1S2 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S05. 



are what M. Champagoy professes 

 them to be ; but, on the contrary, 

 are at a very low ebb ; nor can we 

 see any likelihood of their becoming 

 other, so lona; as England sustains 

 the superiority of her nary, and 

 that some portion at least of Europe 

 remains free and unsubjugated. 



It cannot be denied but there 

 exists an imposing degree of exter- 

 nal grandeur at the court and about 

 the person of the French emperor. 

 Too politic, not to know the value 

 of pomp and magnificence, he has 

 snrroanded himself with all the glare 

 of empire. To the followers of his 

 fortunes, and his favourites, he has 

 l>eeii profuse in his rewards, which 

 lave consisted of hereditary ho- 

 nours and emoluments. He has 

 ihus not only gratified them, but 

 consolidated his own power, by in. 

 i:erposing that necessary order to 

 "the existence of monarchy, a nobility, 

 ietwecn him and the people. In 

 4his class, and in this situation, 

 ■wealth is to be found : — hut in the 

 provinces, the country gentleman, 

 ■ *he merchant, the agriculturist, the 

 snanufacturer, all feci the privation 

 of commerce, as affecting tiieir vital 

 interests ; and in their heavy imposts, 

 contributions of military, and the ab- 

 sence of every indulgence ajjproach- 

 ing to luxury, these classes pay the 

 full price in their personal sacrifices, 

 for the honour of being denizens of 

 the great nation, and the subjects of 

 the emperor Bonaparte, always vie- 

 lorious ! — If specimens of taste and 

 ' elegance, and ingenuity, be found in 

 certain manufactories, they are 

 solely calculated for the purchase of 

 the government, or the great officers 

 of state, by whom they are support- 

 ed, but their circulation extends no 

 farther. While the more useful 

 fabrics cannot give support to those 



who are embarked in them. — No 

 seminaries for religious education, 

 those certain and fruitful sources of 

 piety and learning, are to be found 

 in the countrj'. Classical attain- 

 ment is neglected or despised, and 

 all education, save that which is 

 likely to conduce to the improve- 

 ment of the art of war, is discounte- 

 nanced by the government. In fine, 

 thcruler of this vastcountry ismilita- 

 ry, and his peopIe,partly from choice, 

 partly from necessity, aredailybecom- 

 ingso. The nature of such a system, 

 governing an immense population, 

 must lead to perpetual inroads upon 

 the peace and security of other 

 nations, and time must alone de- 

 termine whether the civilized world 

 is again to be grasped by the Iron 

 hand of feudal tyranny, or freedom 

 and the arts of peace yet continue 

 to cheer it, after a long night of ig- 

 norance and darkness. 



If it. be asked what supplies ena- 

 ble Bonaparte, under the deficien- 

 cies which we have described, to 

 defray the expcnces of his vast ci- 

 vil and military establishments, it 

 must be recollected, th:it in so wide- 

 spread a dominion as France, trade 

 must to a certain degree exist, and 

 thesourcesof taxation be many ; and 

 that we have described his im|)osts 

 as being heavy and oppressive ; 

 hence the court may flourish, 

 but the country suffer. But we 

 have already glanced at that fruit- 

 ful source of revenue, which has 

 hitherto been found abundantly 

 productive, and which there is not, 

 at this moment at least, any strong 

 probability of failing to be so ; we 

 allude to " the exterior receipt," 

 or revenue drawn from other conn- 

 tricB at the will and pleasure of 

 France, to fill her ovvn exhausted 

 treasury. As ia the shape of sub- 

 sidy, 



