-<TV" 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
 
 REFLEC TION S 
 
 O N 
 
 PUBLIC MEN 
 
 AND 
 
 M E A S U R E S, &c. 
 
 [ Trice Two Shillings and Sixj-ence. ] 
 
 8 2*2 8

 
 CURSORY 
 
 REFLECTIONS 
 
 O N 
 
 PUBLIC MEN 
 
 AND 
 
 PUBLIC MEASURES 
 ON THE CONTINENT, 
 
 In a Letter to a Friend. 
 
 
 SECOND EDITION, 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR JOHN STOCKDALE, 
 Oppofite Burlington-Houfe, Piccadilly. 
 
 MDCCXC.
 
 i"\-J 7 
 
 S> 
 
 CURSORY REFLECTIONS, 
 
 
 \ Maycnce, November 30, 1789, 
 
 CO 
 
 cr 
 
 er. 
 
 v A T this diftance from England, engaged 
 J XJL in the buttle and gaieties of a court ; 
 in the very vortex of diflipation, and removed 
 as I am from the fource of authentic intelli- 
 gence ; I am but ill qualified to enter on the 
 fubjecl: you have propofed, and lefs fo perhaps 
 to inflrucl: you of what parTes in the political 
 world. The vagrant life that I have .led 
 g fince we parted, has indeed furnifhed me with 
 ~ abundant matter for obfervation, and J[ have 
 
 A 2 not 
 
 4 > "a ~ ?. * * m . *
 
 ( 4 ) 
 not been an indifferent fpedtator of public 
 events ; but it is impofilble, amidft thefcenes 
 that diffract me, to collect my ideas, nor have 
 I fufficiently confidered the prefent ftate of 
 Europe, and the conduit of thofe who have 
 governed it of late years, to give any thing 
 more than curfory remarks upon either ; yet 
 as far as my memory^ enables me to recollect 
 facts, and my capacity to decide upon them, I 
 will endeavour to render them as full and as 
 fatisfactory.as poflible, and at all events I hope 
 to remove fome errors which you appear to 
 have too eafily adopted, relative to the probable 
 confequences of the recent revolution in 
 France.) I muft however premife to you, (and 
 ? will demonstrate it by numberlefs examples 
 that have happened in our time,) that there are 
 few fubjects on which we can reafon with fo 
 little certainty as on political events, nor one 
 perhaps in the extenfive circle of human af- 
 fairs, which contradicts more fully our daily 
 crience, or that baffles more egregioufly 
 bur moft fanguine expectations. In almoft all 
 the' tranfactions of common life, the judgment 
 :ig directed by experience, is enabled to ef- 
 - timate
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 timate.with tolerable accuracy the refult of the 
 meafures it adopts ; it is in fact it's principal, 
 and, in many inftances, it's only guide ; man- 
 kind have fcarce -any other rule to go by, and 
 if they found themfelves deceived by it, or led 
 into error, that fpirit of enterprize fo necefTary 
 to the perfection of the arts, and the difcovery 
 of fcience j in a word, the active powers of 
 the mind would remain dormant, and the pro- 
 grefs of knowledge be fufpended. But this 
 principle, which, with fo few exceptions, con- 
 ducts the merchant and mechanic to wealth 
 and fame, is feldom of equal advantage to the 
 politician, nor is it always honored with his 
 attention : he is befides often compelled to 
 calculate on a variety of contingencies, where 
 prefumption itielf would tremble to confide ; 
 and he has frequently the mortification to find 
 that meafures the beft concerted, and the moft 
 faithfully executed, with every probable ai- 
 furance of the happieft iffue, are productive of 
 ends the very reverie to what he propofcd. 
 
 Let it not however be imagined that all the 
 mifcarr-iages which attend public affairs, pro- 
 ceed from caufes which cannot be forefeen, 
 
 or,
 
 ( 6 ) 
 
 or, if forefeen, that cannot be prevented. Nei- 
 ther let it be fuppofed that the fcience of po- 
 litics is fo complicated as to be underftood 
 with difficulty, and that the interefts of a nation 
 depend on fo many different combinations, that 
 it falls to the lot of few men to have fufficient 
 genius and induflry to comprehend and dif- 
 criminate them. (The failure of public mea- 
 fures is lefs to be attributed to the incapacity 
 of minifters, than to the paffions of ambition 
 and refentment, which are feldom fufceptible 
 of reftraint in men inverted with power and 
 riches not their own, and where the degree of 
 refpon Ability cannot pombly, by any human 
 contrivance whatever, be rendered adequate 
 to the confidence repofed. An individual 
 who fquanders his patrimony in thoughtlefs 
 diffipation, feels the penalty of his extra- 
 vagance in fubfequent want and mifery; 
 
 he falls alone, perhaps, the folitary victim 
 of his vices or his follies : but the man en- 
 trufted with the public welfare has nothing to 
 apprehend from his blunders or indifcretion, 
 and little from his malverfations, unlefs indeed 
 
 they
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 they are fo flagrant and audacious as to chal- 
 lenge enquiry, and fet popular clamor at de- 
 fiance. He plays without the leafl rifque 
 to himfelf or his family with the lives and 
 fortunes of millions, and tho' both are fre- 
 quently, facrificed mofr profufely to his am- 
 bition or his ignorance, he is fufFered to re- 
 tire undiflurbed from the truft he has abufed 
 without any diminution of the public efteem j 
 the difafters of his adminiftration are gene- 
 roufly placed to the account of unavoidable 
 misfortune, and his fucceflbr, confident of the 
 fame indulgence, purfues meafures perhaps 
 ftill more pernicious to the national honor and 
 profperity. It is to this impunity that we 
 are chiefly indebted for moil of the calamities 
 brought upon us by improvident and corrupt 
 minifters; nor is it poflible, nor even equi- 
 table if it were poflible, to render them ac- 
 countable for every failure that may happen : 
 [ for human affairs, notwithstanding the utmofl 
 efforts of human wifdom, will ever remain 
 too much expofed to chance to be infallibly 
 an d invariablyconducled to the ends we defign 
 them, and as it is difficult to mark the precife 
 
 boundary
 
 ( 8 J 
 
 boundary between intentional neglect, and an 
 error in judgment, it feems that our beft, and 
 indeed only fecurity, muft finally reft in the 
 integrity of thofe, whofe rank or talents re- 
 commend them to the fplendid but painful 
 pre-eminence of governing a kingdom. This 
 is not meant to extenuate mifconduct, or to 
 palliate guilt, but to urge the neceflity.xrf a 
 prudent choice of men to fill the firft offices in 
 the ftate, and this neceffity will appear the 
 more urgent, when it is recollected that men 
 thus raifed above their fellow citizens are ex- 
 pofed to the greateft temptations ; } that they 
 become the butt at which Jealoufy and Envy 
 direct their moft envenomed (hafts ; and that, 
 afTailed by flattery and falfehood on one fide, 
 and by malevolence and detraction on the 
 other, it requires no uncommon mare of ad- 
 drefs to refift the fatal effects .of the one, and 
 to preferve that happy equanimity of temper, 
 which can alone defeat the more open, but 
 not lefs dangerous intentions of the other. 
 The fuperiority of a cool and determined mind 
 has never been difplayed with greater luftre, 
 nor with happier effect, than in the inftance" 
 
 of
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 of" the prefent Minifter : he entered into office 
 in oppofition to one of the moft dangerous 
 factions that have difturbed the internal quiet 
 of the country fince the Revolution : even the 
 Houfe of Commons, which at firft fupported 
 him, . withdrew its protection, and from mo- 
 tives which it is difficult to account for, and 
 ftill more fo to excufe, deprived the kingdom 
 of it's government for the fpace of fix weeks. 
 The Minifter, thus abandoned, was left to con- 
 tend (as it was modeftly afferted by his adver- 
 faries) againft the collected wit and wifdom of 
 the nation, (an implication by the bye that he 
 was deftitute of both,) and that his difgrace 
 might be complete and inevitable, he had to 
 contend againft the force of numbers : all 
 circumftances confidered, and efpecially the 
 deplorable ftate of affairs at that lamentable 
 period, no man but himfelf, perhaps, would 
 have had the courage to refift this com- 
 bined ftrength, and we know of no other 
 in Englifh hiftory that ever defeated it. 
 That triumph was referved for Mr. Pitt ; 
 but if his temper had not happily been proof 
 againft the illiberal and pointed farcafms of 
 B interefted
 
 ( IO ) 
 
 interefted malevolence and difappointed am- 
 bition, if he had fuffered himfelf to have been 
 provoked by die indecent and multiplied at- 
 tacks both in and out of Parliament, he muft 
 in the commencement have relinquifhed a 
 fituation which he fills with fo much honor 
 to himfelf and advantage to the public, and 
 have left the country expofed to the depre- 
 dations of pennylefs adventurers : nor have the 
 injurious flanders of a later date, which ac- 
 cufed him of the extravagant deiign of con- 
 tending for dominion with the Prince, been 
 able to divert him from his duty, or interrupt 
 that fteady ferenity of difpofition, which, no 
 lefs than his great abilities, fo admirably qua- 
 lifies him for the important ftation he holds. 
 
 To the confiderations above mentioned may 
 be added others of no lefs weight, and efpe- 
 cially that of being milled by falfe intelligence, 
 ignorantly or defignedly given, and which the 
 inceflant preflure of public bufinefs (which 
 admits of no interruption) prevents being ex- 
 amined into at the moment. This melan- 
 choly truth has been woefully demonstrated 
 
 to
 
 ( II ) 
 
 to us in the profecution of the American war ; 
 for with the ftrongeft conviction of the inex- 
 pediency and injuftice of the meafure, with 
 every difpofition to condemn the violent and 
 ill-digefted counfels that plunged us into that 
 ruinous conteft, it would be unfair not to 
 attribute the failure of the enterprize, if not 
 the very enterprize itfelf, to the mifinformation 
 which the Minifter received from men, who 
 were either deceived themfelves (which is 
 fcarce poflible), or who intended to deceive 
 him. This reflection will naturally difpofe 
 us to be cautious in pairing judgment on thofe 
 who are entrufted with the adminiftration of 
 public airairs, but it mould not amount to an 
 act of grace for the facility with which they 
 fufrer themfelves to be impofed upon. It is 
 not however from credulity or incapacity that 
 we have to apprehend the mod: mifchief, for 
 men of that defcription are feldom fuiFered to 
 continue long enough in power to commit any 
 great or irreparable blunder ; it is from the 
 iniquitous mifapplication and perveriion of 
 great talents that we have every thing to fear 3 
 B 2 thofe
 
 ( > ) 
 
 thofe fplendid abilities which are formed and 
 intended by Providence to exalt national fame, 
 and promote public happinefs, operate in a 
 contrary direction whenever they are abufed : 
 inftead of procuring honor, wealth, and fecu- 
 rity to fociety, they involve it in difgrace j- 
 they fpread ruin and defolation on the prefent, 
 and entail mifery and diforder on future gene- 
 rations : inftead of conferring immortality (the 
 higheft reward that virtue can receive) on thofe 
 who porTefs them ; inftead of rendering them 
 a public blefling, they render them a public 
 curfe. (There are many who adt as if the 
 power of being mifchievous, gave them alfo 
 the right of being fo, who regard their em- 
 ployment not as a truft delegated for the ge- 
 neral good of fociety, but as the means of en- 
 riching themfelves and their dependents, of 
 gratifying their avarice, their ambition and 
 their vanity. In the minds of fuch men, the 
 public can have no place, and thofe who un- 
 happily pofTefs fuch fentiments, become con- 
 firmed in them from the impunity they enjoy, 
 and the impoftibility of inflicting (at leaft in 
 
 this
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 this world) a punifhment adequate to the 
 calamities they occafion. Men high in office, 
 with fuch difpofitions, tho' with moderate ta- 
 lents, may commit a world of mifchief, and 
 fuch characters will ever abound (that is, men 
 of little minds and corrupt hearts will always 
 be preferred) in thofe countries, where the 
 rights of the citizen are neither admitted nor 
 refpected (as on many parts of the Continent), 
 and where the popular odium cannot reach 
 or affect them : being accountable only to 
 the fovereign, (who acknowledges no rights 
 but his own, and who confiders every com- 
 plaint again ft his adminiftration as an attack 
 on his authority,) they have nothing to appre- 
 hend from their vexations and opprerlions, 
 unlefs the people, roufed by repeated infults 
 to a fenfe of their wrongs, mould appeal (as 
 the Brabancons have done) to Heaven and the 
 fword, and take ample tho' irregular vengeance 
 on the Defpot and his Inftruments.J 
 
 The truths here laid down muft frequently 
 have occurred to you : indeed no difcovery of 
 any thing new is pretended j for what disco- 
 ver-
 
 ( 14 ) 
 
 very can be expected in a trad: which, wide and 
 extenfive as it is, has been traverfed and ex- 
 plored in all ages, and by men of all capaci- 
 ties ? But tho' no novelty is pretended, it is 
 hoped that thefe truths may revive the fpirit 
 of patriotifm where it is dormant, and ani- 
 mate thofe who already feel it's virtuous and 
 enthufiaflic glow, to a faithful difcharge of 
 the duty they owe to God, their country, and 
 pofterity. Thefe truths, I own, cannot throw 
 any new lights on fo beaten a fubjeel:, but they 
 may engage us to look at home, and content^ 
 plate with equal pride and gratitude the hap- 
 py conftitution of our own Government ; 
 that benign and liberal fyftem -, the perfection 
 of human wifdom, which feems no lefs cal- 
 culated to fecure the ineftimable blemngs of 
 liberty, than to create and maintain in full 
 vigor that dignity of fentiment, that energy 
 of mind fo necelTary to it's prefervation, and 
 which, it may be aiTerted without any vain and 
 impertinent egotifm, does not exift in any 
 known region on the face of the globe, in 
 that force, fplendor, and extent, to what it 
 docs in the Britiili empire. 
 
 Ifhall
 
 ( *s ) 
 
 v I fliall now proceed to illuftrate, by occur- 
 rences which have happened fince the year ' 
 1765, the truth of what I advanced in the 
 commencement of my letter, that it is impof- 
 fible to reafon with any precifion a priori, on 
 the events of political meafures, which necef* 
 farily depending on remote and latent contin- 
 gencies, and expofed to numberlefs accidents, 
 are often poductive of effects not only contrary 
 to what were intended, but what never could 
 be expected from any poflible combination of 
 circumftances whatever. 
 
 France, humiliated and impoverimed by a 
 war in which her marine wasdeftroyed, and her 
 commerce almoft annihilated, beheld with ma- 
 lignant joy the foundation of future hoftility be- 
 tween Great Britain and her colonies in the mode 
 that was adopted to tax them, and anticipated 
 the moment that was to revenge her for the 
 loffes and difgraces fhe had furFered from a 
 victorious enemy. She was indeed difappointed 
 at the time, by the repeal of the ftamp act, 
 but the declaratory law (that libel upon com- 
 mon fenfe) which accompanied that repeal, 
 and deftroyed the merit of the conceffion, af- 
 
 fured
 
 ( i6 ) 
 
 fured her that the vengeance me defired was 
 only delayed for a fhort period, and the inter- 
 val was carefully employed to encreafe that 
 diftruft and jealoufy, from which me promifed 
 herfelf much important benefit. 
 
