THE

Augustan Review.

No. IX. FOR JANUARY, 1816.

ART. I.

Public Affairs.

ANOTHER year, the brightest perhaps in the series of voluble time, is gone to join the years beyond the flood." In writing of the events of periods so extraordinary, one is misled by the splendour which they shed around them; and induced, if not to overlook, at least comparatively to undervalue the cheering events of other periods. What could be more exhilarating to the spirits more buoyant to hope, than our triumph at Busaco? That achievement filled every breast with joy. But presently the enemy are found at Vittoria, and the glory of Busaco is eclipsed. They are chased across the Pyrenees with the bayonet at their back; and, severely beaten in the presence of their astonished countrymen, testify to the world that it had by no means been owing to chance, as they had invidiously alleged, that the series of our victories in the peninsula had continued unbroken. Before these things could be accomplished, the battle of Leipsic had taken place, and humbled in the dust the mighty hosts of the puissant invader-acting under his own NO. IX. Aug. Rev. VOL. II.

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immediate orders. To crown all, the allies carry their arms into France-Paris, the abandoned mistress of the world, falls-and the discomfited tyrant is happy to accept at the hands of his enemies, a place of refuge which, but a little before, some of his generals would have thought scarce worthy their acceptance. When these events, too grand to have been expected, took place, ambition and revenge seemed satiated-insulted justice on the eve of resuming her throne. In splendour aud importance they had never been equalled; and we had no desire to see them excecded. Yet they have been exceeded, through means of a seven months' war! distinguished by only one battle! By breaking from his confinement, nrarching to Paris guarded by troops that had been sent to oppose him, and quietly seating himself on the throne of France, Napoleon seemed to have frustrated all the fond hopes of nations: But, he fights at Waterloo (so he would have it) and, in one awfully glorious day, the laurels which had been planted with toil and nourished in blood, are gallantly torn from his brow, and he himself exiled to a secluded spot so insignificant on the globe of the earth, that mariners often search for it in vain. These are the achievements which render the year just concluded, far more brilliant and memorable than any that preceded it-an æra at once of victory and peace, second in importance only to that which ushered into the world the Saviour of mankind.

This last long year, and this last short war, have conferred on nations the great object of all benevolent statesmen-a peace not equivocal, and so well guarded, that it appears as if no mortal contrivance could possibly disturb its course. No ordinary assurances, indeed—no ordinary securities could possibly be satisfactory, where the French were the party to be bound to keep the peace. After all, we must be permitted to state, that we much doubt whether any sagacious observer of affairs would incur a great risk on the strength of the constancy and fidelity of the French. We would rather trust even the Americans, it

being more difficult for an artful government to induce a people to ruin themselves, than for a profligate people to subvert their government and throw all around them into confusion. In places where chagrin predominates, Louis XVIII. is constantly and ill-naturedly said to be sovereign of France, and the malignant passions of his subjects to have been subdued, only nominally. But wonders have been done for France through the conquest of it by its friends; and measures partaking of both moderation and vigour are reported to be, at length, in train in its capital— at the same time that, as all the world knows, there is a lamentable defect of moderation in some of the provinces, and that, no doubt, because the vigour subsisting at the seat of government is either too scanty, or wickedly misapplied. Through the violence offered to man in the south of France, Heaven has been most audaciously outraged. The Bourbons, in whatever region you find them, are righteous over much. They reign over nations of unprincipled bigots; and he who expects any thing less than persecution from such nations, is not conversant with modern history. All who are of the Reformed Religion, if we can believe the Pope, are objects of just dislike to good Catholics : but the most reformed, i. e. those who have deviated the most widely from the practices of the Romish Church, are disliked the most heartily; and hence those abominable proceedings, the melancholy effects of which, different venerable bodies of men in this country have lately been endeavouring to mitigate. To them, however, it must have occurred, that a great deal really is not to be expected from the representations of a British minister at Paris, on the infringement of the French Constitutional Charter. The Duke de Richelieu will probably remind him, that there is now a general peace, that the French king and his ministers ought to be supposed anxious enough to preserve the peace of their own country, and that the allies have already gone far enough in the regulation of its internal concerns.

It was not to be expected that the allies, driven to choose

between abject submission to an insolent opponent—and the maintenance of their acknowledged rights, would, on insuring the latter, fail to take every step which they deemed requisite for their ultimate security: And it is matter of joy and congratulation throughout these dominions, that the final adjustment exhibits the general features of true wisdom. The sovereigns of the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy (Spain is already nothing) are content with their respective allotments— their frontiers are, almost in every point, of their own choosing. The debts due by France to foreigners, which Buonaparte (who never did justice from a direct motive) basely refused to acknowledge, are cheerfully admitted by the honourable mind of the lawful ruler. And while our countrymen are to benefit considerably by this act of public justice, they are about to partake of the high advantages resulting from the acquisition not only of a populous fertile territory presenting an uninterrupted landcommunication between the North Sea and Hanover, but of the Ionian Islands-possessions of moment in a military point of view; very important as naval stations; and, to commercial men, of the highest imaginable value. What if the busy tongues of some of the London fur-merchants should by and by be stopped, by Spain transferring to England the two Floridas? Were it to do so unconditionally, it could not justly be charged with an excess of generosity. Let our new possessions have but English laws-freeing them gradually from the habits they are known to have acquired from immemorial subjection to successive tyrannies, and they will bless the day that saw a British governor set over them.-Besides the liquidation of public debts, an advantage common to the allies; and the acquisition by Great Britain of the sovereignty of East Friesland, and of the Seven Islands; there has been insured to some of the allies, the possession of a much improved frontier; while all of them have entered into a solemn engagement, never to suffer either any of the noxious race of Napoleon to reign in France, or any

ruler of France whatever to invade the rights of neighbouring

states.

As acts of public law, the three first were wise; the concluding act is wisdom itself.

The battle of Waterloo, already sung by the poets, will in due time become the theme of the historian; and princes rescued from a thraldom more intolerable than western servitude, will aid in eternalizing its fame. The narration of it will long prompt to noble deeds like those by which so heavy a yoke has been lifted from off the neck of many nations, and so much independence, prosperity, and fair fame, substituted in its place. Through the vast efforts perseveringly made by this country, we have rendered it easy for our friends to vindicate their liberty; and almost impossible for our enemies to be any longer slaves. Let both try to be happy, and we are requited.

War, the scourge at once of the victor and the vanquished, has once more quitted the earth: and exhausted nations, like travellers after a bewildering, perilous, fatiguing journey, are hastening to partake of rest. The temple of Janus is shut. And if a few unhappy prejudices still exist, sceleris vestigia nostri, they are to be found only among the Catholics of misguided Ireland and besotted France. In the latter country they will be tolerated -since there, every degree of every heinous crime is still found tolerable in the other they will be justified, praised and recommended, with little regard to common sense, none at all to the common safety. But will Lord Liverpool, who has less opposition to encounter than any man ever had who stood at the helm of affairs in this country-will be who, without feeling enmity to any Papist, is a cordial firm friend to every Protestant,

It was laughable enough to see Mr. O'Connel, the other day, at a meeting of Catholics, whom he was stimulating to farther resistance to the will of the legislature, lamenting piteously the excesses into which their Christian brethren in the south of France had run. He has not yet, it seems, talked his countrymen out of all their money.