The National Register.
London, England, 1813-10-24 00:00:00

POLITICAL 1)1C2UISITION.

COMPARATIVE SfATE AN!) FORCE OF_THE BELLI-

GERENTS.

We should search in vain the history of human events
since population overspread the earth, and the varieties of
language and of nations existed, to find a period fraught with
more awlul importance than the present. Though wars have
in all ages desolated the world, and revolutions have fre-

quently demonstrated the instability of terrestrial greatness,
yet they have never produced scenes of deeper interest than
those, which a few days will tell us whether it be our fortune
or our course to behold. Let those who complain of the de-
generacy of mankind look round them and stand reproved.
Let Antiquity bring, forth her hosts of fabled and real heroes,
she will find their equals marshalled on the field where the
fate of nations is now deciding. She will see the same pas-
sions exerting their influence with the same energy. Nay,
she will perceive the great qualities, the splendid vices and
virtues scattered amongst her most celebrated children in a
lung series of ages, united in the present, and actively en-
gaged in one grand and momentous action. The prodigious
ambition, the military talents, the genius and successes of
ALEXANDER, will swig revived in the same person, with
the cruelty, the apostacy, and the disasters of a Jut.' AN.
Ent to opposu this modern ALEXANDER, she will mat k other
troops than luxurious Pe•Aians and the other enervated sons
of Asia. She wilt bail in the hosts embattled against him,
the spirit of Citecian heroism, heightened by the wild en-
thusiasm of Scythian pat! iotism. In the Chiefs ranged on
either side, she will acknowledge the abilities, experience,
and enterprise of her most distinguished Commanders, and
all that the world has ever produced of great in witkeduess,
in power, in talents, and in virtue, will appear collecte4 on
the Continent, whilst on the surrounding seas the British navy
rides with more than Tyrian or Carthagenian sway.
With such Agents it would be I:ripen:Able that common
events should wear a common face.- But when the object
which engrosses their exertions is no less than the conquest
or the liberation of a world, it is evident that the: whole must
assume an appearance of gratecur which may, in future
times, be equalled, but tan never be surlkabsed. Such is the
judgment which posterity will pass on the occurrences of this
period, after all the passions which they have bi ought into play
shall be allayed, after hope and fear shall have ceased to ele-
vate and to depress, and fresh revolutions shall have left no
trace of these mighty changes, save on the page of history.
What, therefore, should be our feelings, we whose intere,ts
arc so intimately connected with the course of events ? We
are not cold, disinterested sileetatoes, who, at the distance of
tAtO thousand years, east a LJance of mere cut iosity at the
vol. 11. No. CC CI

TRE
No. SO4.
POL IT
COMPARATIVE S I
We shnuld search
• 'since population ove
language and of nail(
more awlul importan
in all ages desolated
quently demortoratei
yet they have never
those, which a few d
or our course to bch
generacy of 'nankin,
Let Antiquity being,
the will find their eq
fate of nations is no,
'ions exerting their
she will perceive the
virtues scattered ame