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Dangerous Effects of Sudden Surprize.

calm and ferene. The excellent youth had been delirious the evening before his death; and, at two o'clock in the morning, he fent me a note written with a pencil, of which the following is a copy: 'Mr. Ives will confider the disorder a fon mutt be in when he is dying, and is yet in doubt about his father.-If Mr. Ives is not too busy to honour this note, which nothing but the greatest uneafinefs could draw from me- -The boy waits an anfwer.' I immediately repaired to him, and he had ftill fenfe enough to know me. He then faid, And is he dead?'-' Who, my dear My father, Sir'- No, my love; nor is he in any danger; he is almoft well.'-' I thank God: I am now fatisfied, and am ready to die.'-He had a locked jaw, and was in great pain, but I underflood every word he uttered. He begged my pardon for having difturbed me at fo early an hour; and, before the day was ended, he furrendered a life that deferved to be immortal.

The dangerous Effects of Sudden Tranfport; or, exceffive Joy fatal as exceffive Grief.

H

ARRIET was one of the brighteft examples of conjugal affection, and domestic aconomy, that the ifland could boaft of this laft century. The beauty of her face, and elegance of her perfon, tho' great, were far inferior to the qualifications of her mind: with a foul ele vated to an angelic sphere of dignity, fhe had joined Chriftian humility, and an unreferved affability, not only towards her equals in rank and fortune, but alfo to her inferiors. To her hufband, Alcander, the facrificed all her charms; and every accomplishment the was mistress of the ufed, to rivet more ftrongly the pleating chains with which her beauty had originally captivated his heart. He was truly fenfible of her merit, and his own happiness.

Alcander, in procefs of time, was obliged to go to Peterburgh, to take poffeffion of fome confiderable effects, which had devolved on him by the demife of a near relation, and could not be done without his perfonal attendance. This feparation was an affecting ftroke to his lovely Harriet. She begged to accompany him with all the rhetoric fhe was miftrefs of, but in vain.

Alcander's voyage fucceeded beyond his warmeft wiflies; he wrote to Harriet every opportunity that offered: ard the, at laft, received the good news of his having finifhed his affairs, and embarked at Petersburgh for London.

Sue daily expected his arrival, with

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that impatience and tranfport of heart which fo affectionate a wife could feel. One day as fhe was walking in the garden, with Alcander's filter and another young lady who came on a vifit, a news paper was brought her, which contained band had failed, being lost in a dreadful an account of the fhip in which her hufftorm, and all on board perifhed! Soon as the came to that fatal part, fhe inftantly fwooned away, and it was with the utmost difficulty that she was brought mournful lamentations; and with heartto herself. Then the burst into the most breaking fighs, and ftreams of tears exclaimed, "Is he gone! must I never with him in the feat clafped in his faithfee him more! Oh! that I had perished ful arms, I could have died happy and contented!" (though herself overwhelm'd with grief) In vain did her fifter, and the young lady her friend, endeavour to affuage her forrows, by remonfalfe, or that it might be another hip of ftrating to her, that the news might be the fame name, belonging to another more fhall fee the hufband of my heart! port, "No, no, exclaimed fhe, I never the defender of my life and honour is no tered, and flew to her, arms, crying out, more!" At this inftant, Alcander en

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my heart's dearest bleffing, here I am!" Yes, I am here, my dearest lovely wife, hold him, than fhe fell breathlefs on the No fooner did the charming Harriot beground. The too fudden transition from grief to joy, had overcome her: his diftraction at that fight, hindered him not from adminiftering the mott proper remedies for her recovery; but his well known voice, and the preffure of his lips to hers, were the fovereign balm which once more rettored her to life. The scene was then too tender to describe; after mutual endearments and congratulations on all tures, and informed them, that the fhip fides were finished, he related his advenin which he came from Petersburgh, had met with a violent ftorm; but being a flout veffel, with fkilful failors, had weathered it out, and came fafe into Yarmouth; but that the other fhip. mentioned in the news-paper, was one of the fame name belonging to Newcastle upon Tyne,

value of thirty thousand pounds—a gen-,
Alcander had brought home, to the
teel addition to his fortune, and he and
his dear Harriet now live in the utmoit
felicity, and perfect conjugal affection,
a vidit the love and efteem of friends,
ing offspring.
and the fmiles of a numerous and charm-