 A diftinc~tion is to be made between that 
 nation and it's government. The French 
 are certainly a great and gallant people, 
 worthy of our admiration, perhaps of our 
 affection ; but the Court of Verfailles has 
 ever delighted in dark and crooked politics, 
 in which abfurdity and infamy have con- 
 tended for dominion : it has attempted to 
 accomplish the moil extravagant and iniqui- 
 tous projects, by the moft paltry means ; and 
 tho* at times it has appeared capable of con- 
 ceiving vaft defigns, it has never in any one 
 inftance difcovered any talent but that efprit 
 de tracafferie which is the infallible mark and 
 invariable purfuit of little minds nor can 
 it be matter of furprize, that a Court, in 
 which the cabals of women (and women 
 very often of the moft profligate manners) 
 are alone attended to, mould defcend 
 
 to
 
 ( '7 ) 
 
 to the meannefs of low intrigue; for 
 what inducement can men of talents and 
 integrity have to come forward, when their 
 continuance in office, their reputation, and 
 even their lives, have depended upon the ca- 
 price and protection of an artful proftitute, 
 who herfelf had no aflurance of the favor that 
 raifed her into notice, and who had an intereft 
 in (landing between her paramour and every 
 man that was likely to convey wholefome, 
 but offenfive, truths to his deluded ear ? That 
 the foreign tranfactions of a court fo con- 
 flicted mould be regulated by the fame prin- 
 ciples and maxims by which it fupports itfelf 
 at home, is not furprifing: to fow diffentions 
 in neighbouring flates, and by that means hope 
 to govern without as it governs within, will 
 ever be the extent at once of it's views and 
 capacity ; as a wanton expenditure of the pub- 
 lic money will often be the fummit of it's 
 ambition. It was thofe principles, principles 
 that will ever produce public mifery and dif- 
 order, and terminate in infamy, that Simu- 
 lated the court of Verfailles to profit by the 
 blunders of the Britim minifler, who, with the 
 C declaratory
 
 ( iS ) 
 
 declaratory act of Lord Rockingham in one 
 hand, and a beggarly fchemc of finance in the 
 other, kindled the flames of civil difcord be- 
 tween the two hemifpheres. The battle of 
 Lexington announced the dhTolution of every 
 political tie between Great Britain and her co- 
 lonies, and France, concealing her deiigns with 
 more than Punic treachery, difpatched with 
 an indecent alacrity every wild and necemtous 
 adventurer to the Weftern world, that was 
 likely to ferve her purpofe : they were taught 
 their leflbn before they embarked ; they were 
 to declaim againfl the Britifh legnlature, for 
 exercifing an authority unknown to it's con- 
 IHtution ; they were to exhort an opprefTed 
 people to difpute the power that would reduce 
 them to unconditional fubmiflion j and men, to 
 whom the privilege of fpeech, and almoft of 
 thinking, was denied by the arbitrary maxims 
 of their own government, became on a fudden 
 pofTefied of both, and the champions of that 
 liberty for others, which they had not the 
 virtue to demand for themfelves. In this 
 manner the quarrel was artfully fomented, un- 
 til the capture of general Burgoyne decided 
 
 the
 
 ( '9 ) 
 
 the court of Versailles to throw off the mafk, 
 and fend a fleet and army to fupport the re- 
 bellion. No one at the time gave France any 
 credit for her generofity, or attributed her in- 
 terference to a love of freedom, or a fincere 
 defire to fee America emancipated from Great 
 Britain; but as that emancipation was likely 
 to diminifh the only power capable of contend- 
 ing with her, it was refolved to accelerate it 
 in violation of the treaty of peace; of the 
 maxims of domeftic policy ; and even of all 
 decency ; for at the inftant that thefe hoftile 
 preparations were making, and even after the 
 count d'Eftaing had failed, the moil pacific 
 intentions were avowed towards the Britifh 
 court. 
 
 The reafoning of the court of Verfailles, 
 as far as it related to the weakening of a for- 
 midable rival, was plaufible. It was natural 
 to fuppofe that the deprivation of thirteen 
 flourishing colonies, and three millions of fub- 
 jects, who came to the mother country ftir 
 every article of luxury and convenience, would 
 cripple her ; that the mod vigorous efforts 
 C 2 would
 
 ( *> ) 
 
 would be made to prevent fo irreparable a lofs 
 to her commerce and dominion ; and that as 
 every effort would add to the national debt, 
 and encreafe the public burthens, France 
 would profit from the event, whatever iffue 
 the conteft might ultimately have. I believe 
 that moft of us in England argued in the fame 
 manner, and dreaded an amputation that ap- 
 peared fo likely to reduce our confequence in 
 the fcale of nations. This apprehenlion was 
 fo great in the minds of thofe who had the 
 conduct of affairs at that time in England, 
 that they would readily have facrificed every 
 thing but their places, if by their meannefs and 
 fubmiffion they could have engaged the French 
 to preferve only the appearance of neutrality 
 no exception would have been made to a clan- 
 dejline fupply of ammunition ; the three 
 fleurs de lys might have continued to mock 
 the vigilance of our cruifers in the Delaware, 
 the Chefapeak, and the whole range of fea 
 coafts from Charles Town to Boflon ; and the 
 mafters of French merchant mips (better in- 
 ftru&ed in the fecrets of the Britifh cabinet 
 than the captains in our navy) might have 
 
 pailed
 
 ( * ) 
 
 pafTed unmolefled under the pretence of going 
 to, or coming from, the banks of Newfound- 
 land, if an open rupture had been avoided. 
 A fpirited and circular declaration (to render 
 it lefs pointed) mould have been fent from 
 London after the affair at Bunkers Hill, to all 
 the courts of Europe, that every foreigner 
 taken in arm6 in any of our colonies would be 
 inftantly hanged, and that all foreign veffels 
 whatever, found within three leagues of the 
 more, would be funk with their crews. Such 
 a flep, no lefs wife than vigorous, would have 
 prevented the vail effufion of blood which 
 our pufillanimous counfels occafioned: it would 
 have awed France into filence and refpec~t, and 
 perhaps have laved America -, for at that time, 
 the French were neither prepared nor difpofed 
 to do more than connive and foment ; they 
 would not have dared to declare openly in fa- 
 vor of revolt, as it was known for certain in 
 Europe, that the affections of our tranfatlantic 
 brethren were not then alienated beyond the 
 poffibility of recovery, and it would have been 
 madnefs to have fupported a people who were 
 connected with us by every poffible tie, and 
 
 who
 
 ( M ) 
 
 who from habit, from a fimilarity of manners, 
 and even from motives of interefr. and con- 
 venience, might be fuppofed willing to liften 
 to the flrft overtures of accommodation, and 
 fubmit to the mild and equitable government 
 which in a moment of anger they had re- 
 nounced. Bold and decifive meafures are un- 
 known to the court of Verfailles ; it's talent 
 is to circumvent, trifle, and deceive : it feems 
 to have adopted, and even to have improved 
 upon the favorite maxim of Louis the Xlth, 
 u Qui ne fait dijjimuler, ne fait regner -," and 
 the fcandalous timidity of the Britifh miniftry, 
 it mud be confeiTed, afforded ample room for 
 the difplay of all thofe little tricks and little 
 fprings by which that court has been for ages 
 kept in motion. Whatever advantages France 
 promifed herfelf from the contefl in the be- 
 ginning, thofe advantages feemed infallibly 
 fecured to her after fhe had contrived to draw 
 Spain and Holland into the difpute : I be^ 
 lieve it was the general opinion of all the 
 world that we fhould be compelled to folicit 
 peace on any terms the victors would conde- 
 fcend to dictate, and that we fhould be de- 
 graded
 
 ( *3 ) 
 
 graded to hold the third rank among the ftates 
 of Europe. That fuch an opinion was fup- 
 ported by every probability will hardly be dis- 
 puted : we were aflailed on all fides, and fup- 
 ported on none: we even feemed to have 
 joined iflue with our enemies, and to have 
 fought againft ourfelves. Officers hoftile to 
 the minifter, and who had an intereft in his 
 diigrace, were entrufted with the command of 
 fleets and armies neglect and mifconduct 
 marked their proceedings abroad diftraclions 
 prevailed at home money was taken up on 
 the public account with as little regard to fu- 
 ture payment, and expended with as little re- 
 gard to ceconomy and neceffity, as if it had 
 been borrowed by a gracelefs fpendthrift to 
 anfwer the purpofe of immediate diffipation. 
 The depreffion of the public funds to near 
 forty per cent, announced that the period of 
 national bankruptcy was not far removed, and 
 there were even men, who had fo little regard 
 to national honor, as to recommend the vio- 
 lation of the public faith as the fole means of 
 extricating us out of our difficulties. If I am 
 not miftaken, Mr. Fox let drop a fimilar idea 
 
 while
 
 ( H ) 
 
 while in office ; foreigners, I know, fufpeft 
 him capable of fuch a meafure : Sir John 
 Dalrymple, whofe induftry, if it was illumined 
 by genius, or directed by common fenfe, might 
 be beneficial to fociety, is alfo of that opinion, 
 and has, in a recent publication, advifed France 
 to make ufe of a fpunge, forgetful perhaps that 
 there is fuch a thing as public as well as pri- 
 vate morality, and that a breach of truft in a 
 nation, is as infamous, and infinitely more fa- 
 tal, than it can poffibly be in an individual : 
 for the fraudulent failure of a fcoundrel can 
 affect only a few, while that of a ftate mufl 
 involve millions in abfolute diftrefs and ruin. 
 
 Now, fir, let me recall your attention to 
 the futility of all political reafoning, by afking 
 you, if the pleafing virions with which the 
 court of Verfailles indulged itfelf have been 
 realized in either of the two inftances on which 
 fhe formed the mod extravagant hopes ? Is 
 France more potent, or England lefs formi- 
 dable, than they were at the epoch alluded to ? 
 Has the event anfwered in any degree the ex- 
 pectations that were formed ? On the con- 
 trary,
 
 ( 2 5 ) 
 
 trary, you fee the dominion and happinefs of 
 your country eftablifhed, beyond the example 
 of any former period, on the firm bafis of 
 peace abroad and union at home ; an extended 
 commerce ; and the ftri&eft ceconomy in all 
 the public departments : you have feen her 
 rife, as it were, fuperior to her fate, under 
 every prefTure of misfortune and hoftilityj 
 and that, abandoned by every power in Eu- 
 rope (by thofe even whom fhe had fed, raifed, 
 and protected), and left to contend againfr, a 
 league as formidable as that of Cambray, fhe 
 was herfelf a world in arms, and triumphed 
 over the combined efforts of foreign and do- 
 rneftic enemies. But her victory has been 
 rendered ftill more complete by the difrrefs 
 and confufion of thofe who fought her ruin. 
 Their expectations and their efforts have 
 failed, and not only failed, but, by a combi- 
 nation of circumflances which could not be 
 forefeen at the time, have recoiled on them- 
 felves. In other words, the court of Ver- 
 failles has fallen a vidtim to it's own duplicity, 
 and feels at this moment thofe evils which it 
 intended for others. Every coblef can reafon 
 
 D ZfOfr
 
 ( 26 ) 
 
 a pofteriori, and, when the mifchief is done, 
 point out the remedy by which it might have 
 been avoided; but without affecting more 
 wifdom or more penetration than other men, 
 it was ever my opinion, that if France fup- 
 ported the Americans, me had lefs to fear in 
 her colonies (notwithstanding their proximity 
 to theWeftern continent) than in Europe; and 
 this opinion arofe from my local" knowledge 
 of her fugar iflands, from an acquaintance with 
 the temper and difpolition of the natives, 
 whofe minds being debafed by habitual op- 
 preffion, and enervated by the climate, rendered 
 them incapable of forming at that time, and 
 flill lefs of executing, any project in favor of 
 liberty. A contrary idea, I know, prevailed 
 in England, where it was generally fuppofed 
 that the influence of example would only af- 
 fect her diftant poffemons, and that as it was 
 the intereft of all nations that had colonies to 
 difcountenance revolt, it was never imagined 
 that France, and much lefs that Spain who 
 had fo much at Hake, would fecretly connive, 
 or openly abet a meafure that might eventu- 
 ally make their own government. This was 
 
 the
 
 ( *7 ) 
 
 the language of common fenfe; but thofe who 
 reafoned in this manner were but ill informed 
 of the motives that determined the French 
 miniftry to adopt a refolution fo fatal and im- 
 politic; a refolution which has accelerated 
 with wonderful velocity a total diffolution of 
 their government, and introduced an anarchy 
 infinitely more terrible than the moft confirm- 
 ed defpotifm -, for there are few inftances in 
 hiftory of a revolution more fudden and more 
 violent in it's immediate effects, than that by 
 which the people of Paris in a few hours de- 
 . ftroyed monarchy in France, the duration of 
 which feemed no lefs affured to the fovereign 
 ( by habit, prejudice, and affection, than by the 
 impofing authority of a {landing army.") 
 
 Thofe who fuppofe that the court of Ver- 
 failles had no other view in embarking in the 
 late war, than to diftrefs and cripple us, give it 
 credit for more patriotifm than it deferves. 
 That fuch was it's language I own j I am even 
 willing to admit that it would have afforded 
 .matter of triumph to the nation at large to 
 have feen us humbled, but the court felt no 
 D 2 fuch
 
 ( 28 ) 
 
 iuch impulfe ; it's views were ftill more con- 
 traded, and proceeded merely from that nar- 
 row and mifchievous propenfity which it has 
 ever had to meddle in the domeftic diiputes of 
 other nations- to excite civil diflentions, and 
 to inflame them when excited. At the period 
 to which I allude, it had another reafon lefs 
 juftifiable, if poffible, for precipitating hofli- 
 litics between the two kingdoms, and this was 
 the handling of the public money to a greater 
 amount, and with lefs reftraint, than in times 
 of peace, when the expenditure being known 
 almoft to a farthing, it is at once difficult and 
 hazardous to mifapply or embezzle it. All 
 obstacles to both were removed by the war, 
 and thofe ministers, whofe departments gave 
 them the right of drawing upon the public 
 -treafury, did not fcruple to devote the money 
 deitined to the public fervice, to the purpofe 
 of wanton and libidinous extravagance. The 
 facility with which they complied with the 
 rapacious and indecent applications that were 
 perpetually made to them, is but poorly ex- 
 cufed by their reluctance to offend the quarter 
 from whence they came; and when we con- 
 
 fider
 
 ( ? ) 
 
 fider thefplendor and magnificence with which 
 fome of the moil indigent of them live at this 
 inftant in retirement oi- exile, it is fair to con* 
 elude that they were willing accomplices ia 
 the plunder of their country. Common fame 
 boldly aflerts, that millions of French livres 
 have been transmitted from Verfailles to Vi- 
 enna; and vulgar credulity, which, you know, 
 always delights in the marvellous and mon- 
 itrous, believes the report to be founded in 
 truth : I reject it as a calumny, not from an 
 opinion of fuperlative integrity in the parties 
 fufpe&ed to hwefent and to have received, but 
 from a perfuafion that the diffipations of the 
 one prevented the avarice of the other from 
 being gratified -, for that his mind is fordid 
 enough to covet wealth on any conditions, and 
 bafe enough to obtain it by any means, will 
 not be difputed by thofe who are in the leafl: 
 converfant with his character ; but tho' the 
 gentleman had no fcruples, and the lady as 
 few, yet /he had wants, and charity, yon 
 know, begins at home. 
 
 I have
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 I have merely mentioned this rumour, which 
 every patriotic Frenchman affects to believe, 
 that you may be convinced I do not haftily 
 adopt for gofpel all that is reported, and that 
 I am very far from wifhing to make the devil 
 appear more dingy than heis.iA refidencefor 
 many years on the continent, and an intimacy 
 -with men of all ranks and defcriptions, joined 
 to a fpeculative and inquifitive turn of mind, 
 have enabled me to judge with greater accuracy 
 than thofe who have not had thefe advantages ; 
 and tho' I do not expect that you mould im- 
 plicity confide in all I may communicate, I 
 truft that your opinion of my candor and my 
 known attachment to truth, will induce you 
 to examine before you reject, and, in the latter 
 cafe, to acquit me of a deliberate intention to 
 miflead your judgment, or impofe upon your 
 underftanding.j 
 
 After what I have faid relative to the mo- 
 tives of the French court for efpoufing the 
 caufe of America, and it's manner of ading 
 after it had engaged in it, you will not be at a 
 lofs to account for the turn which their affairs 
 
 have
 
 ( 3 1 ) 
 have takenat home. Every circumflance proves, 
 that the humiliating a powerful rival, which 
 was the ofteniible, and ought to have been the 
 iirft motive to the war, became very foon 
 a fecondary confideration ; for if France had 
 been warm or fincere in the bufinefs, (he would 
 have employed means better adapted to the ends 
 fhe propofed, and the money iffued from the 
 public coffers would have been faithfully ap- 
 plied to the purpofe for which it had been de- 
 manded. The more generous, and certainly 
 the more prudent part would have been, not 
 to engage in the quarrel on any account; but, 
 once engaged in it, the whole force and riches 
 of the country mould have been dire&ed to 
 that one objeel:, in order that fhe might have 
 come out of the difpute with a better grace 
 than fhe went into it. In the war before the 
 laft, when fhe had full employment for all the 
 troops fhe could collect, not only to defend 
 her territories at home and abroad, but to 
 fupport an army beyond the Rhine, fhe me- 
 naced us with an invafion, and actually pre- 
 pared for a defcent ; but on this occafion, when 
 /he had no other enemy to combat, and was 
 
 better
 
 ( 3* ) 
 
 better enabled to fpare a force for fuch a pur- 
 pofe, her efforts were languid and feeble, com- 
 pared to the magnitude of the enterprife and 
 the advantages fhe poffelfed ; and tho' it may 
 be thought by many, that {he performed won- 
 ders in the Weft Indies, I aver that it was im- 
 poffible for her to have done lefs, without ex- 
 pofing herfelf to the laugh and ridicule of the 
 whole world. 
 
 At the time that Ireland, under the pretext 
 of defending itfelf, was permitted to arm, and 
 the refolutions at Dungannon informed the 
 Britim minifter, that her object in arming 
 was not Co much to repel invafion, as to eman- 
 cipate herfelf from the authority of the Britiih 
 parliament, whofe right to legiflate for her was 
 denied in direct terms, and required to be re- 
 linquimed, there was a necemtous adventurer 
 at Verfailles who pretended to prove his defcent 
 from the Plantagenets. This man was extra- 
 vagant enough to make propofals, at which 
 Don Quixote himfelf would have laughed ; 
 but as any tub will do for the whale, and this 
 political knight-errant prefented himfelf at the 
 
 inftant.
 
