HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
Poland previously to the changes 
that had since happened in its go- 
vernment: as these changes had 
been made without his privity or 
eoncurrence, and had totally altered 
the state of things, he held himself 
discharged from the connexion he 
had then formed, Notwithstanding 
this explicit refusal of the Prussian’ 
monarch to abide by his treaty, and, 
the reasons alleged ‘for this refusal, 
he was strongly suspected of having 
advised those very measures of 
which the empress so bitterly com- 
plained. He never had signified any 
averseness to the new constitution, 
at the time of its passing, or that 
he considered it as an infringement 
of the treaty. His minister at 
Warsaw, had, on thecontrary, been 
dirc&ted to announce in a formal 
manner his approbation of the pro- 
ceedings on the third of May. 
This condu&, inthe court of Ber- 
lin, opened a new scene in Poland. 
The generality of the people had 
firmly relied on the co-operation of 
Prussia, in the defence of the new 
constitution, which had visibly pla- 
ced the Poles on a footing of more 
strength and importance than they 
had experienced for many years, and 
rendered an alliance with them of 
sufficient weight to be courted by 
those who mightneed sucha support. 
The house of Brandenburgh, feeble 
initsorigin,had not tilloflate years, 
become possessed of considerable 
power: thedispersed situation ofits 
dominions had long obstructed its 
aspiring views : but the acquisition 
of Silesia, and afterwards ofall Prus- 
sia, by the partitioning treaty that 
dismembered Poland, had givenita 
consequence, which it wasnow more 
solicitous than ever to increase by 
fresh accessions of territory. Con. 
scious that its power was chiefly 
[13 
founded on usurpation, it studiously 
‘sought to maintain by arms, what 
it had obtained by force. Russia 
had hitherto ated a joint part in 
usurping whatever lay most conve- 
nient for its ambitious purposes ; 
and Austria was not backward in 
acceding to their rapacious schemes, 
by means oftwbhich she found means 
to indemnify herself in some mea- 
sure for the loss of those provinces 
in Germany, wrested front her by 
the celebrated Frederic. Butas their 
triple: alliance was founded upon 
manifest injustice, it was not ex. 
pected to last longer than these 
three powers found it necessary for 
the accomplishment of the objects 
they had unitedly in view. Poland 
once divided between them, itnever 
was doubted that Austria and Rus- 
sia, of which the mutual regard for 
each other had long been conspicu- 
ous; would readily confederate - 
against the house of Brandenburgh; 
which neither of them, from various 
motives, ever considered ina re 
speCtable light. The recovery of 
Silesia weuld always occupy the 
councils of Austria, andthe insati- 
able ambition of Russia would lead 
her to extend her acquisitions in Po. 
land by every means that offered. 
Thus resentment and rapacity would 
jointly contribute to produce an 
union of those mighty powers 
against the former partner of their 
usurpations, who then would be too 
feeble to resist their united efforts, 
Such was the reasonings of those 
who looked forward to the probable 
course ofevents. They were cer- 
tainly justified by long experience. 
Relying on precedents of this na. 
ture, they presumed that the court 
of Berlin would also be governed 
by them, and prefer an union of in. 
terests, with a powerful aliy, to the 
temporary 
