On the Natural Boundaries of Empires. 107 , 
mountains ten thousand feet high, and a desert five hun- 
dred miles wi “st to ascertain thet mode i in which they are to 
be governed, or to enquire with what foreign nations they 
shall cultivate the arts of peace, or partake the luxury of war. 
e surface of the earth is thus separated into sip 
oe divisions, which may be called natural kingdom 
2 natural kingdoms, in the vicinity of 5 bh sahiok 
are larger often lose their independenc 
rance has united to herself . ‘smaller divisions of Na- 
varre, Beaks Compte, and Lor 
enmark Proper has usurped the islands of Funen, Zea- 
land, Sylt, Nordstrand, and Falst 
Centra ngland has united ‘o a dominion Cornwall, 
Wales, Scotland, and the islands of Man, Ireland, and Staffa. 
Florida is another example. The language of the Amer- 
ican negociator sounded harshly to the monarch of Spain, 
when he asserted, that a small territorial division, like Flor- 
ida, could not remain either as a colony, or Bea peer’ im" 
the immediate vicinity of the United States; but the s 
ment was perfectly accordant to facts, which have ered 
in the history of all times, and of all nations. 
owerful State of New York comprises within her 
dominion, Staten Island and Nassau. The first would more 
properly come within the geographical limits of New Jersey ; 
the latter should form an independent state, in which the 
inhabitants, devoted to agriculture, to hunting, and fishing, 
ane ore eene all commerce from their ae miei, t shew 
pe of the happy primeval age me 
3 sion suffer ependenci 
a small natural kingdom, has aidom his full po- 
litical BS ; it is scarcely possible that he should rise to an 
equality of privilege, with those who reside in the central or 
larger division of territory, under the same sovereign. ‘Thus 
the native of Castile considers himself more noble than the 
inhabitant of any other province in Spain. A native of the 
centre of France is esteemed superior to those on the bor- 
ders, and, in former times, paid a smaller amount of taxes. 
The form of government in the central nation” wae lit- 
tle difference in the sufferings of the dependencies. Thus 
the natives of the Pays de Vaud suffered as much ae the 
antons, as the Greeks beneath the government of 
the Turks. The oppression under which Ireland groans, is _ 
more owing to her geographical position, than to any innate 
love in the government of Great Britain to misrule. 
