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It was, however, understood, by a kind of tacit compact among the commercial powers, that possesfion of the coaft included a right to the inland: and, therefore, the charters granted to the feveral colonies limit their districts only from north to fouth, leaving their poffeffions from east to west unlimited and difcretional, fuppofing that as the colony increases, they may take lands as they fhall want them, the poffeffion of the coafts excluding other navigators, and the unhappy Indians having no right of nature or of nations.

This right of the first European poffeffor was not disputed till it became the intereft of the French to queftion it. Canada, or New-France, on which they made their first fettlement, is fituated eastward of our colonies, between which they pafs up the great river of St. Lawrence, with Newfoundland on the north, and Nova Scotia on the fouth. Their eftablishment in this country was neither envied nor hindered; and they lived here, in no great numbers, a long time, neither molefting their European neighbours, nor molefted by them.

But when they grew stronger and more numerous, they began to extend their territories; and, as it is natural for men to feek their own convenience, the defire of more fertile and agreeable habitations tempted them fouthward. There is land enough to the north and weft of their fettlements, which they may occupy with as good right as can be fhewn by the other European ufurpers, and which neither the English nor Spaniards will conteft; but of this cold region they have enough already, and their refolution was to get a better country. This was not to be had but by fettling to the

weft

weft of our plantations, on ground which has been hitherto fuppofed to belong to us.

Hither, therefore, they refolved to remove, and to fix, at their own difcretion, the weftern border of our colonies, which was heretofore confidered as unlimited. Thus by forming a line of forts, in fome measure paralled to the coaft, they inclofe us between their garrifons and the fea, and not only hinder our extension weftward, but, whenever they have a sufficient navy in the fea, can harafs us on each fide, as they can invade us at pleasure from one or other of their forts.

This defign was not perhaps difcovered as foon as it was formed, and was certainly not oppofed fo foon as it was discovered; we foolishly hoped, that their encroachments would ftop, that they would be prevailed on by treaty and remonftrance, to give up what they had taken, or to put limits to themselves. We fuffered them to establish one fettlement after another, to pafs boundary after boundary, and add fort to fort, till at laft they grew ftrong enough to avow their defigns, and defy us to obftruct them.

By thefe provocations long continued, we are at length forced into a war, in which we have had hitherto very ill fortune. Our troops under Braddock were dishonourably defeated; our fleets have yet done nothing more than taken a few merchant-ships, and have diftreffed fome private families, but have very little weakened the power of France. The detention of their feamen makes it indeed lefs eafy for them to fit out their navy; but this deficiency will be eafily fupplied by the alacrity of the nation, which is always eager for war.

It is unpleafing to reprefent our affairs to our own difadvantage; yet it is neceffary to fhew the evils which we defire to be removed; and, therefore, fome account may very properly be given of the measures which have given them their prefent fuperiority.

They are laid to be fupplied from France with better governors than our colonies have the fate to obtain from England. A French governor is feldom chofen for any other reafon than his qualifications for his truft. To be a bankrupt at home, or to be fo infamoufly vicious that he cannot be decently protected in his own country, feldom recommends any man to the government of a French colony. Their officers are commonly fkilful either in war or commerce, and are taught to have no expectation of honour or preferment, but from the juftice and vigour of their administration.

Their great fecurity is the friendship of the natives, and to this advantage they have certainly an indubitable right; because it is the confequence of their vir

It is ridiculous to imagine, that the friendship of nations, whether civil or barbarous, can be gained and kept but by kind treatment; and furely they who intrude, uncalled, upon the country of a distant people, ought to confider the natives as worthy of common kindness, and content themselves to rob without infulting them. The French, as has been already obferved, admit the Indians, by intermarriage, to an equality with themfelves; and thofe nations, with which they have no fuch near intercourse, they gain over to their intereft by honefty in their dealings. Our factors and traders, having no other purpose in view than immediate profit, ufe all the arts of an Eu

ropean

ropean counting-house, to defraud the fimple hunter

of his furs.

These are some of the causes of our present weaknefs; our planters are always quarrelling with their governor, whom they confider as lefs to be trufted than the French; and our traders hourly alienate the Indians by their tricks and oppreffions, and we continue every day to fhew by new proofs, that no people can be great who have ceafed to be virtuous.

MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS.

REVIEW

O F

MEMOIRS of the Court of AUGUSTUS;

By THOMAS BLACKWELL, J. U. D.

Principal of MARISHAL-COLLEGE in the University of ABERDEEN.

TH

HE firft effect which this book has upon the reader is that of difgufting him with the author's vanity. He endeavours to perfuade the world, that here are fome new treafures of literature spread before his eyes; that fomething is difcovered, which to this happy day had been concealed in darkness; that by his diligence time had been robbed of fome valuable monument which he was on the point of devouring; and that names and facts doomed to oblivion are now reftored to fame.

How muft the unlearned reader be furprised, when he fhall be told that Mr. Blackwell has neither digged in the ruins of any demolished city, nor found out the way to the library of Fez; nor had a fingle book in his hands, that has not been in the poffeffion of every man that was inclined to read it, for years and ages; and that his book relates to a people who above all others have furnished employment to the ftudious, and amufe

ments

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