ftep had been taken neceffary to produce the best effects, in order to prepare the two powers towards an accommodation equally honourable to both parties; that to this end wife expedients had been propofed but, notwithstanding these terms were conformable to fuch as the court of London, at other times, judged proper, and conducive to an accommodation; they were, however, rejected, in a manner that proves too well the reluctance on the part of the British cabinet to restore peace to Europe, and to preferve the friendship of his Catholic Majefty." The conditions offered by France were, to the highest degree, injurious and inadmiffible; the King exprefsly declared, that he confidered them as fuch; nothing can be more evident than that the expedients offered by Spain inevitably tended to enforce thefe very injurious conditions, but juft before declared as inadmiffible. The pernicious confequences of the proposed expedients had been explained to the court of Spain, by order of the King, and they were, in the most amicable manner, exprefsly rejected. Had it been otherwife, there could be no reafon for an ultimatum: yet it is not without aftonishment, that, after the first anfwer, the King receives an ultimatum from the court of Spain, not only containing the very fame offers thus rejected, but announced with fcarce any difference in point of form. The declaration further fays, "That on the 28th of September, the court of Spain had notified to the belligerent powers, that in cafe the negotiation did not fucceed, he would then determine how to act." If the open part the court of Spain now takes, be that she secretly intended at that time, it would have been more confiftent with her dignity then to avow it, and range herself open ly under the banners of France. Inftead of fuch a conduct, the court of Madrid, affecting impartiality, hath offered to mediate, but not to dictate the terms of peace, promising to communicate to each court the conditions claimed by either, that fo they might be modified, explained, or rejected. When the proposals made by France were rejected, and the declaration made to Spain to cease her mediation, fince her endeavours did not fucceed, it was accompanied with affurances, that the friendship fubfifting between the two nations should not be interrupted. How far this is true, appears from the actual declaration, announcing hoftilities on the part of Spain, without venturing to ftate the non-acceptance of the terms as one of the causes of the war : but fhould it be otherwise infinuated, it will furnish his Majefty with an additional reason to complain of the injuftice and arrogance of fuch a pretenfion. The previous causes which the court of Spain hath thought proper to urge, are, the infults against her flag, and the violation on her territory. As to the first, these are the terms of her memorial: "Prizes have been made; veffels have been fearched and plundered; many have been fired upon who were forced to defend themselves; the regifters and packets belonging to the court, and found on board bis Catholic Majefty's packet-boats, have been opened, and torn to pieces." All forts of American veffels have been received in the ports of Spain; they have been furnished with falfe docu ments, and suffered to carry Spanish colours; their privateers have plundered all nations without diftinction; and fuch has been the industry of the Spanish mi niftry, in order to enhance the number of grievances, that these depredations were by them reprefented as injuries committed by Great Britain. The complaints, which do not exceed the number of twenty-four, feldom [pecify the author of the supposed infult; and those which did, were frequently ill founded, and in general frivolous. How. ever, it is granted that the answers were amicable. The King thought it worthy of himself, not only to ufe every precau tion necessary to prevent disorders which might offend neutral powers, but also to exert every effort to punifh the authors, and repair the lofs of the fufferers. Such hath been his conduct at all times when poffible to discover and convict the gui. ty. Among the vaft operations, fuch as in the prefent war, it is not furprising that some irregularities have happened; but when fuch cafes were proved, refti tution was made, with ample damages, and all charges paid. It has been advanced, "That his Catholic Majefty formally declared to the court of London, ever fince France commenced hoftilities, that the court of Madrid would regulate her conduct by that of of the court of Great Britain." Nevertheless thirteen English veffels have been feized, on what pretence, or by whose order, we are still to learn, although his Majefty ordered fuch reprefentations to be made, as are ufual on the like occafions, between nations in a state of amity; which his Majefty did, not attributing these seizures to a perfidious and inimical defign, until the conduct of the court of Spain has been better explained by the present declaration. The pretended violation of the Spanish territory may be reduced to four beads. In the first place, it is faid, "That the dominions in America belonging to the court of Spain, have been threatened;" without fpecifying time, place, or circumstance. Secondly, the memorial mentions, "That the Indians have been fet against the innocent inhabitants of Louisiana, who must have fallen victims to their fury, had not even the Chactaws repented, and revealed the confpiracy."