The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-09-08 00:00:00

TEE PRENCA RPrOLUTION.

In France and in GellMl..v it is wee reported.
that Bonaraars has ordered Danes. and tw
other men of letters, to write 44 A complete History
of the French Revolution. from is beginniniv, o i;
end; no doubt, meaning by etc latter. that p
rinds when the present Emperor of faaion usurpr•
the supreme power. Su-a a work is cerainl
wanted. But an annalist may give the narrative n:
ea event; the history. however, of an era, has to
be postponed for a century. before it can be wrizte,.
with impartiality. Contemporaries may transmit
memoircs of their own times to posterity : after
them comes the historian, who compare.. elucidates,
and examines into the truth of these materials, omit-
ing whatever inaccuracies and mist *presentations
may have resolteJ from the passions, party spirit,
and prejudice. ro anticipate these private me-
moires. those indisnensable I.:restigations of criti-
cism, that maturity which the just knowledge of
men and of fats &lives from the lapse of years. is
to write for the gratification of curiosity, and not for
the satisfaaion of the understanding: it is to draw
a landscape through the fags of November. A
thousand interesting falls of former history remain
obscure and doubtful ; then have puzzled the saga-
city of the learned, and escaped the penetration of
puislic men. Do we know how far Casa& was im-
plicated in Ctiriuses conspiracy 3 Very plausible
doubts have beets raised upon the existence of the
plot formed againu Venice, ►y the Marquis of
Beossee. The death of Octet's XII. has given
birth to twenty different accounts and conjeftures
and st is not yet known, whether it proceeded t-om
the hand of an assassin, or from the mouth of a
Tredericshmill cannon.

The unexampled Odor*, presented by the Trench
' Revolntim, does not Arise either from its doarines,
its crimes, its cau.es, or its woes, Lot from ,he pe.
opliar chordater of its authors and its viaims ; from
that medley of wicked usurpation and scholastic fa.
paticion, engrafted upon the national vanity ; from
that concatenation of crimes made necessary by
ether crimes, in those gradnal transitions from the
spirit of independence, to the necessity for a regular
despotism; from that instability of opinions which
foflows the fever of seaaries; with that of conque-
rors, which attacks not only territory, but insti-
tutions, edigion, costoms, manners, property. and
public opinion; from concomitance of hypocrisy
with ferocity of the language of kat wiedge with
the Imam of ignorance; of sophistry with crimes;
and of an improved corruption with the brutality
of the days of barbarism : lastly, fri m the perpe.
teal contrast between the empire of ideas and that
of interest,; between the force of men and that of
events; a contrast, which, after engendering a sc-
✓im of vicissitudes, has perpetuated them, and
which is not to be explained, either by .aciamations
Or by ptophetic ladles, upon sewer easiet.
Ai insurrettion may be the work of a quarter of
an bow ; revolutions are the wodc of ages. Net
any have taken rise from a sudden impula but
were developed by their preparatory and antecedent
causes, meeting with nee or more accidental im-
plicate. Gunpowder goes off at the falling of a
spark upon it ; but the spark is no part of the gun.
rwder. One reads every where, either that
the excess of absolute power, or that the ravages
of philosophy, have overthrown the French Mo.
starchy. One wills us that the yoke of the
Church and Nobility was insupportable; another
ammo us, that had it not been for academies
and books, the people would have continued
aftillicerately attached to their superiors. One hears
all the orders accusing each other; the Court com-
plaining of the Parliament; the Parliament of the
Ministies ; the Provincial Nobility of the Courtiers
mul Dignitaries; the Military of the lawyers ; Com-
mercial men of both; the Clergy of the irreligion of
the Public; and the Public of the riches and influ.
once of the pergy. A hundred cabals have inter.
mixed &Elkins ; parties upon parties have crossed
and opposed each other; none have been able to
inquire or preserve consistence. We are ever.
whelmed with a deluge of apologies and impeach.
meets. Some have supported, in 1804, what they
refitted in 1789. Legitimacy of opinions and con-
dua depends upon dates. The Revolution, at the
beginning, may he compared to a feast, where each
guest was in search of the dish that pleased his own
palate y but finding the viands were poisoned, the
company threw their plates at one another's heads, and
the nooks remained modern of the field of Annie. They
who rejea the influence of anterior, moral, and
political causes, fix on persons, and with five or six

sasses, account for the mysteries of the catastrophe.

