It is impossible not to pause here for a moment, and to consider the
manner in which such declarations would have been taken by your
ancestors from a monarch distinguished for his arrogance,--an arrogance
which, even more than his ambition, incensed and combined all Europe
against him. Whatever his inward intentions may have been, did Louis the
Fourteenth ever make a declaration that the true bounds of France were
the ocean, the Mediterranean, and the Rhine? In any overtures for peace,
did he ever declare that he would make no sacrifices to promote it? His
declarations were always directly to the contrary; and at the Peace of
Ryswick his actions were to the contrary. At the close of the war,
almost in every instance victorious, all Europe was astonished, even
those who received them were astonished, at his concessions. Let those
who have a mind to see how little, in comparison, the most powerful and
ambitious of all monarchs is to be dreaded consult the very judicious
critical observations on the politics of that reign, inserted in the
military treatise of the Marquis de Montalembert. Let those who wish to
know what is to be dreaded from an ambitious republic consult no author,
no military critic, no historical critic. Let them open their own eyes,
which degeneracy and pusillanimity have shut from the light that pains
them, and let them not vainly seek their security in a voluntary
ignorance of their danger.

To dispose us towards this peace,--an attempt in which our author has, I
do not know whether to call it the good or ill fortune to agree with
whatever is most seditious, factious, and treasonable in this
country,--we are told by many dealers in speculation, but not so
distinctly by the author himself, (too great distinctness of affirmation
not being his fault,)--but we are told, that the French have lately
obtained a very pretty sort of Constitution, and that it resembles the