FOREIGN AFFAIRS, 1756.

PON the death of Charles XII. of Sweden, who had an abfolute power, the form of government was entirely altered, and a limited monarchy established, but fo much limited, that the king feems, to have had little more left than the name, almoft the whole power of the government having been lodged in the diet and the fenate, that is to fay, in the noble and rich families of the kingdom. The confequence of this in all countries generally is, that those families become, or at leaft are thought by many to be, more oppreffive upon the lower rank of people, than an abfolute fovereign, dare venture to be; and this, it feems, was the confequence in Sweden, by which fome men were tempted to form a confpiracy for altering their form of government, by in. creafing the power of the crown. Soon after the meeting of the prefent diet, this confpiracy was difcovered by a ferjeant of the guards, and a strict enquiry fet on foot. Several perfons were immediately taken into custody, and many more made their escape. As the difcovery of a plot always produces fresh evidence, count Eric Brahe, baron Horn, two captains, and four fubaltern officers, have already been tried, and received fentence of death; and the four firft were accordingly beheaded on the 23d of last month: On the 26th the other four were likewife executed, and fome others will foon be brought to a trial. In the mean time, it does not appear that either the king or queen of Sweden was concerned in this confpiracy; but both of them think themfelves fo ill treated by the diet, that the king threatens to refign, tho' the popu lace feem to be every where of his fide, fo much, that a general infurrection is apprehended, and the iffue may probably be, either the fubverfion of the monarchy, or the establishment of a fole and abfolute power; for in fuch difputes it is hardly poffible to fteer a middle courfe.

Whatever may be the terms of the treaty of alliance lately concluded between the courts of Vienna and Ve failles, the Ruffians feem refolved to accept of the invitation made them to join it; for prefently after the conclufion of that treaty, a ftop was put to the military preparations they were making in Livonia and the neighbouring provinces, and a French nobleman appeared at their court under the name of count Douglas. Whether he was a minifter or no was not at first known, but it now feems to be certain that he was, and that he went there to make this invitation on the part of France; for from Vienna we are told, that a courier arrived there the 24th ult. from Pe

405

terburg, whofe difpatches were so agreeable, that the emprefs-queen made him a prefent of 1200 ducats, befides their imperial majesties pictures, and a diamond ring of great value, from whence it is fuppofed, he brought the acceffion of the Ruffian court to that treaty; and by the last mail we are told, that his most chriftian majesty has appointed the marquis de l'Hofpital his ambaffador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the court of Ruffia. The court of Spain have likewise had an invitation to accede to this famous treaty, to which they have not as yet given any answer; but the contracting parties feem to have fucceeded better at the court of Turin; for by accounts from thence of the 2d instant, it is faid, that his Sardinian majesty has not only acceded, but by one of the articles of his acceffion has engaged to furnish 8000 of his troops, to either of the contracting parties that fhall be attacked.

On the other hand, this treaty has given the alarum to the king of Pruffia and some of his neighbours, whereupon he has given orders for compleating his troops, and for their holding themselves in a readiness to march; and this again has given the alarum to the court of Vienna, who have thereupon ordered two confiderable armies to be formed, one in Bohemia under count Brown, and another in Moravia under the prince Piccolomini. Yet both fides pretend to have nothing but felfdefence in view; for the king of Pruffia has by his minifter at the Hague intimated to the ftates general, that by his affembling a body of troops in the dutchy of Cleves, he had no defign to disturb the peace of Europe in general, or the United Provinces in particular; and the court of Vienna have by their minifter at the fame place declared, that their affembling a body of troops in Bohemia and Moravia, was only to defend their dominjons; and not in pursuance of any secret article in their late treaty with France for deftroying the proteftant religion, and overturning the freedom of the empire by a forced election of a king of the Romans, as had been industriously reported. The French court likewife have by their minifter at Berlin fent the following meffage to the king of Pruffia, viz. "That the king his master had no other intention, but to maintain the publick tranquillity of Europe: That this was the fole end of all his meafures: That this being his fentiment, he beheld with surprize the preparations and armaments in certain ftates: That with whatsoever view they were made, his majesty thought it his duty to declare, that he was difpofect

See our last Magazine, p. 359.

to

406 The Monthly Catalogue for July and Auguft, 1756.

to make use of the power that God had put into his hands, not only to maintain the publick tranquillity of Europe against all who should attempt to disturb it, but alfo to employ all his forces, agreeable to his engagements, in fuccouring his ally, in cafe her dominions fhould, contrary to all expectation, be attacked; and that he would act in the fame manner with regard to his other allies." Upon the delivery of which meffage his Pruffian majefty only faid, that he would caufe his answer to be delivered by his minifter at Paris.

From the Hague we are told, that col. Yorke, the British minifter, has, at a folemn conference, propofed a new convention between his mafter and the ftates general, for explaining the treaty of 1674, in order to prevent any mifunderstanding, with respect to the commerce of the fubjects of the republick on the coafts of France. By the fecret article of the faid treaty it was agreed as follows, viz.

