SHORT CHRONICLE 



OF EVENTS. 



Mav 2. 17^2 



Foreign. 

 War between France and Ger- 



tnany. 

 Foa many months past the 

 French have fliown a decided 

 inclination to carry on a war 

 in Germany. The prema- 

 ture death of the emperor, 

 and of the king of Sweden, 

 conjoined with the ferment in 

 the Netherlands, and the de- 

 bilitated state 5f Rufsia, after 

 so lonor a war, seem to have 

 been judged by them circum- 

 stances too favourable to their 

 views to be let pafs without 

 avail ; they have therefore pre- 

 cipitated measures at the pre- 

 sent time as much as pofsible, 

 and, on the 2ist April, the 

 national afsembly came to an 

 unanimous resolution to de- 

 clare war against the king of 

 Hungary. From the same 

 considerations they will no 

 doubt make what haste they 

 can to carry it into effect. 

 How this war may end, in as 

 far as respects national inte- 

 rests, it is impofsible to forc- 

 ; but it is too plain that] 

 calami'.ies it will Uri;.gj 

 VOL. viii. 



upon harmlefs individuals will 

 be great and irreparable. 

 This war seems indeed to 

 threaten private individuals 

 with distrefses that for more 

 than a century past have been 

 but little known in Europe. 

 May God grant that our fears 

 in this respect prove to be ill 

 founded ! 



WTiile so many others have 

 reason to dread the effects of 

 these commotions, the people 

 of Britain have reason • to 

 thank heaven, that, as indivi- 

 duals, they cannot be imme- 

 diately affected by them ; and 

 they have reason to hope that 

 their rulers will be endowed 

 with so much common sense 

 as not to involve them in this 

 quarrel, as a nation. Attempts 

 will no doubt be made to in- 

 veigle us to take a concern in 

 this businefs ; for hitherto we 

 have been at ail times so for- 

 ward.and have so freely contri- 

 buted our money in every con- 

 tinental quarrel, that the same 

 conduct will be hoped for at 

 present: But the nation judged 

 so wisely with regard to our 

 t 



