In the course of this fummer, an event of this nature happened in Ruffia, which is deferving of a place in history from the extraordinary circumftances which attended it; though fo extremely myfterious and unaccountable in many particulars, that we defpair of affording any clear fatisfaction to the reader concerning them. They fhall be related according to the materials we poffefs.

When her prefent imperial majefty came to the throne of Ruffia in fo extraordinary a manner, it was very neceffary that the fhould take every step to fecure her fafety, and carefully reconnoitre every avenue by which the might poffibly be attacked. In this fearch an opening appeared, through which a way might be easily made to new revolutions.

The reader, who is at all converfant in the Ruffian hiftory, will readily recollect, that Ivan, or John, fon of Anthony prince of Brunswick Wolfenbuttle, and the princefs Anne of Mecklenburgh, fucceeded to the empire of Ruffia on the death of the emprefs Anne Iwanowna, in 1739. This prince, proclaimed and depofed in his cradle, too young to be fenfible of the great revolution of which he was the object, remained in confinement and obfcurity from that period. Moft people were even ignorant whether he was alive or dead. But the late emprefs, with a magnanimity not common in her fituation or her country, whilft fhe removed him from the eyes and attention of the people, permitted to live a person who had worn her crown.

This perfon, however, was of too much importance to be entire

ly neglected by the prefent emprefs. The very firft object, which occurred to her amidft the cares of her new and yet unfettled government, was to examine into the ftate and qualifications of this royal prifoner, whofe fingular fate the deplored, and whofe misfortunes fhe was refolved as far as poffible to alleviate in this particular, far exceeding the generofity of her predeceffor, who thought enough had been done in permitting him to live. She even condefcended perfonally to visit this unfortunate prince, in order to form a judgment of his underftanding and talents. To her great furprise the found him to the laft degree deficient in both. She obferved in him a total privation of fenfe and reafon, with a defect in his utterance, that even had he any thing rational to utter, would have rendered him entirely unintelligible.

The emprefs, the characteristic of whofe nature is benevolence and compaffion, who had lamented with fo many tears a bad husband, whom fhe was obliged to depofe, was now to the laft degree affected by the marks of incapacity and weakness which appeared in a competitor to her crown. Confoling herfelf, however, as well as fhe was able, she gave directions that he should be treated with great care and tendernefs, though his condition rendered him incapable of perceiving, and much more of acknowledging those ftriking marks of her humanity. Extending her tenderness yet further, that in his unfortunate circumftances he fhould not be molefted, fhe ordered a guard to be placed over his perfon, under the command of two trufty officers, and with ftri&t injunctions, that none should approach him. Under

i

"nflicted on them by the laws, in cafe their charge fhould be taken from them, though against their will, and after all poffible refift

ance.

On this confultation, they came to the dreadful refolution of affaf finating the unfortunate prince, over whofe life they were to watch, unterrified with the dangers which manifeftly waited this horrid act, directly hanging over them from a defperate force, which (to give any colour to their proceeding) they must have concluded irrefiftible.

Thofe who pretend to be particular in the detail of this dark tranfaction, relate, that prince Ivan was in his bed and afleep, when the captain of the guard entered his chamber. The firft blow was but flight, and ferved only to rouze him from his fleep. Attacked in this fudden manner, and wholly unprepared for defence, be, notwithstanding, made a vigorous ftruggle for his life, and even broke the fword of the affaffin; but, another coming in to the affiftance of the former, they foon overpowered him, and laid this unfortunate prince dead at their feet.

When they had perpetrated this fact, they took the dead body, and exposed it, reeking with blood, and pierced with ten ftabs, to the eyes of the confpirators, with thefe words: "There is your emperor, let him now head you."

This fight, which might naturally be expected to augment the fury, at the fame time that it completed the despair, of the affailants, produced quite a contrary effect. Mirowitz, who had the fpirit to contrive and execute fo VOL. VII.

daring a project, seemed to lose all fenfe and courage in a moment. He did not urge forward to revenge either himself, or the prince whose death he brought on, whilft he fought his liberty, and whose body lay before him mangled in that manner, which has in many inftances ferved to inflame, but never before to quiet the minds of the mutinous and difcontented. Neither did he or his affociates endeayour to fave themselves by flight; but all of them, with the utmolt calmnefs, furrendered themselves captives to the governor, who was at this very time their prifoner.

It cannot be expected that the authors of this narrative should be able to remove all the difficulties, which, whatever fyftém may be followed to folve them, naturally muft arife in the minds of the readers of this melancholy and aftonifhing transaction.

The emprefs, who was extremely affected at the news of fo tragical an event, omitted no means to clear herself from all fufpicion of having the leaft fhare in it. It is true, that the profited in this inftance by the defeated machinations of her enemies. But there is no reason from any part of her conduct to conclude, that the Ruffian court could have connived at, much less have encouraged, an attempt of that nature. The trial of the confpirators was remitted to the fenate; they condemned Mirowitz to death, and he was publicly executed, in purfuance of his fentence. Sept.

