The National Register.
London, England, 1815-01-22 00:00:00

PROSPECTS OF EUROPE.

57

At length the bubble seems on the point of bursting. The
Congress of the Sovereigns that were to meet at Vienna, for
the purpose of settling a new balance of power, has broken
up; and, dreadful as have been the inconveniences that have
resulted from the events of the past twenty years. Europe is
left in a state to threaten fresh contests, and offer herself a
subject for new scenes of spoliation, war, and conquest. We
are wrong, perhaps, in saying that the Congress has broken
up; for the fact is, that it never has obtained so much consist-
ency, as to commence its deliberations in regular form. This
has arisen from the jarring interests, which it was impossible
to consult, the ridiculous prejudices which it was impractica-
ble to remove, and the lust of power and dominion which no
measure sanctioned by the assembled Sovereigns (so much
were their opinions divided) could possibly gratify.
But, although the lust of power and dominion could not be
gratified with common consent, Russia and Prussia appear
to have conti ived to be placed in such a situation as to
have secured to themselves no small share of booty; for it
seems the former i 3 to obtain the most valuable part of Po-
land, and with it, if we arc not much mistaken, a full posses•
sion of the hearts of its people. They are now represented
to be ripe for the government of a monarch who will give
them the means of assuming the rank to wbelt they aspire.
and acting the part of which they think themselves capable.
It was Mirabeau, we believe, who pronounced the erection of
Poland into a really independent kingdom, and, of coarse•
with adequate means of political is fl uence in Europe, as "the
raising a very devil in its centre." The Empress Cathe-
rine appeared aware of the inflammability of their character,
and thus was anxious to paralize their efforts by exercising
the diciele rt imprra. Hence, Poland was nivided • and Ca-
therine directed the march of her legions towards Constanti-
nople. Owing, however, to the interference of Pi ussia, Great
thitain, and Sweden, her troops were arrested in their pro-
gress.

lier successor appears to have well recollected the cir-
cumstance of the impediments thus ()filed to his illustrious
grandmother; and very judiciously to have determined to
secure both Poland and Prussia, as instruments in hits vast
designs on the dominions of the Crescent.
Prussia has, it appears, willingly united in the scheme,
but not without a clear understanding that she is to be ag-
grandized in proportion to her means of forwarding the
views of Russia. She, it seems, does secure Saxony; and,
although so much pains were taken by Ministers to disa-
vow any sanction to the proclamation of Prinre Repnin, it is
evident that it was as authentic as the offers of /heir Imperiag
and Ponal itNcsties to Buonaparte it: the month of November,
ISIS, a fact which will be well recollected, but of which
'Ministers had no notice till after they had been made. ft
thus appears, that so early as the I 1 th of November, Plussis
and Russia liwteJ in an act, setting the will c►f the Congress
at open defiance. In a little month" the same gat. e was
played at Warsaw by Alexander that had been so success-
, fully won by Frederic• William at Dresden. It, however.
suited these Gentlemen to. receive British money a little
lorger—atliey waited anothci month, and then ordered their