AUSTRIANS DEFEATED AT TORGAU. army, with two other armies of Austrians and Russians to oppose his progress. Over one of these corps, commanded by Laudohn, he obtained a victory which saved Silesia. But a body of combined Austrians and Russians pushed forward to Berlin, which, after a gallant resistance, was forced to capitulate. The allies retired, however, at the approach of Frederick, whose energy relieved his capital in three days. Ch. 1. 1759 defeated. Having effected this object, Frederick determined Daun to attack the allies in their stronghold, Saxony, of which they had entire possession. A more daring movement can hardly be conceived. Daun, the ablest of Frederick's antagonists, was posted in a strong position at Torgau on the river Elbe, with an army greatly superior in numbers and in artillery. From this position, there was no chance of dislodging him but by an action; yet, hazardous and almost hopeless as this would be, the alternative presented so many certain evils and probable calamities, that the Prussian monarch decided upon an engagement as the more expedient course to take. The hardest winter that had been experienced for many years had now set in; his troops were harassed by long and rapid marches; and so devastated had his own country been by war, that it could not afford subsistence to his army during the winter; exhausted by conscription, it could no longer supply recruits; nor did it offer any position where he could lie secure from the attacks of his numerous enemies. 53 54 Ch. 1. 1759 SAXONY RECOVERED. Under these desperate circumstances was fought the bloodiest battle of the whole war. The Prussians, who had previously been informed by their great commander, of his determination to dislodge the enemy or perish in the attempt, replied with the devotion of an army which has confidence in its leader. The loss, on both sides, in killed and wounded was said to have been upwards of 30,000. But the energy of the Prussians finally prevailed; and the Austrians were forced to retreat. Saxony, with the exception of Dresden, being thus recovered, Frederick retired into winter quarters at Leipsic. Prince Ferdinand, during this campaign, being greatly over-matched in numbers, could do little more than keep the French in check. But all his efforts, though well planned and ably executed, were insufficient to protect Hesse; and the French army established their winter quarters before the city of Cassel. Such was the state of the war at the close of its fifth campaign, and the demise of the British crown by the death of George the Second. ADDENDA TO CHAP. I. (A. p. 5.) My dear Lord, I will give it you Ch. 1. under my line's character hand if you are in any fear of my relapsing; that my dear first-born is the greatest ass, and the greatest liar, and the Queen Carogreatest canaille, and the greatest beast in the whole world, of her son. and that I heartily wish he was out of it.'-Queen Caroline to Lord Hervey.-Memoirs of Lord Hervey. (B. p. 7.) Pitt's magnanimous boast on a memorable Pitt's opinion occasion is well known, 'I am sure that I can save the of himself. country, and that nobody else can.' (C. p. 7.) The oratorical discourses of Burke are per- Burke's formances of surpassing power; but, as speeches, they were Speeches. hardly listened to, because the speaker had not the gift of delivery,―more rare than that of eloquent composition. (D. p. 9.) The story of Lord Chatham's dressing up the Chatham's waiters and ostlers at the Castle Inn at Marlborough, in his vanity. livery, is confirmed by Lord J. Russell, who states that Lord Shelburne told the story to his son, the present Marquis of Lansdowne.-LORD JOHN RUSSELL'S Memoirs and Correspondence of Fox, vol. i. p. 117. General Wolfe. (E. p. 44.) There is a strange story related of Wolfe's Boast of vaunting conduct at a dinner with Pitt and Temple, the day before he left England.-LORD MAHON'S History of England, vol. iv. p. 228. with Wolfe. (F. p. 47.) Sir Denis le Marchant, in a note to his edition Townshend's of 'Walpole's History of the Reign of George the Third,' concurrence states that Townshend did not, as alleged by Walpole, oppose Wolfe's plan.-Vol. i. p. 21. This note contains some very interesting particulars of the Life of Wolfe. Ch. 2. 1760 National prosperity at the accession. CHAPTER II. ACCESSION OF GEORGE THE THIRD-HIS CHARACTER THE THE BENCH MADE INDEPENDENT. Ch. 2. 1760 57 well calculated to recommend him to the respect and affection of the people. A generation still existing could almost recollect the tyrannical outrages perpetrated under the forms of law through the instrumentality of the judicial bench. The Stuarts had always employed these formidable tools, which were entirely at their command, for the violation of the laws of the land, and the ancient rights and liberties of the subject. The supreme administration had consequently become, during that period of misrule, the object of terror, hatred, and contempt, throughout the kingdom. An act of William the Third, by which the judges were to hold their offices during good behaviour, instead of during the pleasure of the Crown, went far to remedy this enormous grievance; but it was reserved for George the Third to inaugurate his long reign by the complete emancipation of Justice from its baneful dependance on the Court. In pursuance Enactment of a royal message to Parliament, it was enacted judges hold that the judges, whose commissions expired by a for life. demise of the Crown, should thenceforward hold their offices for life, subject only to removal, as already provided by the statute of William, upon the joint address of both Houses. Since that time, the conduct of a judge has seldom been the subject of public animadversion, never of enquiry in Parliament. In former reigns, a state trial was a safer and more effectual mode of assailing the life, liberty, or property of the subject than a direct stretch of prerogative. During the last century, that the their offices |