179 



four lines of the fourth are a virtuous, patriotic, and 

 just view of the evils produced by the usurpation 

 and policy of Buonaparte: what follows is too just, 

 though I hope too gloomy, a picture of what Britain 

 has to fear. As to the ' guilt', that involves a ques- 

 tion on which very good people differ. Mrs. B. 

 seems to think the war, not being unavoidable, was 

 guilty. Some think it the cause of the tyrant's suc- 

 cess, who might never have had an existence, if 

 France had been left to herself. This would lead 

 me too far ; you know better than I do what has 

 been said. I only mean that Mrs. B.'s idea is con- 

 formable to that of numberless undoubted good 

 Englishmen and good subjects. 



From p. 6 to 17 appears to me to express the 

 most enthusiastic love and patriotic admiration for 

 her country, and all that has ennobled or will immor- 

 talize it. It must be a e false philosopher' indeed, 

 who could pervert this eloquent celebration of Bri- 

 tish virtue, talent, and distinction into an effusion 

 of ' ' hatred ' ! And where does she exalt the rivals of 

 her country ? Does not she express that even 

 America, if it should, in the lapse of ages, (for that 

 I know is her meaning,) become what Asia was, and 

 Europe is, — even America, I say, will be indebted to 

 England for all her taste and learning, and will 

 fondly dwell on this as classic ground ? I surely 

 need not point out to you that the sublime and for- 

 cible picture (p. 17 to the end) is a highly poetic 

 personification of the power of civilization. In this 

 she looks forward to ages yet unthought of, taking 

 her stand far above the present events or contem- 



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