212 
the enchanting scenes of the Arabian Nights En- 
tertainments, or Milton’s 
Spicy gales 
From Araby the blest. 
I do not know what I would not give to be with 
you. When you return home I think I shall never 
have done asking questions about something or 
other. As it now seems determined that we shall 
have a commercial treaty with France, and restore 
the golden age, which I foolishly imagined was 
only in Utopia, I hope a few exports and imports 
in natural history may be both allowed and obtained, 
while a lasts; for lown myself one quz temeo Da- 
naos et dona ferentes, and cannot bring myself to 
think that there is much sincerity on either side in 
this business. Perhaps if mutual interest can be 
made to take place, it may exist a while. Yet be- 
tween two rival nations, I do not see how there can 
be a mutual interest. If the gain be equal on both 
sides, then they are as they were before relatevely 
considered, and there is no bond of union. If one 
side have the greater gain, the other will appear 
foolish, and in the end try to break the bargain. 
In this train of thinking, I am not at all sanguine 
about this measure, which I fear I ought to call the 
bantling of mercantile interest, favoured in preju- 
dice to the true offspring of Britain, national valour 
and sound policy. Now I am upon politics, just 
let me tell you the exact state of things at present. 
The Houses of Lords and Commons have both 
pledged themselves to adopt the treaty generally ; 