26th.

The inferior actors in this defign did not fuffer death, but were fubjected to other punishments perhaps not lefs fevere. The officers, who put the prince [C]

to

to death, were, in confideration of their good intentions to the quiet of the ftate, amply rewarded for their fidelity. A manifefto appeared, by authority, giving an ac

H

AVING taken notice of the internal state of the other great powers of Europe, it is now time to fay fomething of our own country. The three factions, which we defcribed in the clofe of our hiftory of laft year, ftill continued ; though in their vifible operations they feemed reduced to two only; thofe who fupported the adminiftration as it was then fettled, and thofe who oppofed it.

During the fummer, the light troops of party, the pamphleteers and news-writers, kept fkirmishing with great alacrity, in verfe and in profe. The libellous fpirit, which animated thofe productions, was raised to the higheft pitch of audacity and infolence. Character no longer depended upon the tenor of a man's life and actions; it was entirely determined by the party he had taken. Neither in-. nocence, nor dignity were a protection.

The peace, to which fo trifling an oppofition had been made in parliament, either in debate or divifion, was the principal topic. It was agitated with great heat by all; but by one writer with fuch remarkable indecency and boldnefs, that the fecretaries of state

Wilkes's affair. Message to the Briton censured, and burnt by Question of privilege; debates He is expelled.

thought themselves obliged, after a long forbearance, in vindication of injuries offered to the throne itself, to take up the author. The procefs for this purpose was a loose office form, which had been conftantly practifed from the Revolution, and never in any inftance cenfured during that period. But the prefent times were more critical. As a cry had been raised that the adminiftration was conducted upon arbitrary principles, a fevere fcrutiny was made into all the actions of the miniftry, with a view of purfuing them to extremity if they were found to deviate from the exact principles of the most rigid law.

The warrant ufed on this occafion was general; to take up the authors, printers, and publishers of a feditious and treasonable paper, called the North Briton, No. 45, together with their papers, without (otherwife than by the defignation of the crime) fpecially naming or defcribing the criminals. This loofe method of procefs was still more 1763. loosely executed, and upon a much greater number of perfons, and of a quality much lower, than was any way requi

April 30th,

fite for the purposes of prevention or punishment. But this procedure had been ufual; and, the treatment of fuch perfons being always mild and indulgent, and their danger from profecution great, happy to efcape, they never thought of revenge, and, therefore, had not hitherto very critically fcrufinized the legality of the procefs by which they were apprehended.

The proceeding, too, against the perfon principally concerned (Mr. Wilkes) was attended with fome circumftances of rigour, which were not called for by the occafion; close imprisonment was directed, and the use of pen, ink, and paper forbidden. But the ufual unexamined courfe of the fecretaries of fice, and the zeal and indignation of the noble perfons who filled it, against fo great an offence, may well excufe that irregularity in the proceeding. When people began to cool, the fault appeared, almoft to all, to be nothing worse than an irregularity; at that time it was very differently confidered. Even the committal to the Tower, which was chofen from refpect to the perfon of a member of parliament, was employed to excite terror, and to fwell the popular alarm.

May 6th.

Mr. Wilkes, on bringing his Habeas Corpus, was releafed, without bail, by the court of common pleas. The judges of that court were unanimously of opinion, that privilege of parliament extended to the cafe for which he was committed.

Beyond all measure was the popular party elated by this fuccefs. Mobs attended the prifoner with praifes and acclamations where

ever he went. With very mode rate fufferings, he was confidered as the martyr of liberty; and his difcharge, on account of privilege, was fuppofed a point gained to the freedom of every individual.

This popular beat was kept alive with great art and industry. The perfons who were taken up by the warrants, which we have juft mentioned, upon various complaints, fought redrefs at law, and obtained (fuch was the temper, which, by being diffused amongst the people, was thought to have influenced the jury) damages great. ly beyond their real fufferings, and, poffibly, beyond their most fanguine expectations.

Thefe actions were profecuted in fuch a manner, that the public attention to them was kept continually alive. It feemed as if freedom had every day a new conflict to undergo, and obtained every day a new victory. Adminiftration, on the other hand, oppofed them by all the advantages which the law allows to those who act on the defenfive; and fometimes by the interpofal of privilege kept this matter ftill longer in agitation; infomuch that, until the meeting of parlia- Nov. ment, fcarcely any thing elfe could enter into the thoughts or converfation of the people. On this point, therefore, it was expected the great trial of ftrength and skill in the enfuing feffion would be made.

15th.

Neither party feemed willing to decline this combat. One prepared with a complaint of the abuse of the liberty of the prefs, and of the privilege of parliament; the other of the violation of that liberty and that privilege, and the [C] 2

blow