FOREIGN SUMMARY. 479 



to her happiness. But in spite of the rumours afloat, the meeting of the 

 northern despots is one rather offensive than defensive. They have enough 

 to do at this momentto resist the torrent of the propogande that is sweeping 

 with head-long fury towards their frontiers. Hungary is a smothered volcano 

 which causes the liveliest apprehension to the Emperor Francis, and his arch- 

 minister. Prussia, with her population worn out with military services, 

 with her liberal employes, with a botirgeoisee exasperated against a haughty 

 noblesse, without fundamental laws, and without intermediate powers, 

 present a soil on which would rapidly germinate the seeds of liberalism, 

 while the Russian autocrat in casting his eyes over the surface of his colonial 

 empire must see on every side that, even in Russia, a security for change is 

 imperiously called for. Discontent is fast spreading through the ranks of 

 the army, owing to a reduction lately made in their slender pay. They are 

 clamourous for war while the noblesse are dissatisfied at seeing the emperor 

 occupy himself so exclusively with the concerns of Western Europe, when the 

 true interests of Russia, are in the East ; and look with hatred on the 

 Germans by whom he is surrounded. On the other hand, Poland, though 

 beaten in the field, still opposes her barbarian conqueror a stern moral 

 resistance that must convince Nicholas and his Russian Counsellors that she 

 will seize every opportunity of re-asserting her former independence. The 

 meeting therefore of the sovereigns is purely defensive on their part. Of 

 course their object is to preserve the statu quo, but there will be no appeal 

 to arms. They may intrigue and secretly undermine the constitutional 

 systems in the minor states of Germany : but they will know that were they 

 to let slip the dogs of war in an unlucky crusade against liberty, they will 

 conjure up a storm that will leave not a vestage of their thrones behind ; but 

 a distrust of the gigantic power of Russia has crept into the Austrian and 

 Prussian Cabinets. The cessation of Wallachia and Moldavia, by the late 

 secret treaty with the Porte, and the conveyance of her Suzeraente over Servia 

 to the Autocrat, has at last opened the eyes of the Emperor Frances. Whilst 

 the extensive fortifications which the Prussian Government are making at 

 Posen, now one of the strongest places in Europe, clearly shows that Fre- 

 derick William is erecting a dyke against the Russian Colossus. The Holy 

 Alliance, therefore, holds by a thread. The policy of interests is beginning to 

 prevail over the policy of principles. There is a wide field open to our diplo- 

 macy. One, that if skilfully marked, may yet prove the way to the re-estab- 

 lishment of a kingdom of Poland ; for both Austria and Prussia now begin to 

 see the necessity of arresting the encroachments of Russia, and what better 

 barrier need they than the gallantry of a kingdom of five millions of Poles. 



Turkey, that monument of British imbecility, is now, in all but the name, 

 ^ , a province of Russia. Some attempts have been made to renew our former 

 friendly intercourse with the Porte, but it is come too late. Having once 

 allowed the Cossack to encamp in the very streets of Constantinople, the 

 Dardanelles have been closed against a British fleet, at the haughty mandate 

 of a Russian admiral, and we must now resign ourselves to see in a few 

 years, Russia the absolute mistress of the commerce of the Levant and Asia 

 Minor. 



In Greece, the executive government are actively bestirring themselves, 

 and the army is rapidly organizing, but Russian intrigue will continue to 

 distract that unhappy country until it shall suit the political convenience of 

 the Russian eagle to pounce upon Greece, and annex it to its already unwieldy 

 empire. 



The present state of Italy may be defined by a single line of Tacitus : 



" Ubi solitudinem faciunt ad pacem appellunt." 



In Switzerland, the energetic measures have restored tranquillity, while 

 her frontiers are lined on one side by an Austrian, and on the other by a 

 French army. 