It is formed from a hundred thousand springs. Woe
to the visionary who attributes to a single wheel
this bloody mechanism, the edge of which has beer.
klt by its constrators, regulators, and repairers,
sod who destroys its complicated machinery, to get
rid of hisdilficul ties. One may distinguish thevari ,u
principles of the Revolution ; one may enumerat,

dE.lll'n.Fl

1.0NI);)\,
SATURDAY. St., rutin 8.

:edge Bowaw's charge to the Grand Jury of
Chatham County, will be found in a subseqnent
colionn. The Editor of the American Paper, from
which we copy ite states as bis apology for its inser-
tion, that
" As mach agitating hes been excited, from GtOtgiA
Maine, b* the very reprehensible stature of some statements
eontained in it.and at many ,were comments have been made,
k may be pro;mr, It may be perhaps in tune messens inch'
penes .17 neceseery, too:Limit it re the consternates' of an un-
pre u4nocd and impsnial i uhi c "

It has been long known, that this charge had
alarmed the American Gcvernment, and produced
a great sensation in the United States. The reader,
however, will, we think, be a little-surprised, that
it should have had such an eiretcl, in a land which
hoists of republican magnanimity, and vaunts
so loudly of the rights of men. Twenty years
past, the Slave-trade has been loaded with abuse
in this country; and yet no speech or writing
upon the subjed hai, ever been followed by punish-
:beat or pers-cution. In all the warmth of debate
upon the various occasions, when that question has
been agitated in Parliament, its most strenuous ad-
vocates did homage to liberty, and only defended
the traffic upon the ground of expediency. While
they mainta'ned theirptinciple, they gave, to even the
mist viul:nt of their opponents, the credit Of manly,
generous, and liberal sentiment; for there is some-
&sing so lovely, so fascinating, so commanding in
Lberty, that all mankind, whatever their cousluet,
profess to do her homage.

The report of a Russian Chancellor having arriv-
ed in this country is totally without foundation;
the worthy Ambassador of Atua mote the First
to the Court of St. James's, having fell powers to
ail and to sign his transaltions with our Ca-
binet, in the name of his master. It is well
known that the Russian Chancellor, Count Wo-
loszorr, resides now, for the recovery of his
health, upon his estates near. Moscow, and that
Prince ZAR 'CORIUM(' occupies ed• infe,tm only
that part of his office which relates to the foreign
affairs. No other Chancellor, therefore, exists i
Russia, except Count WeILONZOIF, who certainly
would not leave a retreat, required by the state of
his health, for a long voyage, which could not but
impair it. Though circumstances may force Au-
stria to submit to some temporary humiliations,
in putting itself upon an equal footing Kith an
Usurper ; yet we have reason to believe that
the Courts of St. Petersburgh and Vienna per-
feitly understand each other; and, though the
French intrigues at the latter may sometimes
influence its decisions ; it has, however, too many
wrongs to revenge, with regard to BONAPARCZ, and
too many considerations to observe, with regard to
the Emperor of Route, not to keep up those ties
which attach it to the latter. and can never with
safety nor with honour be formed with the former.

According to a private letter received last night
from the Hague of the Ist instant, as soon u
His Majesty the King of Sws oats received inform-
ation of the libel which BONAPAIIi caused to
be inserted in the Monitestr, he immediately dis-
patched a courier to his Clapp friffaires at Paris,
Mr. A c az asap, with orders for him to quit France

without taking leave. At the same time orders
were sent to Stockholm, intim .tii g to 11..0.ava AT'
Ch ,rge d'Afiirsa there, that his presence would I e
dispensed with in Sweden. All political r•latioi •
have therefore ceased between Sweden and F ante ;
but the Swedish Consul, General M. Setorievi
condones still to reside at Paris for the protection f
the commerce of the Swedish subjects with France.
It is, however. supposed upon the ContunAst, that
the Corsican Usurper, in a fit of passion, will soon
order him away, and perhaps declare war against
Sweden. The letter adds; that it was at Munich,
Bois A PAITE'II insolent libel overtook His SWEDISH
MAJESTY, who instantly left the Bavarian capital to
avoid the presence of Boa APART es Emissary there,
Mr. Ovro, and went to reside, with his QueEts, at
the Et EC Toles country seat, Nymphenberg; but it
is supposed, that before this time His 11 AJESTYis
upon his return to his kingdom, where several en-
campments and military preparations lave been
ordered.

