about the appointment of a new miniftry for Scotland, and on. other Scotch affairs. He feems to have been again in Holland and Italy in the years 1706, 1707. During all this time, and thence to the end of Queen Anne's reign, he was intimately converfant with affairs of State, and connected himself closely with the Whig party.

Dr. Thomson, in his Introduction, collects and compares a great variety of circumftances, to determine whether our Author was the fame Alexander Cunningham, who obtained a high reputation as a critic, by an edition of Horace, which he publifhed in oppofition to Bentley: a point, which he is, after all, obliged to leave undecided.

There can, however, be no doubt, that our Author was well acquainted with the principal actors in the fcenes which he defcribes; and that, in fome of them, he himself bore a part. His fituation, therefore, enabled him to write a hiftory of this period, which fhould be fomething more than a mere republication. of facts already known and we find, on perusing his work, that it has a juft claim to be ranked in the class of original historical compofitions.

Mr. Cunningham appears to have poffeffed a fhare of penetration, which qualified him to make a very advantageous use of his opportunities for difcovering the real characters of men, and exploring the true caufes of events. He relates facts, not in the dry and detached manner of a mere journalist, but with all the ardour and spirit of a real fpectator. His defcriptions of military tranfactions, and of political counfels, are lively and interefting. Whatever his portraits may want of the delicacy of modern finishing, is amply compenfated by the mafterly boldness of the outline. He every where discovers a ftrong attachment to what are commonly called Whig principles, and fhows himfelf to have been incapable of writing with perfect coolnefs, in relating affairs which affected the most valuable rights of mankinda circumftance that cafts no difcredit either upon thể Author or his work. The reflections, which are copioufly difperfed through the narrative, and are every where expreffed with undifguifed freedom, are, for the most part, judicious and liberal. In fome inftances, however, we obferve, that the Author's prejudices againft individuals have carried him into violent invectives; as is particularly the cafe in his account of the conduct and character of Bishop Burnet, and of General Stanhope. We must add, too, that he fometimes indulges himself in fevere farcafms on the clergy, and on the female fex.

The elevated tone of hiftory is by no means preferved through the work. The Author frequently fteps afide from the great bufinefs of the field or the fenate, to defcribe the intrigues of courts, to delineate the manners of the times, and to relate in

terefting

terefting or amufing anecdotes: he seems indeed to have poffeffed a happy vein of humour peculiarly fuited to this kind of compofition; and, though he may be thought to have fometimes, in this particular, violated the ftrict rules of hiftorical writing, the violation will eafily be pardoned by fuch readers as are not too wife to fmile, or too polite to laugh.

As fpecimens of the Author's abilities for hiftorical writing, we shall extract his account of the Prince of Orange, afterward William III. of England, and his narrative of the battle of Teniers. Of this Prince, he says:

Though the Prince of Orange was naturally referved, yet he wanted neither quickness of parts, nor readinefs of expreffion, nor a competent fhare of learning: even De Witt himself, who was an exquifite judge of men, acknowledged, that he had in his youth attained to great maturity in every virtue. He was prudent in council, bold in all his undertakings, and fierce in action. There is little reafon, at this day, to mix every fmall failing with the high praifes of fuch a youth. No man in his opinion lived up to the dignity of his nature, whofe whole life was fpent in acquiring the gifts of fortune, or in gratifying his various appetites and paffions. He alone, in his eftimation, deferved the name of a man, who performed actions worthy of being held in everlasting remembrance. It was his ambition in reality to be what others are proud to feem. He delighted in nothing more than the exercise of genuine benevolence, and the defence of the liberties of mankind. He confulted the intereft of his country in matters of religion, though he himself was most attached to the Voetian fect. As to other fects, he thought them all tolerable, even the Papifts themselves, the Jefuits alone excepted. He looked upon Monday as an unfortunate day to his family; and therefore would never undertake any bufinefs of importance on that day. In all accidents of human life, he ascribed much to Divine Providence, without excluding liberty: but right reafon, as being implanted in us by God, was to him the fupreme law. He conformed himself to the manners of the Dutch, being reputed fparing of his money; though he would oftentimes contribute to the relief of the public neceffities by his own example, and out of his own pocket. When he had quenched the flames of ruinous diffenfions at home, he contracted alliances with the neighbouring princes. He refpected the Elector of Brandenburg and the Duke of Zell as if they had been his parents. And, to fum up all in a few words, all the afferters of liberty, and the patrons of the Proteftant religion, had their eyes at that time upon this young prince: nor was his uncle, the King of England, difaffected to him; being continually importuned by his fubjects, the complaints of all good people, and the entreaties of his parliament, to put an end to the war against the Dutch, and to efpoufe the Proteftant intereft according to the triple alliance.'