The

The Political Hiflory of Europe, for the Year 1774. (Continued from p. 532.) Germany. Auftrian Troops enter the Venetian Dalmatia. Difference between the Court of Vienna and the Regency of Hanover. Pruffia. Helvetic Body. Sweden, Denmark. Death of the French King. Succeeded by his Grandfon. Happy Effects of Inoculation. Changes in the Minifry. Dukes of Orleans and Chartres in Difgrace; but are foon recalled to Court. The antient Parliament of Paris reftored, but under many Refrictions. War in Corfica.

GERMANY, ical Squats and ERMANY, though the great and effects, has not during the present year been productive of any great or novel subject for observation. The two great powers, whose wings overfhadow that empire, proceed uniformly in the military fyftem, which they have conftantly purfued fince the late peace. Reviews, encampments, new manœuvres, and propofed improvements in artillery or difcipline, keep the mind awake with all the fplendor and apparatus of war, and its image conftantly in view; nothing remains wanting, but chance, caprice, or illhumour, to furnish it with life and efficacy.

Whilft the great potentates are occupied by thefe dangerous amusements, the leffer princes are immerfed in diffipation and pleasures. The free cities and towns, which were the nurseries of liberty, arts, and opulence, are, in refpect to power and confequence, dwindling to nothing, and their remaining immunities becoming every day more precarious. In this ftate of things, a particular combination of circumftances, is only requifite, to occafion such a revolution in the Germanic fyftem, as would give a new colour to the affairs of Europe.

It appears by the mufter roll, delivered at the conclufion of the foregoing year, to the council of war at Vienna, that the Austrian and Imperial armies at that period, amounted to 235,000 effective men. Yet the bufinefs of recruiting is ftill carried on with as much industry as ever. Such armies will of courfe difturb the flumbers of their neighbours; and their prefent movements rather fhew an indecifion with refpect to the objects of employment, than the fmalleft difpofition to ruft in idleness.

A handful of these troops was fufficient, in the courfe of the fummer, to throw the fage Republic of Venice into the utmost confternation and terror. General Whelau, without any previous

October, 1775

declaration or notice, marched into the Venetian Dalmatia, at the head of only fix hundred men, where he took poffeffion of feveral towns and districts, and compelled the inhabitants to take oaths of fidelity and allegiance to their Imperial Majefties. Such violations of the law of nations are now grown fo fashionable, that it is probable that antient code, the flow aggregate and refult of the wifdom and experience of mankind to leffen the miseries of war, will be totally ob、 literated.

It, however, appears, that through the limits between the Auftrian and Ve fome inattention, or unavoidable delay, netian Dalmatia, were not fo precisely defined by former treaties, as to cut off all poffible room for future altercation, and that fome matter of this nature was now brought up, to authorize the prefent invafion. It is indeed a common, though unjuft and dangerous policy, for powerful and ambitious ftates in their intercourfe with the weaker, ftill to referve fome trifling claim or pretenfion undecided, which is fuffered to lie dormant, until the favourable conjuncture arrives that it can be revived with advantage; when the colour of right derived from a matter of small confequence, serves to hide the enormity of that injuftice, which is extended to objects of the greateft.

The republic, according to established and antient cuftom, has endeavoured to cover weakness, indolence and irrefolu tion, by negociation and intrigue. The lofs of thefe diftricts, however, if attended with no other confequences, would have been confidered by her as a matter of no great importance. But this violence was apprehended to be only a prelude to greater; and the trembled for other claims, or new arrangements of dominion, without any, which were of a much more alarming nature. If things proceed in their prefent courfe, it will become no great matter of furprise to fee the common train of an ambassador fent to difpofe or to take poffeffion of a kingdom.

