Obrázky stránek
PDF
ePub

It is natural on the prefent occafion to recollect the changes that took place in the church of England, in the reign of Henry VIII. and the conduct of our biops and other dignitaries, and the clergy in general at that period. Henry not only renounced the authority of the pope, in matters of external order and regulation, and fuppreffed and feized the revenues of religious houles, but erected himself into the head of the English church in all refpects. He not only dictated in matters of exterior form or ceremony of worship, but, affuming the fupremacy in all cafes, both fpiritual and temporal, prescribed articles of faith, both to the church and nation. These he changed, and still required that both church and nation should change their opinions as he changed his, The conduct of the chief conful of France, in fubjecting the church in temporal and external concerns to the ftate, was moderate and mild when compared with the capricious. tyranny of the English monarch. We do not, however, read of any emigrations or even refignations of the English clergy at that period,

The different parts that were acted by the French clergy of the prefent age, and by the English clergy in the 16th century, may juftly be confidered as a very curious and wonderful phenomenon in morals. Of the authenticity and truth of the Chriftian religion, the English divines

had not the smallest doubt. With regard to the truth of the Roman catholic faith, it is no breach of charity to fuppofe, that the fuperior orders of the French clergy, of our times, are for the moft part fceptical; yet the greater part of the French bishops, as well as their clergy, refigned their benefices: the English clergy, amidst all the caprices of the king, held theirs faft. What is the inference? that a sense of honour is a more fteady and powerful motive of action, than at least an ordinary degree of zeal for religion. Religion, when allied with metaphyfical diftinctions, can easily cover various windings and backflidings, under fpecious pretences. But honour knows no fubterfuges; for the last appeal is to itlelf.

Though the convention between the pope and Buonaparte was figned fo early as the 26th of July, and ratified on the 10th of September, it was not carried into effect until April, 1802. It was deemed political wildom, it would feem, by Buonaparte, to defer fo popular a measure as the re-establishment of the Roman catholic religion, for fome time. It would be looked to as an object of hope, a livelier emotion than gratitude; and the boon when granted might compenfate and obliterate the remembrance of fome grievances, perhaps, and disappointments.

Politique plus fin que général habile,
Bien plus ambitieux que Louis, dit le Grand t
Pour être roi d'Egypte, il croit à l'Alcoran,
Pour être roi de France, il croit à l'Evangile.

Still better a politician than a general,
More ambitious than Lewis, called the Great:
To be king of Egypt, he believed in the Koran,
To be king of France, he believed in the Gospel.

CHAP.

CHAP. XVIII.

Alteration of Political Power between Despotism and Democracy-General Plan or Principles of Buonaparte's Government.-His private Conduct or De portment. His Reprefentation of the State of France, involving a fummary View of the State of Europe, towards the Conclufion of 1801.-Additional Remarks on the State of Europe.-Agitations in Germany, Switzerland, and the French West Indies.-Hanover evacuated by the Pruffians.-Totter*ing State of the Turkish Empire.-Infurre&tions in the new Republic of the Seven Ifies.-General View of the State of British India.

[ocr errors]

IT has been obferved, that politi

It would appear have been

Ical power, which is never long the general plan of his government

fixed at one point, vibrates alter-
nately, in all its viciffitudes, be-
tween defpotifm and democracy.
When it has, for fome time been
concentrated on the head of one
man, it is afterwards difperfed into
the hands of feverals, and vice verfa.
In fuch a nation as France, fo nu-
merous, restlefs, ardent, fond of
innovation, and not yet quite ha-
bituated to the yoke of abfolute
power, it certainly required, not lefs
ability and addrefs to retain, than
thofe by which Buonaparte had.
obtained the reigns of government.
During the two firft years. of his
reign, the public mind was eafily
occupied, and managed by means
of foreign war and negociation.
France was now at peace with all
the world, and the firit queftion, it
may be fairly prefumed, with the
first conful, was, how, by manage-
ment of the French, he might con-
folidate his own power and au-
thority.

from the beginning, to unite vigour with lenity; to amufe and gratify the French people as much as poffible; to qualify, or rather over-awe liberty, privileges, and pretenfions, by a complicated chain of dependencies on himself, as well as by the command of a great military power: for the keeping of which, on foot, he could never want pretences. Such was his plan: nor in truth was the French nation to be governed by any other.