-It is well known, that the Governor of New Or leans tried to feduce the Chactaws, and that he received with open arms those tribes which committed devastations in the English western fettlements. Thefe tribes returned, but were not fet against the Spanish territory; it was never attempted, nor was fuch an idea ever entertained. The declaration afferts, "That a formal representation was made to the court of London concerning these different grievances; and seeing the equivocal expreffions on the two preceding points, fuch remonftrances were particularly neceffary towards the strict obfervance of the good faith between two nations at peace." It is not true that the leaft reprefentation was ever made on either of the two preceding articles; to which the moft ample and fatisfactory answers might have been given. Thirdly, they pretend, "That the fovereignty of his Catholic Majefty, in the province of Darien, and on the coaft of St Blas, hath been ufurped, the government of Jamaica having appointed an Indian to the rank of General over thefe provinces."-On this fubject, inAtructions were dispatched, bearing date the 28th of April laft, as is ufual between nations in friendship: no advices being received from Jamaica on this matter, fresh orders were fent for a full explana tion; but in point of time no answer could yet be expected. Fourthly, "That the territory in the Bay of Honduras has been ufurped, acts of hoftility committed, the Spaniards imprisoned, and their houses plundered; as alfo that England had neglected to fulfil the ftipulated article relative to this coaft, agreeable to the 17th article of the treaty of Paris." With regard to the English fubjects frequenting the Bay of Honduras, that matter had been regulated according to the aforefaid article, and finally adjufted with the court of Spain, in the year 1764. Since which period, no complaint having been made on either fide, this court is ftill ignorant whether the leaft caufe ever exifted. Surely this cannot be included among the pretended grievances which the declaration fuppofes, as having been duly reprefented either to the English court, or to her ambassador at the court of Madrid. The Such are the motives alledged by the court of Spain in the name of his Catholic Majesty, as a juftification, before God and the world, for commencing hoftilities against Great Britain. King appeals to the actual state of affairs, being the fame as that which subsisted fince the conclufion of the last treaty, as a full proof that no attempt was ever made on his part to infringe this treaty. He appeals to his uniform conduct ever fince this epoch, to furnish still stronger proofs, that he hath endeavoured to preferve the fame with all the affiduity and care which the interefts of humanity and the happinefs of his fubjects required. Ultimately, he appeals to the conduct of his enemies, and in particular to the aforefaid declaration from the court of Spain, as the laft proof of the neceffity he is under to defend the rights of his crowr and people, against a determined project to invade the fame; a project wherein the court of Spain at length openly joins, without the leaft reafon to colour fuch a proceeding. The MIRROR, No 27. A Very amiable and much refpected friend of mine, whofe real name I fhall conceal under that of Wentworth, had lately the misfortune of lofing a wife, who was not only peculiarly beau tiful, but whofe foul was the manfion of every virtue, and of every elegant ac. complishment. She was fuddenly cut off 3 E 2 in in the flower of her age, after having li- room, appeared more overpowered than ved twelve years with the best and most my friend himself; who, by the fortiaffectionate of husbands. A perfect fi- tude of his behaviour, seemed rather to milarity of temper and difpofition, a moderate the grief of thofe around him, kindred delicacy of taste and fentiment, than to demand their compaffion for had linked their hearts together in early himself. By his gentle and kind attenyouth, and each fucceeding year feemed tions, he seemed anxious to relieve their but to add new ftrength to their affec- forrow, and, by a kind of concerted tion. Though poffeffed of an affluent tranquillity, ftrove to prevent their dif fortune, they preferred the tranquillity covering any symptoms of the bitter an of the country to all the gay pleasures of guith which preyed upon his mind. His the capital. In the cultivation of their countenance was pale, and his eyes beeftate, in cherishing the virtuous industry trayed that his heart was ill at eafe; but of its inhabitants, in ornamenting a it was that filent and majestic forrow beautiful feat, in the fociety of one ano- which commands our reverence, and our ther, in the innocent prattle of their admiration. little children, and in the company of a few friends, Mr Wentworth and his Amelia found every with gratified, and their happiness complete. My readers will judge, then, what must have been Mr Wentworth's feelings, when Amelia was thus fuddenly torn from him, in the very prime of her life, and in the midft of her felicity. I dreaded the effects of it upon a mind of his nice and delicate fenfibility; and, receiving a letter from his brother, request ing me to come to them, I haftened thither, to endeavour, by my prefence, to affuage his grief, and prevent thofe fatal confequences, of which I was fo apprehenfive. As I approached the house, the fight of all the well-known fcenes brought fresh into my mind the remembrance of Amelia; and I felt myfelf but ill qualified to act the part of a comforter. When my carriage ftopped at the gate, I trembled, and would have given the world to go back. A heartfelt forrow fat on the countenance of every fervant; and I walked into the houfe, without a word being uttered. In the hall I was met by the old butler, who was grown greyheaded in the family, and he haftened to conduct me up ftairs. As I walked up, I commanded firmness enough to fay, "Well, William, how is Mr Wentworth?" The old man, turning about with a look that pierced my heart, faid, "Oh, Sir, our excellent Lady!"