PREFACE. THE year 'HE year which is the fubject of this volume, is not without interesting events, especially with regard to our internal politics. Among thefe, the decifions of the parliament, upon a fubject of the highest importance to the peace, wealth, and profperity of the whole British empire, naturally claim the preference. We have therefore been particularly attentive to this part of the work, and have spared no pains to render it as clear and inftructive as poffible; at the fame time ftrictly observing that impartiality which we have hitherto profeffed, and to which we fhall always inviolably adhere. Whilft we bestowed on this part the extraordinary attention which it juftly merited, we have not however been negligent in our relation of the tranfactions of other parts of Europe; of these we have given a full, and we hope not an unfatisfactory ac A 2 count. 4 count. In this volume we have closed our account of the war in the Eaft Indies; but have purposely omitted entering into any of the difputes which arofe at home, in confequence of the affairs of that company. These disputes, it is true, arose in the year of which we treat; but they were confined to, and within the company itfelf during the course of that period. They have now a wider extent; are continued on a more confpicuous theatre; and are become a very great and interefting object. But these difputes, as well as their final determination, if they should happen to be foon determined, must naturally fall into the accounts of the year now begun, and will be part of the fubject of our next volume. Upon the whole, we have spared neither diligence nor labour, and this is all we pretend to, to render this volume worthy of the fame favour with which the former were received. THE Commotions and Europe. France. Proteftant fyftem General aspect of affairs at the beginning of the year. infurrections in various parts of the world. State of Clofe union of the house of Bourbon fill continues. firengthened, by the Prince of Orange's being of age, as well as by the late marriages. Denmark. Rufia. Germany. Italy. Prefent appearance of things in general pacific. HOUGH the great changes in the general political fyftem have not taken place, which the afpect of the times feemed to indicate, when we clofed the hiftorical part of our last volume; yet it will be allowed, that the beginning of the year 1766 ap. peared to teem with the moft interefting events, and threatened VOL. IX. IX. a ง to be an era of great revolutions. A fpirit of liberty, which no time. nor oppreffion can entirely efface in the human breaft, dawned forth in regions and amongst people, where, it might have been imagined, the term was lcarce ever heard, much lefs underfood. The diffatisfactions which had unhappily fubfifted between Great [B] Britain Britain and her colonies, were not fubfided, when disturbances of a moft alarming nature, and which might have been attended with the most dangerous confequences happened in Spain. Thefe difturbances appeared the more ferious, as they were so very unusual in a nation, which has been always characterized by the most inviolable loyalty and attachment to its monarchs. Before the general furprise which this event naturally occafioned could wear off, an account was publicly circulated throughout all Europe, of a revoJution in the Spanish dominions in South America. A report had been spread, circumftantial enough to gain no flight degree of credit, that the colonifts inhabiting thofe vaft countries, had entirely thrown off the yoke of their European masters, and even proceeded to the eftablishment of a regular form of government amongst themfelves. It is fcarcely neceffary to be obferved, if fuch a revolution had really taken place, what a total change it must have introduced in the political fyftem of power and commerce, in the old, as well as the new world. Had the defection been fo univerfal as it was at first reprefented, there is great reaion to fuppofe, that in the prefent ftate of the Spanish monarchy, that crown would have found the greateft difficulty in reducing the rebels to obedience. The immenfe diftance of the scene of action, the difficulty of tranfporting troops, together with the various changes of climate and food, which European foldiers must undergo, before they could at all act, would appear infurmountable obstacles to fuch an attempt. To which may be added, the vast extent of, the countries in queftion; the numbers of their inhabitants, infpirited by the defire of liberty, as well as by a confciousness of their natural advantages: covered, as they are by immeafurable feas, or by deferts, almost as boundless and more impaflable. It is poffible too, that in fuch an event they might have fome foreign support. The commercial world would fcarcely, it is to be feared, have on this occafion fhewn an instance of difinterefiednefs which the hiftory of mankind has not yet afforded, in refufing fo many lucrative branches of commerce, from which they have hitherto, with fo extreme a jealoufy, been fhut out. About the fame period of time, accounts were received every day, of infurrections among the French in St. Domingo; provoked, as it was faid, by the tyranny of the Count d'Eftaing, their Governor. Those who look back upon the narratives of the late war in the Eaft Indies, will fee, with fome indignation, the court of France rewarding with one of its belt governments, a perfon fo juftly obnoxions for violating one of the most facred obligations of the laws of war between civilized nations. The difturbances in their colonies might feem naturally and juftly enough the effects of such a proceeding. Infurrections were not ficonned to the western parts of the old and the new world. The fpirit of liberty feemed to have walked forth over the face of the earth, and to threaten revolutions in every part. In the eaft, which had |