Annals of George the Third Author:William Green General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1808 Subjects: History / Europe / Great Britain Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where ... more »you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: ANNALS George tfje Cfrirlu BOOK IV. FROM THE FRENCH REVOLUTION TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF HOSTILITIES. A. D. 1789- THE event, which now en- gages our attention, was the most astonishing of modern times: causes, long in the wonjb of fate, now manifested themselves in the most important consequences. The French revolution, to distant observers, appeared the work of a moment; and reflecting minds could scarce confide in a change, which, in B theirtheir opinion, appeared so sudden and unexpected: but they were not aware, that the revolution had been generating for a century, and the principles, on which it was founded, were silently and insensibly gaining ground. All the popular writers in France, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau, and Mably, contributed, but in different ways, to diffuse the principles of liberty and reformation. These writings were in every one's hands; and it was scarce possible, but their sentiments should lead to an abhorrence of the arbitrary system, so prevalent in France: her alliance and intercourse with the founders of the American republic, increased an antimonarchial spirit in a country, already predisposed for its reception. The enormous expence, and fatal consequences in support of the Americans, plunged France into embarrassments; and the aggression recoiled on the aggressor. An immense new debt was added to the old, an augmentation became intolerable. Her taxes, though numerous and burdensome, were inadequate to the national expenditure. The weakness of the sovereign, the incapacity or timidity timidity of his ministers, the unexam...« less