"That neither of the faid parties shall give, nor confent that their fubjects or inhabitants fhall give any aid, favour, or council, directly or indirectly, by land or fea, or on the fresh waters; nor fhall furnish, nor permit the fubjects or inhabitants of their lordships and territories to furnish, any fhips, foldiers, feamen, victuals, money, inftruments of war, gunpowder, or any other neceffaries for war, to the enemies of either party, of

1.

any rank or condition whatever, &c.

As this article is fo full and exprefs, it is to be hoped, their high mightineffes will not attempt to explain away the force of it, or find fault with our feizing and condemning every Dutch hip employed in carrying on the trade of our enemies, or in carrying to them any neceffaries for making war.

Our late accounts from Paris are full of their rejoicings for their conquest of Minorca, and indeed they have reason; for it is what the most fanguine of fanguine Frenchmen could never have expected from their own ftrength or their own conduct. In the mean time the difputes be tween their parliaments and clergy feem to increase rather than diminish; and the parliament of Paris has lately entered into a difpute with the king himself, by refusing to obey his exprefs command to regifter feveral edits he had lately pub lifhed for reviving fome former taxes.

On the 5th ult. a dreadful fire broke out at Conftantinople, which has destroyed between 12 and 15,000 houses, and by which upwards of 1000 people have perished, befides 300 that have been fince executed for pillaging the houses, whilft the wretched inhabitants were employed in guarding against, or in extinguishing the flames; and what adds to their dif trefs is the plague's raging violently at the fame time in that city,

The Monthly Catalogue for July and Auguft, 1756.

DIVINITY and CONTROVERSY.

AN

for mixt Communion. By G. Killingworth, pr. 6d. Baldwin.

2. Remarks on a Treatife concerning the Intermediate State, pr. 6d. Corbett. 3. Animadverfions on a late Sermon, preached in the Diocese of Oxford, pr. 6d. Owen.

4. A Letter of Admonition to the Rev. Mr. Samuel Pike. By C. Fleming, pr. 6d. Field.

5. The Contest between Sebastian, a Spanish Friar, and the four Evangelifts. Whitridge.

6. A Specimen of the Theology of the Ancients. By F. Fayerman, M. A. pr. 28. 6d. Griffiths.

MISCELLANEOUS.

7. A Sequel to Hofier's Ghoft, pr. 3d. Morgan.

8. The Law of Devifes, Revocations, and laft Wills, pr. 5s. Waller.

9. True Cenfure no Afperfion against the Hutchinfonians, pr. 6d. Baldwin.

10. A modeft Apology for an Admiral in the Mediterranean, pr. 6d. Cooper.

3

12.

11. Six Letters from A. B. to Father Sheldon, pr. 1s. 6d. Morgan. (See p. 344.) An Apology for certain Gentle men in Oxford, pr. 1s. J. Rivington, 13. The Conduct of Military Gentle. men infpected, pr. Is. Robinfon.

14. Mr. Bower's Affidavit, pг. 18, Sandby.

15. An Effay on the prefent State of the publick Roads, pr. 6d. Baldwin. (See p. 262.)

16. A faithful Narrative of the fur. prifing Tranfactions of the Thief- Takers. By J. Cox, pr. 1s. 6d. Mechell. (See P. 303)

17. An hiftorical Account of the Rife of the Quakers, pr. 6d. Newbery.

18. The Target, a Treatife on a Branch of the Art Military, pr. 1s. DodЛley. 19. Reflections on the Immortality of the prefent Age, pr. 15. Cooper.

20. A Vindication of national Society, pr. 1s. 6d. Cooper.

21. An Addrefs to the Subjects of Great-Britain, pr. 6d. Noon.

22. Reafons for building Barracks, pr. IS. Cooper.

23. All

The Monthly Catalogue for July and August, 1756. 407

23. All the Orations of Demofthenes. In English. By T. Leland, B. D. pr. 6s. Johnston.

24. A Supplement to the Second Volume of Notes of Cafes in Point of Practice. By H. Barnes, pr. 1s. Shuckburgh.

25. An Enquiry into the Caufes of our Naval Mifcarriages, pr. 1s. Robinfon.

26. Two Differtations on the Theatres. By Cibber, pr. 38. Griffiths.

27. The Book of Conftitutions of the ancient and honourable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Mafons, 4to. Scott.

28. A Scheme for keeping 24,000 Seamen in the Service, pr. 6d. DodЛey.

29. An Apology for introducing Mr. Sexton's Powder, pr. 6d. Cooke.

30. Memoirs of the Life and Actions of General Blakeney, pr. 6d. Scott.

31. A Letter to the Common Council upon the fuppofed Occafion of their Meeting, pr. 6d. Cooper.

32. An Effay on the Times, pr. 15. Cooper.

33. A modest Addrefs to the Commons of Great Britain, pr. 6d. Scott.

34. Bower vindicated from the falfe Infinuations and Accufations of the papifts, pr. 6d. Doughty.

35. A Differtation on the Caufe and Effect of the Populoufnefs of a Nation. By W. Bell, M. A. pr. Is. DedЛley.

36. A Fourth Letter to the People of England, pr. 25. Collier.

37. The Chronicle of Byng, pr. 6d. Withy.

38. An Effay on weighing Gold. W. Symons, pr. rs. 6d. Hodges.

By

39. A real Defence of Admiral Byng's Conduct, pr. 6d. Robinfon.

40. A fhort Epiftle from a Country Gentleman to the Duke of Newcaftie, pr. 4d. Payne.

PHYSICK and SCIENCE.

