i. 26;

opposes the repeal of the Plantation Act, 364.

Martinico, miscarriage at, iii. 170.

Mason, the poet, declines the laureateship, iii. 82.

Masquerades, abolished on account of the Lisbon earthquake, iii. 98.

Mayfair weddings, their history, i. 338.

Meat, proposed excise on it, ii. 181.

Methodism, its effects on society, iii. 97, et seq.

Memoirs, contemporary, their value; Voltaire’s opinion on, iii. 249.

Middlesex, county of, accused of jacobitism in the House of Commons, ii. 15.

Middlesex, Lord, character and appointment in the princess’s household, i. 96.

Middlesex, Lady, anecdotes of, i. 76.

Middleton, Dr. Conyers, his controversial writings attacking Christianity, i. 147.

Militia recommended by Fox on the opening of the war, ii. 97, et seq.; riots throughout the kingdom, in the apprehension of the regiments being sent abroad, iii. 41; plan first proposed to march them out of their counties in case of invasion, 184.

Militia Bill for Scotland, parliamentary proceedings on, iii. 280.

Minden, battle of, iii. 191, et seq.; vide _Sackville_.

Ministry, expected changes in 1751, i. 1, et seq.; whimsical candour of George II., 62; differences between the Bedford and Newcastle parties, 81; affair of the regency on the death of Frederick, Prince of Wales, 104, et seq.; political neglect of the Duke of Bedford in the cabinet by the Pelhams, 161, 162; further intrigues of the Pelhams to displace the Duke of Bedford, 184, et seq.; dismissal of Lord Sandwich, through the Pelham interest, 190; change of ministry, and resignation of the Duke of Bedford, 194; conduct and character of the Pelhams in regard to foreign affairs and to national insults, 204; state of politics at the opening of 1752, 239; opposition of the Pelhams by the Duke of Bedford, 242; proposed policy for tranquillizing Scotland, 268, et seq.; manœuvres of opposition in 1753, 298, et seq.; difference of opinion in the cabinet on the pretended memorial respecting the prince’s education, 304; differences of Fox and the chancellor on the Marriage Bill, 342; forced to repeal the Jew Naturalization Bill, 359, et seq.; death of Mr. Pelham, and its consequences, 370, et seq., 378; difficulties in appointing his successor, _ib._; new one formed, 387; pacific character of the Pelham and Newcastle administrations, leads to insults and encroachments on the part of France, 392; extraordinary conduct of the Newcastle administration when the French began the war in America, 400; appearances of opposition in parliament, 407; alarm at Pitt’s opposition, 417; projected changes in, 418; approaching war with France; changes in consequence of the death of Lord Gower, ii. 2; the Newcastle administration first supported by the Tories, on their uniting as a political party, distinct from jacobitism, 12; political manœuvre to silence Fox, 21; divisions in the cabinet against the Duke of Newcastle on the German subsidiary treaties, 35; disunion of Fox and Pitt, 37; refusal of Pitt, and consent of Fox, to support the German treaties, 41, et seq.; decline of Newcastle’s power, and coalition of Fox with the Bedford party, 45, 46, et seq.; further changes in favour of the Bedford party, 139, 140; heavy charges of pensions in consequence, 143; state of, at the breaking out of the war, 154; divisions on the calling in of foreign troops, 184; conduct in the affair of Byng, 190, 194, et seq., 208; Fox’s resignation, and its consequences, 252, et seq.; resignation of the Duke of Newcastle, and Pitt’s accession to power, 272, et seq.; changes settled, 274; state of the cabinet, 284; events leading to the dismissal of Pitt and his friends, 376, 377; new administration, iii. 2; difficulties in its formation, 11, 24, 26; Pitt and Newcastle again come in, 31; political review of Pitt’s administration, 84; and cabinet, 85; jealousies of Newcastle, 181; resignation of Lord Temple, 228.

Minorca, affairs of courts-martial under Gen. Anstruther brought before parliament, i. 42, 56, et seq.; debates respecting its defence, ii. 70; attacked by the French, 190, 209, et seq., 217, vide _Byng_; parliamentary inquiry into its loss, iii. 7, et seq.

Mirepoix, Mons. de, French ambassador, returns without taking leave,