attended to, (yet seldom altogether forgot,) have a tendency to stop the
progress of the exterior causes, before they advance too far; that is to
say, before they absolutely depress a nation.

For several centuries, the stronger nations of Europe protected the
weaker, and the matter was carried so far, that the weak powers
generally gained the most. Prussia and Sardinia are two examples of
nations rising by political connections; and though the system is lately
changed, and Poland has been despoiled and divided amongst nations,
to each of which it was superior in power only two centuries ago, and
though Holland and Switzerland groan under the yoke of France, yet,
it is to be hoped, the old system is not abandoned, otherwise there will
be no end to the encroachments of the great powers on the smaller.

The means of communicating, between nations, are now easy; they
have felt the advantage of preserving a sort of balance, {152} and the
ad-

---
{152} The expression, balance of power, gives a false idea. It seems
to imply, that alliances in Europe were so nicely arranged, as to make
the force of nations, in opposite interests, equal; but this never was the
case for half an hour, nor was it ever intended. The whole [end of page
#184] that is meant, is to prevent the present order from being
overturned, by one nation annihilating or subduing another; and then,
by their united strength, swallowing up a third, as was the case with
the Romans.
-=-

vantages are so great, that they probably never will be entirely