The death of this monarch is thus related:

The King, for fome years paft, having been much indifpofed, was wont to divert him felf in his weakness by exercife; and, being fenfible of his approaching death, had two years before difpofed of

his effects by will. And now, when his late hurt had confined him at home, fo that he could not recreate and cheer himfelf with the purfuit of pheasants and partridges, as he had been accuftomed to do, nor difperfe the humours by any exercise, they fell into his knee, and affected him with violent pains. Death, which he had fo often braved with intrepidity in the field, now ftared him in the face at home. Within four days, refting on his couch, he was feized with a fudden fhivering, which turned to a fever, and spread itself farther. The fever was accompanied with a cough, which every day increased; on perceiving this, the King's phyficians began to defpair of his life; for he laboured under a violent diarrhoea and want of fleep. And now to display in his laft moments that noble confiftency and propriety of conduct which diflinguifhed his life, he gave the royal affent to the act for abjuring the Pretender, which had paffed the two houfes of parliament, without being biaffed either by love or hatred. And this he did at the request and by the advice of his parliament and friends; and at the earnest entreaty of the princess Anne, left, by any alteration of the times, what he had done for the public fafety, religion, and liberty, might be turned to her prejudice, and to the ruin of her friends.

The King, to the very moment of his death, retained the perfect ufe of his fenfes; and his memory was almost as ftrong as when he was in his best ftate of health. As he lay upon his bed, he talked to thofe about him with gravity and gracefulness; and prepared himself for his departure in fuch a manner as contributed to heighten the efteem and veneration which had formerly been paid him by all who were near him. At laft he called for the Archbishop of Canterbury to adminifter to him the holy facrament; and after having received it in the usual manner, he died, with an even and constant mind, and without the leaft alteration of countenance or diforder of body, 8th March 1702.

At the very laft moment, when his mind was otherwise oppreffed, he retained a juft fenfe of the redemption of mankind, and the remembrance of his good. fubjects. Thus he lay fo quietly and compofed, with his eyes fixed upon heaven, when his fpeech failed him, that no man could die either better prepared, or with greater conftancy and piety than this prince, of whofe juft praises no tongue fhall be filent, and no time unmindful. And if any King be ambitious of regulating his councils and actions by the bright examples of the most famous men, he may form to himself an idea of a great prince, and a grand empire, not only from this King's life, butfrom the public records of the English and Dutch nations. If he was apt to be too eafily reconciled to his moit inveterate enemies, it was only that thofe things which he had done for them might be delivered down more complete and fecure to the British empire, and the commonwealth of Holland. He is faid never to have repented fo much of any thing in his whole life, as that he had two years before his death changed his minifters, and particularly the Lord Somers, for whom he had a great esteem.'

Concerning his perfon and temper he adds:

King William was of a middle ftature, and had chefnut coloured hair; he had a piercing eye, a hooked nofe, round shoulders,

and

and flender legs; his appearance was not uncomely, whether ftanding or fitting; but he was most graceful on horfeback. In his common conversation he was courteous and affable; in matters of importance, grave and referved; and on no occafion did he fink below his dignity. He was fometimes apt to be choleric, but the heat of his temper spent itself among his bedchamber-men and phyficians. He was fo mild and merciful that he would have pardoned his worst enemies, and even thofe who had confpired against his own life, if the parliament had not prevailed with him to the contrary. In various kinds of eloquence, no man was more acute, fententious, or polite. In doubtful or dangerous cafes he displayed wonderful quicknefs, alacrity, and fingular benevolence; and not lefs addrefs to gain the favour of other princes, and to endear himself to God and man: and fuch was his benignity, that he feemed not either in his private capacity defirous of riches, nor in his public, ambitious of crowns to gratify his avarice, but to qualify himself the better to become an inftrument of doing good.'

