CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.-A.D. 1755 to A.D. 1757..

Dread of invasion.-Defence of the country by foreign troops.-French fleet at Minorca

-Admiral Byng.-Surrender of St. Philip, in Minorca.-Popular rage against Byng.

-Commencement of the Seven Years' War.-Successes of Frederick of Prussia.-

Household of George, prince of Wales.--Changes of Ministry.-Newcastle retires.-

Administration of the duke of Devonshire and Mr. Pitt.-Altered tone of the king's

speech.-Militia Bill.-Foreign troops sent home.-Subsidy to the king of Prussia.—

Trial of Byng.-His execution.-Pitt and Legge dismissed from their employments.

-National feeling.-Coalition of Newcastle and Pitt.-Affairs of India.-Black Hole

at Calcutta. Surajah Dowlah occupies Calcutta. It is re-taken by Clive and Wat

son. The battle of Plassey.-Surajah Dowlah deposed and killed.-Meer Jaffier

Subahdar of Bengal.-Establishment of the British ascendancy in India.

Page 13-32

CHAPTER II.-A.D. 1757 to A.D. 1760.

The Administration.-Pitt's sole conduct of the war and of foreign affairs.—Frederick's

second campaign.-Victory of Prague.-Defeat at Kolin.-Failure at Rochefort.-

Convention of Closter-Seven.-Failure of expedition against Louisbourg.-Riots

about the Militia Act.-Frederick's victory of Rosbach.-Subsidy to Prussia.-Cher-

bourg taken, and its works demolished.-St. Maloes.-Operations on the African

coast.-Successful expedition against Louisbourg.-The turning point in Pitt's Ad-

ministration.-Frederick's third campaign.-Zorndorf.-Hochkirchen.-Wolfe ap-

pointed to command an expedition to Quebec.-The battle of Minden.—Canada.—

Operations in North America.-Wolfe in the St. Lawrence.-His desponding letter.-

Heights of Abraham. -Death of Wolfe.-Quebec surrendered.-Hawke's victory in

Quiberon Bay.-Death of George the Second.

33-49

CHAPTER III.-A.D. 1760 to A.D. 1763.

Accession of George III.-His education and character.-Lord Bute.-The king's first

speech.-Policy of the new reign.-Independence of the Judges.-The new Parlia-

ment. The king's marriage.-Coronation.-Negotiations for peace.-Warlike opera-

tions.-Affairs of the Continent.-Frederick of Prussia.-Negotiations broken off.—

The Family Compact.-Resignation of Mr. Pitt.-His pension.-Debates in Parlia-

ment. War declared against Spain.-Conquest of the Havannah, and other successes.

-Preliminaries of peace signed.-The Peace of Paris.-Conclusion of the Seven

Year's War.-The cost of the war, and its uses.

50-69

CHAPTER IV.-A.D. 1763 to A.D. 1765.

Lord Bute Prime Minister.-Policy of the Favourite.-John Wilkes.-Lord Bute resigns.

-George Grenville's Ministry.-"North Briton," No. 45.-Arrest of Wilkes.→

Negotiations for Mr. Pitt's return to power.-The king's desire to govern.—The

Wilkite agitation.-Hogarth, Wilkes, and Churchill.-Wilkes ordered to be prose-

cuted.-Expelled the House of Commons.-Great Debates on General Warrants.-

Officers dismissed for votes in Parliament,-Restrictions on the American Colonies.-

Grenville's Resolution on American Taxation.-The Stamp Act passed.-Resist-

ance in America.-Motives for passing the Stamp Act.
Page 70-86

CHAPTER V.—A.D. 1765 to A.D. 1768.

Illness of the king.-The Regency Bill.-Overtures to Pitt.-He declines office.-Gren-

ville and Bedford.-The Rockingham Administration.-Disturbances in America.-

Parliament.-Debates on the Stamp Act.-Pitt contends for its Repeal.-Examina-

tion of Dr. Franklin.-Declaratory Bill as to rights over the Colonies.-Repeal of the

Stamp Act.-Weakness of the Rockingham Administration.-They quit office.-Pitt

created earl of Chatham.-His loss of popularity.-His plans for great measures.-

Embargo on Corn.-Chatham's illness.-Disorganization of his ministry.-Parliament

dissolved.

CHAPTER VI.-A.D. 1768 to A.D. 1770.

