present Emperor will on a sudden change the system and passions of his family? All that passed at Reichenbach and private anecdotes, so far as they are to be trusted, give reason to believe exactly the reverse. What can induce him to lay himself at the mercy of his mortal enemy, which he does the moment he interferes openly in France? The King of Prussia may change his mind, he may change his ministers, the temptation may be too great. What advantage can he possibly figure to himself to balance any, much more all these risks? It would be a refinement to suppose that he takes up the aristocrats as the weaker side with a view to weaken both, and get Alsace in the scramble, for he has still the King of Prussia at his back.
"Supposing however a general league to be formed in opposition to all precedents, to the nature of things, and to all political calculation. What difficulties will they not have to encounter? An offensive war against twenty-five millions of people, a proud high spirited nation enthusiastic to a degree of desperation, insulted with the very idea of invasion, with greater means than all the rest of Europe can furnish, and England out of the scale. Recollect the resistance and success of America, the length of time and money which it took to reduce Corsica, the defeat of the Spaniards when they attempted to invade Algiers. Besides, the peoples of Europe may negotiate together as well as the sovereigns of Europe. The people of Flanders, Holland, Savoy, Hungary, Spain and even Portugal have all discovered more or less disposition to assert their original rights, besides Poland. There is reason to believe it might extend to Moscow.[1] There is no instance in history of any great league of princes lasting long. It is to be presumed that the French representatives will not be idle, but endeavour to detach some of the parties. There is not a Northern Potentate, who could resist the offer of a West India Island or an East Indian factory, and there are many who think France would be stronger and England too, without any of either, if they could be sure of their not being monopolized.
- ↑ Compare "Lord Lansdowne to Bentham." Works, x. 198.
