the treaty, and most shamefully evaded its signature, so that the war was recommenced,when Count Stahremberg, the Imperial general, was lucky enough to capture Fort Ballaguer, on the banks of Rio Segre, in Catalonia, a strong post with a garrison of 700 men.

The French ministry, in 1710, in order to amuse the allies, and to gain time, again made some pacific proposals, in which they offered to consent to a partition of Spain; but in this the allies knew them to be insincere; nor would they themselves, indeed, have agreed to it; and, notwithstanding the Gallic machinations, the tide of success began to turn in favour of King Charles, whose army, commanded by General Stanhope, (ancestor of the present Earl Stanhope,) defeated King Philip at Almanera, in Catalonia, on the 16th of July, when the French, having lost about 1500 in killed and wounded, were obliged to retire to Lerida; but, being closely pursued by the confederates, fell back upon Saragossa. On the 10th of the ensuing month, August, King Charles being then with the army, another brilliant victory was obtained over King Philip near Saragossa, which city immediately opened its gates to the conquerors; and so powerful did Charles then feel himself in Castile, that he immediately superseded the form of government established by Philip, restored the ancient rights of the Castilians, and reinstated their former magistrates. Indeed the French power was at this juncture so weakened, that Philip, not feeling himself safe at Madrid, retired to Valladolid; and the confederates marching towards the capital, General Stanhope advanced with the cavalry, and took possession of it on the 10th September, 1710.

About a fortnight afterwards Charles made his appear ance in his capital; but soon found that the inhabitants were more attached to his rival than to himself: he soon left it therefore, and placed his troops in quarters to the southward of it, and in the vicinity of Toledo, in full confidence that notwithstanding the disaffection of the capital, he might still

be enabled to spend the winter thus in the Spain by the aid of the Portuguese; but they pointed him, and King Philip again collectin he was obliged to retire into Arragon, where, i ing November, Major General Stanhope, w force of 2000 men at Brihuega, was surpris prisoner of war, by the unexpected junction and Spanish armies.

The Imperial general, Count Stahremberg, danger, marched immediately to his relief, bu to prevent the disaster; he was fortunate eno to fall in with the enemy under King Philip of Vendosme, about one league from Brihu brought them to action at Villaviciosa, and "although their forces amounted to 25,000 me Stahremberg advanced to Saragossa; but, f never explained, soon retired into Catalonia bling Philip to return to Madrid, where the ceived him with open arms; and, on the 1 Gerona, the key of Catalonia, was permitted hands of the French army, after a gallant re weeks, so that Charles was obliged to retire

This disastrous and unexpected turn of th turally produced a great sensation at home: mencement of 1711, the House of Lords hav an enquiry on the cause of our losses, Lor succeeded in throwing the blame upon the whilst he himself received public thanks. ver, of sending him out again to Spain, he plenipotentiary to the Austrian court, and t gyle was entrusted with the high commission extraordinary, and plenipotentiary, and o chief in Spain. These proceedings were f vote of the Upper House, that the Earl of C ing up the post of honour to the Portugu

of Almanza, had acted contrary to the honour of the imperial crown of Great Britain.

In Spain, affairs began to take a more disastrous turn; for in August, the Portuguese having entered into a separate negotiation with King Philip and the French court, King Charles found it necessary in the ensuing month to embark at Barcelona for Italy. On his arrival in Italy, he was elected King of the Romans, and Emperor of Germany; and, on being crowned at Frankfort on the 11th of December 1711, seems to have given up all further thoughts of the Spanish crown. In order to do away some of the objections to his establishment on the throne of Spain, King Philip, now settled at Madrid, published his renunciation of all claims to the succession in France; and in September of the same year, Lord Lexington having proceeded to Madrid to receive the fore-men tioned renunciation, the English forces, then in Catalonia, commanded by Brigadier Pearce, were embarked on board the squadron under the orders of Sir John Jennings, who immediately proceeded for Minorca, where the colours of King Charles were hauled down, and those of the English substituted in their stead.

On the 5th of November, the act of renunciation took place in the presence of the English ambassador, and was registered by the Cortes, and from that period we may consider the war at an end.

To draw a parallel between those events and the transactions of a later date would here be premature; but we shall have occasion to notice them more fully, and shall now proceed to the principal design of the work.

LIFE

OF THE MOST NOBLE

MARQUIS WELLINGTON.

SECTION I.

Preliminary observation-Ancient respectability of the Family of Colley, now Wellesley-Birth-Military Education-Progress to the Rank of Field officer-First military Embarkation for Britanny-Observations -Joins the Army in Flanders-Capture of Tournay, and AnecdotesEvacuation of Ostend—Judicious conduct of the Earl of Moira-affair at Alost-Anecdotes of General Doyle-Conduct of the French Army -Invasion of Holland- Military Ånecdotes-Gallant affair at Boxtel -Meritorious Conduct of the Governor of Grave-Attack of the Waal -Gallant attack of the Tuyl-Retreat through Holland-Conduct of the Dutch-Affair at Metteren, and gallant behaviour of the 33d Regi ment-Dreadful Sufferings of the army-Exemplary Conduct of HisRoyal Highness the Duke of York-Evacuation of Holland-Embarkation at Bremen-Return to England.

IF example is more powerful than precept, no apology can be necessary for a minute detail of great and virtuous actions; and there is perhaps no mode more generally useful and efficacious for the preservation and extension of that example, than in recording the Biography of the great and good.

Indeed, the historic page is never so interesting as in the delineation of active worth; volumes may be filled with the black catalogue of tyranny and oppression, exciting no other feeling than abhorrence at the crimes and depravity of human nature; but when one bright gleam of sunshine illumines our page, when we see high birth, brilliant genius, and unwearied activity, employed in resistance to the invader, in supporting the rights of native princes, at the two ex

tremes