87-102

New Parliament.-Non-publication of Debates.-Wilkes returned for Middlesex.—

Riots. Sentence upon Wilkes.-His expulsions from Parliament and re-elections.-

Debates on the privileges of the Commons.-The letters of Junius.-Personalities of

Junius. His attacks on the duke of Grafton.-Private letters of Junius.-His attack

on the duke of Bedford.-Address of Junius to the king.-Opening of Parliament.-

Lord Chatham.-Chatham's speech on the Address.-Schism in the Ministry.-Lord

Camden disclaims their measures.-Resignation of the duke of Grafton.

CHAPTER VII.-A.D. 1768 to A.D. 1771.

103-122

Lord North's Administration.-Retrospect of Colonial affairs.-Opposition to the Reve-

nue Act.-Debates in Parliament on American proceedings.-Measures of coercion

proposed.-Lord Hillsborough.-Virginia.-Outrages in Boston.-Repeal of duties,

except that on teas.-Encounter with the military at Boston.-Renewal of the con-

flict regarding Wilkes.-Remonstrance of the City of London.-Beckford's Address

to the King.-- Printers arrested for publishing Debates.-Released by the City

authorities.-Riots.-The Lord Mayor and an Alderman committed.-Officers of

123-140

State.

CHAPTER VIII.-A.D. 1770 to A.D. 1773.

Foreign affairs.-Cession of Corsica to France.-The Falkland Islands.-First Partition

of Poland.-War between Turkey and Russia.-Acquisitions of Russia.-Suppres-

sion of the Jesuits.-Home Politics.-Subscription to Thirty-nine Articles.-Test

Act.-Thirtieth of January.-Repeal of laws against forestalling.-The queen of

Denmark. Death of the Princess Dowager.-The Royal Marriage Act.-Retrospect

of Indian affairs.-East India Company's Regulation Act.-Teas, duty free, to the

Colonies.
141-154

CHAPTER IX.-A.D. 1773 to A.D. 1775.

Destruction of Tea in Boston Harbour.-Franklin before the Council.-Boston Port

Bill.-Burke's speech against taxing America.-Chatham's speech.-Sentiments of

the Americans.-State of Parties in America.-Leaders of the House of Commons.-

Reception of the Boston Port Bill.-Military preparations.-Chatham's and Burke's

efforts for conciliation.-Rapid growth of America.-English feelings on the Amer-

ican question.-Hostilities commenced at Lexington.-Ticonderoga and Crown Point

taken.-Washington's view of civil war.-Principles involved in the struggle.

CHAPTER X.-A.D. 1775 to A.D. 1776.

Page 155-172

Franklin's return to America.-Meeting of Congress at Philadelphia.-Washington elect-

ed Commander-in-chief.-Events at Boston.-Battle of Bunker's Hill.-Washing-

ton blockades Boston.-Public opinion in England.-Petition from Congress to the

King. Mr. Penn, the bearer of the petition, examined in the House of Lords.-Lord

North's Prohibitory Bill.-Invasion of Canada.-Silas Deane sent to Paris.-Dec-

laration of Independence adopted by Congress.-Note: The Declaration.

CHAPTER XI.—A.D. 1776 to A.D. 1777.

173-188

Lord Howe, as the British Commissioner, addresses a letter to Washington.-The letter

refused. The British on Long Island.-Battle of Brooklyn.-Washington retreats.-

His exploit at Trenton.-His success at Princetown.-Franklin dispatched by the

Congress to Paris.-Underhand proceedings of France.-John the Painter, the incen-

diary.-Manning the navy.-Defences of the country.-Chatham appears again in

Parliament.-Steuben.-LaFayette.-Kosciusko.-Battle of the Brandywine.-The

British in Phliadelphia.-Burgoyne's army enters the United States from Canada.—

The convention of Saratoga.-Parliament meets.-Chatham's speech on the Address.

-On the employment of Indians.-Washington in winter-quarters at Valley Forge,

-Steuben re-organizes the army.
189-205

CHAPTER XII.-A.D. 1777 to A.D. 1779.

Public opinion on the American War.-Measures of conciliation proposed by lord North.

