ftrengthen and fupport the navy of France in cafe of war. Thus it is expected that the commerce and marine of both France and Hol land will be protected, increased, and exalted far above thofe of England. Now, granting that by a strict union between thefe maritime powers, the power and grandeur of both fhould be increased in equal proportion with a rapidity equal to their moft fanguine withes, and that the naval force of France fhould far overmatch that of England, the Dutch themselves must be governed in that event, by the will of the preponderating power, and they would find at last, that they had blindly laboured for their own deftruction.-The French have a very happy addrefs in operating on the paffions of aristocracies. The multitude in any state, however paradoxical it may appear, are fincerely attached to the true interests of a state, because they have very little either to lofe or gain by any political revolution. It is im poffibie by bribes, or hopes, or flatteries to footh and cajole millions of men, who have a natural attachment to their country, and who, for the most part, are inftructed by common fenfe to know its truc interefts. But the nobles, the heads of factions, leading men in provinces and towns: thefe are attended to by courts, careffed, flattered, corrupted. They are of confequence enough to be made the objects of bribery and adulation. Hopes are infused into them of obtaining fome particular advantages and honours. Patriotifm. gives way to felf-intereft, and often to mere vanity; to the mere pleafure of being regarded with complacency, and treated with paricular marks of diftinction by a great monarch. The princes of the earth are taught by experience that men inherit this weakness, and they are accordingly very affiduous in their endeavours to allure to their courts all on whom they wish to practise. The French agreeably to thefe obfervations, by the power of money and address, have long had powerful influence among the Swifs Cantons, and the arifto cratical faction in Holland. In the contest between Charles of Auftria and Philip of Bourbon, in the beginning of the prefent century, for the fucceffion to the Spanish Crown, the Spanish people, and at firft a great part of the nobility were very favourably inclined to the Auftrian; and fo alfo were thofe of Naples which then, as now, depended on Spain. But it is incredible how foon the arts of the French Court and nation gained upon the affections of both the Neapolitans and Spaniards. At that period too, the money and the blandishments of the French King made him a great favourite with many of the nobility of Portugal at the very time when their King and nation were embarked in the confederacy against him. In fhort, the French have been accustomed to feek, and with fuccefs too, the agrandizement of their monarchy as much by the arts of urbanity, intrigue and corruption, as by arms.. At the prefent moment, their fuccefs in eftablifting the independence of North America has put them into very goodhumour; and ftill keeping the profperity of the nation in view and the glory of the grand monarch, they are more gallant if poffible, and polite than ever. But in their gallantry and politenefs, there is at bottom a very confiderable infufion of infidioufnefs and even infolence. They run about from one court to another bowing to the very ground, and smiling inward fatisfaction and outward refpect,

*You

"You fee, they feem to fay, how the power and glory of France is vifibly displayed in every quarter of the world: the raises and de-, preffes nations at her pleasure. Yet fuch is her moderation and humanity that the rather chufes to flourish by the arts of peace, than to few unneceffarily how formidable fhe is in war. Make therefore a league offenfive and defenfive with a nation fo great, fo benevolent and iuft. Receive her commodities and the will receive yours on equal terms!" In the mean time while France hattens to acquire commercial and political advantages by negociation, he takes care to provide a moft powerful fleet for her protection. The French fleet is now as ftrong as that of England. Ships of war are nevertheless building at Brest, Toulon, Rochfort, Marseilles, St. Maloes, Havre de Grace, Bayonne, Bourdeaux, and Rochelle. Will the moderation of France laft for ever? or rather do not these things feem to fay to her neighbours," Be ye alfo ready."

SPAIN.

The pacific and humane difpofition, as well as the oeconomical fpirit of the prefent age, have extended themselves at laft to the animal creation, and given fome reft and refpite to the bulls of Spain. His Catholic Majefty has iffued an edict prohibiting bull-feats, except in certain limited cafes in which the profits arifing from them are to be appropriated to patriotic and pious purpofes. Surely the Court of Madrid have forgotten that "The Lord takes not any delight in the blood of Bulls."

BARBAR Y.

As the other nations of the world are very anxious and induftri bus to improve and extend their refpective trade, fo the Corfairs of Barbary are in like manner, and with equal fuccefs, bufily employed in extending theirs. In an age when every thing is reduced to arithinetical calculation, and great Emperors and Commercial States fettle their differences by pecuniary balances; the Algerines and other Corfairs have an opportunity of which they avail themfelves, to drive a very lucrative predatory trade. And as politicians obferve, that in a commercial view, the profperity of one country is the prof perity of another, fo the flourishing commerce of other nations, gives a plenteous harvest to the Moors. Never at any period have the pi racies of thofe barbarians been carried to a greater height, and they feem ftill to be increafing. The English flag alone they refpect. The power and bravery of the English difplayed before their eyes on the oppofite fhores of Valencia, in the late defence of Gibraltar, fees to have infpired their corfairs with an esteem for the Englith, and with a proportionable contempt of their enemies. The corfairs of Barbary have above all, been careful to revenge the cause of England on the Americans.

AMERICA.

There is fcarcely an American veffel that efcapes their rapacity in the Mediterranean. The Americans have neither money to bribe

the

the Barbarians, nor power to repel their attacks. This thefe pi rates well know, and therefore have no mercy on them. It is a confola tion to Britain under her mortification for the lofs of America, that fhe has not loft any reputation with barbarous nations. The Moors ftill refpect her flag, but fall with redoubled fury upon the commerce of her enemies. The Indians too, have no longer any dread of their neighbours, the white men who have withdrawn themselves from the protection of the great King. The calumet of peace is fmoked out and they now deem it time to dig up the hatchet.. It is difcovered that the Indian nations are not too much reduced in numbers, not fo nearly extirpated as fome calculators had imagined. New regions inhabited by Savages are discovered, and other unknown territories are yet to be explored.