The celebrated battle of Teniers (or Malplaquet) is thus related:

The French were encamped near the towns of Taifniere and Malplaquet, which were covered with the woods of Doura and Blaugies on the right and left and in their rear they had fields full of bushes and hedges, very fit to fecure them of a retreat. They had alfo examined all the defects of their entrenchments, and spent all the night in fortifying their front. The next morning early they began again to work on the fame, and fo continued two days; while the confederates, without making any attempt, were drawing their forces together, and waited for the reft, which were on their march, to join them from the camp before Tournay: for these reasons they did not attack the French the first day, a conduct which many severely cenfured.

• The confederates camp extended on the left to Blaquiere, and on the right to Sart, and the centre was at Blaregnies. The Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene, having confulted the field deputies of the States-general, refolved immediately to give the enemy battle. Monfieur Van Goslinga was the only one of those deputies who, by his courage, promoted this affair: the reft were unwilling to confent to it, left they should be thought too lavish of the blood of the foldiers: " for," faid they, "what hopes can ye have of forcing a camp fo exceedingly fortified both by art and nature?" However, in the council of war, it was refolved to give the enemy battle: and, on the 12th of September, by break of day, the generals drew up the army; and riding along the feveral ranks, gave the neceffary orders for fighting, and inspired the foldiers with courage. The foldiers, on their part, expreffed a general alacrity, and entreated their commanders to make ufe of the prefent opportunity, and to trust to their fidelity and courage.

• With a loud huzza, therefore, and the discharge of all their cannon, the fignal was given for battle: the attack was made in three places, and the fight maintained with incredible bravery on both fides. The Duke of Argyle firft led up the British forces through the woods against the enemy, on the right of the main battle: after

he had received the enemy's fire, he fell upon their entrenchment, and cut through and overthrew them and their works together: then purfuing those who fled to their fecond entrenchment, he vanquished and drove them out of that alfo; and, after that, pushing through the midst of the enemy, and trampling down all before him, he ftopped not till he came to their third entrenchment, where he cut through them again, and bravely maintained his ground: but in the other two places the confederates were repulfed.

The confederates, however, unexpectedly returned with greater courage, and attacked the entrenchment of the camp: but though the fituation of the place did not afford them a paffage, they furmounted it at laft by their courage and the remembrance of their former victories, and drove the enemy back to the fecond entrenchment: but, as the Germans had left an opportunity for thofe runaways to rally again, the French, with fome fresh reinforcements, returned out of the trenches to the fight. However, as they were much weaker than the Germans, and had maintained a fight two hours with great bravery, the French, quite fpent with long fighting, and fainting under their wounds, turned their backs, and left their pofts to the Germans. Being now beaten out of the field, they retreated to their third entrenchment, and there refreshed themfelves: Prince Eugene obferving this, immediately took poffeffion of that entrenchment which was left unguarded, and flew to fuccour the Dutch on the left, who were prefied very hard; leaving his horfe to fupport his own party, if they fhould happen to be oppreffed. Here the battle was a long time doubtful, and it was not eafy to difcern which fide had the advantage; because they who were repulfed, as both fides were in their turn, found a fafe retreat for a long time among their own horse.

The confederates cannon did great execution upon the enemy, and were of fpecial fervice at this critical juncture: for a flight touch of a cannon ball fo wounded the Duke de Villars in the knee, that he was forced to be carried out of the field.

6

The Dutch infantry were cut off almost to a man: they had made an obftinate refiftance on the left wing, and fought fo, that when their first lines fell, the next advanced into their rank. The Duke of Marlborough fent Lieutenant-general Withers to their relief. Prince Eugene perceiving their admirable valour to be in danger of being borne down by the multitude of their enemy, and that Withers was intercepted, haftened thither with a party of his own troops, and with fword in hand cut his way through the midft of the enemy, to their fuccour: and when he came up to them, difmounting his horfe, he charged through the thickest of the enemy. At the fame time three regiments of Danish horie, which had been posted as a rear guard to the foot, and had not been yet engaged, were called up thither by the Duke of Marlborough. This relief gave new life as it were to the Dutch; who now, making a fresh attack, mounted an entrenchment twelve feet high: whereupon victory began to declare in favour of the confederates, and the right wing of the enemy was cut off from their left. This caufed a terrible flaughter; and the Dutch, clofing their ranks, drove the enemy from both their entrenchments, and put them to rout. And now they made but a weak refiftance: for being by this time thrown into disorder, what7

ever