HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
that seemed to offer, it has not been 
discovered on the acutest examina- 
tion, that they had aay direct hand 
in the last mutiny anv more than in 
the first: though, doubtless, they 
heartily rejoiced in both, and would, 
had they been able, have acted in 
the manner imputed to them by 
those who indulged their. suspi- 
cions. 
For the combinations at Ports- 
mouth and Plymouth there certainly 
was not only a plausible pretext, but, 
in truth, too muchreason: but forthat 
at Sheerness, which may be called 
thethird, andmost formidable, muti- 
ny among the seamen, itwas not im~ 
pelled by necessity, or provoked by 
unjust aggression or neglect. It was 
impatient of authority, factious, se- 
ditious, progressive in its demands, 
intent on civil discord, and convul- 
sion: it was, in a word, combined 
with the same spirit on shore which 
the mutineers at Portsmouth and 
Plymouth had raised to an unusual 
pitch of daring insolence. It was 
net the genuine spirit of the true 
English sailors; but that of mal- 
content incendiaries :* finally, it was 
the most emphatic proof that had 
yet been given to our nation of the 
influence 
* At this time the character of a British seaman had fallen very much in the public 
astimation. It was on this account, that a periodical writer, professedly unconnected: 
with any party (and whose professions are, in truth, realized, by the thrusts he made 
very often atall parties) published the following Character of an English Sailor, which 
was copied into almos! every newspaper and magazine in Great Britain and Ireland. 
*¢ Having thus reprobated the mutiny at the Nore, we may be allowed to exhibit a 
true portrait of whatan English seaman was, and, we hope, still is, or with good treat- 
ment still likely to be. Such a portrait, if contemplated with candour, will tend to 
awaken in all Britons a love of sailors, and in sailors a love of Britain. 
‘¢ A British sailoris thoughtless, and inattentive to what ccencerns his own happiness 5 
but not indifferent either to the interest of his country, the glory of the navy, or the 
renown of the individual ship to which hebelongs. Heis chearfully active and prompe 
in the exceution/of his duty ; -patient of fatigue, as well as of the vicissitudes of weatlier 
and climate ; steady and collected at his post, in the hour of danger; obedient, re-, 
spectful, and attached, to the officer worthy to command him ; faithful and true to his 
king and ccuntry. He has an open, honest, and faithful heart: he is courageous in 
action, and humanein victory ; he is the life and soul of our commerce, the guardian 
and bulwark of the nation; yet, these men, the pride and safety of their country, 
are, for the most part, pressed into the service, and too much exposed, when in it, to 
neglect, to misery, and to distress. They are exposed to am imperious, harsh, and ill- 
natured mode of dispensing orders and carrying on duty, which sometimes crives 
generous spirits to despondency and despair ; they are —but it is not our business to enu- 
merate grievances ; we would only observe, that for the eccentricities and ebullitions 
of seamen, epecially, when, through the improvidence of government, they are con- 
taminated by a mixture of the outcasts of the earth, there is some degree of excusgand 
indulgence. An universal venality and corruption, the natural offspring of luxury, 
has seized on all ranks at land; the greatest estates, united with the highest honours, 
have not exempted the greater part, by far, of onr nobility, and, among these, even 
some of good private characters, fron) the imputation of selfisliness, and a total disre- 
-gard of the commonwealth ; intrigue and efrontery are prominent in the condact of 
our politicians at land ; but many, ray most of these are lawyers and Cautious, the 
Sailors seek redress of gricvances in their own way, full of danger— 
Quorsum hee tam pudide tendunt ? 
Not to excuse mutiny, but to admonish the executive and judicial powers to temper 
authority, strengthened by the suppression of rebellion, with a recollection of what 
is due to the sailors, and alsoof what is prudent and safe for government. 
©The statesman ought to attend, notonly to what is morally just, but to what is po- 
 Titically expedicct. As cases are more numerous than laws, it becomes the legislator 
4 to 
