of our fummoned upon a And I believe a parliament was never more important oc cafion.» time in peace; but it is not thus with It is true, as I have told you, we are, through the goodness of God, at this without us, who would foon put an us because we have no enemies: no, there are enough both within us and end to our peace, were it in their power, or fhould it at any time come into their power confider of the fecuring of our peace against those, who, we all know, are, It will be becoming your wisdom to and ever will be, our implacable enemies ; what the means of doing this are, I shall refer unto you. of England, Scotland, and Ireland, are This I can affure you, that the armies interest of these nations; and it will true and faithful to the peace and good fiftent body, and useful for any good be found fo: and that they are a conends; and if they were not the very This puts one in mind of an anecdote related by M. de Voltaire. After Richard had quitted the protectoraip he made a voyage to France, where being one day at Montpelier, the prince of Conti, brother of the great Condé, difcourfing with him, without knowing who he was, observed, That Oliver Cromwell was a great man, buɛ that bis fon Richard was a poor wretch, not to know how to enjoy the fruits of his father's crimes. This Richard, however, M. Voltaire remarks, lived contented, whereas his father had never known what happiness was. different from that of Oliver; he was poffeffed of all the meek virtues, which make the good citizen, and had none of that brutal intrepidity, which facrifices every thing The genius of Richard was wholly to its own interefts. He might have preserved the inheritance which his father had acquired by his labours, if he would have confented to put to death three or four of the principal officers of the army, who oppofed his elevation; but he chose rather to lay down the government, than to reign by affaffination; and lived retired, and almost unknown, till the age of ninety, in a country of which he had once been the fovereign; having, in his own perfon, exhibited a striking proof, that the fate of a kingdom frequently depends upon the character of one man. Tranflation of Voltaire's» Warks, by Dr. Smollett, and others. Vol. VI. page 246. beft beft army in the world, you would have heard of many inconveniencies, by reafon of the great arrear of pay, which is now due unto them, whereby fome of them are reduced to great neceffities: but you shall have a particular account of their arrears, and I doubt not but confideration will be had thereupon, in fome speedy and effectual way. And this being matter of money, I recommend it particularly to the house of commons. You have, you know, a war with Spain, carried on by the advice of parliament; he is an old enemy and a potent one, and therefore it will be neceffary, both for the honour and safety of these nations, that that war be vigorously profecuted. 1 Furthermore, the constitution of affairs in all our neighbour countries, and round about us, (as well friends as enemies) is very confiderable; and calls upon us to be upon our guard, both at land and fea; and to be in a pofture able to maintain and conserve our own state and interest. Great and powerful fleets are preparing to be fet forth into thofe feas, and conderable armies of feveral nations and kings are now difputing for the mastery of the Sound, with the adjacent islands and countries; among which is the emperor of Germany, and other Popish ftates. I need not tell you of what confequence these things are to this state. We have already interposed in thefe affairs, in such manner as we found it neceffary for the intereft of England; and matters are yet in fuch a condition in thofe parts, that the state may, with the affiftance of God, provide that their differences may not prejudice us. The other things that are to be faid, I fhall refer to my lord-keeper Fiennes ; and close up what I have to say, with only adding two or three particulars to what I have already said. And, First, I recommend to your care the people of God in these nations, with their concernments: the more they are divided among themselves, the greater prudence fhould be ufed to cement them. Secondly, The good and neceffary work of reformation, both in manners, and in the adminiftration of juftice, that profaneness may be difcountenanced and fuppreffed; and that righteousness and juftice may be executed in the land. Thirdly, I recommend to you the Proteftant caufe abroad, which feems at this time to be in fome danger, having great and powerful enemies, and very few friends; and I hope, and believe, that the Old English Zeal to that caufe is still amongit us. Laftly, My Lords, and you gentlemen of the houfe of commons, That you will in all your debates, maintain and conserve love and unity among yourselves; that therein you may be the pattern of the nation, who have sent you up in peace, and with their prayers, that the fpirit of wisdom and peace may be among you: And this shall alfo be my prayer for you. And to this let us all add bur utmost endeavours for the making this an happy parliament. Whoever penned this Speech, it was allowed to be a very handsome and fenfible one by all, and far exceeded that which followed of the lord-keeper Fiennes. An Effay on Epiftolary Writing. Addreffed to