8 4 
TRAVELS 
of glory. Had England continued in her views, the king of 
Sweden might have been tempted to proceed farther. The rul¬ 
ing paffion, however, of Guftavus, his fecret preference of his 
own fame to the well-being of his kingdom, was feen even in the 
courfe of a few months after the pacification ofWenfla: for he 
then engaged in vigorous preparations for an invafion of France, 
than which the march of Charles XII. towards Mofcow in order 
to dethrone the Czar, was not more romantic. There is not a 
doubt but Guftavus III. would have difplayed on the frontier of 
France all the courage and firmnefs of Charles XII. at Narva or at 
Bender: but how does fuch prowefs, even when mofl fuccefsful, 
fade and decay when compared with the well-direfted and well- 
tempered military fkill and bravery of a prince like Henry IV. of 
France, who neither continued the war againfl Auftria longer 
than the fecurity of his crown and kingdom required, nor formed 
any new defigns until he w’as compelled to do fo by the infatiable 
ambition and refllefs intrigues of his powerful antagonifts.* Per- 
fonal courage, though refpedlable, is no uncommon quality. In the 
eye of found moral criticifm this virtue then only receives a bright 
luftre when it is employed in a juft and honourable caufe. This 
maxim indeed may be thought too obvious to be repeated; but 
common as it is in theory, it is by no means fo generally adopted 
in pra&ice as the good of mankind would require. It cannot 
* At the time of his aflaffination he had prepared to take the field in perfon 
againfi: the Auftrians, in which his ultimate objeft, there is every reafon to be¬ 
lieve, was not only to fecure the independency of France, but the rights of ali 
other European powers. 
therefore 
