4 
_ THE author of this eloquent discourse 
‘takes an ample range of political, moral, 
and religious reflection, adapted to our 
present situation. The text is taken 
from Isaiah ii. 4. After some illustration 
of the prophetic style of this passage 
and its context, the author proceeds to 
describe the awful nature of the contest 
in-which we are engaged, after the transi- 
ent period of tranquillity succeeding the 
fierce and bloody war, by which this 
nation was lately occupied. Her situ- 
ation is *now different from that of the 
late and almost every former contest in 
which Britain has been involved. We 
have now to sustain alone the attacks of 
a mighty foe, before whom Europe has 
fallen; danger is at our gates, and our 
independent national existence is the 
Stake in question. At such a crisis every 
other sentiment and consideration must 
_ be suspended ; the country is in danger; 
its citizens hear no voice but that which 
calls them to arm in its defence. In 
this part of his discourse, Mr. Jervis 
| draws an animated, and, we believe, a 
just picture of that extraordinary man, 
as he is justly termed, who threatens to 
assail us. To undervalue the talents 
and formidable qualities of our adver- 
‘sary, is folly ; to appreciate them justly, 
‘and prepare ourselves with the requisite 
vigour to counteract their effects, is true 
Magnanimity and prudence. We should 
with pleasure extract the whole of this 
well-drawn character, did it not extend 
to a length exceeding the proper limits 
of this article: we must therefcre con- 
fine ourselves to the following sketch of 
the consular period of his life. 
| _ The instant he appeared in the capital of 
| France, he placed himself at the head of one 
of the most populous, extensive, rich, and 
Feil nations in Europe. There he still go- 
ms with an absolute sway, and rules with- 
ut. control. All is obsequious to his nod. 
is will is absolute, his word is law. His 
—eelossal power is identified with the very 
' existence of the great country over which he 
presides. Giddy on the lofty pinnacle of 
power, intoxicated with the unexampled 
endor of his accumulated fortunes, and 
e grandeur of his elevation amongst the 
entates of the world, he now gives an 
nbridled loose to the suggestions of a wild,, 
isionary, and domineering ambition. Whe- 
t itis that unlimited and absolute power 
s to develope the real characters of men ; 
_ JERV:s’s SERMON. 179 
Anr. L. Unanimity and Energy in the present Crisis. A Discourse delivered in the 
_ Dissenting Chapel at Lympston, Devon, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 1803, being the Day 
appointed for a General Fast. ~By the Rev.'Vuomas Jervis. S8vo. pp. 6). 
or, that unmerited prosperity instils a sub- 
tile poison into the human heart, and cor- 
rupts and contaminates the most exalted 
minds—be this as it may, the subsequent 
conduct of this hitherto wonderful man, 
places him before our eyes under a new and 
different aspect. He is now lofty and im- 
perious, inflexible and severe, crafty, dark 
and suspicious, cruel, impetuous and re- 
verigeful. Nothing can withstand the ir- 
ritation and fury of his passions. Yet, 
in the wildest paroxysm of passion, though 
alike regardless of the lc he ed of per- 
sonal dignity and the forms of external-de- 
corum, never does he so far lose the pos- 
session of himself as to defeat the purposes 
of deep dissimulation, of a subtile and de- 
signing policy. - In these representations; I 
would not wish to subject myself to the 
imputation of indulging in the language of 
harsh and indiscriminate ceusure, of un- 
founded calumny, or of a disingenuous in- 
tention to blacken that conduct which is in 
itself sufficiently atrocious. But, let us for 
a moment advert to that dereliction of prin- 
ciple, that accumulation of hypocrisy and 
erme in which his political ‘character is 
enveloped; his oppression at home, and his 
exactions abroad; and I fear we shall be 
amply justified in stating that he has made 
humanity the pretext of hhis ambition, and 
religion a mere engine of political intrigue ; 
and thus has betrayed the cause of liberty, 
that venerable cause which he professed to 
foster and cherish, to patronize and protect; 
but which in reality only served hiin as a 
ladder by which to climb to empire and 
fame! Let us call to mind only a few of 
those events which have marked his pro- 
egress.» And here, let me ask, is not this 
the man whose insatiable lust of conguest has 
ravaged Ltaly and Germany—has invaded the 
territories, and annoyed the peaceful inha- 
bitanis of Holland and Belgium, and grasped 
with a rapacious hand the fruits of their 
honest industry and labour? Is not this the 
man, who, with a remorseless insensibility, 
disturbed the tranquillity of the simple, un- 
offending, brave and generous Swiss, in the 
hallowed recesses of their mountains and 
vallies; and with a cruel and insidious pre= 
tence of redressing their supposed wrongs, 
laid them under the iron yoke of a despotism 
more burthensome: and gallirg ‘* than they, 
or their fathers,” and their venerable ances- 
tors ‘* were able to bear?” Js not this the 
man, who has violated the laws of justice, 
and resisted the claims of humanity and 
freedom in the distant regions of the Atlantic 
—who attacked the natives of St. Domingo, 
defending themselves in the natural entrench- 
ments and the impregnable fortresses of their 
tant and mountains; gallantly fighting for 
Z ‘ ; 