Our cruisers off Ostend have lately observed se-
vend movements among the enemy's flotilla, indi-
cating a d.-sign of stealing to sea, should our ships
be driven off that station, or the fog, usual at this
periA of the year. on the Dutch and Flemish coast,
conceal their flight. The number of armed vessels,
in the harbour of attend, has been augmented by
the arrival of many from the c *nal of Brit:Tea, which,
according to rep,rt. is crowded with gunboats,
flat-bottomed boats, pumas, transports, &c. Infor-
mation has been received by a neutral ship, that the
whole armament of this division, called, in FfiniCf,
the right division of the grand armed n, is now com-
plete. Admiral VrItIICUL had return-A to Ostend,
from the Hague, last Saturday, and was proclaimed
with great pomp, Vice-Admiral and Comman.fer-
in-Chief of the right wing of the united I n?eri ti
and Batavian flotilla. Immediately afer h s arrival,
he made several changes. He orders the ciews to
mai.ceuvre for ten hours every Jay, whicl makes
him very much dislii.ed, particularly by the French.
His prcdeLessor, the French Admiral, MaGom,
after having resigned his command, according to
the orders of Bon AP 8 are, was ordered to quit
Ostend ; he retired to Dunkirk.

One of the three Hamburgh Mails due last Wed-
nesday attired yesterday, and brought us letters
and papers to the 23th ult. the particulars of which
have been, in a great measure, anticipated by the
contents of the Dutch and French papers,
which we laid before the public on Tuesday and
Wednesday. A general stagnation in the spe-
culations of Continental politicians seems to be
the consequence of the surprising and unex-
pdted determination of the Cabinet of Vienna. to
equalise the lawful rank of Faastcis H. with the
usurped title of NAPOLEON I.
Some accounts state that part of the Russian
Aeet has passed the Sound; others, that it is still
before Copenhagen.

Mr. THORNToN, late Charre des AY:fires of His
BRITANNIC MAJESTY to the United States, sailed
from Philadelphia upon the 21st July, on board the
ship inflow.% for Liverpool.
Emu& of a Letter from Malta, dated frith of
July, 1804 :-44 The fleet for England sailed from
hence on the 7th instant, under convoy of the Agin-
court man of war, with a foul wind, w:sich has con-
tinued to blow hard. They were in sight for two
.! rys ; so that they must be to the eastward a the
Island, likely Syracuse. The Athol!, HUNTER,
from London, arrived here on the 2d instant "
Letters were received in town on Thursday from
our squadron off Ferrol, dated the Ruth ult.; no move-
ments of the enemy had taken place. Tile squadron
were all well.

About six o'clock on Wednesday eve sing, a heavy
cannonade, which WAS distinaly heard at Dover,
commenced on the French coast. It was resumed
ou Thursday between 10 and II o'clock in the morn-
ing, and continued until one, r.
The Prinecav Ciderlatte frigate, and Pheniaret sloop
of war, with '2l sail of vessels under convoy, sailed
from Cork on the Ist of September, fur the West
Indies.

. -
The late Captain CAMPBELL'S opponent and the
two seconds have re-j tined their Regiment at .ih•trn
Cliff. They attended Sunday evening's pm-4,k for
the first time since the duel.

The works on Galleywood Common, near Chelms-
ford, which have been suspcndej for some time,
have within these few days been resumed with in.
creased activity. There are now upwards of 1,200
men employed there, in perfeding the redoubts.
Mr. PITT, .accompanied by C.:. neral Sir D. Di,
DAS, and some other Generai ()sneers, left l),,ver
on Wednesday, for the purpose of inspecting the
defences to the westward. It is supposed one of the
principal objeds of their Neer was to conceit the
means of inundating Romney Marsh, should the
enemy effed a descent on that part of the coast.

We are extremely sorry to announce the capture
of the Lally sloop of war, Captain LVALL ; she
sailed from New-York the beginning of July, on a
cruise; and, on the I.sth of July, n the coast of
Virginia, she fell in with a large lire tch ship (class
not known), and, a' ter a severe engagem•mit, uhicla
lasted for two hours an I a M.; she was comptlleJ
to strike. A great number •r• kiih.d and wounded
on board the Lille ; among ri rmer we have to
regret the loss of Capt. Ls, ‘t , and the First
Lieutenant, who fell rady in the he ah.,ve
account we I.ave tezeived by a 5.4 .p (lola V,i4usia,
arrived at Liverpool.