OF PtytBLIC EVENTS. 553 it while King GEORGE our deliverer lies asleep in the dust and silence. 4. When we consider the many personal excellencies and royal virtues that 'adorned the character of our late sovereign, it is an awful and afflictive thing to' think of so much excellency removed from the earth. The world is bereaved of one of the best of princes. Should we take a survey of his excellent qualifications for go- vernment, it would entertain us beyond the measure of our present time ; but in gratitude to the memory of such a prince, and to awaken a due sense of our loss, we cannot pass away to the next head, without the short mention of a few of those royal virtues. 1. He was a prince of a wise heart, and excellent in counsel; sagacious to foresee threatening dangers at a distance, and to penetrate into future events, as far as human foresight is permitted to do it. Consummate wisdommakes an approach to a prophetic spirit. How just and happy were his sentiments of the .tendency of things in the former reign ? How true his presages ? And how.dreadful had the final event been, if a merciful providence had not brought him to the throne, toprevent the ,dangers- which he foresaw ? With how successful a penetration did he enter into the projects of foreign princes, and by a prudent precaution guard us from the mischievous influence of them ? Great Britain, and the nations in alliance therewith, find the present happy effects of his wisdom in this respect. 2. He was a prince of great firmness of soul : his heart was all courage ; resolution ánd a steady conduct ran: through the whole of his affairs : And in many instances those that were near the throne have observed a remarkable constancy of .spirit in his government, the happy effects whereof nave been verydiscernable to those at agreater distance. We have had no weak, fickle ma- nagement, and changing scenes ofthings since hewore the crown : This made him the more beloved by his friends, andhis enemies stood the more in awe of him. -3. Mercy, goodness, and love were wrought into his very constitution ; they 'discovered themsOves even to the eyes of strangers, in the very features of his counte- nance : Every one that saw his face, declared they saw the evident traces. and signatures of benignity and good,.
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