greater unity, and consequently greater effect, to the subjugating, revolutionizing, and plundering projects of France than they had before possessed. Always formidable, and requiring to meet them, a confederation of the European powers, they became much more alarming from the time they were instigated and commanded by Buonaparté.→ Thenceforward the proceedings of the French, more imperiously than ever, called upon the princes and nations of Europe to unite, as the only means of preserving themselves from becoming the slaves of an insatiable and ferocious tyrant. But as the danger increased, the oscitancy and negligence increased also. The sovereigns of the most potent and renowned states, descendants of an illustrious line of ancestors, seemed to vie with each other in their eager attempts to truckle to the upstart sway of a low-born adventurer. Holland relinquished the, independence for which her heroes in the days of her glory had fought with such energy and success. Belgium abandoned the constitution of mixed liberty and order, through which she had prospered for so many centuries. Switzerland was deprived of that polity, under which her hardy, and brave sons had acquired such renown. Italy and Spain, under difference of forms, became mere dependencies of France. Germany was either subjugated to the power, or new-modelled to the pleasure, of the revolutionary conquerors; and all these changes were effected or maintained, because so willed the son of a Corsican attorney. Such was the gloomy and disgraceful aspect of continental affairs, when Britain was left to contend alone against France. The genius and energy of the country, employing the resources which, with such a constitution, they had created, met the gigantic foe single-handed, and wherever they did meet him, manifested their superiority, and in the result of the warlike contest defeated his attempts. While thus they fought, and thus they conquered, they held up a rallying standard, round which the nations of the continent might be expected to range, when they recovered from the inaction and apathy by which for the present they were overwhelmed ; but such an effect was only to be hoped from THE CONTINUANCE OF BRITISH ENERGY. If Britain were to remit her efforts, what other power could be animat ed; or, if even desirous of resistance, could act with efficiency?

ciency? Britain did remit her efforts; with an unwise and timid precipitancy she concluded a peace calculated to paralyse Europe, and to extinguish any remaining embers of an independent spirit. Our opinion of the cessation of hostilities, and the Treaty of Amiens, has been so repeatedly and ex-plicitly given, that it would be useless repetition to re-state it here; and it has been so fully confirmed by the awful series of events, that it is equally unnecessary to expatiate on its justness. Though we are among a very few who reprobated such a measure, and though we are proved to have been in the right, we are far from claiming the merit of extraordinary sagacity; we merely exerted common judgement' in forming our opinion on a very clear and obvious case; and common prudence in deprecating counsels of certain and speedy danger. At present, therefore, we shall mention, the peace no farther than as a link in the chain of events and causes which now operate in Europe.

One natural and immediate consequence of such a peace, was to lower Britain and raise Buonaparté in the eyes of other nations. He had succeeded in carrying into effect the plan of separate negotiation, which France had uniformly sought, and Britain, till that time, had as uniformly opposed. The grand and leading objects, which in former negotiations Bri-" tain had proposed were now relinquished. The grand and leading objects which France had proposed were now attained. The immense accessions which, in the close of 1796, France had declared she would for ever retain, and Britain declared she must abandon, or not have peace, were now entirely surrendered; and in many subsequent acquisitions of Gallic conquests Britain acquiesced with equal facility, and without any countervailing stipulation. We, and a few others said, that there existed in the situation of Britain no solid reason for such cessions on our side, without any equivalent on the other. Forbearing for the present to repeat our charges against the peace, as unwise and as pernicious to Britain, we are only considering it in the impression which it made on the continent concerning this country and Buonaparté; and we shall farther view it in the impression it made on Buonaparté himself; the series of conduct which succeeded both on his side and ours: hence, we trust, we shall be able to trace the rise and progress on the continent of the very different

A 2

different spirit which now animates the councils of certain renowned and great nations,

The peace of Amiens, appearing to concede to France the chief points of difference in former negociations, swelled the arrogance, and increased the power of Buonaparté. He regarded himself not only as a dictator to the continent, but as dictator to England. He conceived, that throughout the world his will was to be a. law; that all external engage ments, and all internal regulations of every other country, must move according to his nod. From spring, 1802, to spring, 1803, without following his acts in detail, few will contradict us when we charge them in general as a regular and uniform system of attempts to make his word the paramount law in every country of Europe, or wherever European influence reached. Needless would it be to illustrate this remark by following him to the oppression of Italy, the plunder of Belgium and Holland, and the massacres of Switzerland, or to shew the substance the same, with only a variation of mode in the German indemnities. Needless would it be to view him speaking, writing, and acting towards England, in a tone of command which England never did, and, we trust, never will long bear with impunity. The whole result of his conduct was unexampled iniquity, but an insolent arrogance still more constant than even his iniquity itself. Never had any foreign ruler dared to insult Britain by dictates respecting her internal government. Such a consummation of infatuated arrogance was reserved for Buonaparté. His head was evidently turned by the elevation which he had reached,

same.