 ( 33 > 
 
 inftant the French miniflry were perfuaded 
 that a civil war in Ireland was inevitable, he 
 was liftened to with attention ; he was even 
 aflifled by them with money, and had a credit 
 upon a commercial houfe in Amfterdam, 
 through whom the whole bufinefs was nego- 
 tiated. 
 
 The language of menace which the popu- 
 lar leaders in Ireland held at that time ; the 
 paffion for military aflbciations, which they 
 induftrioufly encouraged throughout the king- 
 dom, when they mould have turned their 
 thoughts to agriculture, and their rabble to 
 the plough, if they iincerely wiftied to ferve 
 their country, promifed all the Fayettes in 
 France a mod glorious harveft, and as it was 
 expected that independence would be declared, 
 many held themfelves in readinefs to embark 
 on the firft commotion. While thofe fire- 
 brands, actuated by ambition, by the hopes of 
 plunder, or by hunger, amufed themfelves with 
 Utopian fchemes of wealth and fame, the 
 court of Verfailles premeditated no lefs an en- 
 terprife than the fubverfion of the Britifh 
 
 E throne,
 
 ( 34 ) 
 
 throne, by tranfporting this wretched phantom 
 of royalty and an army into Ireland, where he 
 was to have published a manifefto aflerting his 
 right by hereditary defcent to the imperial dia- 
 dem of Great Britain : a diverfion was to have 
 been made at the fame time in England, and 
 I have been allured that fome of the moft dif- 
 affected of the Roman catholics (without 
 letting them farther into the fecret) were 
 founded as to the effect of a defcent. 
 
 Here we fee fomething like defign ; fome- 
 thing like the grandeur and fublimity of po- 
 litics ; an idea worthy of Ancient Rome when 
 it refolved upon the deflruclion of Carthage : 
 but examine the means, I befeech you, by 
 which this great event was to be accomplished, 
 and you will recoiled; what I afferted in a for- 
 mer part of this letter; that tho* the Court of 
 Verfaillesfeemed fometimes capable of forming 
 vaft projects, it's talent for executing them 
 failed ; and if they were attempted, it was in 
 a manner fo paltry, and fo ill proportioned in 
 every refpett to the end, that it was impoffible 
 they could ever fucceed. 
 
 This
 
 ( 35 ) 
 This embryo fcheme of invafion fell tc the 
 ground almoft as foon as it was conceived, and 
 the impoftor, this miferable vagabond, the ally 
 of France, abandoned to his fate, funk into the 
 obfcurity from wrience the little views of little 
 men would for the moment have raifed him. 
 
 That an attempt fo wild and abfurd in it- 
 felf, fo difficult to execute, and fo impoffible 
 to fucceed, could have been conceived by any 
 rational being, rauft be matter of furprize to 
 men of the meaneft capacity and of the great- 
 eft credulity, for they are generally united jp* 
 nor can we account for it upon any other prin- 
 ciple, than that efprit de tracajferie which I 
 have already mentioned to be the great object 
 of all French minifters (the virtuous Sully 
 excepted), and the diftinguifhing feature in all 
 French politics, as every nation in Europe can 
 teftify. 
 
 This intrigue is not generally known in 
 England. The miniftry at that time had no 
 idea of it i indeed, to do them juftice, they 
 
 E 2 were
 
 ( 36 9 
 
 were as little inftru&ed in political meafures 
 out of their own country, as if they had no- 
 thing to do with public afiairs. The depar- 
 ture of D'Eflaing was not only a fecret to 
 them, but difbelieved, till the frigate that ac- 
 companied him out of the Straits, and faw 
 him ihape his courfe for America, arrived with 
 the intelligence. De GralTe had reached 
 Martinique before they knew he had left Breft $ 
 and Vifcount Stormont, who pretends to be 
 the beft informed man of the age, not only in 
 Greek and Latin, but in politics and commerce, 
 and who now takes the lead in every parlia- 
 mentary debate, pofitively afferted in theHoufe 
 of Lords, that we had nothing to fear from 
 Spain, the very day before Count D'Almoda- 
 var left his refcript. 
 
 I recall thefe circumilances to your mind 
 en pajfant, merely to convince you how very 
 improper fuch people are to manage the inte- 
 refts of a great nation at any time, but efpeci- 
 ally in a crifis like that, full of danger and diffi- 
 culty, and in which we muft have been infalli-
 
 ( 37 ) 
 
 bly cruihed, if our enemies had acted in con- 
 cert, and with a vigor proportioned to their 
 ftrength and refources. 
 
 It appears to me to be the policy of France 
 to confider her prefent friends as future foes ; 
 at leaft I have oblerved that fhe has ever thrown 
 the burthen of the wars in which fhe has been 
 engaged, as much as poffible, on her allies, 
 and that fhe has never hefitated to leave them 
 in the lurch, whenever a favorable opportunity 
 offered to facrifice them. This conduct 
 (which is meant, no doubt, to render them 
 incapable of mifchief, whenever intereft or con- 
 venience mould decide them to take part 
 againft her) was rigidly adhered to throughout 
 the whole of the late war. The Americans were 
 amufed with fplendidpromifes (which it would 
 have coft nothing to retract or deny) until the 
 poflibility of reconciliation with England was 
 totally deftroyed : nor were they realized at any 
 fubfequent period to their full extent ; fb far 
 from it, that her admiral Monfieur de Ternay 
 (who is fuppofed by many to have died of cha- 
 grin at Rhode Ifland) was at one time deflitute 
 
 of 
 
 e^f.^i^ r * *
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 of provifions, and without money or credit to 
 purchafe them, and it is known that his fleet 
 was faved by the exertions of the French con- 
 ful at Bofton, who, having married the niece 
 of Mr. Hancock, had created an intereft in the 
 country which enabled him to ferve his em- 
 plovers. I fpeak from facts ; for I have feen 
 the correfpondence that pafled between the 
 parties on that occafion, and the grateful ac- 
 knowledgments of the former to the latter 
 for his patriotifm, zeal, and humanity. 
 
 The Spaniards, whofe rooted antipathy to 
 theFrench nation would fecure them from being 
 the dupes of French politics, if their incli- 
 nations or interests had been confulted at Ma- 
 drid, w r ere alfo invited to a mare of the difgrace 
 and expences of a di-faftrous and dishonorable 
 war. Their late king, whofe poverty of in- 
 tellects rendered him an eaiy victim to the ar- 
 tifices of the French court, fancied himfelf at 
 the head of the houfe of Bourbon, as Taint de 
 la famille, and under that idea he thought that 
 he governed both kingdoms, when in fact he 
 was the tool of one, and the derifion of the 
 
 other.
 
 ( 39 ) 
 
 other. Whoever flattered this particular weak- 
 nefs, this extravagant vanity in the old man 
 was fure to carry their point, and, on remind- 
 ing him of the intrepid language of a Britih 
 officer at Naples in the year 1744, when he 
 gave him an hour to decide the fate of that 
 fuperb city, it was eafy to engage him in a 
 war with England, 
 
 The prince of Orange, who to a better 
 underflanding (for he could not have a worfe) 
 added the advantage of better counfels, 
 faw through the defigns of the Gallic mini- 
 ftry, and very prudently evaded leaving his 
 own coaft defencelefs, to fwelL the triumph 
 of the Breft fquadron. Hence all the clamor, 
 all the little manoeuvres that were openly and 
 fecretly fet in motion, not only to bring his go* 
 vernment into contempt, but his family to ruin* 
 Hence all the bafTeiTe, fawning, fervility, and 
 cringing of the French minifter at the Hague, 
 to. the meaneil mopkeeper in Amfterdam. 
 Hence all the atrocious calumnies that were 
 invented for the iniquitous purpofe of creating 
 jealoufies in the minds, and alienating the af- 
 fections of the people of Holland, in the cri- 
 minal
 
 ( 40 ) 
 
 initial hope that the defection of the moft opu- 
 lent and moft populous province would be 
 followed by that of the others. Hence the 
 cabals and confpiracies againft the late duke 
 of Brunfwick, even after he had been driven 
 into exile. In a word, from this prudent and 
 patriotic attention to home defence, arofe all 
 thofe diforders and mifchiefs that had nearly 
 annihilated the republic, and which terminated 
 in thofe fcenes of defolation, robbery, and 
 bloodmed, of which you were accidentally a 
 fpectator. 
 
 Now, fir, examine the conduct of the court 
 of Verfailles throughout the whole of thefe ne- 
 farious proceedings : recollect, the afiiduities 
 of their minifter to acquire the confidence of 
 thofe whom he was afterwards to play off, and 
 to move at his pleafure, or rather at the plea- 
 fure of thofe who employed him, for he was 
 but the inftrument: recollect the falfehoods 
 that were invented and induftrioufly circulated 
 to prove that the interefls of the Seven Pro- 
 vinces had been betrayed, and finally the aflu- 
 rances that were fb confidently, nay impu- 
 dently given, of full and ample fupport in cafe 
 
 of
 
 ( 4t ) 
 
 of danger, when it was fuggefted by the moft 
 wary of the factious party, that Prufiia and 
 England would never remain indifferent to the 
 violence and injustice with which it was pro- 
 pofed to treat the Stadtholder: recollect that 
 it was upon the faith of thefe affurances, fo 
 repeatedly given, that they began to flrip him 
 (ruffian like), and leave him nothing but his 
 innocence, and the glory of being defcended 
 from thofe who had refcued the country from 
 the tyranny of Philip the lid. Let me alfo re- 
 call to your mind the profound diflimulation 
 with which thefe offers of friendship and pro- 
 tection were continued, until impudence it- 
 felf would have blufhed to diffemble. I aver 
 it to be a fact, (for I was in the neighbourhood 
 at the time,) that, at the infiant the PrufTians 
 were at the gates of Amfterdam, the patriots 
 (as they called themfelves) firmly believed 
 that a French army had reached Bois le Due 
 on it's way to their relief. Nor was the farce 
 ill managed that lulled them into this ruinous 
 confidence. The French affected to prepare 
 for war : they pretended to enter into a contract 
 for (hipping with a merchant at Oilend, for 
 
 F the
 
 ( 4* ) 
 
 the tranfport of troops from Dunkirk to 
 form magazines at Givet,from whence an army 
 was to defcend the Meufe. Some boats were 
 even purchafed. A contractor for forage was 
 appointed at Liege, and vail numbers of ar- 
 tillery men, and other military adventu- 
 rers, gentlemen with ruffles without mirts, 
 traverfed that principality on foot, and in An- 
 gle files, difguifed like peafants. All thefe 
 feints, you will acknowledge, were well cal- 
 culated to impofe upon the credulous fimplici- 
 ty of thofe whom they were meant to miilead, 
 and who, even at the moment that they were 
 abandoned and betrayed, looked up to Lewis 
 the XVIth (God help him !) as the Meffiah 
 who was to work their political falvation. 
 
 That the cool and firm conduct of the 
 Britim miniftry intimidated the common 
 enemy of Europe, cannot admit of a doubt. 
 They bluflered indeed at firft, and talked big, 
 and would perhaps have fent furficient troops 
 into Holland to plunge the faction into civil 
 war, but not to bring them out of it, for that 
 would not have anfwered their purpofe. They 
 
 were
 
 ( 43 ) 
 
 were perfuaded that Pruflia would not act 
 without the concurrence of England ; and 
 that England would not dare to plunge herfelf 
 fo foon into fre(h difficulties : but the laconic 
 and expreffive anfwer of Mr. Grenville to all 
 their, queftions and tergiversations, " >ue le rot 
 s'arme," effectually filenced their impertinence 
 and fruftrated their defigns. 
 
 At the time that this negotiation was con- 
 ducted with fo much fpirit, ability, and fuccefs 
 by that young and intelligent flatefman, whole 
 talents and integrity promife fo much benefit 
 to his country $ meafures were taken, un- 
 known to government, by our eccentric friend, 
 to have the citadel of Liege put into the hands 
 of the Dutch, the very inftant the French at- 
 tempted to move at Givet, by which means 
 the navigation of the Meufe would have been 
 interrupted, and the defcent of an army, of 
 ammunition, and of forage by water, rendered 
 impracticable, until that fortrefs was re- 
 duced, which could not, on account of 
 it's natural ftrength, have been done with- 
 out a regular fiege. ? The importance of 
 this poft in fuch a moment, will ftrike 
 
 F 2 every
 
 ( 44 ) 
 
 every man who has a knowledge of that 
 country, and it's acquifition was certain, not 
 only from the attachment of fome particular 
 people to the courts of Berlin and of London, 
 but from the general hatred and deteftation in 
 which the Bifhop was held, who, under the 
 mafque of the mofr. fincere and unaffected 
 piety, conceals a mind capable of conceiving, 
 and an heart capable of executing, every crime 
 under Heaven, that does not require courage 
 to enfure it fuccefs. The patriotic zeal, 
 however, of our countryman was rendered ufe-* 
 lefs by the event. The French fubmitted to 
 the meannefs of abandoning their party, and 
 government derived a triumph more certain 
 and complete, perhaps, than it would have ob^ 
 tained by plunging the country into a war, 
 
 I Let me now remind you of another inftance 
 of the perfidy and duplicity of the French 
 cabinet, which, tho' not in the exacl: order of 
 time, will illuftrate ftill farther thofe truths 
 which I have endeavoured to eftablifh ; and 
 convince you that there was a fyftematic plan 
 adopted at Verfailles, and purfued with inflex- 
 ible but cautious malignity, to accomplifh the 
 
 total
 
 ( 4? ) 
 
 Jotal ruin of the United Provinces. I allude 
 to the bravado (for what was it elfe) of eman- 
 cipating the Scheld from the fetters which 
 the Dutch, from neceffity and common pru- 
 dence, had impoied upon it's paflive and de- 
 graded waters J 
 
 When the emperor, ftimulated by avarice, 
 and by that reftlefs temper which denies repofe 
 to himfelf and to all that unhappily comes 
 within it's vortex, projected demands which 
 he knew would never be complied with, and 
 employed menaces which he never meant to 
 execute; it was evident that he built upon 
 the inability of the Dutch to difpute his pre- 
 tentions with the fvvord, and vainly imagined 
 that the bare mention of the ultima, ratio regum 
 would on this occafkm be conclufive. Under 
 this perfuafion he declared, " that the firfl 
 foot which they fired at the vejfel he Jhould 
 fend up the Scheld, Jhould be conftdered as a 
 declaration of war" Prince Kaunitz, more 
 prudent and better informed than his matter, 
 affured him that the vefTel would certainly be 
 
 flopt,
 
 ( 46 ) 
 
 ftopt, and that, notwithstanding the dhTentions 
 of the Dutch, they would unquestionably 
 unite to repel fo grofs an infraction of fubiifting 
 treaties ; but as the emperor, like Lewis the 
 XI th, carries " tout fin confeil dans fa tete" 
 (and this is not the only parallel between 
 them,) he replied " that they would not dare 
 to fire at the Imperial J?ag." The event hap- 
 pened, however, as it had been predicted, and 
 when the difpatch arrived at Vienna with the 
 humiliating intelligence, it- was forwarded t6 
 his majefty with this farcaflic indorfement, 
 " ih ont pourtant tire'" 
 
 - Thefe antiquated claims, which, to the beil 
 of my memory, confifted of fifteen or feven- 
 teen articles, were neither more nor lefs than 
 a pitiful expedient to add to the hoard of 
 about twelve millions fterling, which had 
 been induftrioufly accumulated by hook or by 
 crook, by lopping off penfions which the mu- 
 nificence, public gratitude, or piety of the late 
 emprefs had beftowed upon helplefs and defer- 
 ving objects, and by other means to the full 
 
 as
 
 ( 47 ) 
 
 as ungenerous and indirect. In fliort, my 
 dear fir, the demand of territory and opening 
 the Scheld was the language of our gentlemen 
 on the road, " your money or your life j" for 
 whenever the port of Antwerp is opened, Am- 
 fterdam, which contains the life-blood of the 
 Seven Provinces, muft lofe confiderably. It 
 was, in fact, a threatening letter to the repub- 
 lic, and a fraud on the people of Brabant and 
 Flanders : the one was to be plundered un- 
 der the name of indemnity ; the other, under 
 that of 2i]ubfidy, A fimilar conduct in private 
 life would expofe the offending party to a pro- 
 fecution on the ftatute againfl obtaining money 
 under falfe pretences ; but, unfortunately for 
 the repofe and interests of fociety, the mora- 
 lity of princes differs from that of individuals. 
 