The nature of fome difputes and jealoufies which have taken place between the court of Vienna and the regency of Hanover, has not yet been exactly afcertained, nor authentically explained. It appears however, that the Directorial Envoy of Auftria, at the assembly of the plenipotentiary minifters of the empire, held at Regenfburg, read a refcript from his court, which contained a number of grievous complaints against that of Hanover. Among thefe, hat governFfff

ment

ment was charged with feeking every opportunity of framing leagues, and fomenting factions among the ftates of the empire, in order to thwart and oppofe the views of the imperial court. That this prejudice and diflike to their Imperial Majefties, and oppofition to their interefts, had manifefted itfelf in numberlefs inftances, although the House of Hanover, upon obtaining the electorate, had folemnly engaged to preferve a good understanding with that of Auftria. That their Imperial Majefties, though fingularly difgufted at the repeated oppofition, and frequent moleftation, they had experienced in various tranfactions, fought, notwithitanding, by amicable reprefentations made, even in London, to divert the electoral court from its conduct and principles; but that these endeavours having hitherto been fruitless, they now found themselves under a neceffity of declaring, that their conduct with refpe&t to that court for the future, fhould be fuited to that which it had practifed.

To thefe general complaints fome fpe cific charges were added, which feemed of little moment, and related to the vifitation of the chamber of the empire, and to fome impofts laid on in Hanover, upon goods belonging to the fubjects of their Imperial Majetties. The Hanoverian minifters in their reply, delivered both in London and at Regenfburg, declared, that these charges were received with the greatest amazement by his Britannic Majefty, as he had on every occafion endea voured to preferve the greatest harmony, and to cultivate the tricteft friendship, with the court of Vienna. That when the Hanoverian minifter opposed the motions made by the imperial minifters in the affairs of the German diet, he did it only from a truly patriotic principle; that every one who has a vote at the diet, has a right to oppofe any motion which is contrary to his opinion; that differing in opinion is by no means an argument of any breach of harmony; that his Britannic Majefly would not reproach any perfon who differed from him in opinion, and therefore could expect no reproach on that account; and that it is not at all confiftent with the rights of the empire, that his Imperial Majefty fhould refent any fuch difference of opinion. As to the affair of the impofts in the electoral dominions, it was faid, that the favour fhewn to the imperial fubjects, by their being at any time free from them, depended merely on the generofity of the Elector; but was by no means to be confidered as an engagement or obligation,

Thus the matter feems to reft at prefent,

The movements of the Auftrian troops on the Turkish frontiers during the war, did not excite greater fpeculation than thofe which have taken place fince the peace, on the fide both of Poland and Tranfylvania. It has been even reported that they have feized fome districts in Moldavia and Walachia: and it feemed to have been believed for a time, that the Ottomans were by treaty to make a ceffion to the court of Vienna, of fome confiderable territories on this fide of the Danube. As the motives which might have induced fuch a ceffion feem, however, to be entirely extinguished by the peace, the doubtful conduct of that court till remains to be explained.

The King of Pruffia, exclufive of his military occupations, is principally taken up with an attention to his new dominions, and to the forming every scheme for rendering them of the greateft poffible advantage. For this purpofe canals are made, trading companies formed, new fources of commerce fought, and the earth explored for its hidden riches. Among his other establishments, one cannot be too much praised, which is the appointment of good fchoolmafters, with fuitable ftipends, in the principal villages, that the peafants may be at no expence for the education of their children. This warlike prince did not neglect the opportunity offered by the peace for remounting his huffars, and accordingly fent a number of their officers to the Danube, for the purchase of several thousand Turkish and Tartarian horses.

Suppofed exchanges of territory, between fome of the leffer princes and the great, ftill continue to hold a great fliare in German converfation, and feem to occupy no finall part of the attention of their politicians. Whether such exchanges have been really agitated or not, the subject feems induftriously to be kept alive; which need not be regarded as a very doubtful indication, that measures of that nature are in view.

