1791. LITERARY ItTTELLIGENCER. 35g 



mand; for which, finee the fufpenfion of the former govern- 

 I ment, they have got nothing. This has reduced many- 

 wealthy families from opulence to extreme indigence •, but 

 as the calamity is nearly univerfal, they bear with and en- 

 deavour to comfort each other. Rome trembles for her fafe- 

 ty : Avignon is ravilhed fiom her : The foundations of her 

 power are fliaken ; and (lie looks around her, on every fide, 

 with the moft fufpicious watchfulnefs. Nor are the other 

 dates in a fituation greatly different. All open exertions, 

 therefore, of defpotic power, are fufpended, and will proba- 

 bly never be again exercifed. 



The American States, 

 Under, the influence of Mr. Wafhington, who exhibits a 

 character, that in the eyes of a refined Italian politician, 

 would have appeared chimerical, are making large ftrides 

 to correal the evils that originate from their local fituation 

 and political circuraftances. While the people are young, 

 and while virtuous principles in their governors, and virtu- 

 ous habits ean be found among the people, their energies 

 may be futhcient to over-rule the influences of thofe political 

 evils to which they are naturally expofed ; but Ihould this 

 continue till induftry begets wealth, and wealth luxury, and 

 luxury corruption of manners, and corruption of manners 

 depravity of heart, what is to preferve the people from that 

 corruption that muft be expected to arife in every govern- 

 ment ? They do not feem, as yet, to have turned their eyes 

 to this fide of the pidlure ; otherwife provifion- would have 

 been made to guard againft it. The nation whofe fafe- 

 ty depends on the virtue of its ruling powers alone, is 

 in a very precarious ftate indeed. In this fituation 

 the American ftates are too much circumftanced : Wafh- 

 ington would perhaps have been the greateft character that 

 has appeared in this or any other nation, had he had 

 the fortitude to guard againft this evil. But it is fo 

 much more agreeable for an upright mind fimply to do right 

 himfelf, and diffufe immediate happinefs around him, rather 

 than to fufpend that happinefs by guarding againft future 

 contingencies of a difagreeable fort that is perhaps too 

 great a facrifice to expeft any man to be able to make. 



