FRANCE. 149 



to you ! 'Had not a love of peace and hu- 

 manity animated the bread of your Sove- 

 reign, which induced him to conclude the 

 treaty of Paris, we had been an undone na- 

 tion : not that the efforts of our enemies 

 were fo fatal as thofe of oarfelves : it was 

 the multiplication of our taxes, that were 

 every day aiming mortal blows at our vitals. 

 An Englifhman, who gives credit to this, 

 and at the fame time recollects how foon. 

 after the Duke de Choifeul was ready to 

 begin a frefli war, by his operations in the 

 Eaft Indies, will think, that, upon fuch oc- 

 cafions as the Jafl war, the moft humane 

 and peaceable conduit is, to take the op- 

 portunity of ftrengthening one's felf, to be 

 ready in cafe of future unwimed-for diftur- 

 bances, to repel the reftlefs endeavours of 

 ambitious neighbours. How far the peace 

 of Paris anfwercd that important . purpofe, 

 the world mud judge ; die prcfent period is 

 no more a proper time to judge, than the 

 four laft years of Queen Anne was fit to de- 

 cide upon the treaty of Utrecht. Fifty years 

 hence we lhall have impartial decifions ; 

 and itate-papers by that time may, perhnps, 

 be before the public, which will let us mor 

 L 3 into 



