142 



AUSTRIA. 





Fourth co. 

 alition 

 against 

 France. 



Peace of 

 Vienna, or 

 Schon- 

 brunn, 

 Octob. 14. 

 1*09. 



afforded a proof, by the tardiness of their advances, 

 and the precautions which they observed, that there 

 i ; a vast difference betwixt carrying on war against 

 the cabinet of a country, assisted by its military es- 

 tablishment alone, and waging i\ with the opinions, 

 the patriotism, the living principle, hearts, and souls 

 of its inhabitants. 



During the period which elapsed from the surren- 

 der of the French fleet at Cadiz to the Spaniards, in 

 June 1808, and of Dupont's army to the Spanish 

 troops under Castanos in July, and the publication of 

 Don Pedro Cevallos' statement of what had taken 

 place at Bayonne between Bonaparte and the family 

 of Spain, Austria was preparing herself for some 

 further attempts to recover her lost provinces, or, at 

 least, to escape from the further demands of France, 

 which seem to have been incessantly galling and un- 

 warrantable. The forces of France were now occu- 

 pied in Spain in considerable numbers. Prussia, 

 though prostrate, must have felt her degradation, and 

 sighed for release and vengeance. Russia, it was 

 thought, could not always remain in a state of unna- 

 tural and pernicious thraldom. Britain was making 

 great exertions to annoy the enemy, and might per- 

 haps, by experience, become expert in availing her- 

 self of her immense resources by sea and land. Ger- 

 many was impatient under the French yoke, and so 

 was Italy, Switzerland, and Holland. A fairer pros- 

 pect never opened upon Austria for retrieving her 

 recent losses, and recovering the military pre-emi- 

 nence which she had long maintained. 



The fourth war with France, since 1792, there- 

 fore commenced. The Archduke Charles put him- 

 self at the head of the whole Austrian army, with 

 more extensive powers than had been enjoyed by any 

 commander since the days of Tilly and Wallenstein. 

 He advanced into the heart of Bavaria. Bonaparte, 

 who, on the first surmise of an Austrian war, had left 

 Spain, and flown with his usual rapidity to the ar- 

 mies which stood nearest to the most formidable an- 

 tagonist, soon collected on the Danube the wljole of 

 his forces in Upper Germany ; and, after a series of 

 bloody battles, compelled the archduke to take up a 

 position in Bohemia, and the remainder of the Aus- 

 trian army to retire upon the hereditary states. Af- 

 ter a short campaign, unparalleled for the exertions 

 made by both parties, as well as the obstinate valour 

 displayed in every battle fought during its conti- 

 nuance, the fatal approach of a Russian army, and a 

 declaration from its master, " that he made common 

 cause with his ally France," obliged the archduke to 

 recal his brother John from Italy, and to detach part 

 of the main army into Poland and the North. These 

 steps led to the battle of Wagram, and to the armi- 

 stice and treaty which soon followed, and which 

 have left the Austrian empire in its present state. 



Trieste with its territory, Fiume and the Croatian 

 Littorale, part of Carinthia, almost all Carniola, a 

 small part of Upper Austria, with Salzburg and 

 Berchtolsgaden, and a very extensive tract in Galli- 

 cia, were torn from Austria by this treaty. She is 

 now totally excluded from the sea, and from direct 

 communication with England, ,as well as all other 



countries excepting the conterminous states. Her 

 trade must sufter considerably, and her manufactures 

 will depend in a great measure upon the pleasure of 

 her neighbours. 



She is still indeed a power of high consideration, 

 but she can no longer be deemed independent. As 

 long as Russia and France join against the liberties 

 of Europe, it will be in vain for Austria to attempt 

 any resistance. Germany, although, if united, the 

 only nation on the continent able to cope with France, 

 cannot, in its present state, be expected to take part 

 with Austria. The last mentioned has long been re- 

 garded by the rest of the empire with a jealous eye. 

 This jealousy has not as yet been quite extinguished 

 by the reverses which Austria has undergone du- 

 ring the long revolutionary wars, of which we have 

 now attempted a rapid sketch. It still actuates the 

 southern provinces, and that too with the same acri- 

 mony as it always did the cabinets of Dresden and 

 Berlin. 



The degraded state of the princes who at present 

 divide Germany among, them, does not permit us to 

 expect any speedy change for the better. A popula- 

 tion of 36 millions, however, who speak the same 

 language, and exceed the general mass of European 

 nations in civilization and refinement, as well as in 

 resources and military discipline, cannot always re- 

 main sunk in slavery to a foreign power. But whe- 

 ther that nation shall effect its Own emancipation by 

 the exertions of its princes and warriors, who may 

 wish to re-establish the ancient order of things ; or 

 -by a violent revolution, like that which wrought such 

 wonders in France, renovate their political existence ; 

 or by what other means it may be accomplished, it 

 would be now hazardous to conjecture. The phi- 

 lanthropist, however, hopes, with fond enthusiasm, 

 to see the blessings of freedom and independence 

 conferred on so respectable a nation ; and, amidst the 

 present distractions and horrors in which they are in- 

 volved, anticipates, with pleasing emotions, the gran- 

 deur and happiness which they are destined to attain 

 in some future and more fortunate age. 



What effects the recent changes, and the matrimo- 

 nial connection with the French monarch, may pro- 

 duce on the state of this empire, we cannot pretend 

 to foretel. Many salutary consequences, in the in- 

 terim, may be expected. * The greatest is, that the 

 monarchy preserves its integrity : for it Ms not pro- 

 bable, that Austria shall undergo any further dilapi- 

 dations during the continuance of the present alliance 

 with France ; nor is it the interest of Europe "that 

 she should. Some years of peace are necessary for 

 re-establishing her public credit, and for restoring to 

 her paper-money the value to which the vast re- 

 sources of this empire, and the good faith of the go- 

 vernment, unquestionably entitle it. Such years she 

 is now in a fair way of enjoying ; and such repose 

 is a great blessing after a long series of disastrous 

 wars. 



Russia will not soon be in a condition to give her 

 any alarm. Prussia is levelled with the dust. Ba- 

 varia will probably receive no more augmentations of 

 territory at the expense of Austria. Turkey will be 



Anuria 



' Bella gerant alii, Tu,fdii Austria, nube. 



