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difgraceful. When we confider, that

-tigris agit rabidâ cum tigride pacem

Perpetuam, sævis inter se convenit ursis→→→

we may naturally exprefs our furprife, that beings of a fu perior order, thofe in whom is inherent a portion of ethe real fire, who, though infinitely inferior to the Deity, are removed far above the level of brutes, fhould fink into courfe of action of which mere quadrupeds might feel the folly and the iniquity. But it is ufelefs to argue on this fubject; for the advocates of human flaughter, though they affect a high degree of religion, have no idea of its genuine dictates and its legitimate impreflions, and are, in the ftrict fenfe of the phrafe, practical atheifts. Such men impudently call it blafphemy to declaim against war; but every man of fenfe and humanity will maintain a contrary opinion.

That fpirit of defpotifm which has ever waged war agianft human freedom and happiness, exerted itself at the begin ning of the eighteenth century in the perfon of Louis XIV. of France, who, not content with enflaving his subjects, encroached on the liberties of other nations, and systematically invaded the general rights of mankind. But that haughty and unfeeling tyrant, near the clofe of his reign, was defervedly reduced to a ftate of humiliation, fo as to become an object of pity to contemporary princes. During his reign, however, the arts and fciences received fome en couragement, more indeed from his vanity than from his tate or judgment. His death gave fome repofe to Europe; and the arts of peace revived. But, though his fucceffor was of a lefs ambitious and more pacific difpofition, he, on various pretences, embarked in unneceffary wars. At one time he laboured to crush or deprefs the houfe of Auftria; at another time, he provoked Great-Britain to a rupture by encroaching on her colonial poffeffions. The enterprifing fpirit of the great Frederic of Pruffia kindled alfo, at different periods, the flames of war: but he endeavoured to make fome atonement to his people by falutary reforms and ufeful inftitutions, and by a general melioration of their state. The czarina Catharine II. followed a fimilar plan; and, while her ambition was prodigal of blood, her uncontrolled authority was, in many inftances, fubfervient to the public good. The concurrence of thefe two potentates with the devout Maria Therefa in the partition of Poland reflected difgrace on the age in which it took place, and on the neighbouring princes who could tamely fuffer fuch injustice to be exercifed. From the affected regularity and folemnity in which the meafure was enforced, it taught the nations of the world, that princes, in a refined age, could make a mockery of religion and humanity, of national independ ence and public privileges, and meafure right by the rule of power, with a degree of iniquity equal to that of the

moft ferocious chieftains of barbarous times. From this fcene let us turn our eyes to France, which, at the acceffion of Louis XVI, was in a ftate favourable to the progrefs of freedom. That monarch was humane and well difpofed, and did not wish to act the part of a tyrant; and, under his aufpices, an example of reform might have been given with effect to the princes of the time, had not GreatBritain, forgetful of the principles which raifed the house of Hanover to the throne, precipitated herself into a rupture with her colonial fubjects. By affifting the discontented Americans, the ill-advifed Louis excited among his people a ftrong paffion for liberty; and, when he convoked the ftates-general of the realm, the eagerness of the public to take advantage of the opportunity led to diforder and con fufion, as perfons who have long been blind know not how to conduct themselves at the firft glare of light. The dif order was promoted by ambitious demagogues, whose arts and intrigues kindled a flame which has not yet been extinguifhed. The madnefs of the revolutionary leaders, not being fuffered to exhauft itself at home, diffused its effects over Europe; and the atrocities committed in France by a Jacobin faction under the mafk of liberty, damped the ardour of the friends of rational reform, furnished the rulers even of free nations with a pretence for ftrengthening the hands of government, and produced a general inclination to fubmit to new reftraints, rather than rifque the horrors of confufion and anarchy. Such feemed to be the ftate of the public mind at the conclufion of the eighteenth century; and fuch were the ill effects of a revolution, which, under judicious management, might have gradually operated to univerfal benefit.

In fpeculating on the probable changes which may attend the progrefs of the nineteenth century, we do not flatter. ourfelves or our pofterity with any fignal or extraordinary improvement of the general condition of mankind. Refinement has not, in a long courfe of ages, produced the advantages which might have been expected to flow from it: why then should we dream of any ftriking change which it may effect within the fmall compafs of one hundred years? The improvement of the theory of religion and morality has not had a correfpondent influence on the practice. The increasing profundity of fcientific refearch has not been fo diffufively beneficial as it might have been under proper direction. A more enlarged infight into the legiti mate arts of government, a greater portion of fkill in the liberal and mechanical arts, a more intimate acquaintance with the means of augmenting the accommodations of fc. ciety, have not, we obferve with deep but unavailing regret, been attended with the effects which fuch attainments feemed calculated to produce. Why then should we affect to prognofticate a speedy or a great improvement in

thefe refpects? That fome changes may occur in the period to which we allude, there is no reason to doubt: but we may dispute the extent of their utility. When the agitations confequent on the ftorm of the French revolution fhall have fubfided, fuch a fpirit of moderation may arise, as may be favourable to political improvement. While the enormities of Jacobinifm may have made fo ftrong an impreffion on the minds of men, that the rafhness of indifcriminate reform will meet with inftant oppofition, princes may also become more fenfible than they have hitherto been of the expediency of promoting the happiness of their subjects, not merely that of the higher claffes, but of those lefs elevated individuals who have as great a claim to juftice and protection, to the comforts of life, and to that freedom of action which is not incompatible with the reftraints of society, as the counfellors of kings and the rulers of nations. Under the aufpices of patriotic and philanthropic fovereigns, the fciences which inform and enlighten, the arts which polifh, the morality and devotion which purify mankind, may be more regularly purfued and more efficacioufly cultivated. A more judicious fyftem of education, founded on numerous hints recently fuggefted, may improve both the minds and perfons of the rifing generation. The paffions may be more ftudioufly repreffed; the depravity which, we are taught to believe, has been inherent in hu man beings fince the fall of their progenitor, may be more rigorously corrected. We might extend these remarks to a great length by fpeaking of those changes to which a fanguine zeal might look forward; but fuch fpeculations are rather the offspring of excurfive fancy, than the dictates of prophecy; and it may be faid, though the opinion may be thought to border on unneceffary defpondence, that the improvements which we have mentioned are merely poffible, not probable. Thofe paffions which have rendered the greatest part of the world, for ages, a scene of folly, iniquity, and vice, will perhaps continue to prevail over reafon and prudence, over good fenfe and philofophy. Let every performer on the theatre of life endeavour to act the part allotted to him with judgment and propriety; and the itate of mankind will then be effentially improved: but, as fuch endeavours, from the creation of the world to the present time, have by no means been general, we have little reafon to indulge the pleafing expectation. This, we allow, is not an enlivening or a flattering picture; but we earneftly wish that the profpect may brighten, and that the fu ture scene may be arrayed in more attractive colours.

ERRATUM.

P. 221, 1. 12. for cafat read cavat.

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473

97
to illuftrate fome of the pro-

phecies,

Auckland (Lord)'s triumph,

APP. NEW ARR. VOL. XXX.

Churchill's tranflation of Herder's Phi-
lofophy of the hiftory of man, 1, 169
342

Ava, Embassy to the kingdom of, 153 Clapham's fermon,

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