Mediaeval and modern history . ntly itis from the viewpoint both of Europe and of America that wemust regard it. At first the war went disastrously against the English, — Brad-docks expedition against Fort Duquesne, upon the march towhich he suffered his memorable defeat in the wilderness, beingbut one of severalill-starred Englishundertakings.^^ Inthe Old WorldMinorca had beenlost, and with it vir-tually the control ofthe were Eng-lishmen cast intodeeper had they socompletely lostfaith in Earl of Ches-terfield wrote: Weare undone both athome an
Mediaeval and modern history . ntly itis from the viewpoint both of Europe and of America that wemust regard it. At first the war went disastrously against the English, — Brad-docks expedition against Fort Duquesne, upon the march towhich he suffered his memorable defeat in the wilderness, beingbut one of severalill-starred Englishundertakings.^^ Inthe Old WorldMinorca had beenlost, and with it vir-tually the control ofthe were Eng-lishmen cast intodeeper had they socompletely lostfaith in Earl of Ches-terfield wrote: Weare undone both athome and . We are nolonger a nation. The gloom was atits deepest when the elder William Pitt (later Earl of Chatham),known as the Great Commoner, came to the head of affairs inEngland. Pitt was one of the greatest men the English race hasever produced. Frederick the Great expressed his estimate ofhim in these words : England has at last brought forth a estimate of himself was equally high : I believe that I can. Fig. 87.—William Pitt, Earl of Chatham(After a portrait by /?. Broniptori) 11 Braddocks defeat occurred in 1755, before the formal declaration of war byeither party. 490 ENGLAND IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY save this country and that no one else can, was the way in whichhe expressed his beUef in his abihty to retrieve past misfortunes. Pitt exercised the full authority of Prime Minister — thoughhe was not the nominal head of the ministry — from 1757 to1761. These were great years in English history. It was likea return of Cromwells rule. Pitts indomitable will and tirelessenergy pervaded at once every department of the government.* No person, it was said, ever entered his closet who did notcome out of it a braver man. Incompetent men who hadreceived appointments in the army and the navy solely on socialgrounds or through poHtical influence were replaced by men ofcapacity, men upon whom Pitt could rely to carry out his plans. The war against France was p
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