iffuing from this Pandemonium of error and of fin. If we take a view of America, we perceive the United States, the British government, and even Spain itfelf, the faithful ally of this terrific monster, obliged to arm for the purpose of fuppreffing the combinations of confpirators, fent to fraternize the new world. Turning to Europe, we see the greater part of Italy infefted with the fame principles, conquered, plundered, devaftated; and a number of inferior political monfters befides, all receiving the law from it, and obedient to its terrific nod. We have feen that brave and hitherto unconquerable people the Swiss invaded, their cantons laid wafie, and flowing with blood, under the iron rod of French perfidy and incurfions. The Netherlands have likewife been infected with its impious errors; fubjected, ftarved,pillaged, and languishing under the galling yoke of its mercilefs oppreffion. With what undefcribable violations of female chaflity, rapine, havoc, and murder, has it not overwhelmed a great part of Germany? With what fecrecy and fraud has it not ftirred up that dangerous rebel Pafwan Oglou in Turkey, against his rightful fovereign; and if from Afia we turn our view to Africa, that remote country, have we not feen an immenfe fleet and army fecretly and perfidioufly fent, contrary to the faith of treaties, and the moft folemn recent affurance given to the Porte, in order to fubjugate the inhabitants of the banks of the Nile, to more than Egyptian darknefs, to atheistical defpotiím.

Nor is this "myftcry of iniquity" bounded within any limits. It is, at the moment of writing this, working its revolutionary changes in Perfia, and in the Indies, with avowed and manifeft defign to corrupt and defolate, if poffible, the whole inhabited globe.

But

But let us not, while furveying tlie calamities of the world without, forget our own late critical state as a people; a ftate in which we have been involved by the unprovoked and infidious machinations of France. Let us meditate upon it with that seriousnefs, that awful reverence, that unbounded gratitude to the great and omnipotent Ruler of the universe, who fuffered us, as a jutt chastisement for our fins, to be driven to the precipice of national ruin; and afterwards moft mercifully and critically delivered us, and mocked the attempts of the enemy.

BRITONS! if there be one man among ye who doubts thefe awful truths, contemplate the late unhappy fituation of your fellow-fubjects in Ireland, hundreds of thousands of whom, deluded and intoxicated by French doctrines and promifes, were in open rebellion against the best of fovereigns and the mildeft of governments; difdainful of subordination, and refolved upon all mifchief. See them, from a peaceable people, perverted into clubs of affociated banditti, laying wafte their own fertile country by conflagrations, and every other cruel and criminal engine of felf-deftruction. See them incited, fupported, and affifted, by the fleets and armies of the French republic; always remembering, that Ireland was the meditated paffage for the enemy into our own country.

BRITONS! I mean you who cherish the leaft love for your country, and its most excellent constitution, afk yourselves this awakening and important question: • Have not too many amongst us been deeply tainted by French atheism, and French fraternization? If we have not been fo over-reached and corrupted, what mean those Jacobin papers, which daily infult

* This was written foon after the mutiny of the grand fleet.

your

your common fenfe with their approbation of French wifdom, and French principles? What means that variety of blafphemous tracts, publifhed at no fmall expence, and induftrioufly and fecretly difperfed throughout the kingdom, for the evident purpose of deluding the people into a belief of the doctrines of French atheifin and anarchy? What mean those numerous clubs, ftyling themfelves "Societies for Conftitutional Information," and "Correfponding Societies," lately eftablished throughout Great Britain and Ireland, holding confidential, fecret, and treasonable intercourfe with the French revolutionists? Rack your invention, until it is no longer capable of exertion, and afk yourselves, can all this art, this difguife, this fecrecy, this intimate and cordial co-operation with the worn enemies of your God, your religion, your country, and your firefides, mean you any good? And finally, to bring my queftions more home to your feelings, that you may fee and judge for yourfelves, and for thofe whom you are bound by reafon, by compact, by religion and the never-ceafing voice of nature to protect and comfort; I fay, ask yourselves, what mean those frequent panegyrics made by fome of our firft orators, and perfons of the higheft rank and fortune, in two auguft affemblies, upon French illumination, and French meafures? What means that inceffant oppofition to the wifeft and beft-concerted plans of your fovereign, and his parliaments, for the protection of your lives and fortunes? What mean those repeated combinations of all ranks to fupport the most notorious traitors, and to fnatch them out of the hands of law and juftice What mean that fullen difcontent, that language of detraction, which decries the merit of the most brilliant fucceffes against French anarchy, and the well-earned fame of our greateft heroes? What mean thofe audacious infults offered to his Majefty, thofe attempts