 The Dutch, however, notwithstanding their 
 quarrels amongft themfelves, were not intimi- 
 dated : they had not only the fpirit to reject 
 the extravagant demands that were made, but 
 the good-humour to laugh at them; and if 
 they had been left at liberty to manage their 
 own affairs, I have no doubt but the celebrated 
 
 \ diilich
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 diftich that was written, I think, on Lewis the 
 XlVth, or his great-grandfon, 
 
 The king of France, voitb 40,000 men, 
 
 March' J up the bill, and fa march' d dmun again , 
 
 would have been applied with greater juftice 
 to the enterpriiing Jofeph ; for the republic 
 prepared for refinance, and would have left 
 the iflue of the difpute to the decifion of the 
 fword ; but as this would have defeated the 
 more refined politics of the French minifter, 
 the mediation of his court was immediately of- 
 fered, and could not decently or fafely be re- 
 fufed. He was aware, that a public enemy 
 without, would put an end to domeftic feuds 
 within, and this was not his object : he was 
 alfo fenfible, that, if hoftilities commenced, 
 his court would be reduced to the alternative 
 of fupporting the Dutch, or difcovering the in- 
 fincerity of it's profefhons, and either would 
 have proved fatal to the views it had formed. 
 It was a dilemma which required fome dexte- 
 rity to avoid, and the condud of Monfieur de 
 Vergennes was at one time fo ambiguous even 
 at Verfailles, that, on the queen's deliring him 
 
 to
 
 ( 49 ) 
 
 to recolleft that the emperor was her brother, 
 he coolly replied, " that he Jhould never for- 
 ' get that the fifter of the emperor was the 
 u queen of France*' 
 
 Independent of this hint, it was necefTary to 
 preferVe appearances with the court of Vienna; 
 for tho* it Was known it did not expeft that all 
 it had afked would be granted, yet it was never 
 imagined that all would be given up, and 
 that too with as little ceremony as it had been 
 demanded. Befides, the Imperial fiat had pro- 
 nounced the firfl (hot on the part of Holland 
 to be a declaration of war ; that (hot was 
 fired, and, as even thepoflibility of an amicable 
 accommodation feemed excluded by this ftep, 
 comment eviter la guerre, fans que fa majefle 
 Imperiale fe donne un dem?nti? All this was 
 embarramng; for, though the catalogue of 
 claims was fufceptible of an arrangement, yet 
 the honor of the emperor was at flake, and it 
 was not eafy to fall upon an expedient for fav- 
 ing it. 
 
 Such partly was the language which was 
 held at the Hague, but at Vienna another jar- 
 
 O gQn
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 gon was fpokcn : it was contended, that the 
 faith of treaties was the bafis of all concord 
 and friendfhip between independent ftates, and 
 that they ought to be inviolably obferved 
 the injustice of fuch enormous demands was 
 afterwards examined, and commented upon 
 with decent energy the impoffibility of ac- 
 ceding to them was modeftly advanced, and 
 it was refpectfully infinuated that the court of 
 Verfailles would be compelled to efpoufe the 
 jnterefts of the republic, if reafonable terms 
 were refufed. 
 
 i 
 
 Thefe arguments had the dented effect, et 
 
 eomme il ne coute rien a f empereur de fe re- 
 culer t he condefeended to reduce his pretentions 
 to what he thought moderate, but which were 
 peremptorily rejected by the Dutch. Ano* 
 ther ultimatum was afterwards tranfmitted, 
 which was alfo rejected. This was followed 
 by another , which, though lefs infolent and 
 extravagant than the former, met with the 
 fame fate. The emperor became outrageous ; 
 Vergennes was difconcerted by Batavian ob- 
 flinacy,and had recourfe to threats. The Prince 
 de Ligne aflured me, that he had received or- 
 
 ders
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 ders to march the 1 5 th of September, if thefe 
 final terms (as they were called) were not ac- 
 ceded to ; and hoftilities were thought inevi- 
 table by thofe who had not attended to the fa- 
 cility with which his Imperial majefly re- 
 traces and recedes, the inftant he finds thaV 
 men are not to be frightened by big words and 
 menaces. You were aftonifhed, I know, after 
 all thefe immenfe preparations, and a refolution 
 to begin the war by a day fixed for that pur- 
 pofe, that a farther refpite was gracioujly al- 
 lowed, until the return of a courier from Vi- 
 enna (who by the bye never went) ; but how 
 much more furprifed were you, when another 
 ultimatum, which had been kept in petto, (and 
 which was as modeft as an ultimatum can be,) 
 was produced, and all the pompous and ex- 
 travagant demands that had been made, almofl 
 entirely abandoned ! 
 
 The French minifter, apprehenfive that sM 
 his labor would prove fruitlefs, and his views 
 be defeated, had already begun to talk in high 
 terms, and threatened to leave the States Ge- 
 neral to their fate, not withftan ding he had en- 
 G 2 couraged
 
 ( 5* ) 
 
 couraged them to refift the Imperial demands, 
 to augment their land forces, and had actually 
 faddled a man on them, (whom he wifhed to 
 get rjd of,) to whom they gave a regiment that 
 bore his name (the legion of Maillebois), and 
 all the appointments with the rank and autho- 
 rity of commander in chief. 
 
 The whole conduft pf Monfieur de Ver- 
 gennes in the beginning announced an intention 
 to fupport them, and he abfolutely promifed 
 it, provided they would be patient, and act 
 merely on the defenfiye, " d* avoir feulement un, 
 " peu de menagement pour fetnpereur' nay, 
 he even carried the deception fo far (the better 
 to remove all doubts pf his fincerity) as to or- 
 der the troops on the frontiers of Brabant tq 
 hold themfelves in readinefs : artillery was 
 alfo provided at Douay ; and, at one time, the 
 cavalry at Valenciennes were directed to be 
 ready to march at an hour's notice. 
 
 All this appeared fo convincing, that fufr 
 picion itfelf would have been lulled into con- 
 fidence. The mot that was fired, however, 
 
 furnifhed
 
 ( S3 ) 
 
 furnifhed him with an excufe to change his 
 language: he pretended that they had gone 
 too far > y that the outrage they had committed, 
 had deftroyed the pleafing profpect he had of 
 fettling their differences with the court of Vi- 
 enna, and that he could not anfwer for the 
 confequences of their imprudence and im- 
 patience. It was urged in vain that they had 
 acted only on the defenfive ; that their frigate 
 did no more than it's duty in defending a paf- 
 fage which had been fhut by treaty, and 
 which had been attempted to be forced ; and 
 that the emperor, not they, had fought the quar- 
 rel. The occafion was too favorable to his 
 purpofe to be relinquished, and evafions coft 
 nothing. The mot they had fired was {till 
 the fubject: of complaint y and, finding them- 
 felves in danger of being deferted by their 
 jr tends, they finally confented to cede, or ra- 
 ther to exchange a fdrt on the Scheld ; to pay 
 near a million flerling, by way of indemnifi- 
 cation for the expences of marching the regi- 
 ments of Wurmfer and Bender into the Pays 
 Bas; and (at which gravity itfelf will be pro- 
 voked to laugh) it was agreed, " pour Jauver 
 
 " fbort-
 
 c ) 
 
 " fhonneur de Temper eur, y% to fend an embafiy 
 to Vienna to apologize for the infult pretended 
 to have been offered to his flag. 
 
 Thus ended this famous negotiation, to the 
 inanifeft prejudice of one party, and the infamy 
 of the other : for, if the claims of the emperor 
 were well founded, the terms on which they 
 were compromifed were diigraceful ; if they 
 were unjuft, he was not lefs infamous, and the 
 republic was plundered. There is no me- 
 dium. The States General had been required 
 to give up Masftricht ; a part of Outre Meufe; 
 a marquifate or two; and, if I am not mis- 
 taken, fome bailiwicks : an enormous fum of 
 money, with interefl, faid to be owing, was 
 alfb demanded; and the free navigation of the 
 Scheld. There were fome other articles 
 which I do not remember; but compare the 
 fum total demanded, with the fum total paid, 
 and tell me if you think, that, if the former 
 had been equitable, the latter would have been 
 accepted? For the Dutch, after all their 
 loffes, are well able to pay twenty millings in 
 the pound ; and I am fure, from the character 
 
 of
 
 < S3 j> 
 
 pf the man, that fo paltry a confideration would 
 never have been taken in full for fo large a 
 debt, if it had been juft. But the fad: is, the 
 Dutch were bullied on one fide, and betrayed 
 on the other; for if Monfieur de Vergennes 
 had not been refolved upon diftremng them at 
 all events, and on weakening them by every 
 jpomble .means lie could -devife, they Would 
 never have paid a ftiver.^-r-I mould think k 
 tery extraordinary in ajriend, that would ad- 
 Sfife me qo compromife -matters with an incen- 
 diary, who, without arjy fight in law -or equi- 
 ty, and pcefoming more iOn my weaknefs than on 
 his own r pwefs, mould think proper to demand 
 half my fortune; and equally fo, if it was ex- 
 pected of me to reward his impudence and 
 t difhotiefty by a pecuniary prefent after he had 
 relinquished his ill founded pretentions to my 
 property. 
 
 Now, fir, let me entreat of you to examine 
 all the facts that I have ftated, as well as others 
 that muft, occur to you, and to examine, with 
 your ufual penetration and preci(ion,the whole 
 conduct of the French cabinet of late years 
 
 towards
 
 ( 5* ) 
 
 towards the Seven Provinces. Remember, I 
 befeech you, the artful manner in which it 
 infinuated itfelf into favor, for the purpofe of 
 plunging them, contrary to their intereft, into 
 a war with an old and faithful ally 'the foul 
 and illiberal means it employed in the midft. of 
 that war, and after it's conclufion, to impeach 
 the integrity of the Stadtholder, for the purpofe 
 of depriving him of all truft and confidence, 
 and creating diiTentions in the republic which 
 threatened it's very exiftence : recall to your 
 mind the duplicity of the pretended mediation 
 of the court of Verfailles with that of Vienna, 
 which terminated in plundering the Dutch of 
 almoft a million fterling; and, finally, it's 
 mean and difhonorable defertion of the party 
 which it had feduced, and precipitated into 
 acts of brutal and unpardonable violence, un- 
 der the moft folemn arYurance of protection 
 and fupport: combine and weigh all thefe 
 circumftances together, and anfwer me can- 
 didly, if you do not perceive, throughout the 
 whole of thefe multifarious and iniquitous 
 tran factions, one perfect defign, a regular pre- 
 concerted plan, artfully begun, and deliberately 
 
 pur-
 
 ( 57 ) 
 purfued to a certain point, that is, to the mean 
 and fcandalous defertion of it's own fyftem 
 and views in September, 1787, in which the 
 principal object was not fo mach to detach the 
 Dutch from the Britifh interefts, and unite 
 them to thofe of France, as to impoverish and 
 enfeeble them ; to diminish their ftrengtfc, and 
 reduce them, by inteftine difcord, to fuch a 
 ftate of debility and infignificance, as to render 
 it a matter of no confequence to what fide they 
 inclined in cafe of future hoftility between the 
 two kingdoms ? 
 
 Nor were the dark and crooked views of 
 the artful and defigning minifter who governed 
 France at that time, confined entirely to the 
 republic ; he foared at higher game, and, in 
 the extravagance of his malignant views, ima- 
 gined he had laid the foundation of inevitable 
 ruin to the manufactures and marine of Eng- 
 land by the treaty of commerce. I hear you 
 exclaim that he is no more : I know it*: but 
 I reprobate the maxim of de mortuis uilniji bo- 
 num ; it was the artful invention of bad men, 
 to fkreen themfelves from pofthumous cen- 
 
 H fure.
 
 ( 58 ) 
 
 fure. The virtuous man looks forward, and 
 enjoys, even in this life, the refpect that will 
 be paid to his memory after death ; he feels it 
 a flimulus to great and glorious actions ; and 
 if we regard the meritorious with admiration 
 and affe&ion, if they live in our efteem after 
 they are fummoned to the peaceful manfions 
 of eternal reft, to receive the recompenfe due 
 to their virtuous career in this world, why 
 mould we refrain to ftigmatize the profligate 
 and wicked ? No, fir, let them dread the 
 cenfure that will follow them to the grave; 
 let them know, that the infamy of their lives 
 will furvive their power of doing mifchief, and 
 that their names will defcend to the lateft, po- 
 fterity, marked with the execration of all man- 
 kind. I repeat it to you again, that the friend- 
 fhip of Monfieur de Vergennes was more fatal 
 than his enmity -, that all his profeffions of 
 amity were ultimately intended to anfwer fome 
 fecret and finifter defign ; and that when he 
 embraced fo ardently the propofal for a com- 
 mercial treaty, he had no views of immediate 
 advantage to France, but of future detriment 
 to England ; and that, occupied with an idea 
 
 fo
 
 ( 59 ) 
 
 (o congenial with his feelings, and Co adapted 
 to his talents, he was infenfible to the innu- 
 merable remonftrances and reprefentations that 
 flowed tumultuoufly from all the manufac- 
 turing towns throughout the kingdom, efpe- 
 cially from Lyons, Rouen, Sedan, and Abbe- 
 ville, in which the confequences of a treaty, 
 fo vifibly beneficial to Great Britain and de- 
 flfuclive to France, were dated with all the 
 energy and eloquence that impending ruin 
 
 could dictate. 
 
 i 
 
 An attempt was made, you know, to throw 
 an odium on that meafure in England, and the 
 miniftry were accufed bf having facrificed the 
 public intereft to ideal advantages; but the 
 clamor that prevailed on this fide of the chan- 
 nel (for remember I am on the Continent) 
 gave the lie direct to all the flanders of oppo- 
 iition on the other fide, and juftified a meafur e 
 which the event has abundantly proved to 
 have been founded in wifdom, and to have the 
 extenfion of trade, and the general interefts of 
 the nation, for it's object:. 
 
 Hz The
 
 ( <5o ) 
 
 The English miniftry, actuated by a liberal 
 and generous fpirit of patriotifm, fought to 
 advance the profperity of their own country, 
 without doing an injury to their neighbours. 
 The French minifter was influenced by no 
 fuch motive : he went, like a defperate gam- 
 bler, upon chances : his intention was folely 
 to deftroy ; and, contenting himfelf with fow-* 
 ing at random the envenomed feeds of diftant 
 mifchief, as he thought, he left it to time and 
 accident to bring them to maturity. When 
 he was reproached by a perfon who lived in 
 habits of intimacy with him, that he had done 
 an irreparable injury to the trade and manu- 
 factures of his own country by that treaty, and 
 afked how he could be fo egregioufly deceived 
 in a matter fo obvious to the meaneft capacity, 
 he replied, " Jefais bien que le traite n'eft pas 
 avantageux pour nous -, mats rt import e -, c'eft 
 un coup de canif a leur fameux afte de navi- 
 gation, ce qui vaudra beaucoup par /a/uite," 
 
 Such was the poor and defpicable reafor* 
 given by that forry politician for having ad-, 
 yifed his fovereign to enter into that treaty. 
 
 I had
 
 ( 6i ) 
 
 I had it from the man to whom it was given, 
 and you may rely on it's authenticity. Such 
 were the tricks and expedients fo worthy of 
 thole who perfcrmed them, and fo perfectly 
 confiftent with the uniform practice of the 
 French cabinet, by which the maritime trade 
 of Great Britain was to be eventually de- 
 flroyed ; the Prince of Orange and his family 
 difgraced and banifhed ; and the Seven Pro- 
 vinces reduced to that melancholy ftate of 
 anarchy and public diftrefs to which France 
 is at this inilant a wretched and deplorable 
 victim, , 
 
 ( And yet the plots and under-plots of this 
 bankrupt court, had they been properly fup- 
 ported, were well calculated to bring them to 
 an happy conclufion ;) but they were negli- 
 gently puriued, and, befides, the internal dif- 
 trefs of the country operated in a contrary di- 
 rection, and counteracted their efforts. ,Thc 
 diforder which prevailed in their finances was 
 not generally known ; it was known only to 
 a few, and that few (afraid to make it public) 
 looked no farther than to their own eafe and 
 
 emo-
 
 ( 6z ) 
 
 emoluments during their precarious and tran- 
 fitory ftay in office, and exulted in their dexteri- 
 ty and addrefs, if they could conceal the canker 
 that fecretly devoured the vitals of their coun- 
 try. Even the. moil intelligent men in France 
 never fufpected the evil to be fo alarming as it 
 has turned out to have been, and not one of 
 them fuppofed it was incurable but by an ex- 
 plofion which would involve in one complete 
 and comprehenfive ruin the nobility and cler- 
 gy, and even the monarchy itfelf.J A gaudy 
 exterior, a kind of ftate varnifh to cover poli- 
 tical defects, was daily applied, and became fb 
 effectually the mode, that any man, however 
 mean and obfcure, who knew how to make 
 ufe of this glofs, was almofr. certain of being 
 Called into confidence and favor. 
 
 - Nor are you to fuppofe that the mifchiefs 
 which have fallen with fuch accumulated force 
 on that kingdom are of recent growth : the 
 foundation of them was laid by Lewis the 
 XlVth, whofe profufion, orientation, and 
 infitiate ambition, plunged his country into 
 difficulties, from whence men of moderate ta- 
 lents
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 lents and good hearts .might have extricated 
 it, but which fubfequent mifmanagement and 
 wanton prodigality continued to augment, 
 until the farce of the Notables, or Rufe contre 
 Rufe, was performed, and rendered it impoffible 
 to conceal the internal diftrefs of the nation 
 any longer from itfelf or the world. 
 
