the ftate without abundant mischief-an inunda tion of the country being, next to captivity and its confequences, the greatest evil. Would you

believe, after all which has happened fince my former vifit to the United States, after all the faithful traditions of horror, bloodshed, pillage, and blafphemy, which have been placed before them, that I find again here the self-fame spirit of difaffection grown more gigantic, and with increase of ferocity proportioned to augmentation of force? for the difaffection of more arbitrary States, of France herfelf, for inftance, I can more eafily allow and account, but one would have thought that a Republic,-attached as is that of Holland to all those things which the French people now moft hold in fcorn, perfon, property, life, and religion; and with the bleeding teftimonies of rapine, devaftation, and death before their eyes,-one would have thought, I fay, that in fuch a country, amongst such a people, who have much to lofe and nothing to gain, the fury of party, by which they have fo often unmercifully fuffered, and are fuffering at this moment in every limb and artery of the Republic, might have been moderated, if not deftroyed. Surely the defperation of liberty, like that of love, baffles all reasoning, and mocks at all fober laws. Even the richest merchants of the United Provinces, men who muft, on the very principles

principles of equality, at leaft, divide the labours and gains of life, with those who fubfift only by an oppofite set of principles, which levels idleness and industry-even fuch men pant for the complete triumph of the common enemy, and are ready to facrifice, not only their fortunes, but their families-to what? to falfe ideas of

freedom, and to revenge. What could they acquire? the gratification of an ancient grudge. What must they lofe? Every thing else. But fo cold and fo dark is their feeling on this fubject, they would 'confider it as a cheap * purchase.

But the fpreading flame is not confined to Holland! The Author has traced its progress through the provincial, petty towns of Austria, where a flender paffage of the Rhine feparates the inhabitants from their utterly-ruined neighbours, friends, and countrymen on the other fide; he has feen and heard the look and tone of determined Revolution: and, if he has at one moment obferved one man retreating with fear, he has, in the next, noticed more than one remaining fixed to his household, in hope of the deftroyer. In numberless places, believe me, a protecting army is an object of filent, yet obvi

The purchase has been made; we fhall fee how long they continue pleased with their bargain.

ous, hate, and one which menaces captivity is welcome. Along the banks of the Maife, as of the Rhine, even though their waves may be almoft faid, from the alchemy of commerce, to flow with geld, the very worshippers of that precious mischief would gladly tinge its billows with blood! In Weftphalia, in Pruffia, he has followed, in every direction, the like power. You cannot get into a public-house, boat, or carriage, but the water and the land re-echoes with the ill. diffembled voice of loyalty, or the avowed and bolder tones of faction.

In fhort, the fever is more univerfal than any other that has yet raged in the world. It feizes on all ages, fexes, and countries; and though millions have already died of it, the fury rather increases than abates. I have feen many men in their grand climacteric, to whom an easy chair and a warm peaceful hearth, one would think, might comprise all the liberty fighed for, I have feen fuch receive with exultation every account of a fortrefs deftroyed, a village burned, or a city defolated, even though adjoining their own. Like the malignant Zanga, but unfupported by Zanga's motives of revenge, they

"Love the rocking of the battlements;

"It fuits the gloomy habit of their fouls."

In a word, in a circuit of many hundred leagues, I have feen a fpirit of revolt to the ruling power, whether

whether emperor, ftadtholder, or king, that rifes amongst the ruin, and ftirs up infurrection amidft the very afhes, of thrones and dominions. Adieu!

LETTER LVIII.

TO THE SAME.

You told me, I remember, in one of your

late favours, that I had mingled in my fheaves many a bloody wreath. Alas, it is but the blufhing fignal of thofe events which are doomed to outrage the feelings of every gentle heart. In the character of an hiftorical obferver I fhall, ere long, be called upon to afflict the reader, and my friend, yet more: the most terrifying truths are to be told; truths, over which I have wept and fhuddered; but, over which, I nevertheless hope, fhould the peruser of these pages fhed a tear, and fhudder alfo, he will find a balm fufficient to the wound. Amidst the pangs of general philanthropy every Briton-born reader, at least, will feel at his heart the beatitude of his particular happiness in being a member of that island, which, although, by comparative extent, it measures but as a fpeck in the map of the world,

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world, is the natal refidence of the fortunate, and the almost fole fanctuary of the unhappy proportions of the globe.

But, however, my countrymen, and my friends, are to be felicitated on this circumftance, I forrow to diftrefs them by delineating the fad reverse, and, therefore, will, as long as poffible,

"Spare the telling, fince it be a pain."

The hurry and agitation of public affairs have led me to fome anticipations; the crouding incidents of the moment; the now gathering, now difperfing ftorms of war, have made me break in upon my referves prematurely; and that to the neglect of many a more pacific and smiling scene. To these I fhall return with a fatisfaction that, I flatter myself, you will fhare, as it will, for a while, suspend every more turbulent fubject, and empower me to conduct you gradually along, till you almost forget we are approaching scenes of devaftation. By fuch means, too, I fhall rather break the blow upon your feelings than take them by furprise: nay, more, as our paths to the feats of war lie through fome of the most charming parts of Weftphalian Pruffia, I fhall even ftrew those paths with flowers.

I am