In the mean time, the rapid progrefs of defpotifm throughout Europe, and the epidemic rage which seems to have seized the monarchs of the earth, for exterminating all the remains of liberty whereever they are to be found, feems to have awakened the attention of fome of the remaining republics. It is even faid, that the Helvetic body, which from natural ftrength, and the numbers and genius of the inhabitants, enjoys the greateft fecurity of any now exifting, has not been without ferious alarms, at the de

figns of fome of its great neighbours. It is also faid, that a league for their mutual defence has been negociated between that body and the Italian republics. A deputation from the Swifs cantons, and the republic of Geneva, has lately arrived at the court of Vienna; and though the particulars of their commiffion are not yet publicly known, it is more than probable that it relates to this subject.

It has pleafed Providence, that the calamities which had long afflicted the people in Germany and the adjoining countries, through a fucceffion of unkind feafons, and the confequent dearth of all kind of provisions, have this year been happily removed by a bountiful harveft. This bleffing, as well as the calamity, has, in a greater or leffer degree, been extended to almost every part of Europe.

The northern kingdoms have not this year been productive of any incidents which are materially interefting to the public in general. The King of Sweden, as well from his own difpofition, as the example of his neighbours, pays the clofeft attention to military affairs, and has accordingly formed a very powerful army, and established a refpectable marine; both of which he feems determined to carry to the highest degree of improve ment. In other matters, he is very attentive to commerce, to the internal improvement of the country, and to prevent its depopulation, by the emigration of his fubjects, for which purpose the antient laws upon that fubject have been renewed and enforced.

The greatest harmony feems at prefent to prevail, between the courts of Stockholm and Peterburg, and a new treaty is faid to have been concluded, which, with fome additional articles, confirms and renews all former ones fubfifting between the two ftates. In this ftate of good neighbourhood with Ruffia, and without any apparent object of conqueft in view, or caufe of apprehenfion, in any quarter, it would be difficult to account for thofe military preparations, did we not fee the general alarm, and fufpicion of each others defigns, which late tranfactions, and prefent appearances, have excited among all the princes in Europe. July 7th,

The marriage between the Duke of Sudermania, the 1774. king's next brother, and the Princefs Charlotte of Holftein Eutin, daughter of the Prince Bifhop of Lubeck, has been celebrated with great fplendor and magnificence at Stockholm, and feems

to have given general fatisfaction to the nation. Sweden has partaken fo happily of the benefits of a plentiful harvest, after the long miferies which it has undergone, that the king has permitted a free exportation of con from all the ports of that kingdom. A circumftance which fufficiently denotes the extent of the bleffing, in a country fo generally deficient in its produce of grain.

Denmark prefents nothing of confequence in the prefent year, except the marriage of Prince Frederic, the king's brother, with the Oct. 21. Princ.fs Sophia Frederica, niece to the reigning Duke of Mecklenburg Schwerin, which was celebrated with great joy and feftivity at Copenhagen. A grand and magnificent project was formed, which, if capable of being carried into execution, would have been productive of confiderable utility. This was no less than to join the Baltic with the German Ocean, or North Sea, by a cut carried across the Peninfula, which is compofed of the Duchies of Holstein and Slefwic. Such an attempt has long been thought feasible, and a commiffion was now appointed for carrying it into execution. The design is, however, laid afide for the prefent, either on account of the great expence, or of some unforeseen difficulties, which were difcovered on ex amination. It has been long an observation with hiftorians, that few of those projects, which were intended in any great degree, to counteract the operations, or to change the original defigns of nature, have been crowned with fuccefs.

The death of Lewis XV. King of France, concluded a remarkable period of two fucceffive reigns, which, for their extraordinary length, are scarcely to be paralleled in the authentic history of any nation. This period, from the acceffion of Lewis XIV. in 1643, comprehends no less than 131 years. During this time, nine monarchs have fat upon the throne of England. It was alfo a period pregnant with great and remarkable events; in which amazing revolutions took place in the ftate of public affairs, and extraordinary changes, even in the general face of Europe. During that period, France had rifen to fuch a degree of power and glory, as even to grafp at univerfal dominion, and was deemed fo dangerous, as to excite a general combination of almoft the whole chriftian world against her; and the funk at different parts of it, to the lowest state of ruin and diftrefs.

