the appearance of the military; but that appearance, the reader may have observed, was never made till too late. The city magistrates were uncommonly remiss*; and the guards, which could have soon quelled the most dangerous of these riots, had no authority, until it became necessary to put the whole city under military discipline. It has been remarked, that some of the common people probably engaged with more readiness in the riots, from the unpopularity of the administration, at least among persons of that class; and perhaps, so much violence and disorder could not have happened under any administration which had been universally respected by the common people †.

That the preceding statement may not appear to be unjust or illiberal, we will produce to the recollection of our readers, a circumstance of a peculiar cast, which fully displayed the inimical complexion of the North administration towards, not the banditti who had endangered the whole property of the metropolis; not the principal movers and their agents during the preceding confusion; but the already oppressed and alarmed citizens themselves!

During the riots, Lord Amherst had written a letter to Colonel Twisleton, who commanded the military force in the city, ordering him to disarm all persons who did not belong

We except Sir Watkin Lewes, the present worthy Father of the City, who, by his personal exertions, actually protracted the burning of Mr. Langdale's house, at Holborn Bridge, for two nights:-and he was otherwise active wherever he could be useful. Courts of aldermen were also called at every hour of the day or night; but as their efforts were not seconded by assistance from government, till too late, great part of their censure is done away; more especially, when it is remembered, that not the national military, but those generous, public-spirited, and brave youths, afterwards denominated "THE LONDON ASSOCIATION," saved the BANK OF ENGLAND from the plunder and destruction intended. It should also be recollected, that the citizens finding themselves left exposed to indiscriminate ruin, assumed the resolution of arming themselves, and actually paraded the streets, before any effective military force came to their assistance. The nearest distance of the regular soldiery from the metropolis being sixty miles!

+ Macfarlane's Hist. of the Reign of George the Third, vol. iii. p. 466, 467

to

to the militia, nor bore arms under the royal authority. Such an order, when it came to be known, caused the greatest discontent, and when parliament met, the Duke of Richmond moved, that all the letters which had passed on this occasion should be read, together with a plan of an association by the lord mayor, and the declaration of rights, in the second of William and Mary. He then proposed the following resolution:

"That the letter of Jeffery Lord Amherst, dated the 13th of June, to colonel Twisleton, then commanding an armed force in the city of London, in which he orders him to disarm the inhabitants, who had armed themselves for the de. fence of their lives and properties, and likewise to detain their arms, contained an unwarrantable command to deprive the citizens of their legal property, was expressly contrary to the fundamental principles of the constitution, and a violation of one of their most sacred rights, as declared in the second of William and Mary, that every Protestant subject of this empire, is entitled to carry arms in his own defence."

The other members, on the side of opposition, maintained that this was a matter of serious consequence, and that the letter in question ought not to be allowed to descend to posterity, without some mark of disapprobation. The ministry replied, that although Englishmen had a right to arm in defence of themselves, their property, or even that of their neighbours, yet allowing them to assemble in bodies, might be attended with the worst consequences. They did not in direct terms, approve of the letter written by Lord Amherst, but they believed it written in a hurry, and by an officer whose constant employment in the field kept him ignorant of all the privileges of the Bill of Rights! The question, accordingly, was rejected without a division. The city was burthened with mercenary soldiers, at the enormous expence of 4,000l. per day; and thus were the public made sensible of the care exhibited during the immaculate administration of Lord North and his co-adjutors.

The dissatisfaction of the nation now displayed itself in strong terms against the war. The injured city of London led the way in a very pointed remonstrance, presented at St. James's, on the 18th of December, 1781, in which the livery deplore" the intention," manifested in his majesty's speech, "of persevering in a system of measures, which has proved so disastrous to this country." In so critical and awful a moment, they profess, "that to flatter, is to betray; that his majesty's ministers have, by false assertions, and fallacious suggestions, deluded his majesty and this nation, into the present unnatural and unfortunate war!"—The remonstrance proceeded in the following animated manner: "Your majesty's fleets have lost their wonted superiority :your armies have been captured :—your dominions have been lost-and your majesty's faithful subjects have been loaded with a burthen of taxes, which, even if our victories had been as splendid, as our defeats have been disgraceful; if our accession of dominion had been as fortunate, as the dismemberment of the empire has been cruel and disastrous, could not in itself be considered, but as a great and grievous calamity."-The address concluded with exhorting his majesty, "no longer to continue in a delusion, from which the nation had awakened," and with imploring that he would "dismiss from his presence and councils, all the advisers, both public and secret," of these destructive measures.

