Previous to this honourable offer, Mr. Canning belonged to what was then termed "the opposition faction," and among those who were the most violent in their opinions, he had been considered and spoken of as their protégé. But a seat in parliament from the hands of a prime minister, who, however haughty and reserved in his general manners, had perhaps, for that very reason, a peculiar power in fixing himself in the minds of those whom he wished to please, was a tempting offer to a young man, conscious of superior talent, but rendered by his situation in life agreeably alive to such flattering and powerful notice. Our readers will hardly feel surprised, then, at his

[[101]]after vacillating conduct, which we shall have occasion frequently to notice.

The Prince of Wales now veered in his political expressions, and deserted his former acknowledged principles, in obedience to the wishes of the queen. The other male branches of the royal family were revelling in the vortex of voluptuousness; and so expensive were their amours and gallantries, in addition to their gambling transactions, that they were continually involved in debt, and, for momentary relief, borrowed sums of every person willing to run the risk of a loan, or afraid to incur the royal displeasure.

The king was ignorant of the most dishonorable transactions in which his sons were so deeply involved; what he did know was sufficient to make him miserable. Their supplies and income were to an enormous extent; yet his majesty was aware that the Duke of York's horses and carriage were seized, while going down Piccadilly, and his royal highness obliged to walk home!

Declaration of hostilities was announced between Great Britain and France, and the year's supply amounted to TWENTY MILLIONS. To provide this enormous sum, extra taxes were again levied upon the people.

We enter upon the year

1794,

with sorrow and indignation, as it was the commencement

[[102]]of an all-important era in national affairs. The king beheld the critical state of the empire with much sorrow and disquietude. The extravagant and imprudent conduct of his sons also acted as a canker upon his heart. In vain did he endeavour to represent to them, that to be worthy of holding their rank in such a great nation, they ought to lay aside the follies which had so long been practised by them; and as earnestly, yet as vainly, did he press them to retire from the society of voluptuous acquaintances, with whom he too well knew they were so deeply involved, in various ways.

At this period of our history, we are grieved to record the tyrannical acts of government, in apprehending a number of persons on the charge of treason. Some of our readers will, doubtless, recollect the glorious acquittal of Hardy, Tooke, and Thelwall; but there were others, less fortunate. We would rather have been Claudius or Caligula, Nero, Tiberius, or the Christian, blood-stained Constantine, than the man who, in cold blood, could deliberately sign a warrant against those patriotic martyrs, Muir, Skirving, Margarot, Palmer, and Gerald, whose only crime consisted in having supported Mr. Pitt's own original system of reform!