41. A preliminary Difcourfe to an intended Treatife on the Fluxionary Me thod. By J. Rowning, M. A. pr. is. 6d. Dodd.

42. Obfervations on a Series of Electrical Experiments. By Dr. Hoadly and Mr. Wilfon, pr. Is. 6d. Payne.

43. Philofophical Tranfactions, Vol. XLIX. pr. gs. Davis. (See p. 395.) 44. The Expeditious Instructor, pr. is. Reeve.

45. A Differtation on Bleeding, pr. 19. Field.

46. Aftronomy explained on the Principles of Sir Ifaac Newton. By J. Fergufon, 4to, pr. 155. few'd.

47. A plain Account of the Caufe of Earthquakes. By J. Freke, pr. 18. Innys.

48. Electricity rendered useful. By R. Lovett, pr. 25. Hinton.

49. The OEconomy of Nature, in acute and chronical Diseases of the Glands. By R. Ruffell, M. D. pr. 4s. Rivington. POETRY and ENTERTAINMENT.

50. On the Goodness of the Supreme Being. By C. Smart, M. A. pr. 6d. Newbery.

51. The Comick Mifcellany, pr. 6s. Cooper.

52. A British Phillipic, pr. rs. Kinnerfley. 53. Leibia: A Tale, pr. 6d. Withy. 54. Liberty: A Poem. By C. Shaw, pr. Is. Manby.

55. The Turncoat, a Parody on the Tragedy of Athelstan, pr. is. Vaillant,

56. The Spring: An Ode. Le Maitre, pr. 6d. Cooper.

By S. C.

57. Effays Paftoral and Elegiack, pr. 18. Hooper.

58. Hymn to the Supreme Being, on Recovery from a dangerous Fit of Illness. By C. Smart, M. A. pr. 6d. Newbery.

59. A Poem facred to the Memory of Q. Anne. By E. Cobden, D. D. pr. 6d. Baldwin.

60 Mead: A Poem. By C. Bartho lomew, A. B. pr. 1s. Cooper.

61. An Ode on the Birth of the Prince of Wales, pr. 6s. Woodfall.

62. A Poem on the Countefs of Pomfret's Benefaction to the University of Oxford, pr. 6d. Rivington.

63. The British Hero, pr. 1s. Robinson. SERMONS.

64. Sermons on the most interefting religious, moral, and practical Subjects. By the late Rev. and Learned Mr. Ifaac Kimber. With the Author's Effigies, curiously engraved, and Memoirs of his Life and Writings, pr. 6s. Noon, Ackers, and Baldwin

65. Our Duty as Patriots and Protef tants. By T. Gibbons, pr. 6d. Buckland.

66. A Sermon before the University of Oxford, Feb. 15, 1755. By G. Horne, A. M. pr. 6d. Withers.

67. Dr. Free's Sermon on National Unanimity, pr, 6d. Sandby.

68. A Sermon on the Death of B. Stevenfon, D. D. By J. Frank, pr. 6d. Henderson.

69. A Sermon on the War with France. By R. Winter, pr. 6d. Field.

70. A Sermon at Chesterfield, in Derbyshire. By J. Heywood, pr. 6d. Payne. 71. A Sermon before the University of Oxford, June 8, 1756. By T. Griffith, M. A. pr. 6d. Rivington.

72. A Sermon before the University of Oxford, July 4, 1756. By C. Hall, B. D. pr. 6d. Rivington.

73. De fundamentalibus Differtatio Theologica, five concio ad clerum, Lond. Sec. A J. Burton, S. T. P. Rivington.

Died under 2 Years old 490

Between 2 and

5 and 10

5- 127

Lottery Tickets, July 30, 111, 155.—August 2, 1x1,.240, 6d.—9. xxl, 158,—19, 111, 186,—20, 11), 198,—25. 11. 18.—28. 11). 178. 6d.

The LONDON MAGAZINE:

Or, GENTLEMAN's Monthly Intelligencer.

For SEPTEMBER,

To be Continued. (Price Six Pence each Month.)

Containing, (Greater Variety, and more in Quantity, than any Monthly Book of the fame Price.

With a beautiful and correct MAP of the Eaftern Part of the Provinces of NEW-YORK,
NEW-JERSEY, &c. being the prefent Seat of Action in North-America; and an
elegant PLAN of FORT FREDERICK at Crown-Point: Likewife a fine HEAD of
Major General Sir WILLIAM JOHNSON, all engraved on Copper.

MULTUM IN PARVO.

LONDON: Printed for R. BALDWIN, at the Rofe in Pater-Noiter-Row;
Of whom may be had, compleat Sets from the Year 1733 to this Time, neatly Bound, or
Stitch'd, or any tingle Month to compleat Sets.