The example of the city was immediately followed by that of Westminster, and most other places in the kingdom; and they ultimately succeeded in dissolving a ministry equally obnoxious to the monarch and his subjects.

After this desirable event had taken place, grateful to the king who had consented to the prayer of their petition, and fulfilled the wishes of the empire, on the 12th of April 1782, the lord Mayor, aldermen Crosby, Bull, Sawbridge, Wilkes, Halifax, Kitchen, Lewes, Hart, Crichton, Wright, sheriffs Gill and Nicholson, the Recorder, city officers, and near two hundred of the common council, in chariots and coaches, proceeded from Guildhall to St. James's, with the following address:

" To

"To the King's most excellent Majesty,

"The humble address of the lord mayor, aldermen, and commons, in common council assembled.

"Most Gracious Sovereign,

"We your majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the lord mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common council assembled, beg leave to approach your throne with sentiments of the most sincere loyalty and attachment to your royal person and family, and humbly to express our warmest thanks to your majesty for having graciously complied with the wishes of your people, in making a change in your majesty's councils, and taking those persons into your confidence, who are respected by their country for their constitutional principles and distinguished abilities, and whose endeavours we trust, with the blessing of providence, will restore the dignity of your majesty's crown, union among your people, and promote the interest and prosperity of all your dominions.

"Signed by order of the court,
"WILLIAM RIX."

To which his majesty returned the following most gracious

answer:

"The assurances given me by the city of London of their loyalty and attachment to my person and family, cannot fail of giving me the highest satisfaction-the dignity of my crown, the union of my people, and the interests and prosperity of all my dominions, must ever be the principal objects of my care."

They were all very graciously received, had the honour of kissing his majesty's hand; and his majesty was pleased to confer the honour of knighthood on William Plomer, esquire, the lord mayor.

The history of the British metropolis having been thus deduced to an important era, the subjequent narrative is comprized in a narrow compass. The circumstances are not of consequence sufficient to admit of peculiar detail; VOL. I. No. 27. 4 M

but

but at the same time, no fact of interest will be neglected.

The year 1783, was distinguished by the return of peace, which, though on humiliating terms, brought with it many concomitant advantages; and it saved the nation from the continuance of a war which must have ended in inevitable ruin.

A quick transition occurs from this period till the year 1787; [agreeably to our plan,] we pass over the Coalition, the election contests, and other party events, which distinguish the intermediate space of time.

But during this year, an invasion of the chartered rights of the city, was obtruded, by the justices of the county of Surrey, which we shall relate, when we come to speak of the transactions of the Borough of Southwark.

The close of the year was productive of the distress of an affectionate people, occasioned by the indisposition of a beloved monarch; all ranks of people deplored the calamity which this event occasioned in the public mind; but the scene was happily changed to convalescence in the ensuing spring, when joy on the return of his majesty's health, was expressed in the most unbounded tokens of loyalty as well as of gratitude to heaven for such as ingular token of its regard.

In April 1789, their majesties, and all the royal family, the members of both houses of parliament, and the municipal bodies of the metropolis, solemnized a thanksgiving at St. Paul's cathedral: the children of the charity schools in the city and its vicinity, to the amount of several thousands, formed two extensive galleries on each side of the dome; and exhibited a picture equally interesting, magnificent, and awful.

The years 1790 and 1791, were conspicuous for the worth, virtue, and liberality of the chief magistrates, William Pickett, esquire, the projector of the improvements in the Strand, and on Snow Hill; and John Boydell, esquire, the patron and encourager of the arts; and the founder of a scientific commerce, hitherto unknown.