ordinary manner, we ought to observe, that persons in your elevated stations are very apt to grow giddy, and to be much vexed by these fits of insanity; and therefore prudence requires, that we should keep you at a convenient distance, lest in another frolic or fury, you should destroy as many men, women, and children, as you have within these last four years." (1)

VOL. II.

FABIUS.

2

LETTER IV.

WE come to the second part of the objection.

IF hereafter a wild spirit of ambition, should prompt France to imitate Rome, it will not be her acquisitions of the Netherlands and countries on the left bank of the Rhine, that will cause her to succeed. What are they, when contrasted with all Europe? The event of such a nefarious project, would not depend on that point. If it could not be executed without that accession, it could not be executed with it.

THERE are other circumstances that would be much more likely to give it success: and these are the follies and vices of princes.

CAST your eyes around, and behold the condition of the human race-a condition, that while it evidences their wretchedness, and extorts your commiseration, yet amidst the ruins of man, bears testimony to the original glories of his nature, "whose builder is GOD.”

How have men," made in the image of their Creator," become thus depressed? Because their disposition is gentle, social, grateful, well-meaning, and therefore confiding.

THESE qualities they rashly indulged, not duly attending to another divine gift--REASONthe guide and guardian of the microcosm.

No gift of our Maker can be abused or neglected with impunity. His laws are not made, to be broken or slighted.

THE Cunning, the hard-hearted, laden with lusts, availed themselves of the means afforded to them by the innocent and the imprudent. They affected to be benefactors, that they might be masters. They were too successful. They fastened chains upon the very hands that were held up to heaven in supplication for blessings upon their heads.-The interests of the many, pleasing hecatombs in the religion of governors, have been sacrificed to the passions of the few. Tyranny and slavery, intemperance and misery, have raged, and are now raging, over the globe.

To nations thus steeped in woes, when liberty advances towards them, "the trumpet may give an uncertain sound"-but, when they "understand

it, they will prepare themselves for the battle". unless justice be rendered them. *

THE balance of power so much talked of, is generally a compact between the oppressors of mankind, settling among themselves, the quantity of mischief which each may commit, without being disturbed by the rest: and I appeal to history for the truth of what I now say. We have had a sample, in our own days, of this attention to the balance of power-IN THE PARTITION OF POLAND by which a noble nation was despoiled

The origin, the structure, the faculties, the affections, the hopes, and the progression of man, all concur to announce a destiny, even in this life, incomparably more favourable to his welfare, than the reign of follies and vices, has hitherto permitted him to enjoy.

The vastly valuable gifts already received from his adorable Creator, may justly animate his filial expectations. He begins to discover, bow, in some instances, those gifts have been intercepted, and how, in others, they have been perverted.

The divine works in nature, interpreted by a true philosophy, the authoritative instructions of revealed religion, their united influence in expanding, elevating, and directing the mind, the exciting intercourse as produced by the inventions of the compass and the press, are probably all, together, perhaps with other causes unknown to us, under a most gracious superintending Providence, silently cooperating, like "the wheels within wheels," described by the prophet, to accom plish a mighty revolution, with "glory to GoD in the highest, on earth peace, and good will towards men."

After the miracles of creation and revelation, the donation of other blessings, however extraordinary, when compared with the present state of things, is easily credible.

of liberty, at the very moment when they were most sensible of its value: a deed, as base and as cruel as any, the records ancient or modern of tyrannical hostilities against the human race, can supply.

I have said generally, because there have been some wise and commendable efforts, to maintain a balance of power in Europe. I have in my recollection, the alliances formed in the beginning of the seventeenth century, and continued to the peace of Muntser, near the middle of it, for controuling the power of the house of Austria; and these alliances were crowned with success. I have also in my recollection, the alliances formed afterwards in that century, and renewed about the beginning of this, for controuling the power of the house of Bourbon, and these alliances too were crowned with success.

THESE were manly, generous exertions, meriting to succeed, and may all such exertions have a like issue. Should France ever adopt the principles that were adopted by the heads of those houses, she will become as detestable as they have been and now are, and will deserve to be with them condemned to everlasting infamy.

WHAT did these houses, the exalted artificers of evils, the illustrious disturbers of the earth gain, by all their policy and all their guilt, all their frauds,