outrageous abufe his friends. 1 But, although the project of a mock proceflion was given up, Foote thought the ridiculing Garrick on the stage was a morfel too delicious to refign. At the very time when the mind of Mr. Garrick was disturbed by a fcandalous and falfe infinuation, which the author of it publickly and folemnly afterwards difavowed, Mr. Foote, from a ridiculous pretence that Mr. Garrick kept his playhouse open purpofely to diftrefs him, by acting feveral of his most favourite characters, and by thefe means drawing all the play-going people to Drury-lane, refolved to Thew his refentment in a manner the most profitable to himself and offenfive to Mr. Garrick. He first attacked him with much vehemence in the news-papers, in the form of letters, fables, and dialogues. This was preparatory to his grand defign of regaling the public with a feaft of Rofcius. The new scheme was to introduce him in his puppet-fhew: to this end, a mask was made, that bore as near a refemblance as poffible to the countenance of Mr. Garrick, and this he fhewed to all his vifitors; a pafte-board figure of a body was prepared, to be joined to the head; a man was to be concealed under this ftrange fhell, who was, every now and then, to utter fomething which the author was to convey to him. But fo fond was Foote of his favourite Cock a doodle do! that, as soon as the figure was introduced on the ftage, he was ordered to clap his fides, and crow as loud as the cock in Hamlet. This mock reprefentation of Mr. Garrick was talked of for a long time, though not announced in Foote laboured the news-papers. to raise his fears and apprehenfions, and at the fame time to create an appetite in the public for fo extraordinary a difh. That this project, too, was afterwards laid afide, it was generally fuppofed, was owing to a fum of mowhich was borrowed never to be repaid; or perhaps to a gratification, the accepting of which was still more dishonourable; how-' ever, this is only conjecture." ney THE State of Retrospective view of the affairs of Europe in the year 1779. the belligerant powers in Germany. Event of the late campaign, induces a difpofition favourable to the pacific views of the Emprefs-Queen ; which are farther feconded by the mediation of Ruffia and France. A fufpenfion of arms published, and the Congress for negociating a peace affembles at Tefchen. Treaty of peace concluded. Differences between Ruffia and the Porte, threaten a new war. Nogociation conducted, and a new convention concluded, under the mediation of the French minifter. Naval preparations by Spain. Opens the war with the frege of Gibraltar. France. Confequences of the appointment of M. Necker to the government of the French finances. Successful expedition to the coast of Africa. Ineffectual attempt upon the Island of Jersey. Threat of an invafion, and great preparations apparently for that purpose. French fleet fails from Breft, and proceeds to the coafts of Spain. Combined fleets of France and Spain enter the British channel, and appear in great force before Plymouth. Enemy quit the channel; return again; at length finally quit the British coafts, and proceed to Breft. CHAP. II. P. [1 State of public affairs previous to the meeting of parliament. Vaft combination of power against Great Britain. Proclamations; for reprizals on Spain; and for defenfive measures in cafe of an invafion. Various manifeftos, and public pieces, iffued by the belligerant powers. Some obfervations on the charges exhibited by Spain. Oftenfible causes, and real motives for war, on the fide of the House of Bourbon. Ireland. Caufes which led to the prefent ftate of affairs in that kingdom. Com Commercial, and non-confumption agreements. French invafion threat- CHA P. III. Speech from the throne. Addreffes. Amenament moved in the House of Com- CHA P. IV. [37 Vote of cenfure against minifters, relative to their conduct with respect to CHA P. V. [57 County meetings, petitions, and affociations. York leads the way. Great wille prefents the petition from the county of York. Debates on that fuba ject. Jamaica petition prefented. Mr. Burke's plan of economical reform. Bills brought in upon that fyftem. Earl of Shelburne's motion (pursuant to the notice given before the recefs) for a committee of both boufes, to enquire into the public expenditure. Motion feconded by the Earl of Coventry. Oppofed. Debates. Strictures with respect to the county meetings and petitions. Marquis of Carmarthen explains the causes of his refignation. Strictures on the conduct of a noble lord at the bead of a great department. Motion rejected upon a divifion. Unusual strength bewn by the oppofition on this divifion. [85 C H A P. VI. Colonel Barre gives notice of his intended propofitions relative to a committee of accounts. Scheme approved of by the minifter. Sir George Saville's motion, for an account of patent places and falaries, agreed to. Second motion, for an account of penfions, during pleasure or otherwife, oppofed. Debate broken off by the illness of the speaker. Refumed in the following week. Amendment, moved by the minifter. Long debates. Minifter's amendment carried, on an exceedingly clofe divifion. Jamaica petition prefented in the House of Lords, and the Jubject strongly enforced, by the Marquis of Rockingham. Thanks of the lords and commons to Admiral Sir George Rodney, for his late eminent fervices. Attempt by the oppofition, in both boufes, to obtain fome mark of royal favour for that commander. Scheme, for a commiffion of accounts, announced by the minifter, in the House of Commons. Strictures on that business. Mr. Burke's eftablishment bill read a first and fecond time without op. pofition; debate and divifion, relative only to time, on its committal. Motion by the Earl of Shelburne, relative to the removal of the Marquis of Carmarthen, and the Earl of Pembroke, from the lieutenancy of their respective counties. Question, much agitated. Motion rejected on a divifion. [114 CHA P. VII. Order of the day for going into a committee on Mr. Burke's establishment bill. Queftion of competency started. Debated. Oppofition infift, that the decifion of that question should take place of the order of the day. Question for the order of the day, carried, upon a very clofe divifion. Debates in the committee on the first claufe of the establishment bill, for abolishing the office of third fecretary of State. Claufe rejected, after very long debates, upon a divifion, by a very small majority. Long debates in the committee, on a fubjequent day, upon that claufe of the eftablishment bill, for abolishing the board of trade. Question for abolishing that board, carried upon a divifion. Difference between the speaker and the minifter. Mr. Fullarton's complaint of the Earl of Shelburne. Ijue of that affair in Hyde Park. Notice given by Sir James Lowther, of an intended motion, for preferving the freedom of debate in parliament. Subject confiderably agitated. Warmly refented without doors. Ad dreffes |