But, at the fame time, it is but juftice to the first conful to obferve, and to record, that neither was his power exercifed with wanton caprice, nor unemployed for the public advantage. In his preferments to office, he was generally guided by a regard to merit, and the opinion of the nation. He restored the operation of laws, and, as much as he could, that of religion. He fet very feriously about improving the

civil

civil law of France, founding it wholly on a moral bafis, or the principles of human nature, and extending its influence, for the comfort and well-being of individuals, to many domeftic fituations or cafes, and other relations, of which the law had not formerly taken any cognizance. He formed a plan for the education of youth, in all the departments, the encouragement of genius, and the advancement of fcience. He turned his attention to the re-establishment of a regular fyftem of finance, of a navy, of commerce, of agriculture, and manufactures. He liberally patronized and was affiduous in his attention to the arts, liberal and mechanical; to the formation or refloration of canals, bridges, and high-ways: and, in a word, to the general ftrength, refources, and prosperity of the empire. Nor was he inattentive to what was demanded by the particular or national character of the French; naturally fond of fplendour, pomp, parade, fhew, and amufement. Indeed, in the way of pleafing the tafte of the French in thefe refpects, he had an opportunity of ftrengthening his own power, by the diftribution of vaft fums of money in improving and embellishing the capital, and other places, among which the confular palaces were not forgotten, and in increafing the fplendour ofall that related to the exterior state and fecurity of the chief magiftrate.

At the fame time that Buonaparte was not an enemy, but a friend to public feafts, fpectacles, and other entertainments, yet he laboured by all means, by his regulations, countenance, and example, to difcourage and check whatever

was loofe in morals, or frivolous, enervating, and unmanly, in matters of amufement or taste. He honoured marriage, and a domeftic life; conftancy and fincerity in attachments and friendships; and all manner of ingenious, induftrious, and laborious occupation. For what concerns the theatre, a very capital confideration indeed, in France, he fet his face, feverely againft all loofe and frivolous pieces, and encouraged, on the other hand, fuch as were of a moral, grave, and dignified caft. He fhewed more countenance to tragedies than to the greater part of comedies.

In his own private deportment, he exhibited to the French an example of a fimple and laborious life. He was not addicted to any pleafures that were not pure, noble, and fublime. He lived comfortably in his own family; he loved his nearest relatives, and was beloved by them. He was neither forgetful nor inattentive to his friends. Nothing paffed in the council of ftate, the great and indeed only spring of laws and government, that did not undergo a nice examination by the firft conful. He heard the opinion of every one with patient attention. But he viewed every thing, at the fame time, with his own eyes, and followed his own judgement. magnanimous and courageous a fpirit as Buonaparte could not have been deficient in clemency. The danger was, that he might have carried that divine virtue to the extremity of great imprudence. He yielded, therefore, to the neceffity of punishing a small number of the confpirators against his life, noticed in our last volume, by death, and by fending about 80,

So

who

who were either their accomplices, or from whom his life was in danger, to French Guyana.

ac

The forms of liberty being still preferved in France, even under the prefent dictatorship, it is cuftomary, at ftated periods, for the executive government, to lay before the legiflative bodies an count of the ftate of the nation: juft as the king of Great Britain and Ireland takes a fummary view of the ftate of public affairs, foreign and domestic, in his fpeeches at the meeting and rifing of parliament. A view of the republic, figned by the chief conful, and counterfigned by the fecretary of state, was prefented to the legislative body on the 23d of November, 1801. The main drift of the paper was, to fhew, that the arms and negotiations of the republic had been attended with luftre and fuccefs abroad, and that order and tranquillity had been reftored at home. It concludes thus, "The English people have embraced peace with enthusiasm. The hatred of rivalfhip is extinguifhed. The emulation of great actions, and useful enterprizes, will only remain. The government have made it their ambition to replace France in her natural relations with all nations. They will make it their glory to maintain their work, and to perpetuate a peace which fhall contitute their happiness, as well as the happiness of humanity."