As civilized nations extend humanity and refinement over neigh. bouring favages, fo, it would feem that there is a power of affini lation in favage manners, by which men who have lived in civilized fociety are transformed into their likencfs, Sailors, deferters from the European armies: back fettlers on the Indian frontiers of the American provinces, emigrants from Europe, who found themfelves un der the name of indented fervants, actual flaves; thefe have many of them renounced the comforts and the pains of civilized life, and without the inftructions of Rouffeau, have voluntarily returned to the condition of the prifca gens mortalium, and spend their time with fim plicity and ease among the Indians. Many unhappy men also, who have been compelled to flee from American perfecution, have taken refuge among the favages.

Thefe Europeans and Americans, temper the extreme indolence and improvidence of the Indians, and teach them in fome degree to provide against the various evils incident to their fituation. They alfo, by that influence which is the refult of fuperior knowledge, acquire an authority in their councils, and give fome degree of re gularity and defign to their enterprizes. Their fchemes are now grander and more comprehenfive than they have ever been: their confederacies more extenfive; their attacks more formidable. Whole nations of thofe favages united, by the intrigues probably of red men who have just cause of hatred and revenge, threaten war against the Americans. An Indian chief, of European extraction and edu cation, is at this moment in the British capital, has been prefented to the King, and received, as is faid, fome private audiences of the Minifter. This Chief will no doubt be furprized to find fo young a Senator advising the Indian warriors to light up again the calumet of peace; and begins perhaps to fufpect that the Great King is lefs formidable than he had been taught to imagine: for ideas of war and revenge predominate, no doubt, in the mind of this European Indian over thofe of finance and commeree. But what can we do? we have buried the hatchet too deep to dig it up on any fudden emer gency: we worfhip now the calumet of peace. But, after all, it is not probable that the debortation of our miniftry from war will either be thought fo fincere, or, if it fhould, that it will be fo powerful, as to lull the awakened ardour of the favages into their ufual fleep

of indolence. The Americans are therefore at this moment expofed to the devaftations and carnage of perhaps an hundred thousand barbarians, fudden in their incurfions, inhuman in their conquefts, and rapid in their retreat. Thus our late Colonists are harraffed by cruel enemies, both by fea and land, while civilized and trading nations are fhy of giving them credit, and domeftic diffentions and difcontent defy the power of Congress, and menace a long continuance of anarchy and confufion.-But the Americans are in poffeffion of rich foil, extenfive territory, great and fpacious navigable rivers, ideas of liberty, feverity of manners in the Northern provinces, and advancement of knowledge: circumstances which muft at laft prevail over every prefent difcouragement, and exalt them fooner or later to a first rank among the nations.

GREAT BRITAIN.

The world is bufy about commerce and commercial treaties, and the British cabinet is not idle. The activity of their minds, and doubtlefs, indolence is not among the number of their faults, is now diverted from Ireland, where it did mifchief, and employed in negotiations with foreign courts; and chiefly with France. It is indeed very much to be wifhed that the two first nations in the world would lay afide thofe narrow and impolitic jealoufies of trade, and open their ports freely to one another for the reception of fuch are ticles as are the natural produce of each: (for the navigation laws, Britain muft ftill fupport,) on fuch terms as are neceffary for the finances or revenues of both countries. Let the French open their vineyards to us, and let us open to them our pastures.-If our fashionable gentlemen and ladies are delighted with the fineries of France, let them have them; if the ladies and gentlemen of France Sare enamoured of English carriages, and other furniture, let them alfo have them.-If there fhould be.a decline in any branch of manufacture in either kingdom at first, the general mass of industry would foon find a level for itself in both, and flow in the most natural, which will alfo be found, in the long run, the most profit able channels. Here is one general max ought to be the the polar ftar to the English negociators for treaties of commerce, and which we would earneftly recommend to their attention: that almoft in all treaties of commerce, that party has the advantage "who poffeffes the greateft capital, credit, induftry, and invention; and, what is neceffary to thefe, the readiest and most extenfive markets," It fhould by no means be our object to ftand debating and bargaining about trifles: our principal object fhould be in the prefent juncture, whatever treaties we with to make, to make them with expedition; left our rivals in trade fhould get before us, and conclude treaties with one another to exclude us from their ports. Let us open without much hefitation, but with the reservations above fpecified, our ports to all nations: let them only in return open theirs to us.But in fome inftances, the advice we now offer to the British statefmen is too late.-Mr. Eden, appointed negotiator

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at Paris, has justly acquired reputation for great knowledge in trade, and the minifler's choice and Mr. Eden's acceptance of his employment, is equally honourable to both parties. That one fhould fay, I will not ferve my country honeftly, unless the men I like be alfo employed in the other political departments, has ever appeared to us an illiberal and barefaced avowal of party zeal and a fpirit of fac tion. Refpecting Mr. Eden, let him guard against fomething in his difpofition like a propenfity to fubtlety, quibble, and minutenefs, where, thefe are of no great importance.-Let him, as we have already obferved, keep a fteady eye on great objects let him not be ambitious of difplaying refinement and addrefs; and what he does, let him do quickly.

IRELAND.

Is now freed, very fortunately, from our folicitations, and left fleep off her bad humours, in a state of repofe.

Communications for the ENGLISH REVIEW, are requefted to be fent to Mr. MURRAY, No. 32, Fleet-ftreet, London; where Subscribers for this Monthly Performance, are defired to give in their Names."

* Title and Contents to Vol. VI. of the ENGLISH REVIEW will be given in our next.