their utmost to bring the designed work to perfection, which seems to be reserved for such a time as this, the better to enable the government and people of England to revive, recover, and transmit to posterity the virtue, the lustre, and wonted glory of their renowned ancestors; and to lay a foundation of trade, security, and greatness, within this kingdom, for the present and succeeding ages.

86. THE BATTLE OF BLENHEIM (1704).

Blenheim was the greatest victory which Englishmen had won on land since Agincourt, and it saved the Whig party. Marlborough ran grave risks from his plan of campaign, and anything short of complete success would have been his ruin. In announcing Tallard's defeat, he wrote to his wife before he had notified either the queen or the government. Of the two pieces brought together here, the first is a hasty line scribbled on the field; the second, a fuller statement of the results. Both are addressed to the duchess. Concerning the former, Coxe, Marlborough's biographer, has a curious bibliographical statement. "This note is preserved in the family archives at Blenheim, as one of the most curious memorials which perhaps exists. It was written on a slip of paper, which was evidently torn from a memorandum book, and contains on the back a bill of tavern expenses. The book may probably have belonged to some commissary, as there is an entry relative to bread furnished to the troops."

SOURCE.-Letters to his Wife. John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough (1650-1722). Coxe's Memoirs of Marlborough. London, 1820. A, vol. i., p. 413; B, vol. ii., p. 6.

August 13, 1704.

(4) I have not time to say more, but to beg you will give my duty to the queen, and let her know her army has had a glorious victory. M. Tallard and two other generals are in my coach, and I am following the rest. The bearer, my aidede-camp, colonel Parke, will give her an account of what has passed. I shall do it in a day or two, by another more at large.

MARLBOROUGH.

To the Duchess.

(B) August 14.—Before the battle was quite done yesterday, I writ to my dearest soul to let her know that I was well, and that God had blessed her majesty's arms with as great a victory as has ever been known; for prisoners I have the marshal de Tallard, and the greatest part of his general officers, above 8000 men, and near 1500 officers. In short the army of M. de Tallard, which was that which I fought with, is quite ruined; that of the elector of Bavaria and the marshal de Marsin, which Prince Eugene fought against, I am afraid has not had much loss, for I can't find that he has many prisoners. As soon as the elector knew that monsieur de Tallard was like to be beaten, he marched off, so that I came only time enough to see him retire. As all these prisoners are taken by the troops I command, it is in my power to send as many of them to England as her majesty shall think for her honour and service. My own opinion in this matter is, that the marshal de Tallard, and the general officers, should be sent or brought to her majesty when I come to England; but should all the officers be brought, it would be a very great expense, and I think the honour is in having the marshal and such other officers as her majesty pleases. But I shall do in this as in all things, that which shall be most agreeable to her. I am so very much out of order with having been seventeen hours on horseback yesterday, and not having been able to sleep above three hours last night, that I can write to none of my friends. However I am so pleased with this action, that I can't end my letter without being so vain as to tell my dearest soul, that within the memory of man there has been no victory so great as this; and as I am sure you love me entirely well, you will be infinitely pleased with what has been done, upon my account as well as the great benefit the public will have. For had the success of prince Eugene been equal to his merit, we should in that day's action have made an end of the war.

87. THE UNION OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND (1706).

The union of the English and Scottish crowns in 1603 effected no real union of the two nations during the seventeenth century. They continued to have separate parliaments, and sources of friction were both numerous and deep-seated. It is but a weak statement that the legislative union is the chief glory of Anne's reign, for no other political change since Edward I. has so

stimulated industrial progress, so promoted the happiness of Great Britain, or so led to the expansion of British influence. The Darien expedition, the Act of Settlement, and the probability of war in default of a closer union, were all factors which entered into the negotiations of 1704-1707. That the matter was virtually settled in 1706 may be gathered from the queen's speeches to parliament, dated January and March of that year. SOURCE.-Queen's Speech. Anne (1665-1714). London. Printed by Charles Bill. B, Ibid.

A, Jan. 28, 1706. March 6, 1706.