upon

1

upon his facred life, even when going to the dif charge of his public duty? And, above all, what meant that awful period of dreadful fufpenfe and difinay, with which the heart of every friend to his country was finitten, during the mutiny at the Nore, &c. From what fource, what "bottomlefs pit" of anarchy and rebellion, did that moft tremendous event "afcend?" Did it arife from any just cause of difcontent, given to the brave defenders of their country on board that fleet? No: there was none, but what a dutiful application would have remedied.Did it arife from the long-tried honefty and gallantry of British tars? No: thofe exalted virtues never could beget a monster so mishapen and frightful.

BRITONS! exercife, for a moment, your good fenfe, and examine the volume of evidence that ftares you in the face, and you must be convinced, with me, that it was engendered in the putrid foil of French bribery and French atheism; and nourished, reared, and brought to maturity by the daily Jacobin papers, the feditious fpeeches in **********, and by the dark clubs and affociations of traitors and anarchifts; who, in ftrict imitation of their French brethren, have, under the plaufible but fraudulent pretence of reforming your. excellent conftitution, determined to overturn it from its foundation; and with it your reafon, your confcience, your morals, and your religion; and to legalize confufion, ftrife, and every evil work in their ftead.

BRITONS! I will trespass upon your patience yet a few moments longer, because I feel the impulfe of incumbent duty, arifing from the love of our country, its conftitution and laws. Let me yet farther seriously ask you, where was the eye, during this awful period, that did not fee the fate of your country fufpended over the precipice of ruin? Where was

G 2

the

the honeft heart, that was not ftricken with horror and difmay? that did not tremble at the profpect of an unfavourable, a lamentable iffue of that dreadful mutiny? It was a mutiny that threatened your immediate deftruction; ready to deliver over your wooden walls, with tens of thoufands of your feamen, your only hope of national fafety, into the hands of your fworn and implacable enemies. Here fuffer me to afk you again, ferioufly, by whom were you saved; fnatched, as it were, in a moment, from impending perdition? Were you faved by the aid of allies? No, you had none ! Were you faved by your own wifdom or prowefs? No: your principal ftrength was in the hands of the mutineers; and they, fearless of your remaining force, were out of your reach, and your councils were reduced to a state of trembling defpondency! Then let me afk you, how were you preferved? What beneficent power interpofed for your falvation? I will tell you, BRITONS, in truth and honefty. It was the great" JEHOVAH," the

36

Alpha and Omega," the the " beginning and end"ing;" THE ALMIGHTY*, who created the univerfe, has governed it, by his providence, from the beginning; and fhall continue to govern it by his righteous will, to the end. It was HE," in whom we live, and move, and have our being† ;" and without whofe will, a "hair of our heads cannot fall, to "the ground." It was HE, who walks in the "whirlwind and directs the fiorm." It was HE, who walked in the "whirlwind" of mutiny; turned the hearts of the mutineers to a true fente of their duty; and faid to the fiend of the "bottomlefs pit," "Hitherto thalt thou come, and no farther, and here "fhall thy proud waves be fiayed." It was HE, who difcomfited your enemy in Bantry Bay, when that

* Rev. i. 8. 11.

Acts, xvii. 28.

enemy