the Authors of the BRITISK MAGAZINE. British 594 His Majelly's Moft Gracious, Speech, c. panegyrick upon Trajan is univerfally allowed to be the best oration he ever compofed, yet every judicious critic is of opinion, that it is interior to the leaft elaborate harangue of Cicero's. The great Roman Orator, in his epiftles, has indeed given us a fuccinct history of the most remarkable tranfactions of the times in which he lived; but that in a familiar manner, rather calculated to fatisfy the perfons to whom he wrote, than pofterity; and intermixed with words and phrafes from the Greek, a practice which he himself has condemned in his treatife De Officiis. Seneca's epiftles to Lucilius abound with fhining thoughts and happy turns, but he. often degenerates into a common-place declaimer, though perhaps no author, antient or modern, was ever poffeffed of a greater fund of wit. Add to this, that his epiftles are wrote in fuch a manner, as puts it out of all doubt that they are not genuine, but jeux d'efprit addreifed to a fictitious correfpondent, a circumftance which cannot fail to difguft even thofe readers, who are most apt to be truck with the fallies of a glowing imagination. Amongst our neighbours the French, Voiture and Balzac, were long poffeffed of a high degree of reputation for epiftoJary writing, but the letters of the former, (as Monf. de Voltaire justly obferves) abound with antithefes and falfe, wit, and thofe of the latter are too fiff, laboured, and pedantic. There is not a thought in heart, nor a period in Balzac, that does Voiture, that feems to come from the greatly furpaffes them both, as her file is not fmell of the lamp. Madame Søvigné altogether eafy and natural, and her premeditation. This branch of literature thoughts feem to flow from her, without countrymen, has not been much cultivated by our Dryden's remark, are not of fo oftentatious a temper, as to think their private who, according to Mr. letters worthy of the notice of the public; of this kind. yet we can beaft one excellent collection The literary correfpondence of Mr. Pope affords as complete with amongst the antients or moderns, models in this way, as are to be met We muft, however, except the epifties of Pliny the younger, of whom it is but juftice to fay, that he has furpaffed all eloquence. I fay nothing of the Greek others in this eafy and familiar species of epiftles of Phalaris, as the best criticks notwithstanding the ipfe dixit of the celeare now of opinion, that they are fpurious, ranked him among the first-rate authors brated Sir William Temple, who has of antiquity. I am, Gentlemen, yours, &c. T. W. His Majesty's most gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, on Friday be fixth Day of November, 1761. MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, A' T the opening of the first parliament, fummoned and elected under my authority, with pleasure take notice of an event, which has made me compleatly happy, and given univerfal joy to my loving fubjects. Princefs, eminently diftinguished by every My marriage with a virtue, and amiable endowment, whilft it affords me all poffible domestic comfort, cannot but highly contribute to the happiness of my kingdoms; which has been, and always fhall be, my first object in every action of my life. It has been my earnest with that this first period of my reign might be marked with another felicity; the reftoring of the bleffings of peace to my people, and putting an end to the calamities of war, fuffers. But tho' overtures were made to under which fo great a part of Europe me, and my good brother and ally the king of Pruffia, by the feveral belligerant pointed; and propofitions were made to powers, in order to a general pacification, for which purpose a congrefs was apme by France, for a particular peace with that crown, which were followed by an actual negotiation; yet that congrefs negotiation with France is entirely broken hath not hitherto taken place, and the off. The fincerity of my difpofition to effefted in the progrefs of it; and I have fectuate this good work has been manithe confolation to reflect, that the continuance of the war, and the farther ef fusion fufion of Chriftian blood, to which ft was the defire of my heart to put a stop, cannot with juftice be imputed to me. Our military operations have been in no degree fufpended or delayed'; and it has pleafed God to grant us farther important fucceffes, by the conquefts of the inlands of Belleifle and Dominica; and by the reduction of Pondicherry, which hath in a manner annihilated the French power in the East-Indies. In other parts, where the enemy's numbers were greatly fuperior, their principal defigns and projects have been generally difappointed, by a conduct which does the highest honour to the diftinguished capacity of my general prince Ferdinand of Brunfwic, and by the valour of my troops. The magnanimity and ability of the king of Pruffia have eminently appeared in refifting fuch numerous armies, and furmounting fo great difficulties. In this fituation, I am glad to have an opportunity of receiving the trueft information of the fenfe of my people, by a new choice of their reprefentatives. I am fully perfuaded you will agree with me in opinion, that the fteady exertion of our moft vigorous efforts, in every part where the