 You remember how completely Monfieur 
 de Calonne was the dupe of his pretended 
 friend the Marquis de la Fayette on that oc- 
 cafion -, what difficulty he had to prevail upon 
 his royal matter to admit him into that aflem- 
 bly; and, finally, how he was betrayed by 
 him. He might have exclaimed like Csefar, 
 and with a much better grace, on receiving 
 that flab to his fame and fortune, Et tu, Brute} 
 Yet thefe acls of treachery and diffimulation 
 will ever be pra&ifed, and even applauded if 
 fuccefsful, under a government where men 
 covet being great , and defpife being good ; 
 who thiril after power to gratify their refentr- 
 ments and provide for their dependents, or 
 who feek only the means of enriching them- 
 felves or of fupplying their extravagance ; to 
 
 whom
 
 ( 64 ) 
 
 whom order and ceconomy in private and pub- 
 lic life are alike unknown, and with whom 
 patriotifm, public virtue, and reputation, are 
 mere abftract ideas that exprefs nothing folid 
 or fenfible. 
 
 The wounds given to the profperity of 
 France during the reign of the moft pompous 
 if not moft dhTolute of all it's princes, inflead 
 of being probed in order to be cured, were only 
 fkinned over ; palliatives, not remedies, were 
 adminiftered, and the deluded patient, injured 
 and infulted by a fucceffion of empyrics equally 
 ignorant and audacious, has been reduced to 
 the moft fatal extremity. 
 
 lit is not neceflary to travel far back in 
 French hiftory to difcover the caufe of all it's 
 failures and misfortunes during the entire pe- 
 riod of a century. The reign and minority of 
 Lewis the XlVth are the epochs from whence 
 both may be dated, at which time France 
 might have acquired a government more con- 
 fonant to the rights of the people, and of 
 courie more permanent, if the Cardinal de 
 
 Rets
 
 ( 6 S ) 
 
 Retz had been an honeft man ; for, as to his 
 abilities, they were defpicable, but his influ- 
 ence and popularity were great, and they 
 might have been rendered ufeful to his fellow- 
 citizens, if he had, during the public com- 
 motions in Paris, condefcended to think of 
 their interefts as well as of his own; but he 
 looked no farther than to a red hat, and he 
 was bafe enough, for fuch a bauble, to have fet 
 the world on fire, if he had pofTefTed the means, 
 and could have carried his point by it. The 
 kingdom at that time was ripe for the blefT- 
 irigs of freedom -, it only wanted a virtuous 
 man to have enfured it, and if that vain and 
 unprincipled ecclefiaftic had been capable of 
 extending his views beyond his own little in- 
 terefts, he might have emancipated his coun- 
 try from defpotifm, and have eftablifhed li- 
 berty (the greater!: gift on earth) from the 
 Pyrenees almofl: to the Rhine. You are ac- 
 quainted with his memoirs, and it would be 
 impertinent to enter farther into his hiftory ; ) 
 but what I have faid may tend to confirm you 
 in the opinion you have fo often aflerted, 
 " that a prieji in folitics is to the full as mif- 
 
 I " chievous
 
 ( 66 ) 
 
 tf chievous an animal as a monkey in a china- 
 " fjop ;" and I perfectly agree with you, al- 
 tho' you will find me hereafter a warm cham- 
 pion for them in the Low Countries, not be- 
 caufe they want to govern, for I am certain 
 they have no fuch wifh, but becaufe it has 
 been bafely attempted to tread them under 
 foot, and oppreflion, whoever and whatever 
 may be the object of it, mould be refitted at 
 leafr. it mail have my oppofition. But more 
 of this in it's proper place. I trufr. I have 
 faid fufficient to convince you, that nothing 
 great or generous with refpect to foreign, or 
 beneficial or confolatory with refpect to do- 
 meftic politics, was ever an object of confe- 
 quence to the French cabinet, and that it's 
 principal ftudy has been to outwit and cir- 
 cumvent each other in their own little pande- 
 moniums at home, and that whenever they 
 looked abroad, it was to involve their neigh- 
 bours in difficulties and diftrefs, and even on 
 occafions when no poffible good could refult 
 to themfelves or their country from the fuccefs 
 of their paltry intrigues. 
 
 What
 
 ( 67 ) 
 
 What a different example does the conduct 
 of Great Britain exhibit at this inftant to the 
 world ! If her principles had ever been influ- 
 enced by a mean and vindictive fpirit of re- 
 venge if the generofity and magnanimity 
 of Britifh politics could defcend to pradtife 
 thofe arts by which France has fo often at- 
 tempted the deftruction of our country; what 
 an opportunity does her prefent lamentable 
 condition afford for fevere and ample ven- 
 geance ? But the jullice that refpecls the dis- 
 tinction between the people and it's govern- 
 ment, difdains the idea of inflicting on the for- 
 mer the punimment due only to the latter. 
 Her minifters alone are culpable the nation 
 is innocent, and even entitled to our commife- 
 ration ; for the maxims of thofe who have had 
 the management of it's affairs, were not lefs 
 ruinous and hoftile to the natives, than to thofe 
 again ft whom an enmity was avowed. In 
 mort, the rights of the people were often in- 
 vaded, and fometimes facrificed ; for it is not 
 lefs the charadteriftic of defpotifm to trample 
 on life and property at home, than to defolate 
 and deftroy abroad. Profperity and content 
 
 I 2 are
 
 ( 68 ) 
 
 are the objects of it's perpetual hatred and pur~ 
 fuit, as if it's fole delight was to difturb the 
 order of Infinite Wifdom. The revolution 
 that has happened feems in fome fort indeed 
 to have revenged the injuries they have re- 
 ceived ; but tho' the authors of fo much guilt 
 and public calamity are difperfed like the Jews, 
 and with as little chance as that vagabond 
 crew of being again aflembled, yet their exile 
 and difgrace would be but a poor compenfation 
 for the mifchiefs they have occafioned, if the 
 event had not furnimed the means of erecting 
 civil liberty on the ruins of tyranny. 
 
 Here, fir, you perceive that our conjectures 
 have been realized ; for you agreed with me, 
 fome ten years fince, that the court of Ver- 
 sailles, in fupporting our colonies, would in- 
 troduce a turn for politics incompatible with 
 the maxins of it's government, and which 
 would perhaps (even in our days) produce a 
 revolution in the minds of mem fatal to it's 
 authority. Men, who had hitherto been re- 
 trained from delivering their opinions on a 
 fubjecl: declared to be beyond their compre- 
 
 henfion,
 
 ( 69 ) 
 
 henfion, and at all events beyond their fphere ; 
 to whom pleafures and amufements were open- 
 ed with an unbounded and pernicious liberality, 
 in order to divert their attention from the more 
 important contemplation of their own mife- 
 ries, became, on a fudden, politicians, and, in 
 inveftigating the rights of others, they acquired 
 a knowledge of their own At the inftant the 
 court of Verfailles was facilitating the inde- 
 pendence of America, it broke the chain by 
 which it had held for ages twenty - four 
 millions in bondage. ^Thus far I think 
 we are agreed, but not as to the con- 
 fequences of the revolution; for you are 
 of opinion that we have every thing to 
 fear, whenever France acquires a rational 
 form of government eftablifhed on the reci- 
 procal obligations of allegiance and protection, 
 and becomes fenfible of her immenfe refour- 
 ces. This is precisely the very reafon that I 
 mail advance in fupport of a contrary opinion; 
 for the wifdpm that points out that rational 
 fyftem of government which you feem to ap- 
 prehend, will alfo point out the neccmty of 
 employing the great refources of that king- 
 dom
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 dom to repair her ruined fortunes, and fecure 
 her from fimilar calamities in future. Men, 
 who are capable of conferring fuch a blerTLig 
 on their country, will be fenfible of the dan- 
 ger and vanity of foreign conquefts, and, con- 
 fining themfelves to the arts of peace, rejecT: 
 all thofe idle fchemes of enterprife and am- 
 bition, which, tbo' attended with the mofl 
 brilliant fuccefs, are always more deftrudtive 
 than advantageous to thofe who embark, in 
 them, j 
 
 But let me aik you what poflible good the 
 French can derive from a conteft with us ? 
 Supposing their fituation to be as flourishing as 
 talents and integrity equal to thofe that govern 
 us at this inftant can render it, (and that is sup- 
 posing a great deal,) yet that would be a fufii- 
 cient reafon for not exposing it torifque ; for 
 under the moft provident administration they 
 never can acquire fuch a fuperiority as to enfure 
 them a certainty of fuccefs. yThe force of the 
 two countries will at the best, be upon a par, 
 and to engage on any other terms in hostilities 
 with a power fo formidable, where " much may
 
 ( 7* ) 
 
 " be loft, and nothing can be gained " would be 
 madnefs itfelf, and of which there is certainly 
 lefs danger at this period than ever ; for, in 
 proportion as the minds of men in that exten- 
 five kingdom become enlightened, in propor- 
 tion as they enter into the management of pub- 
 lic affairs, and become, con verfant with public 
 bufinefs, they will difcover the relative inte- 
 refts of the two countries, and how much it 
 will be for the advantage and convenience of 
 both to enter into the firmeft bonds of union: 
 for, in my partition of the globe, there are but 
 two nations on the earth, France and Eng- 
 land; and thefe will ever have it in their power, 
 whenever they have the inclination, to prefervc 
 peace and tranquillity in this lower world.^ 
 
 You are mocked, perhaps, at my annihila- 
 ting by a ftroke of my pen all the other powers 
 in Europe (for thofe out of it have fo little to 
 fay on the grand theatre of politics, that they 
 may be counted for nothing without any of- 
 fence to their pride) : but as you have travel- 
 Jed from Venice to Peterfburgh ; as you are 
 well acquainted with the general character of 
 
 the
 
 ( 7* ) 
 
 the inhabitants ; with the refources, population, 
 and force, of the principal nations on this con* 
 tinent, and the ftate of improvement to which 
 they are reflectively arrived ; I trufr. you will 
 excufe a trifling hyperbole in favor of by far 
 the moft polilhed and tuoft enlightened por- 
 tion of the human race. A reference to the 
 journal of your travels and obfervations may 
 poflibly induce you to think my exclufion lefs 
 extravagant, and to agree with me, that the pre- 
 fer vation of the French monarchy, and a fin- 
 cere alliance with it, would not only tend to 
 the mutual interefts of the two kingdoms, 
 but to the benefit of mankind, by fecuring to 
 them thebleflings of peace, and exciting them 
 by their example to the cultivation of ufeful 
 knowledge. 
 
 I know that a different idea is entertained 
 by many of my countrymen, for whofe judg- 
 ment in other refpe&s I have the higheft ve- 
 neration, but who on this occafion permit their 
 prejudices to interrupt the free exercife of their 
 underftandings, and to draw them into errors, 
 vhich, exclufive of their illiberality, argue a 
 
 want
 
 ( 73 ) 
 
 want of confidence in. the ftrength and re- 
 fources of the nation. Thejr are perfuaded 
 that Great Britain Would finiSher bed fecurity 
 in the difmemberment of the French monar- 
 chy : they even expected (becaufe they wifh- 
 ed it perhaps) that Britanny and Normandy, 
 being in pofTeflion of the fined harbors, and 
 of the hardieft and moft induftrious clafs of 
 men in the kingdom, would declare them- 
 felves independent, and become a republic. 
 Some of the foreign prints even afferted that it 
 had been offered to the Britifh court to put 
 Breft into our hands, and we know it was 
 propofed to burn the (hipping in it's port and 
 arfenal. The contempt with which {o diaboli- 
 cal a propofition was received and rejected, 
 proves that our mini/try obferve the fame 
 maxims of integrity in public, which have in- 
 variably marked their conduct in private life ; 
 and that, feeling for a generous and gallant 
 people, emerging as it were from flavery, they 
 will net interrupt their progrefs to freedom, by 
 fomenting their divifions, and exciting them 
 to civil war, National honor is beyond all 
 eftimate ; but even if this fentiment was ex- 
 
 K una
 
 ( 74 ) 
 
 tinct in the breafts of the confidential fervants 
 pf the crown, and they were difpofed 1 to avail 
 themfelves of what you feem to think a fa- 
 vourable moment, believe me, we could derive 
 no benefit from the temporary disorders in 
 France, that could compenfate in any degree 
 for the cowardice and infamy of retaliation . 
 
 I have been at the trouble to combat your 
 arguments in favour of difunion, hecaufe that 
 idea appeared fufceptible of fupport, and my 
 conviction of your patriotifm led me to believe 
 you were ferious; but I can fcarce think you 
 are in earneft when you exprefs your appre- 
 hensions that the fpirit of revolt may extend^ 
 itfelf to England, where the principles of fo- 
 Ciety are fo generally underftood, and where 
 the people exprefs themfelves fo perfectly fatiiV 
 fled with their fovereign, and his government, 
 and have certainly no reafonable fubject of 
 complaint. I know that it has been afferted 
 that the lower ranks of life are prone to revolt, 
 and that this is the opinion of all the great 
 and little defpots on the continent, from Jo- 
 feph the lid down to the Bifhop of Liege, the 
 
 mean-
 
 ( 75 ) 
 meaneft and moft defpicable of the. herd (for 
 there are near three hundred of them in the Em- 
 pire). I know that this opinion has been pro- 
 pagated with more than ufual zeal and induftry 
 iince the revolution in France ; for the inftant 
 the news arrived in Germany that the Baftile 
 was taken by affault, they trembled for their au- 
 thority, and many of them for their lives, and 
 fince the death of Foulon they licken at the 
 fight of a lantern. But furely, fir, the in- 
 terefted affertions of thofe kinglings, or rather 
 offuch things, (fori can fcarce call them 
 men,) are not to weigh againft facts. The pa- 
 tience with which the people have fubmitted 
 to their vexations and injuftice, is a full refu- 
 tation of the ungrateful and malevolent flander, 
 and mould convince you that the violence 
 which forces them out of the habits of obe- 
 dience, mull be great indeed. If you look in- 
 to Robertfon's Hiftory of Scotland, I think it is 
 in the firft volume, and between the 1 30th and 
 1.40th pages, (for I have no book with me,) 
 you will find he is of the fame opinion : he 
 expreflly fays, that " fubjefis Jeldom venture 
 *l upon refiftance, which is their laji remedy t 
 
 K 2 " but 
 
 /
 
 ( 76 ) 
 
 u but in cafes of extreme necejjity :" and again, 
 iomewhcre further on, he obferves, that u the 
 " people ', unlefs their jealoujies be raifed by re- 
 ** peated injuries, are always ready to view the 
 . aBions cf their fovereign with an indulgent 
 " eye." But if neither his authority nor mine 
 have any weight with you, I refer you to the 
 v evidence of hifliory ; and if you mould ftill be 
 fceptical, I appeal to your experience : let me 
 call you to fcenes that have pafled within your 
 own knowledge and obfervation,and where your 
 intimacies and fituation have procured you all 
 the information neceffary to dire&your judg- 
 mentJ 
 
 You have of late years regularly frequented 
 Aix la Chapelle and Spa, you have occasionally 
 refided at Brufleis, and you are Sufficiently in- 
 ilru&ed in the laws and constitution of Brabant 
 to know that they have been wantonly and im- 
 pudently violated. Our antipathy to the 
 drones of the Romifh church, and our well- 
 founded prejudices againfl a religion in which 
 morals count for nothing, naturally difpofe us 
 to think favorably of the capacity and inten^ 
 
 tions
 
 ( 77 ) 
 
 tions of the fovereign who renders either of 
 thefe the objects of national reform ; and this 
 may account and perhaps apologize for the 
 hafty and extravagant ideas that were formed 
 in England of the abilities of the emperor 
 when he afcended the throne of his anceftors. 
 The injaftice of depriving a number of help- 
 lefs old men and women of the comforts of a 
 cloifter, to which they had been accuftomed 
 from their earlieft infancy (and ufe, you know, 
 is fecond nature) the cruelty of forcing them 
 again into public life, from which they had 
 Hved fo long fecluded and that cruelty (till 
 farther aggravated and augmented by the fcanty 
 pittance allotted for their fupport, and the in- 
 decent manner in which they were turned de- 
 fencelefs into fociety, " the world before them, 
 and Providence their guide" were difregarded 
 in the general averiion to monasteries, as if the 
 unhappy wanderers had forfeited all claim to 
 the rights of humanity on afluming the habits 
 of their refpective orders. The reforms pre- 
 tended to be introduced in the convents were 
 attributed to the laudable motive of promoting 
 induftry and population (the real riches of a 
 
 country),
 
 C 78 } 
 
 country), and enlightening the minds of the 
 people, by abolifhing, with parental affection, 
 that ecclefiaftical tyranny which had fo long 
 confined them in all the darknefs of ignorance 
 and fuperftition. 
 
 f Such was the opinion which was enter- 
 tained of the emperor in the commencement 
 of his reign ; and, if he had confined himfelf 
 to the abolition of ufelefs convents, and faith- 
 fully applied their rich foundations to the cha- 
 ritable purpofes he pretended to deftine them, 
 little oppofition would probably have been 
 made to this exercife of his prerogative : but 
 he went farther he was not content with 
 waging relentlefs war again ft defencelefs monks 
 and capuchins, but he invaded the rights of 
 the people, and attempted the entire fubverfion 
 of the ancient form of government, which he 
 had folemnly fworn to preferve inviolate, and 
 to which he knew they were as warmly at- 
 tached as to their religion. Confidering the 
 wonderful influence of the clergy and monks 
 on the minds of the laity, it was a ftrange 
 blunder in him to neglect conciliating the ef- 
 
 teem
 
 ( 79 ) 
 
 teem and confidence of the latter while he 
 fuppr effect and opprejfed the others. By this 
 extreme indifcretion he united the two clafles 
 the moft capable to oppoie his defigns, and 
 whom he fhould have kept feparate by all 
 poffible means, agreeable to the maxim of 
 divide et impera : but fo far from doing this, 
 he even attacked the nobles, and feemed to 
 hold their union as cheap as he does his oaths 
 and protestations they made a common caufe 
 of it, and when he attempted ' to introduce 
 captains of the circle with the fame difcre- 
 tionary power which they poflefs in his here- 
 ditary dominions, the flame that he had been 
 preparing by his wild and extravagant fchemes 
 of reformation, burfl out with fuch fury, that 
 his minifter, Count Belgiofo, whom you knew 
 in London, was compelled to quit BrurTels. 
 The Archduchefs alfo judged it prudent to 
 retire, and on her arrival at Vienna was over- 
 whelmed with reproaches for her precipitancy 
 and cowardice^ as be called it, in abandoning' 
 the government. He made no allowance for 
 the fears incident to her fex, tho* the fpirit 
 that was roufed might have made even Ccefar 
 
 tremble ;
 
 ( So ) 
 
 tremble; and every courier that arrived from 
 the Pays Bas was fure to produce a lecture on 
 timidity, which neither Jbe nor her mild and 
 inoffenfive hufband defer ved, and which deli- 
 cacy, and even humanity, at leafl in a brother, 
 would have fpared. 
 
