The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-10-13 00:00:00

to conceive a situation more deplorable than that to
which the Empire has reductd itself by Its disunion,
by the selfishness that has prevailed in i:, by its
useless meannesses, by its persevering endeavours for
peace, and by that parade of eternal negociations
in which it has betrayed its weakness. The time
was when Germany fought thirty years to establish
its political equilibrium, and the left bank of the
Rhine was defended against Louis XIV. for forty
years. In our wretched days, that possession hat
been relinquished by a dash of the pen ; and Bona-
parte now invades the Right Bank with imyunity.
or disposes of it with impudence! Deserted by his
co-estates, the Emperor of Germany has been ob-
liged to shelter himself unler the sane red cap
which decorates the Emperor of the French ; an
impolitic palliation, which, in suspending immediate
ruin, had made ultimate destrunion almost inevita-
ble. Prussia, vertird Prussia, dors it ei,j .y any
thing but an armed truce ? Her camps in granden-
burgh, Pomerania, Silesia, and Westphalia, a.lsiver
this question. Her ttansient calm she owes only
to her cruel indifference at the ravages of a tempest
rapidly ads arising towards her, and which, in a few
years, must sweep her artificial power into the same
gulph that has swallowed the German Empire,
Italy, Holland. and Switzerland. Denmatk and
Swede's have armies on foot. The former was
threatened and insulted in the Menitrar last year, as
the latter has been this summer ; and both are in-
debted for their precarious safety to their distance.
and to the farces of Russia and England. What
has Russia obtained from its condescensions, from
its guaranties, and from its treaties ? Insults, inva-
sions, usurpations, and infraCtions ; s:nd as long as
throne of France is occupied by an Usurper,
Russia, it common with all other nations, has no-
thing else to expea.

It is to avoid open war theft, and to perpetusfe a
disastrous breach of connexion, that the continent
suffers such an accumulation of Insolence IA con.
tempt, habituates subjeas no longer to fear, no
longer to respen lawful authority, and .dlows the
edifice of public safety, property, and justice, to be
demolished. Lest they should perish at once by
resistance, they perish piecemeal, without resisting.
In a similar crisis, the Roman; would have armed
with the resolution of vidory or death. The first
Christians would have sung hymns to Pro wislences
and flown to martyrdom. Their successors neither
die, nor fight; but consent to wait their last hour,
and calendar the days of their esistence, like
wretches os whom sentence of execution has been!
passed. This dying convulsion, with which the con•
tinent is attacked, canuot be of long duration.—
F.ither the principal powers must resume their arms,
or it will sink gradually under successive invasions,
for which revolutionary pioneers and hollow paci6•
cators will clear the way. While it is deciding.
overy day increases the danger, multiplies obsta.
cles, and diminishes resources. All property, all
establishments, all situations, all ranks, all dynasties,.
are in a state of uncertainty. Industry. trade, the
Arts, all decay, and civilised society returns to bar-
barism. Anxiety takes possession of every f.stnily ;
ruin is at their 4loors ; and consternation in their
hearts. But let the observer, saddened by the
g oom of the interdiaed continent, and scared by
its stupor, irresolution, and degradation. cross the
ore. n, and come and contemplate England. It Is
not the sea only that separates her from the rest of
Europe, but also a contrast worthy of admiration.
All the fury of Bonaparte, all his efforts, accom-
plices, yiSims, battalions, flotillas, and robberies,
are direfled against this point of the globe. He
pursues it with the united forces of the revolutionary
wir, and the military resources, which he acquires
by continued public tyranny, esaaion, depopulation,
and plunder. He has proscribed Great Britain as
he proscribes the Bourbons, and would willingly
set both hemispheres on fire, could he but destroy
his enemy in the conflagration. And this island
has supported, and still with glory supports, the
dreadful cunfli!t. Her dignity is unsullied as her
army. ller fleets press on every side of this
Colossus of infamy and corruption, who tramples
order his enringuined feet, all who pay, fear.
verve, or caress *him. It is amidst an annihilated
commerce, blocked up ports, deserted roads, ships
destroyed or flying, that dare no longer visit the
ocean but by stealth, that the Sultan of the Great
Nation vents his rage in knavery and imprecations.
While other naticns basely assail him with groans,
with prayers, with tributes, with conferences, and
diplomatic flattery ; this island despises him, com-
bats him, surmounts danger, prospers, and regards
no sacrifice that is necessary for its honour or its
ind!pender.ee. Those gloomy dreams of irresolu-
tion, that lethargic depression, that perplexity,
which torture the continent, are here unknown; be-
cause our liberty, property, security, repose, and
hope, are not founded upon the faith of trestles
with a barbarous Usurper ; but upon our own re-
s•wrces, our own valour, our own patriotism, and
, our own loyalty 1