of the North; but on fuch inhuman fupineness the Christian is obfervable only in their patience. The King of Poland is the real hero of the prefent age; he is truly magnanimous! He stands alone, unaffisted by any ally; oppofing himself to the ungrateful, rebellious fpirit of his own fubjects, and refifting a most powerful banditti; not to gratify the ambition of extending empire, but to fecure to his people their native rights, and to defend the honour of his nation, in maintaining his own imperial dignity. He, unlike the fans fouci hero, aims not to deftroy, but to preferve mankind. Yet, wonderful to relate! this magnanimous prince has hitherto found no friendships from the relation he bears to the moft Chriftian, the most Catholick, and other moft illuftrious princes; who, forgetting their majefty in their fordidnefs, fuffered public virtue, the moft refplendent jewel on every crown, alone to fparkle on the turban. The Author of the Claims of the three powerful Allies, now under our review, prepares the mind of his reader with a text extracted from the ad Vol. of Systême fociale, upon la Politique eft la Morale des Nations. "The great object of eaftern policy, fays this writer, is to enforce an obedience to the laws; that the law of nature is equally to be observed with the statute or civil law, as effential to the good order of every community : the object of external policy is to affert and maintain the law of nature in all nations, to preferve fuch a balance of power, that no individual might infringe the great rule of equity, encroach upon the interchangeable rights of every citizen, or violate those moral duties, equally appointed for the mutual advantage of all degrees of people." The preface explains the Author's defign of laying before the world the pretenfions of thefe mighty powers to the kingdom of Poland, that all mankind may form their own judgment upon a proceeding fo arrogant, and fo vain-glorious, that the univerfe has not furnished, nor perhaps ever will furnish, an example of fimilar pride and injustice. He defends the cause of the Polanders with temper and moderation; his candour will appear in the manner of ftating the cafe, and leaving his readers to determine upon the queftion. • Have not the Polanders great reason to complain of the harsh treatment they have received from the three crowns? Have these three powers the claims, in juftice, which they pretend to have upon Poland? These questions are fairly stated: we will not decide upon them; but we will prefume to take upon us the defence of the oppreffed, and fhew that the strength of the argument is in their favour.' He then endeavours to fhake the pride of thefe imperial tyrants, by reminding them of a fubordination to an inferior duty, which monarchs are not apprifed of, or at least seem un 3 willing willing to acknowledge fenfations fo humiliating and fo dependent. If,' fays our authof, these potentates who have given fo much caufe of complaint from the Poles, imagine they are accountable for their actions only at the tribunal of God, and their own confcience, they deceive themselves. They owe to their fubjects; they owe to every cotemporary prince; they owe to their particular fucceffors, thofe exemplary virtues which characterize the great King; and, amongst these attributes, jus tice and good faith hold not the lowest rank.' Having thus impreffed the mind with fome reflections very appofite to his defign, he then prefents us with the claims of the crown of Hungary and Bohemia upon fome provinces of Poland. On displaying the futile pretenfions of thefe powers, the curious reader may find amusement in the many hiftorical anecdotes of these northern countries, naturally arising from the fubject: our Author goes back very far in the tranfactions of thefe countries to afcertain the original partition, and thence proves himself a man of reading and patience. He produces vouchers for the many conceffions from the different powers, in copies from the original letters to Popes; from charters, ftatutes, donations, &c. and we fuppofe they are genuine, from their autography; as they are presented to us in Latin, the language in which they were most undoubtedly written. He then proceeds to fhew us a fine oppofition of light and fhade, in explaining the manœuvres of the court of Russia, and the counter-conduct of the republic of Poland. Here you have the old picture once more exhibited, a mighty prince eftablishing an inferior monarch in dominion, on principles of justice, affection, humanity, good neighbourhood, and other motives ftill more amiable and important; then, without the leaft remorse, he brings the whole artillery of Deceit to overthrow the goodly ftructure he had fo lately raised, and therein proves that affectations are not to be confided in, but that real virtue is the only foundation for princes to build upon. Then follow the claims of the king of Pruffia, as marquis of Brandenburg, upon feveral diftricts in the kingdom of Poland. Our Author looks far into the hiftory of Germany, to difcover the right Poland has to thofe poffeffions which the Pruffian monarch prefumes to difpute; he authenticates his hiftorical