(4) MY LORDS and Gentlemen,Having acquainted you at the opening of this session, that the treaty for an union between England and Scotland, which had been concluded here by the commissioners appointed for that purpose, in pursuance of the powers given by the Parliaments of both kingdoms, was then under the consideration of the Parliament of Scotland, I can now, with great satisfaction, inform you, that the said treaty has been ratified by Act of Parliament in Scotland with some alterations and additions.

I have directed the treaty agreed to by the commissioners of both kingdoms, and also the Act of Ratification from Scotland, to be laid before you, and I hope it will meet with your concurrence and approbation.

GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

It being agreed by this treaty, that Scotland is to have an equivalent for what that kingdom is obliged to contribute towards paying the debts of England, I must recommend to you that in case you agree to the treaty, you would take care to provide for the payment of the equivalent to Scotland accordingly. MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

You have now an opportunity before you, of putting the last hand to a happy union of the two kingdoms, which I hope will be a lasting blessing to the whole Island, a great addition to its wealth and power, and a firm security to the Protestant Religion.

The advantages which will accrue to us all from an union are so apparent, that I will add no more, but that I shall look upon it as a particular happiness, if this great work, which has been so often attempted without success, can be brought to perfection in my reign.

1£398,085, 10s.

(B) MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

It is with the greatest satisfaction, that I have given my assent to a bill for uniting England and Scotland into one kingdom.

I consider this union, as a matter of the greatest importance to the wealth, strength, and safety of the whole Island, and at the same time as a work of so much difficulty, and nicety in its own nature, that till now all attempts, which have been made towards it in the course of above a hundred years, have proved ineffectual; and therefore I make no doubt but it will be remembered and spoke of hereafter to the honour of those, who have been instrumental in bringing it to such a happy conclusion.

I desire and expect from all my subjects of both nations, that from henceforth they act with all possible respect and kindness to one another, that so it may appear to all the world, they have hearts disposed to become one people.

This will be a great pleasure to me, and will make us all quickly sensible of the good effect of this Union.

And I cannot but look upon it as a peculiar happiness, that in my reign so full a provision is made for the peace and quiet of my people, and for the security of our religion, by so firm an establishment of the Protestant succession throughout Great Britain.

GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

I take this occasion to remind you of making effectual provision for the payment of the equivalent to Scotland within the time appointed by this act, and I am persuaded you will show as much readiness in this particular as you have done in all the other parts of this great work.

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

The season of the year being now pretty far advanced, I hope you will continue the same zeal, which has appeared throughout this session, in despatching what yet remains unfinished of the public business before you.

88. A SOUTH SEA TRACT (1721).

The rapid decline of South Sea shares, which in August 1720 brought ten times their par value, ruined investors, and through a widespread bankruptcy demoralised national trade.

The flight of the Company's treasurer, Robert Knight, was a signal for vociferous outcry, and men whom ruin had made furious did not mince words. Whether the pamphlet of which the opening paragraphs appear below was written by an actual shareholder or not, is immaterial. It expresses the inordinate rage which succeeded inordinate confidence.

SOURCE.-The Naked and Undisguis'd Truth, 1721. Redpath Collection of Tracts (McGill University). P. 1.

Great Britain's and Ireland's

Present Dreadful (and before unheard of)

CALAMITIES.

By a passionate Lover of his Country.

1721.1

In the Name of the Great God of all Justice, Truth, and

Wisdom.

It being become the general and just Complaint of the whole Nation, that Publick Credit is lost and destroy'd, and by that means Trade ruin'd, Manufacturers starving, Money scarce and that all Ranks of People, from the highest to the lowest within this (lately famous) City, and our (not long since flourishing) Country, (all, except the Traytors, whose boundless Avarice occasion'd it) are reduc'd to a Degree of Misery before unheard of in the known world;

I, who have liv'd about Forty Years in the publick Affairs of this Kingdom, do presume to assert, and doubt not but to demonstrate,

That our present sudden and dismal Change of Fortune (due Allowances being made for God's just Judgments upon us for the horrid Blasphemies, and other before unheard of Impieties, of late openly practised), is owing to a most corrupt and impudent Set of Men, sprung out of the Mud and Filth of the

1 The spelling and typography of this piece are preserved for the sake of showing the appearance of an eighteenth century tract.