enemy may ftill be attacked with advantage, is the only means that can be productive of such a peace, as may with reason be expected from our fucceffes. It is therefore my fixed refolution, with your concurrence and support, to carry on the war, in the most effectual manner, for the intereft and advantage of my kingdoms; and to maintain, to the ut most of my power, the good faith and honour of my crown, by adhering firm ly to the engagements entered into with my allies. In this I will perfevere, until my enemies, moved by their own loffes and diftreffes, and touched with the mi series of so many nations, fhall yield to the equitable conditions of an honourable peace; in which cafe, as well as in the profecution of the war, I do affure you, no confideration whatever fhall make me depart from the true interefts of thefe my kingdoms, and the honour and dignity of my crown. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I am heartily forry, that the neceffity of large fupplies appears fo clearly from what has already been mentioned. The proper estimates for the fervices of the enfuing year fhall be laid before you; and I defire you to grant me fuch fupplies, as may enable me to profecute the war with vigour, and as your own welfare and fecurity, in the prefent critical conjuncture, require, that we may happily put the laft hand to this great work. Whatsoever you give fhall be duly and faithfully applied. I dare fay your affectionate regard for me and the queen makes you go before me in what I am next to mention; the making an adequate and honourable provifion for her fupport, in cafe she should furvive me. This is what not only her royal dignity, but her own merit calls for; and I earnestly recommend it to your confideration. My Lords and Gentlemen, I have fuch a confidence in the zeal and good affections of this parliament, that II think it quite fuperfluous to use any exhortations to excite you to a right conduct. I will only add, that there never was a fituation in which unanimity, firmnefs, and difpatch were more necellary for the fafety, honour, and true interest of Great Britain. The Humble Addrefs of the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament affembled, Prefented to his Majefly on Saturday the feventh Day of November, 1761. With his Majefly's Mel Gracious Anfwer. MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN, WE. your majefty's moft dutiful and loyal fubjects, the lords fpiritual and temporal in parliament affembled, begleave to return your majesty our humble thanks for your most gracious freech from the throne. It is impoffible to approach your royal November, 1701. prefence at this time, without making our first offering to your majesty, of our moft joyful congratulations on the aufpicious occafion of your royal nuptials. We want words to defcribe how warmly we are affected with an event, fo highly interefting to your majefty, and to all your 4 E faithful 1 British 586 Lords Addrefs. With bis Majefty's Moft Gracious Anfwer. We thankfully acknowledge your ma- Your royal wifdom has appeared in Your majefty's fentiments cannot fail MY LORDS, concurrence in your opinion, that it is neceffary fteadily to exert our most vigorous efforts in every part, where the enemy may still be attacked with advantage. We beg your majesty to accept the ftrongest and most affectionate affurances, that we will, with the greatest zeal and ardor, and at the hazard of every thing that is dear to us, ftand by and support your majesty, in profecuting the war in the most effectual manner for the interest to the utmost of your power, your enof your kingdoms, and in performing, gagements to your allies; nothing being more evident, than that this is the only method to procure fuch equitable and honourable conditions of peace, as may with reafon be expected from our fucceffes. We fhould be greatly wanting to ourfelves, as well as to your majefty, if we did not testify our particular thanks for exprefly declared, that both in carrying your paternal goodness, in having fo on the war, and in making peace, depart from the true interests of these your confideration whatsoever shall make you kingdoms, and the honour of your crown, по This refolution, fo truly worthy of a British monarch, and fo engaging to all your loyal fubjects, calls for adequate ienefs and concern for our welfare, we do, turns on our part. Penetrated with the livelieft fenfe of your unbounded tenderyour majefty, that we will, with the utfrom the bottom of our hearts, affure moft duty and zeal, correfpond to that confidence, which your majefty repofes ceflity of unanimity, firmnefs, and difin us; being fully perfuaded of the nepatch, in the prefent critical fituation; and animated thereto, by the gracious admonition of the best of kings. His MAJESTY'S Mofi Gracious Anfever, I thank you for this very dutiful and loyal addrefs. The joy which you exprefs upon my marriage, and your affectionate serard for the queen, give me the higheft fatisfaction. I make no doubt but your ready concurrence in my fentiments, and the becoming zeal, which you have fo unanimouly declared, for carrying on the war with vigour, will have a good and frengthen my hands, to purfue fuch meafures as may be most conducive to the effect both upon our friends and enemies; true interests of my Kingdoms: |