- Here his grief overwhelmed him; and it was with difficulty he was able to open to me the door of the apartment. Mr Wentworth ran, and embraced me with the warmest affection; and after a few moments, affumed a firmnefs, and even an eafe, that furprised me. His brother, with a fifter of Amelia's, and fome other friends that were in the Next morning after breakfast I chan ced to take up a volume of Metastafio, that lay amongst other books upon a table, and, as I was turning over the leaves, a flip of paper, with fomething written on it, dropped upon the floor. Mr Wentworth picked it up; and, as he looked at it, I faw the tears start into his eyes; and, fetching a deep figh, he uttered, in a low and broken voice, My poor Amelia!-It was the translation of a favourite paffage which she had been attempting, but had left unfinished. As if uneafy left I had perceived his emotion, he carelessly threw his arm over my fhoulder, and reading aloud a few lines of the page which I held open in my hand, he went into some remarks on the poetry of that elegant author. Some time after, I obferved him take up the book, and carefully replacing the flip of paper where it had been, put the volume in his pocket. Mr Wentworth proposed that we fhould walk out, and that he himself would accompany us. As we stepped through the hall, one of my friend's youngeft boys came running up, and catching his Papa by the hand, cried out with joy, that Mamma's Rover was returned. This was a fpaniel who had been the favourite of Amelia, and had followed her in all her walks; but after her death, had been fent to the house of a villager, to be out of the immediate fight of the family. Having somehow made its efcape from thence, the dog had that morning found his way home; and, as foon as he faw Mr Wentworth, leaped upon him with an excefs of fondnefs. I faw my friend's lips and checks quiver. He catched his little Frank in his arms; and, for a few moments, hid his face in his neck, As we traverfed his delightful grounds, has befallen him. I too well know what many different fcenes naturally recalled he feels; but the more I know this, the the remembrance of Amelia. My friend, more does the dignity of his recollection indeed, in order to avoid fome of her fa- and fortitude excite my admiration, and vourite walks, had conducted us an un- command my filent attention and reufual road. But what corner could be fpect. found that did not bear the traces of her band? Her elegant tafte had marked the peculiar beauty of each different fcene, and had brought it forth to view with fuch a happy delicacy of art, as to make it feem the work of nature alone. As we croffed certain paths in the woods, and paffed by fome ruftic buildings, I could fometimes difcern an emotion in my friend's countenance; but he inftantly ftifled it with a firmness and dignity that made me careful not to feem to obferve A. Towards night, Mr Wentworth having ftolen out of the room, his brother and I ftepped out to a terrace behind the houfe. It was the dusk of the evening, the air was mild and ferene, and the moon was rifing in all her brightness from the cloud of the eaft. The fineness of the night made us extend our walk, and we ftrayed into a hollow valley, whofe Eides are covered with trees overhanging a brook that pours itself along over broken rocks. We approached a ruftic grotto placed in a fequeftered corner under a half-impending rock. My companion ftopped. "This,' faid he, "was one of Amelia's walks, and that grotto was her favourite evening-retreat. The last night the ever walked out, and the very evening the caught that fatal fever, I was with my brother and her, while we fat and read to each other in that very place." While he spoke, we perceived a man fteal out of the grotto, and, avoiding us, take his way by a path through a thicket of trees on the other fide. It is my brother," faid young Wentworth; "he has been here his Amelia's favourite grove, indulging that grief he fo carefully conceals from us." We returned to the house, and found Mr Wentworth with the reft of the company. He forced on fome converfation, and even affected a degree of gentle pleafantry during the whole evening. Such, in fhort, is the noble deportment of my friend, that in place of finding it neceffary to temper and moderate his grief, I must avoid feeming to perceive it, and dare fcarcely appear even to think of the heavy calamity which How very different is this dignified and referved forrow from that weak and teafing grief which difgufts, by its fighs and tears, and clamorous lamentations! How much does fuch noble fortitude of deportment call forth our regard and reverence! How much is a character, in other refpects estimable, degraded by a contrary demeanour! How much does the exceffive, the importunate, and unmanly grief of Cicero, diminish the very high refpect which we should otherwife entertain for the exalted character of that illuftrious Roman! Writers on practical morality have defcribed and analysed the paffion of grief, and have pretended to prescribe