lygi. LITERARY INTELLIGEKCER. 277 



that period, her trade has augmented, her maniifaflures 

 have become more flourifhinrf, and her Internal profperity 

 is greater than was ever known at any former period. It is 

 not to be expefted, however, that this ftrong example fliouJd 

 either check, her own defire of acquiring farther dominion, or 

 teach other nations to judge rightly in this refpedl. All man- 

 kind are accuftomed to aclfrom the influence of habit, rather 

 than from reafoning j and they will continue to do fo. 



Since the peace of 1782, Britain had no juil caufe for 

 being alarmed for her own lafcty, or for dreading the efFeil;s 

 of foreign powers : (he might therefore have been permitted 

 to attend quietly to her own domeftic concerns. But tran- 

 quillity is not fo fuitable to the wiihes of the people, as fome 

 buftle ; and moft miniliers will think it their interell to in- 

 dulge the people in this their favourite paltime. Till a man, 

 therefore; can be found, ading as prime miniller, who (liall 

 prefer the fubftantial interells of the country to his own pri- 

 vate gratiiication and that of his friends, a long tra6i of con- 

 tinued tranquillity cannot be expcfted : And he who' look?! 

 £)r fuch a man, muil fearch a long while In vain. Twice 

 fiace that period, has Britain been alarmed with imaginary 

 fears, and forced to equip powerful armaments, at a verv 

 great national expeuce, which have been again laid dov»-u 

 as ufelefs. . 



" The king of France, with twenty thoufand men, 

 "' Went up the hill, and tlien — came dow,n again." 



Thftfe facetious lines may with juftice be applied to our late 

 armaments, — which would not have been liere taken notice 

 of, did it not feem that this mode of obtaining mock viilo- 

 ries,at an immenfe expeuce, appears to be a fortof fvllematic, 

 arrangement, to which recourfe is meant to be had wheiK\'er 

 it is intended to put the good people of Britain into good hu- 

 mour, when any favourite point is to be aimed at. It would 

 be well if a lefs expenlive kind of paflime could be contriv- 

 ed ; or one that would tend lefs to injure trade, to dcranire 

 the national economy, or to dillrefs individuals ; for luch^a 

 fudden adoption of meafures in themfelvcs fo arbitrary, ought 

 furely never to be reforted to, but in cafes of tlie mofl: urg- 

 ent necertity. 



( Thefe troubles are for the prefent overblown ; and thotigh 

 §p/iii hid reafon to complain, that jby the overbearing itn 