 The refult of that bufinefs was an entire 
 renunciation on his part of all thofe offenfive 
 innovations, and a folemn promife to obferve 
 the conditions of the joy eufe entree, the magna 
 charta of the Low Countries, in all their ex- 
 tent. The public tranquillity was reftored, 
 and the warm eft expreflions of generous loy- 
 alty, infpired by confidence, and delivered in 
 all the fulnefs of finceriry and affedtion, fuc- 
 ceeded to the gloom and refentment which 
 injuflice and oppreflion had excited. In No-*- 
 vember, 1787, Count TrauttmanfdorfF, in- 
 veiled with extraordinary powers, arrived at 
 BrufTels to ratify thefe conceffions. He was 
 followed by an adventurer of the name of Dal- 
 ton (for general Lafcy, to whom this officer 
 owes his rapid rife in the Imperial fervice, was 
 then in high favor at Vienna). This gentleman, 
 
 who
 
 ( 8. ) 
 
 who had the command of the troops given 
 to him to recompenfe hie barbarity in Walla- 
 chia, was alfo inverted with extraordinary 
 powers j and, that the (word and bayonet 
 fhould not be interrupted in their fanguinary 
 courfe, he was neither accountable to the mi- 
 nuter nor to the Archduchefs for his conduct. 
 This, you will eafily imagine, created a jea- 
 loufy in the civil and military departments, 
 and of courfe retarded the operations of go- 
 vernment. Neither of them, however, I be- 
 lieve, were difpofed to lenient meafures ; for 
 neither of them have any idea of governing 
 but by force : the one porTerTes all that pride 
 and infolence which Voltaire fo happily ridi- 
 cules in his Candide ; and the other, from a 
 total want of education and the ftrong habits 
 of a military life, knows no other maxim than 
 obedience* 
 
 It was not likely, that a people, jealous of 
 their liberties, and proud of their chartered 
 rights, could be perfectly at their eafe under 
 men fo little converfant with the principles of 
 civil government, and efpecially as the. latter of 
 
 L them
 
 ( 82 ) 
 
 them declared he would hang every man who 
 prefumed to wear the volunteer uniform. This 
 menace, impertinent and premature as it was, 
 would have been attributed to the infolence of 
 office, and defpifed, as the worthlefs reptile is 
 from whence it came (for the people at that 
 time had no idea of renaming a drefs avowedly 
 hoftile to their fovereign) ; but it was the har- 
 binger of almoft immediate violence, and the 
 wanton maffacre of feveral citizens affembled 
 from motives of curiofity on the Grande 
 Place at BruiTels, the 21ft and 2 2d of January, 
 1788, announced too clearly the intention of 
 the emperor to retract his promife, and efpeci- 
 ally as the fubaltern who committed the car- 
 nage was inftantly promoted. The letter of 
 Count TrauttmanfdorfFof that date, in which 
 he threatens the council of Brabant with the 
 bayonet and cannon, will be regiftered in the 
 annals of tyranny. I have unfortunately mif- 
 laid this curious fpecimen of Auftrian legif- 
 lation ; but I have another, not lefs curious, 
 from the fame gentleman, of a prior date, ad- 
 dreffed to the council of Brabant, which I 
 fubjoin for your information, j 
 
 *' Mes-
 
 ( h ) 
 
 " Messieurs, 
 
 " Nous n'avons pu voir qu' avec line fur- 
 prife extreme, la copie qui circule imprimee, 
 d'une lettre que les etats de Brabant doivent 
 vous avoir adreflee le 3 de ce mois, au moment 
 de la reparation de leur aiTemblee " Pour vous 
 remercier de la maniere dont vous les avez 
 aide's pour la confervation des loix fondamen- 
 tales et des privileges de Brabant , ainfi que de 
 la facilite que par voire fagejfe vous avez ap- 
 porti a leur travail, au moyen des conferences 
 quils ont tenus avec des commijfaires de voire 
 compagnie\ les etats vous invitant au refie 
 par cette lettre a demeurer a favenir avec 
 eux, dans la meme intelligence fur tout ce qui 
 pourroit etre relatifau bien public, et nommi~ 
 ment a la confervation des privileges, et vous 
 requerani, dans la vue de rendre ce ccmmun 
 accord plus fur, et plus profitable, de prendre 
 la ferme resolution, que tous les edits et autres 
 difpojitions ay ant aucunement trait a la joy" 
 eufe entree \ qui feront envoy ies au confeil a la 
 Chance Her ie de Brabant, ne feront pas e manes 
 ni executes fans prealable connoiffance et avis 
 L 2 " des
 
 ( 84 ) 
 
 " des itats ou de leurs deputes, qui en dehbere- 
 M ront cbaque fois avec leurs colleagues pre fens, 
 " vous requirant finale merit pour remplir d cet 
 <c egard leur dejir de prendre, et de leur faire 
 " connoitre les mefures ultirieures qui pourroient 
 " it re mifes en ceuvre felon "cotre fagacite ordi- 
 f< naire." 
 
 " Sans nous arreter a Yindecence avec la- 
 quelle les etats affichent par cette piece le peu 
 de confiance qu' ils ont dans la promeffe folem- 
 nelle que fa majefte leur a faite, et reiteree fur 
 le maintien dela conftitution, qu' elle eft tres 
 fermement decidee a conferver dans tous fes 
 points, nous vous declarons, que fa majefte ne 
 fouffrira jamais que fous le pretexte abufif, de 
 privilege, Ton empiete en quoi que ce puifTe 
 etre, fur le droit de fa fouverainete, et d'apres 
 cela nous ne pouvons nous empecher de vous 
 rappeller tres ferieufement, que quoique vous 
 ayez prete ferment entre les mains des etats 
 fur la joyeufe entree, vous n etes cependant en 
 aucune maniere leurs officiers, ni autorifes a 
 avoir avec eux la moindre relation, fans la con- 
 nohTance et l'aveu de 1'empereur votre 
 unique maitre, duquel srul vous 6tes 
 
 officiers
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 officiers par votre etat, et par votre ferment; 
 en confequence de quoi nous vous interdifom 
 tres exprefTement par la prefente, d'avoir en- 
 core fur les affaires publiques, aucune efpece 
 de relation* liaifon, correfpondance, ou intelli- 
 gence quelconque, foit en corps, foit par com- 
 mhTaires, avec les etats ou leur deputes, fans 
 prealable aveu ou ordre expres de fa majefte 
 ou de fon reprefentant Notre intention etant, 
 que fi dans quelqu' edit, ordonnance, ou autre 
 difpofition que le gouvernement pourra vous 
 envoyer, vous trouverez quelque chofe qui 
 vous paroitroit incompatible avec la joyeufe 
 entree, vous vous bornerez a en faire la repre- 
 fentation au gouvernement, qui jugera pour lors 
 fi e'eft le cas ou non d'entendre les etats fui* la 
 matiere. Nous vous defendons au refte de faire 
 aucune reponfe aux etats fur la lettre en 
 queftion, et vous ordonnons, au cas que vous 
 eufliez deja fait une, ou que vous euffiez deja 
 pris quelques refolutions fur l'objet de la dite 
 lettre, de nous en remettre fur le champ une 
 copie. A tant, meflieurs, Dieu vous ait en 
 fa fainte garde. De Bruxelles, le 1 3 Decem- 
 bre, 1787. 
 
 (Signe) TRAUTTMANSDORFF."
 
 ( 86 ) 
 
 From this period, new fcenes of vexations 
 enfued. The inhabitants were expofed to all 
 the infolence of military defpotifm j the fol- 
 diery, let loofe from the wholefome difcipline 
 obferved by that good old man general Mur- 
 ray, (whofe prudence and clemency had already 
 prevented a civil war,) infulted the citizens 
 with impunity, and every complaint againfl 
 their licence and irregularity was treated with 
 mockery and contempt. Their patience and 
 loyalty, however, kept pace with oppremon; 
 and tho' every indignity was offered to provoke 
 them into intemperance, they were refolved to 
 give Mr. Dalton no reafonable pretext for 
 realizing his threats. The bravadoes of this 
 modern Alba were rendered futile by the firm*- 
 nefs and coolnefs of Mr. Vandernoot the 
 lawyer, who publicly admonilhed the members 
 of the ftates to fortitude, as they afcended the 
 fteps of the town-houfe on the day of the 
 maflacre, when artillery with lighted matches 
 were levelled againft that building, to force 
 them into fubmimon or defpair, and he de- 
 clared in the prefence of thoufands, quil bri- 
 feroit tons les cannons de tempzreur avec fa 
 
 plume,*
 
 ( 87 ) 
 
 flume. The event, you fee, has verified the 
 
 menace. 
 
 After this, the tiers etat refented the con- 
 duct of government by refufing to grant the 
 fubfidy. Threats were employed to intimi- 
 date, and promifes to f educe them into compli- 
 ance, but to no effect : they were inflexible in 
 the legal exercife of a right which could not 
 be difputed ; for the right to grant, implies a 
 right to refufe, 
 
 1 1 will not trouble you with a detail of all 
 the little defpicable means to which recourie 
 was afterwards had to irritate them; neither 
 will I remind you of the wanton maffacre of 
 men, women, and children, at Antwerp laft 
 Auguft, nor the pitiful and unmanly infults 
 offered to a venerable old man, the Archbifhop 
 of Mechlin : all thefe, tho' they produced no 
 immediate acts of violence, prepared the minds 
 of men for future refiftance, mould they be 
 driven by injuftice to extremities} 
 
 From all thefe proceedings, you will be led 
 
 to
 
 ( 88 ) 
 
 to fu'ppofe, that the emperor was refolved to 
 carry his point, and that the fpirit of refinance 
 fell in proportion as the provocations encreaf- 
 ed. Nofuch thing. In the midnVof all thefe 
 military executions, the defpot and his inftru- 
 ments trembled. An application was even 
 made by Home of them to be recommended to 
 the Englifh miniftry : they declared that the 
 government, weak and divided within itfelf, 
 was incapable to protect it's friends ; and that, 
 having rendered themfelves obnoxious to their 
 fellow-citizens, they had no fecurity from 
 their refentment, but in voluntary exile, and 
 that to the number of thirty were ready to 
 embark, with the remains of their ruined for- 
 tunes, for Botany Bay, if they could obtain 
 permiflion to fettle there. You will fmile at 
 their choice, and, in fome of your philofophi- 
 cal reveries, trace their preferring that fpot, to 
 that fympathy which infpires men of conge- 
 nial difpofitions with a defire of becoming in- 
 timately connected with each other, and efpe- 
 cially when you are informed, that a Monfieur 
 Jobert, the head of this party, was afterwards 
 difpatched to London for the purpofe of clan- 
 
 deftinely
 
 , (?.) 
 
 deftinely bringing away Monfieur Vandernoot, 
 or, if this was impracticable, de s'en dijaire 
 in plain Englifh, to afTaffinate him. 
 
 BrufTels at this time became filled with 
 fpies, nor were the firfl circles exempt from 
 them. All the means that treachery and cow- 
 ardice could devife, were employed ; and fo 
 little idea had the chiefs of the civil and mili- 
 tary departments of that confiftency and digni- 
 ty which can alone render government refpect- 
 able, and give force and authority to it's mea- 
 fures, that both were facrificed to their fears, 
 and in proportion as the winter of 1788 ad- 
 vanced, every proceeding was marked by pue- 
 rility or ftampt with ridicule. Will you be- 
 lieve that the whole garrifon, cavalry^ and in- 
 fantry, were under arms twelve hours, to feize 
 an individual, who, as he always walked alone 
 and unarmed, might have been taken at any 
 hour of the day, without the leaft difficulty ? 
 Can you fuppofe any thing moreabfurd than 
 to have furrounded the houfe of Mr. Vander- 
 noot, in the dead and calm of night, with a 
 detachment of four hundred men, and break 
 
 M into
 
 ( 90 ) 
 
 into it at the inftant that they knew he had 
 left the town, at leaft, fix hours before they 
 were fent, apprifed of their intentions ? But 
 what will you think of their ingenuity and 
 capacity for public affairs, when you are told 
 that it was never meant to feize him, but 
 merely to frighten him out of the country, 
 and to intimidate thofe who remained behind ? 
 He had committed no offence againft the 
 laws, nor had any legal warrant at that time 
 been iffued for apprehending of him. That 
 ceremony was fubfecpent to the burglary they 
 committed. 
 
 Many fimilar manoeuvres were played off 
 with a degree of fuccefs proportioned to the 
 wifdom of their contrivance, until the empe- 
 ror himfelf refolved upon one grand and final 
 effort to frighten all the Netherlands into im- 
 mediate and implicit obedience. Preparatory, 
 however, to this great and infallible ftroke of 
 Imperial fagacity, many fignifkant fhrugs, 
 woeful countenances, and all the machinery of 
 the paflions, were employed, and vague reports 
 circulated that coercive meafures would be 
 
 adopted^
 
 ( 91 ) 
 
 adopted that, as the fubfidy was refufed, it 
 was probable the foldiery would be allowed 
 free quarters on the citizens -, and, the more 
 effectually to encreafe the general confirmation, 
 it was infmuatedy not exprejfed, that fomething 
 very terrible would happen, in order, no doubt, 
 that every man might form, according to his 
 fancy, his idea of this very terrible thing, and 
 become intimidated by his own conjectures. 
 At laft, the direful fecret was revealed : the 
 minifler was to be recalled ; and Mr, Dalton, 
 a man of obfcure birth, was to fuperfede the 
 Archduchefs, and be entrufted with the entire 
 management of affairs. Here was the de^ 
 nouement of this wonderful plot, and this was 
 the conjurer, the cunning man, that was to 
 lay the fpirit of oppofition, or rather the fe, fa, 
 fum, that was to frighten men, women, and 
 children, into fubmifuon. 
 
 To give an air of authenticity to thefe re? 
 ports, preparations were made for the journey, 
 which was delayed from time to time, in the 
 hope that fear, that powerful auxiliary of ty* 
 
 M 2 rants !
 
 ( 9* ) 
 
 rants ! would operate on the minds of the 
 people, and induce them to proftrate their 
 necks to the yoke. The information was re- 
 ceived in fullen filence. The day of the de- 
 parture was fixed it produced no effect it 
 was poftponed thefe ultimatums were difre- 
 garded. The minifter himfelf condefcended 
 to deplore the confequences of this fatal and 
 inconceivable obflinacy, and ferioufly admo- 
 nifhed them to render his departure unneceffary 
 by a prompt compliance with the emperor's 
 -defire. The anfwer was laconic " they would 
 " abide by the laws,** Monfieur Trauttmanf- 
 dorfF was difconcerted by their firmnefs, but 
 he mult fet off to avoid being laughed at. The 
 roads were bad, and, to add to his chagrin, 
 there was an heavy fall of mow. The gen- 
 tleman, however, departed, cold as it was; 
 but a pretended exprefs from Vienna happily 
 overtook him at Mons, and brought him back 
 to BrulTels, on the very day that he left it : he 
 even returned in good humor, promifed to 
 give balls, and endeavoured to conciliate, when 
 he found he could not intimidate, 
 
 Thefc
 
 ( 93 ) 
 
 Thefe poor deceptions were too grofs to ef- 
 cape obfervation it proved the weaknefs of 
 government it proved more it proved it's 
 wicked nefs. You are no ft ranger to thefcenes 
 that enfued. The mafk was foon after 
 thrown off. The ancient government, which 
 by the bye we are bound to fupport, was fub- 
 verted j and the people had no remedy but in 
 an appeal to Heaven and the fword. It is be- 
 neath the dignity of truth to defcend to a re- 
 futation of the atrocious and unprovoked ca- 
 lumnies which the inflruments of defpotifm 
 have circulated by Imperial command againft 
 the peaceable, and hitherto loyal inhabitants 
 of the Belgic provinces. The innumerable 
 edicts with which they have been harrafTed 
 lince the death of the late emprefs, contain 
 the beft anfwer that can be given to the various 
 libels of a fanguinary and vindictive govern- 
 ment ; and if the provident induflry of prince 
 Kaunitz had not inceffantly examined, and 
 prudently deftroyed almoft as faft as his ro)al 
 matter writ, the prefs would have groaned un- 
 der the preflure of his pen, and the country 
 have been deluged with ordinances which 
 
 com-
 
 ( 94 ) 
 
 common fenfe would blufh to avow, and re- 
 signation herfelf have fpurned at. 
 