In all situations the march of human passions is nearly the For the enormous iniquities of Buonaparté, we are to look for the origin not merely in a depraved and malignant disposition, aggravated and barbarised by the revolutionary system which removed from its volaries the restraints of morality and religion, but in the uncontrouled power which he has attained. But another circumstance accounts for one prominent part of his character, his furious imperiousness. "He had (said Robertson of Rizzio) all the overweening insolence with which unmerited prosperity never fails to inspire ignoble minds." This, we doubt not, is the origin of that part of Buonaparte's character, We are not only to con

sider the heighth at which the Corsican reached, but the lowness from which the Corsican began to ascend. Buonaparté was not a French'gentleman, to whom high rank in the army might be a subject of natural contemplation, as likely to be attained by him as by any other French gentleman, who would discharge his duty and display military ability. He was the son of a Corsican, of no rank, and who in entering the army, according to the sentiments and rules which then governed France, could have no hopes of ever being a field officer; and must think that, if he arrived at the rank of captain, he got a very high post. A man in such a situation, sudden elevation to the command of an army, must naturally elate; but to the command of an empire, it is not surprising, that it transported him beyond all bounds of moderation and equanimity. The origin of Buonaparté, in a considerable degree, accounted for another quality which is very glaring in his character; a frantic impetuosity, which disregarded all the propriety and decency which the custom of civilized society has established between gentlemen, This was evident in the vapouring invective which, in his wife's apartment, he blustered out against Britain to Lord Whitworth. Even such boasting bravadoes as may be deemed inconsistent with any but vulgar minds, arise from the combined operation of his original and present condition. Whatever may be the cause, it is certainly a fact, that no man recorded in history to have attained exorbitant power, ever so fully united pride with boundless ambition, insult with iniquity, as Buonaparté. He seems to have tried as an experiment, how far independent nations would bear the most degrading commands, and the most flagrant injustice. From daring insolence, as well as heinous iniquity, arises his total disregard of the laws of nations, as well as of every other right, human or divine. His principle indeed is simple, that all rights become null when pleaded in bar of the will of Buonaparté. This is a maxim of jurisprudence which must be admitted by any one who would attempt to justify the series of conduct exhibited by this fell and extraordinary tyrant.

Since the recommencement of the war, his boundless ambition ran with increased rapidity the career of insolence, fraud, and unrestrained violence. The detention of unof

4

fending individuals, was the first act which, immediately after hostilities began, testified his total disregard of every principle which had hitherto guided the conduct of civilized nations. Next came imperious and flagrant violation of the rights of ambassadors in his conduct towards the representative of the most powerful potentate of the continent. His treatment of the minister of Russia demonstrated, that his arrogance had risen to a madness of infatuation; and that his imperious temerity rushed headlong to provoke that sovereign, who is the most able to repress his ambition and humble his power. The seizure of a neutral state in the heart of Germany, without even any allegation of any grounds of hostility, was the next step of daring iniquity. The other powers of Germany seemed to bear without resentment, the subjugation and plunder of their principalities. Hanover underwent all the horrors of military execution. Austria and Prussia kept the sword in the sheath : though the next house was on fire, they made no efforts to stop the conflagration. The Northern Powers began to see with alarm, the gigantic strides of lawless enormity to their own immediate neighbourhood, and began to assume a different tone, and vigorously to prepare the means of defence. But, during the first year of renewed war, there was evidently wanting a full confidence in the energy of Britain. The nation, it was universally seen, was disposed to use every effort for the purpose of repelling invasion, and shewed itself fully competent, in point of force, to discomfit every attempt of the kind. But foreign powers did not entertain a very high confidence in the talents and vigour of the existing administration. They conceived that their views were limited principally to defence; and that they had no design of promoting, animating, strengthening, and directing any concert of attack for reducing the usurper within the bounds that were necessary for restoring the independence of Europe. There were evidently wishes, especially on the part of Sweden and Russia, but no measures of efficient co-operation. Buonaparté, finding his iniquity still unchecked, grew more and more impetuous and furious in violating all public and private rights. The murder of the DUKE D'ENGHIEN Comprised into one act, many and various atrocities which had before served the tyrant for many and various acts. Here,

the