168] ANNUAL 
nations, who may rise superior to 
such cruel as well as contracted 
considerations, and controul the am- 
bition of courts, by the nobler am- 
bition of promoting the welfare of 
nations ? In such hands might it not 
be expected, that a negociation for 
peace might not yet bein vain,’’* 
Such were the principles of a 
party which was formed, or. form- 
ing, at this time, not only in the 
British parliament anc gation, but 
in France, Germany, and other parts 
of Europe. They did not advise 
to throw away the arms of terror ; 
but, on the contrary, through mili- 
tary preparation, ona grand. scale,t 
to prevent the neces sity of using 
them, in imitation of divine good- 
ness, which “ bénds the bow that 
it may not shoot, and whets the 
sword that it may not strike.’ 
We cannot but express our en- 
tire approbation of the sentiments 
professed by these philanthropists, 
Their design was great and good, 
and undoubtedly capable of embel- 
‘lishment from poetical fancy, as well 
as of support from the profoundest 
views of political economy ; of both 
of which the publication just quoted 
affords no mean specimens. It was 
thus that Plato called in the aid of 
music, and other arts, to harmonize 
the discordant passions of men, by 
an appeal to the tenderest affections, 
and noblest principles, of human na- 
ture. Though we entirely agree 
with our philosophers s, that the crisis 
to which Britam, with the whole 
circle of civilization, was brought, 
in 1797, was not a time for devotion 
to any party; and farther, that we 
REGISTER, 
1797. 
know not any party whose conduct 
is not more or less marked by folly, 
and whose patriotism is not more or 
lessjustly subjected to suspicion; yet, 
in the present selfish and luxurious 
age, when the profession of disinte- 
rested virtue is so generally discre- 
dited, and even the possession of 
it alindes considered as a weakness, 
their project was, in truth, rather 
chimerical. That there shouid be 
so much wisdom and virtue in the 
nation, as to emancipate public af+ 
fairs from the trammels of self-in- 
terest, factious combination, and 
private ambition, and place them 
in the best hands, brought together 
from all quarters, and united in par 
triotic and prudent plans of ad- 
ministration, was a thing scarcely 
to be expected. At the same 
time, it must be admitted, that to 
hold up to the view of the world, 
a plan so humane and so fair, has a 
tendency to soften the asperities of 
faction, as well as of national an- 
tipathy, and to prepare the minds 
of men and nations for the volun- 
tary adoption of measures that must 
ultimately be obtruded by direful 
necessity. But, whatever may be 
thought of this project, it was in- 
troduced into the house of commons, 
with singular propriety, by 
Mr. George Augustus Pollen, « 
young gentleman of a fortune de- 
cently independent, of manners irre- 
proachable, good parts, and pure 
trom all political intrigues and fac- 
tions. Mr .Pollen, on the tenth of 
April, introduced a motion for a 
farther attempt towards pacifica- 
tion, by a speech of a conciliatory 
* Thoughts on the late negociation for peace. 
+ An union of force and finance throughout Christendom against anarchy, as s for- 
merly against the Turks. 
$ A maxim, or proverb, in the ordinances of the Hindoo legislator, Mrnu. 
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