part in the murder, reigned
in his stead, conspicuous by the unbridled disorders of her
life, and by powers of mind that mark her as the ablest of
female sovereigns. If she did not share her husband's enthusiasm
for Frederic, neither did she share Elizabeth's hatred of him.
He, on his part, taught by hard experience, conciliated instead of
insulting her, and she let him alone.

Peace with Russia brought peace with Sweden, and Austria
with the Germanic Empire stood alone against him. France
needed all her strength to hold her own against the mixed
English and German force under Ferdinand of Brunswick in
the Rhine countries. She made spasmodic efforts to seize upon
Hanover, but the result was humiliating defeat.

In England George III. pursued his policy of strengthening
the prerogative, and, jealous of the Whig aristocracy, attacked
it in the person of Newcastle. In vain the old politician
had played false with Pitt, and trimmed to please his young
master. He was worried into resigning his place in the Cabinet,
and Bute, the obsequious agent of the royal will, succeeded
him as First Lord of the Treasury. Into his weak and unwilling hands
now fell the task of carrying on the war; for the nation, elated
with triumphs and full of fight, still called on its rulers for
fresh efforts and fresh victories. Pitt had proved a true prophet,
and his enemies were put to shame; for the attitude of Spain forced
Bute and his colleagues to the open rupture with her which the great
Minister had vainly urged upon them; and a new and formidable war was
now added to the old.[872] Their counsels were weak and half-hearted;
but the armies and navies of England still felt the impulsion that
the imperial hand of Pitt had given and the unconquerable spirit that
he had roused.

[Footnote 872:
_Declaration of War against the King of Spain, 4 Jan. 1762._]

This spirit had borne them from victory to victory. In Asia
they had driven the French from Pondicherry and all their
Indian possessions; in Africa they had wrested from them
Goree and the Senegal country; in the West Indies they had
taken Guadeloupe and Dominica; in the European seas they
had captured ship after ship, routed and crippled the great
fleet of Admiral Conflans, seized Belleisle, and defeated a bold
attempt to invade Ireland. The navy of France was reduced
to helplessness. Pitt, before his resignation, had planned a
series of new operations, including an attack on Martinique,