On the Natural Boundaries of Empires. 1 07 



mountains ten thousand feet high, and a desert five hun- 

 dred miles wide, to ascertain the mode 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. 



1. The surface of the earth is thus separated into certain 

 natural divisions, which may he called natural kingdoms. 



2. Small natural kingdoms, in the vicinity of those which 

 are larger, often lose their independence. 



France has united to herself the smaller divisions of Na- 

 varre, Franche Compte, and Lorrain, 



Denmark Proper has usurped the islands of Funen, Zea- 

 land, Sylt, Nordstrand, and Falstar. 



Central England has united to her dominion Cornwall, 

 Wales, Scotland, and the islands of Man, Ireland, and Stafia. 



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 independent in 

 the immediate vicinity of the United States ; but the senti- 

 ment was perfectly accordant to facts, which have occurred 

 in the history of all times, and of all nations. 



The powerful 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, 

 and excluding all commerce from their shores, might shew 

 an example of the happy primeval age of mankind. 



3. Oppression suffered by Dependencies. 



Man, in a small natural kingdom, has seldom his full po- 

 litical rights ; 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 makes lit- 

 tle difference in the sufferings of the dependencies. Thus 

 the natives of the Pays de Vaud suffered as much under the 

 Swiss Cantons, 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 governmentof Great Britain to misrule. 