The fmall-pox, which had already
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been fo fatal to his family, feized Lewis
XV. in the fixty fourth year of his age,
and the fifty-ninth year of his
May 10. reign, and in a few days put
a period to his exiftence. The
popularity, which in one part of his life
had obtained the addition of well-belov-
ed to his name, had been long fince con-
fiderably diminished. Although the war
of 1741 was distinguished by many victo-
ries on the fide of France, the was much
exhausted by it. The late war brought
her to that degree of humiliation, that
her pride would not fuffer her greatly to
respect a fovereign, under whom the king-
dom did not fupport its former fplendor.
After the peace, he did not feem to pre-
ferve that moderation in his expences and
pleasures, nor give altogether that ap-
plication to his affairs, which might be
expected after fo difaftrous a war. His
difputes with his parliaments, and his
diffolution of those bodies, detracted al-
fo fomething from that affection of his
fubjects which diftinguifhed the early parts
of his reign. But on the whole, he muft
be allowed to have been a very mild and
merciful prince; wholly free from arro-
gance or ambition. Though there was
nothing great or fhining in his character,
he poffeffed a mediocrity of paffions and
abilities, which rendered him capable of
governing well, whilst he was himself
well governed.

This monarch was fucceeded by his grandfon, Lewis XVI. who was then in the 20th year of his age, and was fon to the late Dauphin, by the princefs Maria Jofepha, daughter to Auguftus III. King of Poland, and Elector of Saxony. The prefent king was married in the year 1770, to Maria Antonietta, of Auftria, daughter to the Empress Queen, and fister to the Emperor of Germany.

The contagious diftemper of which the late king died, was foon communicated to the three Madames of France, whofe tenderness and affection for a father had, during his illness, furmounted their fears of that dreadful diforder. As fome phyfical writers have been of opinion, that the fame caufes which produce that diforder in an individual, may probably operate at the fame time upon others of the fame blood and family, at whatever distance, and without any direct communication of the infection, the nation now trembled for the fafety of the king and his brothers; and it was fcarcely deemed an improbable event, that the whole royal family might have been fwept off by that fatal peft, which had fo long been its inveterate enemy.

The princeffes, however, recovered from that natural diforder; and inoculation was happily called in, to the prefervation of the king and his brothers. This discovery, the nobleft in the history of mankind, and which binds the rage of its most cruel enemy, has, by degrees, and in defpite of prejudice, error, and bigotry, fpread its influence from England to feveral other parts of Europe. The Emprefs of Ruffia was, however, the first fovereign, who, shaking off the selfishness, and breaking through the narrow ideas of courts, had magnanimity fufficient to hazard her own perfon in the trial of its utility. Her happy recovery, under the aufpices of Baron Dimfdale, an Englishman, not only established the practice in her own vast dominions, but so illustrious an example contributed greatly to remove the prejudices, which had hitherto prevented its progrefs in other countries.

The event was equally happy in France. The king, with the two princes, his brothers, and the Counters de Artois, wife of the younger, were all inoculated at the fame June 18. time, and paffed through the diforder with the greatest ease and safety. This example was fuficient to establish the practice, and the diftemper could not have been more contagious, than the fashion became among the lords and ladies of the court,

The young king left nothing undone to gain the affections of his people. Such endeavours could not fail of effect, in a country where the zeal of the people for their monarchs, until foured by oppreffion, and dejected by ill-government, is perhaps unequalled in any other, The task, indeed, was not difficult. It required no more than to undo the obnoxious measures of the late reign, and to remove thofe perfons from the management of public affairs, whofe miftakes or misfortunes had rendered them disagree. able to the nation.

One of the first popular, and perhaps most judicious measures that was taken, was to recal the Count de Maurepas to court, from whence he had been banished 23 years. This nobleman had formerly been minifter for the marine department, a station for which he was eminently qualified, and was in all ref pects confidered as a man of great abilities. It is faid, that in fome papers which the late Dauphin left behind him for the ufe of his fon, and which were only to be delivered upon his acceffion to the throne, M. de Maurepas was

ftrongly

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