- France concludes a treaty of amity with America.-Chatham's last speech in Parlia-

ment. His sudden illness in the House of Lords.-His death.-Propositions of lord

North rejected by Congress.-French fleet under d'Estaing arrives in America.-

Attack on Rhode Island impeded by fleet under lord Howe.-Admiral Keppel takes

the command of the Channel Fleet.-Engagement off Ushant.-Court-martial on

Keppel.-Burgoyne's defence of himself in Parliament.-Destruction of Wyoming.

-Spain declares war against Great Britain.-Apprehensions of invasion.—The na-

tional spirit roused.-Enterprises of Paul Jones.-Military operations in America in

1779.
206-220

CHAPTER XIII.-A.D. 1780.

Associations for redress of grievances.-Meetings in Yorkshire and other Counties.-

Burke's proposals for Economical Reform.-Dunning's motion on the influence of

the Crown.-Decreasing strength of the Opposition.-Protestant Associations in

Scotland. They extend to England.-Lord George Gordon.-Procession to Parlia-

ment.-Roman Catholic chapels burnt.-Newgate set on fire.-Lord Mansfield's

House sacked.-The library burnt.-Continued riots.-A council called.-Wedder-

burn's opinion on the employment of military.-The riots stopped by military force.

-Naval affairs.-The war in America.-Charleston taken by the British-Lord

Cornwallis. His severeties.-French armament under Rochambeau.-Treachery of

Benedict Arnold.-Major André seized.-Verdict of a Council of Officers.-His

execution.

221-239

CHAPTER XIV.-A.D. 1780 to A.D. 1781.

Elections of 1780.-Burke rejected for Bristol.-War with Holland.-French attack upon

Jersey. Capture of St. Eustatius by Rodney.-Privateering.-Action off the Dog

ger Bank.-Difficulties of Washington's army.-Mutinies.-Cornwallis in the Caro-

linas.-He is defeated at Cowpens.-His victory at Guilford.-Cornwallis marches

into Virginia. Fleet of De Grasse arrives in the Chesapeake.-Washington's march

to Virginia.-Cornwallis fortifies York Town.-He is besieged, and his supplies cut

off. He capitulates.-Surrender of the British army.-The disastrous news received

in London.
Page 240-256

CHAPTER XV.-A.D. 1781 to A.D. 1782.

The king announces to Parliament the capitulation of Cornwallis.-Debates on the Ad-

dress very hostile to the ministry. --Strong expressions of Fox.--More prudent lan-

guage of Pitt.-Differences in the Cabinet.-Lord G. Germaine retires.-Losses of

West India Islands and Minorca.-The government in a minority.-Lord North an-

nounces that his administration is at an end.-The Rockingham ministry.-Rodney's

victory over De Grasse.-Breaking the Line.-Capture of the Ville de Paris.-Change

of costume in the House of Commons.-Burke's Bill for Economical Reform.-Bills

on Revenue Officers and Contractors.-Pitt's motion for Parliamentary Reform.—

Arming the People.--Retrospect of the state of Ireland.--Irish Parliament.--Grattan.--

His efforts for legislative independence.-The Volunteers of Ireland.-The king's

message to the British and Irish Parliaments.-The Statute of George I. asserting

the dependence of Ireland repealed.
257-278

CHAPTER XVI.-A.D. 1782.

Overtures for Peace between Franklin and Shelburne.-Rival negotiators from England.

-Death of Lord Rockingham.-Resignation of the Secretaryship by Mr. Fox.-The

Siege of Gibraltar.-Naval affairs.-Lord Howe.-Loss of the Royal George.-

Howe's relief of Gibraltar after the first bombardment.-Negotiations for Peace

concluded. The Preliminaries laid before Parliament.-Parliamentary censures of

the terms of Peace.-Lord Shelburne being defeated, resigns.-The king and the

American minister.-Washington's farewell to his army, and his retirement. 279-295

CHAPTER XVII.-A.D. 1760 to A.D. 1783.

Political despondency at the close of the American War.-Supposed decay of Population.

-Its real increase.-Development of the productive power of the country.—Agricul-

ture extended and improved.-Agricultural condition of the Eastern, South Midland,

North Midland, and South Eastern, counties.-Norfolk.-Mr. Coke.-Suffolk.-

Essex. Buckinghamshire. - Oxfordshire. - Northamptonshire. - Bedfordshire.

Francis, duke of Bedford.-Improved breeds of sheep and oxen.-Robert Bakewell.

