had attained to the highest pitch of power, just before Hannibal's invasion. The detail is very precise as to numbers, and the countries that supplied them. His conclusion is this" the whole of their strength consisted in no less, than seven hundred thousand infantry, and seventy thousand cavalry."

AMONG the particulars, he mentions “the ordinary people mustered in Rome and Campania, amounting to two hundred and fifty thousand foot, and twenty-three thousand horse." These, if I understand him rightly, were not armed for immediate service, but might be called upon, if occasions required their aid. Therefore, these words, "the whole of their strength," appear to mean all the persons able to bear arms.

I BELIEVE, that the learned, in their calculations allow, that on an average, in a number of five or six persons, one will be found to be an able bodied man. Let a rule much more restrictive be applied, for determining the number of men able to bear arms in France, and the result will be, that their number is four times as great as that mentioned by the historian...

THIS is a gigantic power indeed. If it appears tremendous to some, let them amuse their fancies,

if they please, with whittling it down as much as they can; but, let them not forget, that France has actually employed in military service, in one year, nearly double the number of the total before mentioned. Let us go further. Let us strike off one half of the complement which fair calculation gives us. Still it remains a fact sufficiently ascertained, that the strength of France is at this moment, twice as great as that of Rome in the plenitude of her power at the period mentioned.

Nor is the comparison to be dismissed with this observation, unless we are willing to deceive ourselves. To follow it out, another circumstance

must be considered.

Or the seven hundred and seventy thousand men just spoken of, scarcely a moiety was composed of Romans.The rest were allies, of which an exact catalogue is given in the history.

THESE allies were nations, who by various motives were induced to join the Romans in arms; but, so imperfect was the connection, that not long after, a fierce war broke out between these allies and the Romans, that brought the last. to the brink of destruction.

THE power of France leans not on such ill-matched supporters. Her power is native, and not atte. nuated by being dispersed in a long, narrow country like Italy, with rivers comparitively of slight importance, but bound together in a compactness blended with facilities, equally propitious to intercourse and consolidation. It is an Herculean body, of strength and activity-unparalleled in the history of mankind.

Ir may be said, that, "the power of states is relative: a mighty power may be encountered by mightier powers." Granted: but, what is the amount of the observation?

Ar the time I am speaking of, proud and warlike Macedon was a formidable kingdom. Greece, famed for arts and arms, abounded with sensible and gallant men, The Syrian empire was large and strong. Gaul, the former victor of Rome, was dreadful.Above all--with one foot fixed on Africa, and the other on Spain, the genius of CARTHAGE, like a stupendous colossus, bestrode the sea, waving his terrific flag over its subject billows, and in a voice of thunder, imperiously dictating law, hard law, to nations.

Italy is spoken of here, as it was before the name was extended to other countries.

ALL these, in their turns, separately became enemies to Rome; and in their turns, all the "lions, bears, leopards, rams and goats,"* bowed before her irresistable birds. The Euxine, the Caspian, the Persian-gulf, and the Ocean, were made the boundaries of her dominions.

AGAINST France we have seen all at once combined, Russia, Prussia, Austria, Germany, the United Provinces, Belgium, Britain, Spain, Sardinia, and Italy.

How she has disposed of some of these adversaries, and how she has disabled others of them, we very well know. What further proof of her puissance she may exhibit, time will shew: but if we are to judge of the future from the past, which perhaps is a good way of judging in such cases, will not be hereafter any more than it has been already, only what the lawyers call a semi plena probatio," a half proof. It will be full and decisive.

FABIUS.

it

*Daniel, chapters 7th and 8th.

+ The Romans took for their emblem an eagle, a homely, solitary, silent bird of prey, never celebrated for its temper or its battles. With a much happier fancy, the cock has been assigned to the French, a beautiful, social, sprightly, generous, good-natured bird, that crows and fights, and, if, over-matched, dies — struggling for victory.

LETTER III.

"Is France then to become as dominating as ancient Rome ?" I do not know. I hope she never will. But this I am much inclined to believe, that if she ever becomes so, it will be owing to the mi serable policy, that forbidding her to return into the bosom of peace, and to enjoy the inestimable and tranquillising pleasures of civil and domestic life, adds irritation to irritation, and obliges her to be a MILITARY REPUBLIC, as Rome was. It is evident to me, that on the purest principles, she wishes for peace; but is convinced she cannot obtain it, unless it be by the sword.

"CAN France wish for peace, when she makes such exorbitant demands ?"

YES. Multitudes of her citizens have been slain; many severe calamities have been inflicted upon her; and she has been put to an expence hardly to be calculated. Why? Because she was resolved to be free, and to "institute such a government, as to her seemed most likely to effect her safety and