 Had the emperor confined his rage for le- 
 giflation to his hereditary dominions, where 
 his obligations are rather implied than afcer- 
 tained, and where no pofitive contract fimilar 
 to that in the Low Countries appears to exiffc 
 between the fovereign and fubjecl:, the execu- 
 tion of his mandates would not perhaps have 
 been difputed, altho' all ranks of people com- 
 plain of his defpotifm, and would chearfully 
 (hake off the yoke, if they happily poffefTed 
 the means : but his fituation in the Nether- 
 lands is different ; his power is circumfcribed - t 
 the limits of his authority are marked, and 
 clearly defined, by legible and exifting laws, 
 which he has folemnly fworn to prefer ve in- 
 violate, and which he cannot infringe with- 
 out incurring the guilt of perjury, and for- 
 feiting the allegiance of the people. The hif- 
 tory of all nations proves that fubje&s are not 
 eafily provoked to revolt, and that their grie- 
 vances muft be enormous, whenever they ap- 
 peal from the juflice of the prince to the de- 
 
 cifion
 
 ( 9S ) 
 
 cifion of the fword. All Europe is informed 
 of the illegal feizure of unoffending citizens, 
 by the ruffian and mercilefs hand of power, at 
 midnight, without any fpecific crime laid to 
 their charge or form of procefs, and of their 
 being clandestinely tranfported to Vienna, to 
 perifh in a dungeon, or on the banks of the 
 Danube, while their magiftrates have been 
 ignominioufly dragged to prifon, for refuting 
 to fa notion illegality, or aid oppreffion. All 
 Europe has beheld, with equal horror and in- 
 dignation, the wanton maffacres committed 
 by the military at noon-day, for the diabolical 
 purpofe of exciting the people to revolt, that 
 a pretext might be had for havock and devaf- 
 tation, and levying war againft the defencelefs 
 natives. Yet thefe injuries, enormous as they 
 are, and aggravated as they have been by the 
 ferocious tyranny of a fubaltern defpot, whole 
 brutality has been rewarded with the higheft 
 truft and confidence, could not have compelled 
 them to deviate from that patient and exem- 
 plary fubmiflion which has ever diftinguifhed 
 them, and ftill lefs could theyhave forced them 
 into a conteft of danger and difficulty, the iffue 
 
 of
 
 ( 96 ) 
 
 of which is uncertain, if their conftitution, the 
 laft remaining fecurity they poneffed for their 
 lives, liberties, and fortunes, had not been an- 
 nihilated, and themfelves reduced to a pre- 
 carious dependence on the bounty of a man, 
 whom kindnefs cannot win, nor gratitude 
 frind. Under thefe circumftances, no alterna- 
 tive remains, but fubmiffion or refinance. 
 They have adopted the latter, in preference to 
 an abject and ignominious furrender of their 
 deareft rights, and, in appealing to Heaven for 
 the juftice of their caufe, they truft they will 
 fland acquitted by God and the world, of the 
 mifchiefs that may enfue. 
 
 The wicked and cowardly expedient of con - 
 figning the towns and villages to the flames, 
 and the ftill more horrid cruelty of extermi- 
 nating men who contend only for their rights, 
 may be terrible for the moment, and impofe 
 on weak and timid minds ; but the courage of 
 a nation roufed by repeated injuries and ani- 
 mated by defpair, will rife fuperior to thefe 
 laft efforts of vindictive tyranny, and render 
 them as impotent and abortive as they are atro- 
 cious
 
 ( 97 ) 
 
 cious and unexampled. Far, however, from 
 imitating a conduct fo contrary to the received 
 maxims of juftice and humanity, they have 
 generoufly fpared the lives of their remorfelefs 
 afTaflins, and, in declaring themfelves releafed 
 from the dominion of the houfe of Auft.ria, 
 they have only exercifed thofe rights which 
 they derive from nature, and which are im- 
 plied or expreffed under all forms of govern- 
 ment whatever. 
 
 t Now, fir, can you lay your hand upon your S 
 heart, and fay, that this revolt is without pro- 
 vocation or excufe ? Have not their tempe- 
 rance and forbearance been exemplary ? Have 
 they in any one inflance violated their obli- 
 gations, or neglected, during a feries of vexa- 
 tions for the laft feven years, to bring their 
 fovereign to a fenfe of his duty, and, which 
 was likely to operate (till more powerfully on 
 fuch a mind, to a fenfe of his true intcrefts, in 
 foliciting by all mild and legal means a redrefs 
 of their various and multiplied grievances ? It 
 is not to caprice or wantonnefs that the infur- 
 redlion in the Low Countries is to be attri- 
 
 N buted,
 
 J 
 
 ( 98 ) 
 
 buted, but to the imprudence, inconfiflency, 
 and violence of the ernperoiy Omnis ilia tem- 
 peftas Cafare impulfore excitata eft. To Caefar, 
 therefore, let the guilt, the odium, and mif- 
 fortunes that have happened in the Belgic pro- 
 vinces, be attributed, and to Caefar only. / Be- 
 lieve me, I am as averfe as you can poflibly be, 
 to that levelling difpofition which would de- 
 ftroy all diftin&ions of rank. The unerring 
 hand of nature has marked, in ftrong and in- 
 delible characters, fuch an inequality on the 
 minds and capacities of men, and the very 
 inftitution of civil focieties is fo clear and con- 
 vincing a proof of the exiftence of this inequa- 
 lity, that it would be the height of abfurdity 
 to fupport a contrary opinion, or even to fup- 
 pofe that any commonwealth could exift. in 
 which the component parts were poiTefTed of 
 equal rank, fortune, and authority. Our rea- 
 fon alfo informs us, that mankind are directed 
 by the general conftitution of human nature to 
 fubmit to government, and. fubmiffion cer- 
 tainly implies a fuperior power fbmewhere. 
 All that I contend for is, that this fuperior 
 power, wherever it be lodged, whether it be 
 
 con-
 
 ( 99 ) 
 
 confided in the hands of one man, or of five 
 hundred, mould be defined and afcertained, 
 that we may know what we have to trufr. to 
 in other words, that we fhould be governed 
 by fixt and pofitive laws, and that thofe laws 
 fhould only know diftinctions in crimes, not 
 in perfons. Thefe are the principles upon 
 which our government is eflablifhed, and the 
 only principles upon which a people can be 
 fecured from oppreflion, injuflice, and infult. 
 
 If the blunders, inconfiftency, and feverities, 
 which have terminated in a general and deter- 
 mined infurrection, aftonifh you, you will not 
 be lefs fo at the extraordinary means that have 
 been taken to fupprefs it. They thought to 
 extinguifh one flame by another : that is, the 
 glorious flame of liberty was to be extin- 
 guifhed by the conflagration of towns. Mr. 
 Dalton, I am told, is a native of Ireland, and 
 he borrowed that idea, perhaps, from his coun- 
 try. The other expedient of hanging was 
 much better calculated to anfwer their pur- 
 pofe ; for if they could have contrived to put 
 to death every man that was hoflile to their 
 
 N 2 mafter,
 
 ( ">o ) 
 
 mailer, the rebellion of courfe would have cea- 
 fed. In this they reafoned to the full as well 
 as the man who declared he would get into a 
 pint bottle, if it was big enough. When it 
 was difcovered that hanging and burning were 
 not efficacious remedies againft, well-founded 
 revolt, they generoujly offered a pardon ; but a 
 pardon implies guilt, and thofe to whom it 
 was offered were innocent. This was another 
 blunder, and, to render it flill greater, the 
 moft meritorious (that is, the men who were 
 the firfr. to ftand forth in defence of their coun- 
 try) were excepted. No notice being taken of 
 this folitary inflance of Imperial clemency, ano- 
 ther pardon, as it was impudently called, was 
 iffued, without any exceptions : but this alfo 
 was received with filent contempt ; for what 
 faith, what confidence, can the people have 
 in a man who has violated his moft. folemn en- 
 gagements, and who, even at the very moment 
 that he offered a general amnefty, tranfmitted 
 directions to the commander in chief to en- 
 velop the infurgents, and deflroy every man of 
 them. 
 
 But
 
 ( ioi ) 
 
 But do you imagine that thefe terms would 
 have been offered, if they could have carried 
 their fanguinary fchemes into execution ? No, 
 believe me : a panic feized them ; Foulon 
 was before their eyes, and eipecially before 
 thofe of Mr. Dalton they trembled, and 
 affected thofe virtues which neither of them 
 poffeffed, companion and generqfity. Their lan- 
 guage, which before was infolent, became 
 humble ; for what is more abject, mean, or 
 defpicable than a degraded tyrant! Whatexcufe 
 the minifter and general can poffibly offer to 
 their matter for permitting a force to affemble 
 under their very nofe, apprifed, as they were, 
 of the general dififfection that prevailed, and 
 to permit that force to arm, to form, and to 
 prepare for offenfive operations, without mak- 
 ing any effort to difperfe them, until they were 
 in a condition not only to difpute the ground 
 with regular troops, but even to defeat them, 
 I know not ; but this I know, that, if his 
 Imperial majefty does not conduct his iniqui- 
 tous and unprovoked war againft the Turks 
 with better fuccefs than he has done his af- 
 fairs in the Netherlands, the fpread eagle 
 
 will
 
 ( 102 ) 
 
 will never fly triumphant on the battlements 
 at Conftantinople. 
 
 I mould not have entered into all this de- 
 tail if it had not been necefTary to remind 
 you of the oppreffions under which a patient, 
 loyal, and induftrious people have long labor- 
 ed ; the mockery with which their complaints 
 have been treated; and the duplicity of offering 
 them a pardon at the moment their extermina- 
 tion was refolved uponj for the courier that 
 brought this fanguinary mandate was inter- 
 cepted by the patriots, and his difpatches were 
 conveyed to their committee at Breda. This 
 circumftance alone, were others wanting, 
 would be fufficient to let you fully into the 
 character of the man ; but / will not fpread 
 the compoft on the weeds, to make them ranker 
 
 . You are no ftranger to the indignity and 
 
 injuftice with which the firft nobility in Bra- 
 bant have been treated, particularly the Duke 
 D'Aremberg, to whofe fplendid hofpitality all 
 our countrymen who have viiited BrufTels 
 have the greateft obligations, and for whofe 
 amiable and virtuous family every generous 
 
 and
 
 ( i3 ) 
 
 and grateful heart muft feel the moft anxious 
 folicitude. 
 
 I As to the part that Great Britain ought to 
 take in this revolution, that is a matter beyond 
 the capacity of a man fo little informed as I 
 am to decide upon : it involves in it fuch a 
 variety of confiderations, that the folitary ar- 
 gument in favor of the rights of humanity, 
 may be loft in the multitude of political ob- 
 jections that may be urged againft that coun- 
 try becoming independent; tho', for my part, 
 I fee no reafon fo ftrong againft it's emancipa- 
 tion, as I do for it.) 
 
 The politics of the emperor are fo unintelli- 
 gible, fo fluctuating, and indecifive his con- 
 duct from his firft entrance into public life, 
 (for his private life does not deferve mention,) 
 has been fo marked with a more than childifh 
 impatience and inconfiftency, that all alliances 
 with him muft be infecure with refpect to 
 their duration, and dangerous with regard to 
 their confequences ; and when it is confidered 
 that he has already attempted to get rid of 
 
 the
 
 ( 104 ) 
 
 the Low Countries by exchanging them with the 
 elector of Bavaria, and that throwing fuch a 
 fertile, and I may add luxuriant territory, a- 
 bounding in wealthy and induflrious citizens, 
 into other hands, may eventually be attended 
 with ferious confequences to our political and 
 commercial interefts ; it cannot be doubted but 
 their independence is preferable to their falling 
 under the dominion of any other power, and 
 particularly under that of France. 
 
 ( By rendering the Auftrian Netherlands 
 independent, Pruffia will acquire a barrier 
 on the fide of Cleves ; and could the bifhop- 
 ric of Liege be feparated from the Empire, 
 as the inhabitants almoft to a man have 
 long wifhed, and incorporated with Bra- 
 bant and Limbourg, whom it divides, the 
 Dutch would not only be perfectly fecured 
 from danger on the fide of France, but have 
 their commerce encreafed by the free navigation 
 of the Meufe, whofe defcending waters are 
 clogged with fo many tolls and duties, that the 
 tranfport by land carriage of even iron ma- 
 nufactures from Liege to Holland, has been 
 
 found
 
 ( i5 ) 
 
 found the cheaper mode.- To thefe advanta- 
 ges may be added another, which cannot fail of 
 having it's proper weight with thofe to whom 
 the public inlereft is confided ; which is, that 
 our fecurity will always be comprehended in 
 the fecurity of our allies ; for whatever pre- 
 ferves them from danger and mifchief, muft 
 alfo preferve us; for being embarked, as it 
 were, in their fortunes, we muft in fome de- 
 gree abide by their fatey 
 
 / 
 As to the probability of the courts of Ber- 
 lin and the Hague forming other connections 
 in violation of their engagements with the 
 court of London, that is looking far forward, 
 indeed, and farther than we ought to do ; for 
 if this confideration, which marks a fufpicious 
 character, was to enter into political nego~ 
 tiations, no treaties of friendship or alliance 
 would ever take place. It is always fuppofed, 
 and I am fure it has always been meant by us, 
 to adhere bona fide to the faith of all our trea- 
 ties ; and it is owing to this circumflance that 
 foreigners entertain fo exalted an idea of Britifh 
 integrity. I am ready to confefs that the be ft 
 
 O fecuritie8
 
 ( io6 ) 
 
 fccurities for the obfervance of treaties are, 
 inter eft and convenience ; and thefe are the two 
 motives that will operate moft powerfully both 
 at Berlin and at the Hague in favor of an alli- 
 ance, which allures peace and profperity to the 
 one, and protection to the other : and this be- 
 ing the fact, I believe there is no profpect of 
 a change in the politics and fentiments which 
 unite the three courts in the bonds of friend- 
 ihip. fBut, as it is impoffible to forefee what 
 projects France may hereafter form, when or- 
 der is reflored, and me refumes that rank 
 v amongft the nations of the earth from which 
 her diftrefs feems to have fufpended her for 
 the moment; as it is not improbable but that 
 the Belgic provinces may offer to incorporate 
 themfelves with that monarchy, and, by fo 
 doing, not only facilitate an entrance into 
 Holland whenever me pleafes, but put her in 
 poflerTion of the eaftern extremity of the Bri- 
 tifh "channel, and of courfe the dominion of 
 the narrow feas; for with Breft at one end, 
 and the Scheld at the other, me will be miftrefs 
 of the whole; and as fuch an event would 
 threaten equal mifchief to us and to the Dutch, 
 
 the
 
 ( io7 ) 
 
 the queftion is, whether an'evil of fuch mag- 
 nitude would not be effectually prevented by 
 the creation of an independent ftate on the 
 ruins of Auftrian defpotifm. This is merely 
 a conjecture of my own, arifing from my 
 knowledge of that country, it's trade and ma- 
 nufactures, and it's ftrong propenfity to unite 
 itfelf to the French Government ; an event 
 which, I truft, will never happen, and which 
 ought to be guarded againft with the utmoft 
 vigilance $ for I am no lefs an enemy to great 
 and extenfive kingdoms, than I am to large 
 farms. The former are deftuctive to the peace 
 and liberties of mankind, and the latter are 
 ruinous to agriculture, induftry, and popu- 
 lation. 
 