-Consumption of animal food in England.-Cambridgeshire.-Lincolnshire.-The

Great Level of the Fens.-Lincoln Heath and the Wolds. Nottinghamshire. -

Derbyshire.-Surrey.-Middlesex.-Kent.-Sussex,-Hants.-Berkshire.-Windsor

Forest.

-

CHAPTER XVIII.-A.D. 1760 to A.D. 1783.

296-317

Agricultural condition of the South Western Counties.-Wiltshire.-Dorsetshire.-Devon-

shire. Somersetshire.- Cornwall.-Wales.-The West Midland Counties.-The

North Midland.-Yorkshire.-Improvers of the Moors.-James Croft, an agricultural

collier.-Northern Counties. -Durham.- Northumberland.-Westmorland.- The

Lake District.-Agricultural condition of Scotland.-The Lothians.-Sheep flocks.—

Ayrshire.-Burns.-Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire.-North-western parts.-Agricul-

tural condition of Ireland.-The potatoe cultivation.

Page 318-339

CHAPTER XIX.-A.D. 1760 to A.D. 1783.

Revolution in the peaceful Arts.-Great captains of Industry raised up in Britain.-The

duke of Bridgewater and Brindley.-Canals first constructed in England.—The

Cotton manufacture.-The fly-shuttle of Kay.-Cotton-spinning machines.-The

spinning-jenny of Hargreaves.-Cotton spinning ceasing to be a domestic employ- |

ment.-Richard Arkwright.-His water-frame spinning machine.-The first water

spinning mill.-Samuel Crompton.-His Hall-in-the-Wood wheel,known as the mule.

-General rush to engage in spinning cotton.-Rapid increase of Lancashire towns.-

Dr. Cartwright.-His power-loom.-Dr. Roebuck.-First furnace at Carron for

smelting iron by pit-coal.-Wedgwood.-Potteries of Staffordshire.-Commercial

treaty with France.-Watt.-Progress of his improved steam-engine.-Its final suc-

340-363

cess.

CHAPTER XX.-A.D. 1760 to A.D. 1783.

State of Art in the reign of George II.-Inferiority of native artists.-Formation of an

English School of Painting.-Academies.-First Exhibition of Works of English

Artists.-Exhibition of Sign-paintings.-Foundation of the Royal Academy.-Early

Exhibitions.-Reynolds, Gainsborough, Wilson, and West.-Engraving.—Strange

and Woollett.-Mezzotint.-MacArdell, &c.-Boydell and commerce in English

engravings.-Sculpture.-Banks, Bacon, and Flaxman.-Architecture.-Sir William

Chambers.-Bridge-building.

364-382

CHAPTER XXI.-A.D. 1737 to A.D. 1783.

Manners as depicted in the Literature of the period.-Changes in the commerce of

Literature. Samuel Johnson the link between two periods.-Literature of George

the Second's time.-The Novelists.-Richardson.-Fielding.-Smollett.-Sterne.-

Goldsmith.-Literature of the first quarter of a century of the reign of George the

Third. Manners.-Stage Coaches.- Highwaymen.- The Post.- Inns.- Public

refreshment places of London.-Ranelagh.-Vauxhall.-The Pantheon.-The Thea-

tre.-Garrick.-Bath.-Gaming Tables.

383-402

CHAPTER XXII.-A.D. 1737 to A.D. 1783.

View of manners continued.-The Duke of Queensberry.-Club-life.-Excessive Gaming.

-Excesses of Charles Fox.-Dress.-Conversation.-The Squires of England.-The

Country Justice.-The Clergy of England.--The Universities.-Professional Classes.

-The Mercantile Class.-The Lower orders.-The Rabble.-Mobs.-Police of Lon-

don. The Prisons.-Social Reformers.-Howard.-Coram.-Hanway.-Raikes.-

Education.-Rise and Growth of Methodism.

CHAPTER XXIII.-A.D. 1773 to A.D. 1784.

403-426

Retrospect of Indian affairs.-Hastings Governor-General.-Rohilla war.-New Council

at Calcutta. Hastings and the Council opposed to each other.-Nuncomar.-His ex-

ecution.-Dissentions at Madras.-Mahratta war.-Capture of Gwalior.-Hyder Ali.-

The Carnatic ravaged.-Hyder defeated by Coote.-Death of Hyder.-Succeeded by

his son Tippoo Saib.-Benares. Oude.-The Begums.-Committee of the Houses of

Parliament on Indian Affairs.

427-438