remedies for reftoring the mind to tranquillity; but, I believe, little benefit has been derived from any thing they have advised. To tell a perfon in grief, that time will relieve him, is truly applying no remedy; and, to bid him reflect how many others there may be who are more wretched, is a very inefficacious one. The truth is, that the excess of this, as well as of other paffions, muft be prevented rather than cured. It must be obviated, by our attaining that evennefs and equality of temper, which can arife only from an improved understanding, and an habitual intercourse with refined fociety. Thefe will not, indeed, exempt us from the pangs of forrow, but they will enable us to bear them with a noble grace and propriety, and will render the prefence of our friends (which is the only remedy) a very effectual cure. This is well explained by a philofopher, who is no lefs eloquent than he is profound. He juftly observes, that we naturally, on all occafions, endeavour to bring down our own paffions to that pitch which thofe about us can correfpond with. We view ourselves in the light in which we think they view us, and feek to fuit our behaviour to what we think their feelings can go along with. With an intimate friend, acquainted with every circumftance of our fituation, we can, in fome measure, give way to our grief, but are more calm than when by ourfelves. Before a common quaintance, we affume a greater fedate ac nefs. To his Highness, OLIVER CROMWELL. May it please your Highness, How I have spent fome hours of the leifure your Highness has been pleafed to give me, this following paper will give your Highness an account: how you will please to interpret it, I cannot tell; but I can with confidence fay, my intention in it is, to procure your Highness that juftice no body yet does you, and to let the people fee, the longer they defer it, the greater injury they do both themfelves and you. To your Highnefs juftly belongs the honour of dying for the people; and it cannot chufe but be an unfpeakable confolation to you in the laft moments of your life, to confider, with how much benefit to the world you are like to leave it. It is then only, my Lord, the titles you now ufurp will be truly yours; you will then be indeed the deliverer of your country, and free it from a bondage little inferior to that from which Mofes delivered his: you will then be that true reformer which you would now be thought: Religion fhall be then reftored, Liberty afferted, and Parliaments have thofe privileges they have fought for: we fhall then hope, that other laws will have place befides thofe of the fword, and that justice fhall be otherwife defined, than the will and pleasure of the ftrongeft; and we fhall then hope, men will keep oaths again, and not have the neceffity of being falfe and perfidious to preferve themselves, and be like their rulers. All this we hope from your Highnefs's happy expiration, who are the true father of your country; for while you live, we can call nothing ours, and it is from your death that we hope for our inheritances. Let this confideration arm and fortify your Highness's mind against the fears of death, and the terrors of your evil confcience, that the good you will do by your death, will fomewhat balance the evils of your life. And if, in the black catalogue of high malefactors, few can be found that have lived more to the affliction and disturbance of mankind, than your Highness hath done; yet your greatest enemies will not deny, but there are likewife as few that have expired more to the universal benefit of mankind, than your Highness is like to do. To haften this great good is the chief end of my writing this paper; and if it have the effects I hope it will, your Highness will quickly be out of the reach of mens ma lice, and your enemies will only be able to wound you in your memory, which ftrokes you will not feel. That your Highness may be fpeedily in this fecurity, is the univerfal wishes of your grate ful country; this is the defire and prayers of the good and of the bad, and, it may be, is the only thing wherein all fects and factions do agree in their devo tions, and is our only common prayer. But amongst all that put in their reque and fupplications for your Highness's fpeedy deliverance from all earthly trou bles, none is more affiduous nor more fervent than he, that, with the reft of the nation, hath the honour to be, may it please your Highness, your Highnes't present slave and vassal, W. A. A letter, which bears strong internal eti as vidence of its being genuine. DEAR SIR, [No date.] have received your kind letter of cr tical, and, I will add, of parental advice; which, contrary to my natural humour, fet me upon looking gravely for half a day together. Sometimes I con cluded you had not spoke out, but had ftronger grounds for your hints and cau tions than what your good-nature knew how to tell me, especially with regard to prudence, as a divine; and that you thought, in your heart, the vein of hu mour too free for the folemn colour my coat. A meditation upon death had been a more fuitable trimming to it, own; but then it could not have been fet on by me. Mr F, whom I re gard in the clafs I do you, as my best of critics and well-wishers, preaches daily to me on the fame text: "Get your preferment firft, Lory," he fays, "and then write and welcome." But fuppofe preferment is long a-coming,— and, fur aught I know, I may not be preferred till the refurrection of the juft, and am all that time in labour, how must I bear t |