records by copies from original charters, conventions, fubfequent confirmations, &c. which are tranfcribed in Latin, as were the former vouchers. In his reflections upon the unheard-of proceedings of these larrons imperiales, he finds occafion to fay, that the deftruction of Poland ought to give the alarm to every nation, and make them tremble.' He prophetically continues, for a time will come when the fetters now forging in the cabinet of Potzdam, (which, allured by the fpecious and deceitful bait of augmenting their their dominions, already have fhackled the courts of Vienna and Petersburgh) will enflave all Europe.' And to mark the mean and rapacious character of the Pruffians.' they clear every obftacle to over-run a new country, only because the oppofitions thrown in their way are found weak, and incapable to refift them.' After recapitulating the grievous treatment his country has fuffered, he concludes the first volume in the language of a Chriftian philofopher. In fo melancholy a fituation, nothing remains (fays he) but to fubmit the juftice of our caufe to the Almighty King; who, at this time, is arbitrator between us and our enemies, and who has fignified his judgment in dividing the people who delight in war. However, there ftill continues with us a king most worthy of a crown, upon whom the allpowerful hand of God was manifefted in a visible manner upon that horrid night, the 3d Nov. 1771, to make known to the world a power that can and will, one day or other, restore to perfect happiness a nation now funk into ruin; or, in other words, annihilated.' He then roufes, and with patriotic fire, challenges his countrymen to shine out in fpite of the cloud that overshadows them, that the world may view the Poles in their distinguishable character, Let us (fays he) give a striking proof to all Europe what this nation, by nature brave and free, is capable of atchieving under the aufpices of a prince, wife in himfelf, and beloved by his people; then mark the difference between the ardour of martial generofity, facrificing their lives and fortunes in fighting for the liberty of their country; and those low, vile, and mercenary wretches who have fo wantonly and fo unworthily oppreffedit. In The fecond volume is intended to prove the invalidity of thofe claims fet up by the three powerful copartners with respect to many provinces belonging to the republick. his endeavours to refute the pretended rights of the court of Vienna, he has recourse, as before, to history; in which many anecdotes appear, that may be interefting to those particular people who have, from fympathy or attachment, made themselves parties in their unnaturai broils. This volume throughout runs into thofe kinds of evidences or proofs which treaties, confede-racies, &c. authorife. Our hiftoriographer, in his inquiries into the ftate of the different diftricts of Halicz, Wlodzimirz, Owietzim, Zator, Podolia, and Leffer Ruffia, &c. must afford information, more particularly as thofe countries are not generally known; and may perhaps make an opening, through which fome important fecrets may be difcovered, not before perfectly understood by our minifterial guardians. For a more extended idea of the present state of Poland, we muft refer the reader not only to the work before us at large, but to the spirited and affecting letters on that fubject; of which ample accounts are given in our 47th and 48th volumes. INDEX To the REMARKABLE PASSAGES in this VOLUME. N. B. To find any particular Book, or Pamphlet, see the For the remarkable Paffages in the Foreign Articles, fer the A. ADDISON, Mr. hypercritifm on, 285. AI, fixed, its nature and qualities, ASTON, Judge, his defence of the com- B. ACCHIDES, of Plautus, passages im ALBEMARLE, late Ld. his character, 30. B criticised, 2 AMERICA, North, contefts with Gr. -South, little known to the Europeans, ANACREONTIC, to a lady, 95. dicinal ufe of, 397. ARABIAN elegy, in Latin and Engl. 22. The great inftrument foe enflaving a ARTHUR'S feat, a poem, extract from, BALAMBANGAN, in the Eaft Indies, BANKS, Mr. his defcript. of Staffa, 454. BASALTES. See STAFFA. BLACK-LEAD, its nature and properties, inquiry into the moving powers 112. Great room ftill left for farther BRITONS, ancient, lefs rude and igno- BRUNNE, Robert de, extracts from his BUTE, Ile of, defcribed, 452. Its pro- Earl of, charged with borrowing his C. Cof Britain commended, 14, 119. AMPBELL, Dr. his Political Survey A CAPE Nichola, great progrefs in trade CAVERNS, fuperftitious regard paid to by CACY MANA, Ifles, account of, 434. Roman buildings, re-difcovered, 185. t COLUMNs, natural, of the Giant's Caufe on, 271. DAVID II. King of Scotland, his extra- DE LUC, Mr. his account of a new by- DEUTERONOMY, reflections on the ge- DIALOGUES, of the dead, by Lord Lyt- E. AST-INDIES, British, fettlements 6. Of Masume Maintenon, ib. Apo- Ein, the most probable methods for logy for his letters, 33. CHINESE, their methods of improving their lakes and meres, 16. retaining and improving them, 116, EAST-INDIA-COMPANY, general view Conjectures relative to, 367. Experiments in, fee NAIRNE, ELEGY, Arabian, tranflations of, in La- 7 ETYMO- |