From this view of the conduct of Buonaparte, it might feem that he was born not only for the good of France, but of mankind. He was careful to encourage virtue, fcience, and all good arts. In his own deportment he was exemplary. And,

for what concerned France, in rela tion to foreign countries, he profefled an emulation only of "great actions and ufeful enterprizes-and was determined to perpetuate a peace which fhould conftitute the happiness of the French, as well as that of humanity." This indeed would have been true glory. And there were not a few who entertained fanguine hopes that Buonaparte would have exhibited as illuftrious an example of moderation and juftice, as he had done of fkill, valour, and fuccefs in war. But it foon appeared, that he was actuated ftill by the vulgar ambition of domination; whether by means of arms, or political intrigue. He, probably, conceived that it was in this way only that he could fatisfy the genius of France, which aimed conftantly at being not only the mistress, but the model of the world.

Of the ftate of the world at this time, as it flood in relation to France, an account is given, not on the whole unfaithful, in the confular reprefentation of great affairs juft quoted, and to which we here refer our readers. *

As France took the lead, and affected the controul in the movements of nations, we have little to add, to what is there ftated, in a brief furvey of the fituation of Europe, November, 1801: the point of time, at which it will be proper to begin the hiftory of 1802. It is into the hiftory of that year, that the agitations in Germany refpecting indemnities, the part that was taken by the few remaining independent powers on that fubject, the convulfions in Switzerland, and the infurrections and momen

[blocks in formation]

tary change of government in the French Weft-India colonies, naturally enter. Thefe things may then be seen in their refults, as well as their origin and progrefs, and fome narrative may poffibly be given of them without interruption, and not altogether devoid of interest.

As we have noticed the invafion of Hanover by the Pruffians, and their declaration, that it was not their intention to keep it any longer than the disturbed and unfettled ftate of Germany might render this neceffary, it becomes proper, for the fatisfaction of our readers, to mention, that, having long refifted the folicitations of the elector, the king of Great Britain, to evacuate that territory, they at laft did fo, in November. As the king of Pruffia had laid the states of the north of Germany under contribution, for the maintenance of his army of obfervation, which fecured the neutrality of the country, during the war, fo in like manner he maintained his army in Hanover, at the expenfe of Hanover. A prince, who can fend his armies into the territories of his neighbours, and maintain them there, as long as he pleases, at their expenfe, bears a very near affinity, or resemblance, to the actual fovereign of thofe countries.

In Turkey in Europe, Paffowan Oglou not only fill held out, but gained feveral important advantages over the troops of the grand fignior. The Janiffaries of Belgrade revolted, confined, and aftewards murdered the bafhaw, and governed . that important city, with its environs, by their own authority. The Turkish bafhaws were not uninfluenced by thefe examples of fuccefsful rebellion. They were, many of them, thereby encouraged in that

fpirit of refractorinefs and difobedience to orders from the feraglio which had appeared, for fome length of time, in many of the provinces. The efforts of the Porte, to reduce the rebellious troops by force, were but feeble, and generally fruitless. Modes of conciliation were more fuccessful, and procured at least a nominal and temporary fubmiflion. In short, the Turkish government, broken by internal diffention and difcord, was ftrongly marked by that spirit of irrefolution, conceffion, and occafional retraction of promiles, and fallies of vigour, which ufually mark the very laft ftage of declining empire.

Oppofite and near to the Turkish flores, a fpirit of infubordination, infurrection, and revolt, arose from a contrary caufe: not from the debility of an old, but the audacity of the people under a new, government. In the republic of the Seven Ifles, infurrections broke out in the iflands of Corfu, Zante, and Cephalonia; different parties, which may be divided into oligarchifts and republicans, contending for different forms of government. But these infurrections were foon over-awed by the combined authority of Ruffia, Turkey, and Great Britain.

In the East Indies, the affairs of Great Britain continued to profper, and even to become more and more profperous; if profperity is to be measured by new acquifitions of territory, and extent of conqueft. The Dutch Molucca islands were feized by the troops of our EastIndia company, without much refiftance. New diftricts were. wrefted from the native princes, our allies. New fchemes were formed, and new enterprizes undertaken for the extenfion of com

faerce.

« PředchozíPokračovat »