A SUMMARY ACCOUNT OF LEIBNITZ’s MEMOIR, &C¢. 
tion, than to tindertake the discipline of 
the present Egyptians into such plan- 
ters as the West-Indians. It is, there- 
fore, not worth while to covet or envy 
this acqtisition: it would rather be a 
‘glorious than a useful prize. ‘Only in- 
asmuch as Egypt is the best road to the 
fiiterior ‘of Africa, could it be worth the 
while of the British* nation to occupy 
it; but the river-Zaire is probably this 
best road. It has been said that Egypt 
is a stepping stone from Europe to Hin- 
‘dostan: yet it has ‘constantly been neg- 
‘lected, since the establishment of a ferry 
by the Cape of Good Hepe. Where 
‘has it a port in the Red Sea? Where 
has the Red Sea forests of ship timber ? 
And if a naval station were to be occu- 
- pied in the Isle of France, or Bourbon, 
or Madagascar, how should any Réd 
Sea fleets escape squadrons stationed 
there? It would be wise then to let the 
French over-run Egypt; if for that 
they would evacuate the European Hol- 
Wand. 6! 
Nor is it very clear that the memoir 
of Leibnitz, of which a neat and inte- 
resting analysis is here given to the 
public, was not drawn up with this very 
view. In order to divert Louis XIV. 
from the conquest of protestant Holland, 
‘the pious Leibnitz suggested to his am- 
dition an attack on infidel Egypt. It 
was likely to prove a perpetual drain of 
men and treasure; for it had always 
‘Been the grave of its conquerors. Cam- 
‘byses lost there the empire of Persia ; 
‘Perdiccas, the empire of Macedon; 
_ ‘Pompey and Anthony, the empire of the 
‘world. The conquest of Egypt under 
_ mater frugum, sedes commerciorum. 
‘Omat gave occasion to the partition, 
‘and that under Saladin to the dissolu- 
tion of the califate. With the reign of 
Selim, the acquirer of Egypt, begins 
_ the declension of Turkish power. ‘The 
judgment of Leibnitz cannot possibly 
ave credited the Arabian tales of 
‘Egyptian opulence and populousness ; 
‘yet he describes it with all the enthusiasm . 
‘of Amrou’s exultation, oculus regionum, 
: He 
“mixes up with his panegyric all those 
*vain-plorious motives of conduct, which 
“were likely to operate on the sympathetic 
_ vanity of Louis XIV. and of his subjects. 
- offers to the monarch, whom he 
would seduce, the titles of emperor 
“of the east, advocate of the church, and 
arbiter of the universe. He describes 
“the Egyptians as seditious, which is true; 
“as likely “to side with the Christians, 
ey oe. 
which is very questionable; as easily re- 
tained when once conquered, which is 
notoriously erroneous ; and as defended 
by an insignificant force of janjssaries 
and mamelukes, which is a somewhat 
treacherous misrepresentation. If this 
memoir, as is likely enough, really in- 
fluences the proceedings of the moderit 
French, let it spur them on; let them 
follow their ninth Louis to Damietta, 
and win new victories at Massour; pes- 
tilence will again blast the palms of 
victory. 
Vhere is surely a sensible tincture of 
irony in the following passage: 
«<A war with Christian states can only 
lead to: the acquirement of small accessions 
of territory; a tedious process for those 
who aspire after great things. And expe- 
rience proves, that every egcrease of power 
proportionally enereases suspicions and con- 
federacies.. Hence, a prince, aiming, like 
the most Christian king, at great achieve- 
ments, will be cautioned by his wisdom 
to abstain as much as possible from seeking 
his aggrandisement by these means. For, to, 
proceed in that course would be at once to 
prescribe the <* non plus ultra” of his pro- 
gress; and, for a trifling consideration at 
hand, to part with the greatest and the best 
founded hopes. 
«* Such objects are to be far more easily 
and certainly acquired by elections and sue- 
cessions, and that which gives origin to all 
successions, matrimonial alliances. It was 
thus the house of Austria grew in power, 
and thus the house of Bourbon will likewise 
grow, if it persists in the course in which it 
ezan. Since, therefore, there are these three 
methods of aggrandisement—war, elections, 
and successions ; and since the stability of the 
nronarchy, and the internal happiness of the 
people, are best consulted and premoted by 
cultivating the several arts and relations of 
peace with our ‘neighbours in Europe, it 
follows, that war ought to be exclusively 
employed against the barbarous nations.— 
And, among: these, it is incontestible, that 
by one fortunate blow (for striking which 
the French are most peculiarly formed b 
nature) whole empires may be at once “ins 
subverted and founded. There indeed will 
be found the materials for supreme power, 
and glory incredible; by which the mo 
Christian king will find himself exalted 
the authority of general or chief of Christen- 
dom, and France become the military school 
of Hurope, the academy for the confluence 
of the most distinguished talents, and the 
emporium at once of the ocean and of the 
Mediterranean Sea. And if bonour, and in- 
disputable right to high prerogative be sought 
for, the titles and rights of emperor of the 
east, recovered from the violation of the 
Turks by the exertions of the French (whe, 
X 2 
