9? remarks on I'hunderprocf^s efsays. JtJy 25". 



He surely cannot be igaorant that they originated- 

 altogether in tlie family compact, which was un- 

 cioabtedly '.powerful enough to give birth to tlieii), 

 without the intervention of any other cause. 



The war of the Spanifh succefsion, which, on the 

 part of the allies, was undertaken solely to preserve 

 an cnuality in the balance of power among die Eu- 

 fope^in princes, was evidently a wise and necef^ary 

 War in its beginning, wliatever it was before its con- 

 clusion ; yet Mr T afserts, in dtiiance of 



common sense, and in his usual petulant manner, 

 that " England, with' a degree of insolence, unmatch- 

 " ed in history, interfered in favour of an Austriau 



"candidate." This Mr T no doubt admires 



as a smart exprefsion. Indeed' the quality of smart- 

 nefs is ail that he seems to aim at ; — common sense 

 ^nd regard to truth are out of the question. Mr 



T — — fliould, however, reflect, that though a 



smart and lively exprefsion, when it conveys a mean^ 

 jng, affords us much pleasure, yet, when it 'conveys 

 no meaning at all, or covers an absurd or an im- 

 fnunded afsertion, it is the more reprehensible, that 

 it proves the writer, tliough ignorant and weak, to 

 be neverthelefs vain and afsuming. Of this kind, 

 too, is tlie following paragraph, which is indeed as 

 extravagant as any ever committed to paper. After 



praising James i. for his pacific measures, Mr T 



adds, " Had it been pofiPble to prolong the life of 

 " this monarch to the present day," (an uninterrup- 

 ted peace would no doubt have followed as a neccfsa- 

 rv consequence,) '* Britain Vv-ould long bsjfore this 

 " time have advanced to a stat-e of cultivation not iu- 

 *' ferior to that of China." James was by no mean^ 