 To thefe confiderations in favor of a new 
 republic, may be added others no lefs deferring 
 the attention of a commercial nation, one of 
 which is the facility it would give to our ex- 
 port trade into Germany, particularly to Franc- 
 fort, which takes annually, in Britifli manu- 
 factures, at it's fpring and autumnal fairs, to 
 the amount of from three hundred and fifty 
 
 O 2 thou-
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 thouiand pounds to half a million fterling. 
 This merchandize, inflead of being forwarded 
 by the fhorteft fea paffage, and by the direct 
 road, is fhipped for Hamburgh, from whence 
 it is conveyed one hundred and four leagues by 
 land carriage to the banks of the Meine. The 
 delay that this occaiions, the lories it produces, 
 and the encreafed expence of freight and infu- 
 rance, may be confidered as fo many impedi- 
 ments to the fale of our manufactures, the de- 
 mand for which, I am arTured by. feveral in- 
 telligent merchants on the continent, would 
 be confiderably augmented, if the charges and 
 difficulties in tranlporting Britifh goods were 
 diminished. Several capital houfes in Bra- 
 bant and Flanders, concerned in the tranfk or 
 commiffion bufinefs, have frequently repre- 
 fented to the government at BrurTels the ad- 
 vantages that would arife to the Low Coun- 
 tries, by rendering them the entrepot of Ger- 
 many i but ignorance, or a caufe lefs excufe- 
 able,prevented their being attended to. Should 
 the Netherlands become independent, the port 
 of Oflend will be opened to us ; that is, the 
 idle and ridiculous reflraints impofed on the 
 
 tranfit
 
 ( *9 ) 
 
 tranfit trade within thefe few years, will be re- 
 moved, and commerce flow with it's wonted 
 ardor : and, in addition to this, our (hipping 
 will be encreafed, and our feamen multiplied, 
 as Britifh goods will be exported in Britiiri 
 bottoms entirely ; which I believe is not the 
 cafe at prefent, as I cannot fuppofe that the 
 Hamburgh veflels return in ballad to the 
 Elbe. 
 
 As to the ill-humour with which his Im* 
 perial majefty may view the conversion of the 
 Auftrian Netherlands into a republic, I do not 
 think it deferves a ferious thought, and if it 
 did, that it fliould be put in competition with 
 the policy and equity of the meafure. He 
 has clearly forfeited all right to the fovereignty 
 of the Belgic provinces, and, if they confult 
 their own interests and fafcty, they will never 
 permit him to exercife any act of authority 
 whatever again. But his exclufion is become 
 neceffary, not only to the fecurity of the in- 
 habitants, but for the peace of Europe. It id 
 impoflible to fithom or comprehend the wild 
 and extravagant projects of a man whofe head 
 
 is
 
 ( no ) ; 
 
 is crouded with undefined ideas of internal 
 legiflation and foreign conquefl ; who may 
 properly be faid to have an indigeftion in his 
 brain, " car fes combinai forts tie font ni juftes, 
 gi ni exaffies" as the late king of Pruffia af- 
 ferts in his memoirs, and who expects that a 
 tree mould bear fruit before it be planted. 
 Such a man, indeed, can never hope to become 
 formidable abroad, however terrible he may 
 be at home ; but he may, by his fchemes of 
 ambition and aggrandifement, involve his 
 neighbours in difputes and difficulties, which 
 it behoves them to prevent. The war with 
 which he menaced Pruffia, for the fucceffion 
 of Bavaria, in 1778, in violation of the rights 
 of the empire, revealed in fome degree his cha- 
 racter to the world, and taught Europe what 
 it had to expedt from his jujiice, and what it 
 had to fear from his power. An army was af- 
 fembled for the purpofe of fupporting what he 
 had furreptitioully obtained on the death of 
 the late elector. His mother, alarmed for his 
 fafety, and anxious to preferve peace on almoft 
 any terms, fent Monfieur de Thugut privately 
 to the king of Pruffia with propofals of accom- 
 modation.
 
 ( ) 
 
 modation. The inftant he heard of this fecYet 
 negotiation, he became furious, and wrote to 
 the emprefs, that " ifjhe made peace ; he would 
 " never return to Vienna ', but fix bimfelf at 
 " Aix la Chapelkr The Duke of Tufcany 
 was inflantly difpatched to infpire him with 
 milder fentiments ; but theembaiTy terminated 
 in a rupture between the brothers, and the 
 emperor breathed nothing but war. You re- 
 member, however, that this giant at a distance 
 dwindled into a dwarf, in proportion as the 
 late Frederick approached him, and that fear 
 had more influence over him, than equity or 
 maternal kindnefs he relinquished his pre- 
 tenfions, " Jam que quatre cens milk braves 
 " gens fe foient e gorges mutuellement, et cela 
 " pour quoi, et a quoi bonf" I quote his own 
 words, which you will find to be exact, on 
 turning to his letter, dated Littau, the 1 6th 
 of April, 1778, to the king of Pruffia. He 
 was fo enamoured, however, with Bavaria, and 
 fo defirous of fecuring himfelf a parTage into 
 Alface, that the project of an exchange was 
 again revived, and again abandoned in confe- 
 quence of the Germanic league. Finding his 
 
 de-
 
 ( tti ) 
 
 deipotic views repulfed without, he directed 
 them within, and trampled on the nobility in 
 his hereditary dominions with a fuccefs that 
 feduced him to try the fame experiment in the 
 Low Countries, where he met with refiftance* 
 ---His threats againft the Dutch, you know, 
 evaporated in air, as all his other menaces have 
 done. His violence has loft him the rich and 
 rlouriming provinces in the Low Countries, 
 notwithstanding the infolent bravadoes of Mr. 
 Dal ton, that he would keep them in fubjection, 
 or lofe his head, qui ne vaut pas grande chofe. 
 And as to the Turks, far from being difcou- 
 raged by the lofTes they have fuftained, they 
 are determined to defend themfelves with a 
 fortitude and patience proportioned to the 
 juftice of their caufe ; and if their prejudices, 
 their religion, and form of government, were 
 not totally incompatible with the manners, 
 cuftoms, and habits of Europe, they would 
 probably have been amply revenged laft year, 
 by the defection of the Hungarians, who to a 
 man are impatient of the Auftrian yoke,] and 
 would have claimed the protection of the Ot- 
 toman empire, when the grand vifir could 
 
 have
 
 ( "3 ) 
 
 have aided the revolt, if the infurmountable 
 barrier which bigotry on both fides has erect- 
 ed between mahometanifm and chriftianity, 
 had not deterred them from the attempt.-. 
 Nor has the emperor any fecurity for the fide- 
 lity of the Auftrians and Bohemians, but in a 
 {landing army, and who can anfwer for their / 
 patience under the injuries they endure ? In 
 fhort, his fubjedts from Buda to Oflend have 
 but one opinion of him, and that opinion is 
 become general throughout Europe.)- Re- 
 collect, I befeech you, the principal events 
 which I have (lightly mentioned, with all the 
 other circumftances attending his flormy and 
 inglorious reign, and let me afk you what ad- 
 vantages nay, let me proceed farther, and 
 enquire what credit we could poffibly de- 
 rive from an alliance with the court of Vienna? 
 ven Mr. Wraxall would difdain the idea of a 
 fubfidiary treaty with his quondam and Impe- 
 rial friend. 
 
 As to Ruffia, whom Sir John Dalrymple 
 recommends miniftry to court with the ardor 
 and paffion of a lover, her credit is fo low, 
 
 P that
 
 ( 1*4 ) 
 
 that bills upon that country pay a difcount of 
 almoll thirty per cent. The clothiers at Aix 
 la Chapelle, who -furnim her with cloth, are 
 compelled to leave their property dormant un- 
 til they can call for their remittances ; and one 
 houfe, to my knowledge, has at this moment 
 near fourteen thoufand pounds fterling lying 
 ufelefs at Peterfburgh. Her iliipping in the 
 merchant fervice amount to thirty fail. Her 
 navy can only be formidable to the Turks, 
 when the king of Sweden will permit it to 
 leave the Baltic ; and as to her power, believe 
 me, that a total revolution muft happen in the 
 minds of her wretched and degraded inhabi- 
 tants, (for they have not yet obtained the rank 
 of citizens,) before me can of herfelf become 
 formidable to any of the ftates of Europe. 
 Poland, you fee, has already emancipated her- 
 felf from the Ruffian yoke, and is rapidly ac- 
 quiring that confiftency, and confequently that 
 force, which can alone fecure her indepen- 
 dence. 
 
 Now, fir, turn your eyes towards Great Bri- 
 tain, and behold her authority and influence 
 
 aug-
 
 ( '15 ) 
 
 augmented, and her domeftic happinefs and 
 profperity encreafed and fecured beyond the 
 example of former times behold that har- 
 mony and unanimity prevail in her counfels 
 which even the moft fanguine never expected 
 behold your country raifed to a lituation that 
 enables her to prefcribe moderation and tran- 
 quillity to the other powers of Europe, and 
 her public credit reftored through the unre-. 
 mitting attention of men who have every claim 
 to national confidence and gratitude, and who 
 have not been lefs anxious to preferve inviolate 
 the conftitutional rights of their fellow-citizens 
 at home than their honor and fecurity abroad 
 compare this pre-eminence, and contrail thefe 
 advantages with the prefent ftate of the con- 
 tinent; with it's diffentions, tumults, and dis- 
 orders, and you will perhaps fay of England, 
 in the fublime and figurative language of the 
 poet, that (lie 
 
 " Rides in the ivbirlivindy and dire ft s the ftorm. '* 
 
 Thus far I have hazarded my opinion on 
 public affairs j I fay hazarded, becaufe I feel 
 confeious of being inadequate to t.he tafk you 
 
 P 2 have
 
 ( ii6 ) 
 
 have impofed upon me ; but negatives are my 
 averfion, and I have a pleafure in obeying your 
 commands. | Tho' far from being an old man, 
 I have labored many years in the political 
 vineyard ; not to raife myfelf into wealth or 
 notice, as many of our cotemporaries have done 
 for I do not covet popularity, and avarice, 
 you know, is not among the number of my 
 vices but from an ardent, and, I truft, lau- 
 dable ambition to be as ufeful as my humble 
 rank in life, and flill more humble talents will 
 permit. A difpofition rather active than enter- 
 prifing, and a paflionate love of letters, joined 
 to that fpeculative and inquifitive turn of mind 
 which I have already mentioned, have thrown 
 me frequently in the way of feeing and of 
 hearing much. With what fuccefs I have 
 profited of the opportunities that have oc- 
 curred of inftru cling myfelf or others, does 
 not become me to decide : you are no ftranger 
 to my hiftory, and when you compare my ef- 
 forts and my fate, with thofe of others whofe 
 names it would appear invidious to mention, 
 you will perhaps recoiled: with fome tendernefs 
 of fen timent, the rlncere and difinterefted pa- 
 trio tifm
 
 t "7 ) 
 
 triotifm of your friend, whofe firit and warmeft 
 wifh has ever been, that all mankind might 
 be free and happy, and the fecond, that the 
 liberties of his country may be immortal./ 
 
 Adieu. 
 
 FINIS- 
 
 H I S
 
 HIS MAJESTY, 
 
 AND 
 
 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS 
 
 THE PRINCE OF WALES, 
 
 Have been gracioufly pleafcd to permit Mr. Stockdale to 
 place their Names at the Head of the Lift of Subfcribers 
 tc his edition of SHAKSPE ARE, ' 
 
 With a Complete INDEX; 
 
 In the Prefs, anJfpeedily nvill be publ'ijhed, 
 
 In One large Volume Oilavo, Containing near 1500 Pages, printed 
 upon a hne Royal Paper, and embcllifhed with a Head of the 
 Author, from an Original. 
 
 SHAKSPEARE, 
 
 INCLUDING, IN ONE VOLUME, 
 
 The Whole of his Dramatic Works ; 
 
 With Explanatory Notes, compiled from various Commentators. 
 
 To which will be now firft added, 
 
 A copious INDEX to all the remarkable Passages 
 
 and Words. 
 
 Calculated to point out the different Meanings in which the Wo/ds 
 are made ufe of by SHAKSPEARE : 
 
 By the Reverend SAMUEL AYSCOUGH, F. A. S. 
 
 And Afii.'tant Librarian of the Biitifh Mufcum. 
 Printed for JOHN STOCKDALE, Piccadilly. 
 
 ** The want of an Index to all the beautifut. and remarkable 
 Passages in SHAKSPEARE has long been regretted ; but the dif- 
 ficulty of the Undertaking has hitherto prevented every attempt. 
 Mr. STOCKDALE has already experienced a liberal Encouragement 
 from the Publick for his Edition of SHAKSPEARE, in one Volume 
 iivo. and to whom he begs Leave to return his grateful Acknowledg- 
 ments. As the prefent Edition will coft him near 2000I. he humbly 
 foiicits the Affiftance of the Admirers of SHAKSPEARE, by favour- 
 ing him with their Names as Subfcribers. 
 
 A List of the Encouragers of a Work which is intended to make 
 this favourite Author Hill more ufeful and agreeable, will be pre- 
 fixed ; and Mr. Stockdale has reafon to believe it will be the most 
 numerous and respectable ever prefixed to an ENGLISH 
 
 Author. 
 
 The Piice to Subfcribers One Pound Five Shillings j to Non-Subfcribers 
 One Pound Ten Shillings. 
 Jan. 1 8th, 1790.
 
 New Books, printed for John Stockdale, 
 
 2. 
 
 The VOYAGE of GOVERNOR PHILLIP to BOTANY 
 BAY; with an Account of the ESTABLISHMENT of 
 the COLONIES at PORT JACKSON and NORFOLK 
 ISLAND: compiled, from Authentic Papers which have 
 been received from the feveral Departments. 
 
 To which are added, 
 The JOURNALS of Lieut. Shortland of the Alexander . 
 Lieut. Watts of the Penrhyn; Lieut. Ball of the Supply; 
 and Capt. Marshall of the Scarborough; with an Account 
 of their New Difcoveries. 
 
 The following is a Lift of the Engravings which are in this 
 Work. 
 
 1. Head of Governor Phillip, from a Painting in the Pof- 
 fefTion of Mr. Nepean, by F. Wheatley; engraved by 
 Sherwin. 
 
 2. Head of Lieut. Shortland, engraved by Sherwin, from a 
 Painting of Shelley's. 
 
 . 3. Head of Lieut. King, from a Painting by Wright. 
 
 4. View of Botany Bay, with the Supply and Sirius at Anchor, 
 and the Tranfports coming in. 
 
 5. A large Chart of Port Jackfon. 
 
 6. A View in Port Jackfon, with the Natives in their Canoes 
 
 trouling. 
 
 7. View of the Natives in Botany Bay. - 
 
 8. Map of Lord Howe Ifland. 
 
 9. View of ditto. 
 
 10. View of Natives and a Hut in New South Wales. 
 
 11. View of New South Wales. 
 
 12. A large Plan of the Eftablifhment at Sydney Cove, Port 
 Jackfon. 
 
 13. A large Chart of Norfolk Ifland. 
 
 14. View of Ball's Pyramid. 
 
 15. Chart of Lieut. Shortland's New Difcoveries. 
 
 16. Track of the Alexander from Port Jackfon to Batavia. 
 
 1 7. Chart of Capt. Marfhall's New Difcoveries. 
 
 18. View
 
 New Books, printed for John Stockdalb. 
 
 18. View of the Natives in their failing Canoe at Mulgravc's 
 
 Iflands. 
 
 19. View of Curtis's Ifland* 
 
 20. View of Macaulay's Ifland*. 
 
 21. Cafpian Tern. 
 
 22. The Kanguroo. 
 
 23. The Spotted Opoflum. 
 
 24. Vulpine Opoflum. 
 
 25. Norfolk Ifland Flying Squirrel. 
 
 26. Blue Bellied Parrot. 
 
 27. Tabuan Parrot. 
 
 28. Pcnnanthian Parrot* 
 
 29. Pacific Parrot. 
 
 30. Sacred King's Fifhen 
 
 31. Superb Warbler, male. 
 
 32. Superb Warbler, female. 
 ^. Norfolk Ifland Petrel. 
 34. Bronze-winged Pigeon. 
 35'. White-fronted Hern. 
 
 36. Wattled Bee-eater. 
 
 37. Pfittaceous Hornbill. 
 
 38. Martin Cat. ' 
 
 39. Kanguroo Rat. 
 
 40. A Dog of New South Wales* 
 
 41. The Black Cockatoo. 
 
 42. Red- mouldered Parakeet. 
 
 43. Watts's Shark. 
 
 44. The Laced Lizard. 
 
 45. New Holland Goat Sucker. 
 
 46. White Gallinule. 
 
 4 7. New Holland Caflbwaryj . 
 
 48. Port Jackfon Shark. 
 
 49. Yellow Gum Plant. 
 
 50. Axe, Bafket, and Sword. 
 
 51. Bag Throated Baliftes. 
 
 52. Fifli of New South Wales. 
 
 53. Great Brown King's Fifher. 
 
 54. Black Flying Opoflum. 
 
 55. Skeleton
 
 New Books, printed for John Stockdale, 
 
 55. Skeleton for the Head of the Kanguroo and Vulpine 
 OpofTum. 
 
 The Maps and Charts taken from actual Surveys, and tht 
 Plans and Views drawn on the Spot, by Capt. Hunter 
 Lieut. Shortland, Lieut. Watts, Lieut. Dawes, Lieut. 
 Bradley, Capt. Marshall, &c. 
 
 And engraved by 
 
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