Produced by Paul Murray, Susan Skinner and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team from images generously made available by the Bibliotheque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr THE WORKS OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE EDMUND BURKE IN TWELVE VOLUMES VOLUME THE SEVENTH [Illustration: Burke Coat of Arms.] LONDON JOHN C. NIMMO 14, KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND, W.C. MDCCCLXXXVII CONTENTS OF VOL. VII FRAGMENTS AND NOTES OF SPEECHES IN PARLIAMENT. SPEECH ON THE ACTS OF UNIFORMITY, February 6, 1772 3 SPEECH ON A BILL FOR THE RELIEF OF PROTESTANT DISSENTERS, March 7, 1773 21 SPEECH ON A MOTION FOR LEAVE TO BRING IN A BILL TO REPEAL AND ALTER CERTAIN ACTS RESPECTING RELIGIOUS OPINIONS, UPON THE OCCASION OF A PETITION OF THE UNITARIAN SOCIETY, May 11, 1792 39 SPEECH RELATIVE TO THE MIDDLESEX ELECTION, February 7, 1771 59 SPEECH ON A BILL FOR SHORTENING THE DURATION OF PARLIAMENTS, May 8, 1780 69 SPEECH ON A MOTION FOR A COMMITTEE TO INQUIRE INTO THE STATE OF THE REPRESENTATION OF THE COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT, May 7, 1782 89 SPEECH ON A MOTION FOR LEAVE TO BRING IN A BILL FOR EXPLAINING THE POWERS OF JURIES IN PROSECUTIONS FOR LIBELS, March 7, 1771. TOGETHER WITH A LETTER IN VINDICATION OF THAT MEASURE, AND A COPY OF THE PROPOSED BILL 105 SPEECH ON A BILL FOR THE REPEAL OF THE MARRIAGE ACT, June 15, 1781 129 SPEECH ON A MOTION FOR LEAVE TO BRING IN A BILL TO QUIET THE POSSESSIONS OF THE SUBJECT AGAINST DORMANT CLAIMS OF THE CHURCH, February 17, 1772 137 HINTS FOR AN ESSAY ON THE DRAMA 143 AN ESSAY TOWARDS AN ABRIDGMENT OF THE ENGLISH HISTORY. IN THREE BOOKS. BOOK I. CHAP. I. Causes of the Connection between the Romans and Britons.--Cæsar's two Invasions of Britain 159 II. Some Account of the Ancient Inhabitants of Britain 170 III. The Reduction of Britain by the Romans 189 IV. The Fall of the Roman Power in Britain 214 BOOK II. CHAP. I. The Entry and Settlement of the Saxons, and their Conversion to Christianity 227 II. Establishment of Christianity--of Monastic Institutions --and of their Effects 240 III. Series of Anglo-Saxon Kings from Ethelbert to Alfred: with the Invasion of the Danes 255 IV. Reign of King Alfred 261 V. Succession of Kings from Alfred to Harold 269