their commerce, and many of the ministers denounced it by the still more damning conjurations of democratical and disorganising; now the WestIndia islands are accounted no consideration for refusing education to African slaves. Meanwhile more radical changes are broached and agitated; going to the whole structure of the constitution; which, though yet repelled by seemingly insurmountable aversion, may soon, like the abolition of the slave trade, with the genius of the age to pioneer them, make good their way to favour.

An optiomnist finds consolation for the fears that a vast Asiatic empire, which regulates Europe, is about to crush all liberty with its portentous ukases. The imperial chief of that empire, fortified with an obsequious alliance, which has taken the credentials of the Popes when in their plenitude, with a million of men at arms in peace, and colonies of soldiers to reinforce them with generations of recruits, was, after all, brought up in the modern nurture of philanthrophy and popularity; and plumes himself on the suppression of ignorance and vassalage by educating fifty millions of subjects. Thus he is really, by the grace

B

of God, the happy incident which Madame de Stael says he styled himself, when speaking to her of this topic; and independence may compound with absolute power so exercised. So substantially indeed are popular equality and sovereignty acknowledged in Russia, that promotion, instead of being of noble appropriation, is open to all competitors; and so decidedly is idle nobility disparaged, that none acquire public distinction but those who earn it by public service.

At all events the fulcrum is safe in America:

not only by its own position and strength, but also by tacit consent of the Holy Alliance; for does not the recent convention between the United States and Russia imply that no offence is taken at the North American declaration of South American independence and protection? I believe we may rest assured, that the political, intellectual and physical state of man, is generally improved and improving. Jury trial and other great amendments are taking effect among the tractable East Indians. Steam boats are employed in Astrakan and Siberia. Newspapers are published at Pekin. Almost the same political economy is proclaimed,

if not practised, throughout Europe and America. A corner of creation, towards which the rest looks with fondness, as the ancient mart of the mind, without any force but the energy of despair, or hope but that of the auspices of the age, has for several years annually sacrificed hecatombs of Turks to independence. Even Egypt, the preceptress of Greece, gives signs of the undertanding that precedes it. If, in the definition of Shakespeare, which Burke pronounced the best,

Man is a creature holding large discourse,

Looking before and after

his rights and interests are in full advancement: His discourse becoming freer, his forecast more rational, his recollections more philosophical; and, without regard to the mere form of government, the whole social organisation much ameliorated.

The civilised world is rapidly filling with the disciples of a philosophy, not the production of wildness or promise of desolation,' but invincibly armed against the despotism of individuality; which inculcates universal education; throws open

all careers to all; superadds chemistry and natural philosophy to the arts of life, and political economy to the sciences of government; enacts laws by equal representation; simplifies their enforcement; restrains sparingly, punishes mildly; discourages hostilities, by leaving those to declare war who bear most of the brunt, and acquire least of the glory. Not that it pretends to remould humanity, to abolish punishments, or abjure arms :-but to give freer scope than heretofore to the doctrine, that selfishness is punishment, and probity a resource; that justice and moderation prevent wars; and that when they do occur, no military organisation can wage, abridge, or illustrate them like that patriotism, which thinks as well as feels, and reasons when self devoted to every hazard.

Locke and Montesquieu had planted the germs; but the actuality of this beneficent government was reserved for America, where adequate experience justifies the belief, not that it is without defects; by no means; but that it is an improvement; a great relative good. Its legitimate announcement is in the Declaration of American In

dependence: I believe its earliest authentic sanction in Europe, is to be found in the first Treaty of the United States, which Dr. Franklin negotiated with France in 78; obtaining a signal victory over the most inveterate and intractable prejudices, to encourage the infant diplomacy of America. Turgot, the founder of political economy in France, if not in Europe (for his Essay on the Formation of National Wealth is said to have suggested to Smith his paternal work on the Wealth of Nations,) who composed the familiar legend for Franklin

Eripuit fulmen cœlo, mox sceptra tyrannis

had impressed many of the most enlightened men of his country, among them the amiable and unfortunate Louis, the Sixteenth, with predispositions for liberal institutions. A A young nobleman, inspired with an ardour equal to that of Columbus, resolved to risque all for the New World. The American Patriarch, whose mission to Europe, was as desperate as that of La Fayette's to America, wanted the means of sending such a succour to the cause which he undertook, and