24. ESSAYS HISTORICAL AND LITERARY.

bably to her real intentions, as well as her for--

mer declarations, to give them {ome hopeand intimation, that {he entertained views of entering into the marriage fiate. With thefe hopes they appeared in a great degree fatisfied, but time proving them to be fallacious, they renewed, in a few" years, their application for a {ettlement of the crown with greater vehemence than ever. The Queen, on this occafion, was {o {ar provoked as to prohibit the Hou{e from proceeding in this matter, but little regard being paid to her orders, however peremptory, {he thought proper by another meiiiage gracioufly to revoke them, and to allow the Houfe liberty of debate. She again intimated her intentions of {peedy marriage; but finding this artifice did not make much impref- fion, {he plainly declared her apprehenfions that the appointment of a {uccefior would be attended with great danger to her perfon: that {he knew, by her own experience, during the reign of ‘her filler, how much court was ufually paid to the next heir, and what dangerous {acrifices men were difpofed to make of their pre{ent duty to their future profpecls: and that {he was there- fore determined to delay, till a more proper op- portunity, the decifion of this important queition. The houfe finding the extreme reluctance of the Queen to comply with their wiihes, and imprelied, doubtlefs, with the juitice of her obfervations,

thought