is the deed by which I relieve myself from an infupportable burthen, the idea of your majefty's becoming the victim of a fon's weaknefs, indifcretion, or ingratitude: and you will find that I have, by the fame act, taken the liberty to appoint you the guardian of my youth, in all that can properly be called, if any thing can, my private fortunes. I retain in my hand the public treafures, because the weight of them would, from the multiplicity of demands, be attended with fatigue to you; but I fhall not fail, from time to time, as exigencies may arife, to derive benefit, in their application, from your known wifdom, goodness of heart and judgment, and your love of the empire."

With regard to the publick one might very reasonably expect from such an outfet, what has happened in the progrefs of the reign of this monarch. We were prepared for his having almoft emptied the coffers of his private property, and almost stripped his palace of his furniture, many of its neceffaries, and all its luxuries before he invited the affiftance of his people to carry on this unparalleled war, for their fake, for hist own, and for that of human kind! It is a literal fact, that he fent all his gold and filver fervices of plate to the mint; now he contents himself

with common porcelain. Should the invafion of the rights of men continue; he will, probably, be reduced to earthen ware. And to fhew that his fpirit in the field is equal to his generous facrifices at home, he left a beloved wife, in the moft affecting crifis of a woman's life, to be the first in danger as in honour. He is now only in the twenty-fourth year of his age.-Surely nothing but a Carmagnol could with to fhorten the life of fuch a monarch, or of fuch a man! But the name of King includes tyranny it feems; and every head" that wears a crown," according to the new fyftem, deferves to lofe it! The rule does not admit of an exception. Notwithftanding which, I fhall hazard the treafon to with that the prefent Emperor of Germany, the prefent King of Great-Britain, and of every other Prince like unto them, may furvive, not only the malicious plots of their enemies, whether fecret, or avowed, but the enemies themselves! And, I truft, I should have firmnefs and loyalty enough to breathe this with! this prayer! though it fhould bring me to the edge of that inftrument, which, for a fimilar oflence, has immolated fuch hecatombs of victims!

Yet there are, amongst the fubjects even of this beloved Sovereign, many thousands of per

perfons who would aid and abet these extirpations of royalty, in planting a dagger in his heart! The Brabançons, the people of Liege, and many large bodies of the higher, as well as lower parts of the empire, conceal their treafon in applaufe, and their difcontent in flattery; but lie in wait for an occafion, like the folded ferpent in the grafs, to fting the bofom that nourishes, and arreft the arm which defends them. This is fo true, that in Germany, as in other parts of the world, the foe within our gates, and even our familiar friends, who can fmile upon their mafter and be villains, are more to be dreaded than the external enemy. Against the open violence of the latter we can guard, and force may be oppofed to force; but, from the infidious machinations of the firft, the hour of confidence may be that of. treachery, and the moment of apparent endearment may mingle poifons, wounds, and death with embraces.

Amidst fo much unnatural conduct in different parts of the world, it is as refreshing as rare to meet with an inftance of loyalty, in any part of it. Such was the fplendid and fpirited offer of the little town or rather village of Broek in North Holland, whofe beauties and

VOL. III.

S

fingu

fingularities I gave in a former letter. The inhabitants of this place fent word to the Stadtholder and the States General, that if either the armies, or the treafuries of the provinces, wanted affiftance, the patriot gift of twenty or thirty tons of filver, and five or ten of gold, fhould not be wanting!-- But, alas !---on the per contra fide of this folitary fact, what a long lift of murmurs, rebellions, maffacres, and of treafons, might not be fet down, even in the fpan of earth. and water that appertains to the Dutch !---to go no farther. And though the laft revolution threw them fifty years behind hand in wealth and credit, and an hundred in felicity, and coft them thirty-two millions of florins befides, they are, bursting ripe for another revolution !--Adieu.

LETTER

LETTER LXIX.

TO THE SAME.

Cologne.

WE have now given a general account of Weftphalia, as well as of Holland and Guelderland.

Tried what the open, what the coverts yield."

From Cleves, Wezel, Emeric, or any of the port towns, right to left, you may bend your way to Spa, Chaud Fontaine, Aix la Chapelle, or any other place which fashion, the arts of men, and the ftreams of nature have made popular; but of which the defcription, the virtues, &c. are as familiar as the springs of Iflington. From hence, alfo, your path lies eafy and direct by water or by land, to all the other parts of Germany, including its dependent circles. From this town of Cologne, the world is all before you. To this ancient and imperial place you may come even from Rotterdam by boats of bufinefs or of pleasure, along two of the nobleft rivers in Europe, the Meufe and the Rhine; the delicious course of which

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