tains her old opinion of Machiavelli, and distinguishes by his name those deeds which display superior cunning, atrocity, and want of faith. Though Bacon and Rousseau declare Machiavelli worthy of all praise, her enlightened politicians still hold him accursed.
That they do not venerate him is their own fault, for had they consulted him as their oracle, they would have saved millions of treasure, and as many warriors as we can boast in our standing army.
Let it not, however, be thought that I propose to vindicate Machiavelli. No. I will only unfold his principles to the reader, and leave him to form his own conclusions: and if, after this specimen, he should be tempted to read the whole of his works with proper attention, and without prejudice, he will probably deduce the conclusion that I have arrived at, after repeated reperusals; and which I cannot describe better than in the language of his French translator. "Besides a superiority of talent, which
