ENGLAND. 233 



lish, were deemed impregnable, yet Montcalme never relaxed in his 

 vigilance. Wolfe's courage and perseverance, however, surmounted 

 incredible difficulties : he gained the heights of Abraham, near Que- 

 bec, where he fought and defeated the French army* but was himself 

 killed, as was Montcalme. General Monckton, who was next in com- 

 mand, being wounded, the completion of the French defeat, and the 

 glory of reducing Quebec, was reserved for brigadier-general (after- 

 wards lord viscount) Tosvnshend. 



General Amhurst, who was the first English general in command 

 in America, conducted the third expedition. His orders were to re- 

 duce all Canada, and to join the army under general Wolfe on the 

 banks of the river St. Lawrence. By the success of these expedi- 

 tions the French empire in North Amei'ica became subject to Great 

 Britain. 



The affairs of the French being now desperate, and their ci'edit 

 ruined, they resolved upon an attempt to retrieve all by an invasion of 

 Great Britain : but on the 8th of August, 1759, admiral Boscawen at- 

 tacked the Toulon squadron, commanded by M. de la Clue, near the 

 straits of Gibraltar, took three ships of the line and burnt two. The 

 rest of the fleet, consisting of seven ships of the line and three frigates, 

 made their escape in the night ; and on Nov. 20, sir Edward Hawke 

 entirely defeated the Brest fleet, commanded by admiral Conflans, 

 off the island of Dumet, in the bay of Biscay. After this engage- 

 ment, the French gave over all thoughts of their invasion of Great 

 Britain. 



A negociation for peace was accordingly entered upon, which 

 pi'oved abortive, as did many other projects for accommodation ; but 

 on the 25th of October, 1760, George II died suddenly (from a rup- 

 ture in the right ventricle of the heart) full of years and glory, in the 

 77th year of his age, and 34th of his reign, and was succeeded by 

 his grandson, now George III, eldest son to the late prince of Wales. 



King George III ascended the throne with great advantages. He 

 was a native of England, in the bloom of youth, in his person tall and 

 comely, and at the time of his accession, Great Britain was in the 

 highest degree of power and prosperity, and the most salutary una- 

 nimity and harmony prevailed among the people. The first acts of 

 his reign seemed also calculated to convince the public that the death 

 of his predecessor should not relax the operations of the war. In 

 1761, the island of Belleisle, on the coast of France, surrendered to 

 his majesty's ships and forces under commodore Keppei and general 

 Hodgson ; as did the important fortress of Pondicherry, in the East 

 Indies, to colonel Coote and admiral Stevens. In 1762, the island of 

 Martinico, hitherto deemed impregnable, with the islands of Grenada, 

 St. Lucia, Grenadillas, St Vincent, and others of less note, were sub- 

 dued by the British arms with inconceivable rapidity. 



As his majesty could not espouse a Roman -catholic, he was pre- 

 vented from intermarrying into any of the great families of Europe ; 

 he therefore chose a wife from the house of Mecklenburg Strelitz, 

 the head of a small but sovereign state in the north-west of Germa- 

 ny ; and the conduct of his excellent consort has constantly been such 

 as most highly to justify his choice. She was conveyed to England 

 in great pomp, and the nuptials were celebrated on the very night 

 of her arrival, viz. September 8, 1761 ; and on the 22d of the same 

 month the ceremony of the coronation was performed with great 

 magnificence in Westminster-abbey. 



Vol, I. H h 



