182 State of Public Affairs 
their exhaufted firength, while the different 
courts are ‘* founding the dreadful note of 
preparation.” 
In refpect to the prefent ftate of Egypt, 
confiderable doubt and uncertainty till 
prevails. If we were to give credit to let- 
ters, faid to be intercepted, publifhed in this 
country, the French there are reduced by 
difeafe, difafter, and death, to a moft de- 
plorable condition! but, if we are to be- 
Jieve more recent and authentic accounts, 
circulated in Paris, the whole of Kieber’s 
army is new clothed, while the greater 
part of the forces in Upper Egypt has been 
‘mounted on dromedaries—in fhort, we are 
-affured, that they are in a moft excellent 
condition,—fit for frefh toils, capable of 
new victories ! ' 
On the other hand, if we turn our eyes 
tothe - 
COURT OF VIENNA, - 
We fhall behold Auftria truly formida- 
ble, in confequence of the undeviating po- 
licy of her councils, and the recent fuccels 
of her arms. Subfidized to fight her own 
battles, fhe has uniformly taken advantage 
of circumftances, and at length acquired 
the dominion of nearly all Italy. Tied 
down by no rules of action, except thofe 
connected with her own immediate inte- 
yefts, fhe has difplayed but little zeal for 
the reftoration of the Kings of Naples and 
Sardinia. Wholly difengaged from the 
folly of the crufade for the reftoration of 
the race of Bourbon, her political princt- 
ples can never fetter her private views ; 
and fhe may-treat now, as fhe did before at 
Campo Formio and Leoben, for a fepa- 
yate peace, without confidering herfelf as 
faithlefs to her allies, with whom fhe never 
appears tohave madea.common caufe: In 
fine, fuch has been the peculiar good fortune 
of the Emperor Francis, and fo extraordi- 
nary the condué both of his friends and his 
enemies, that, were he to ceafe holtilities 
before the fate of another campaign be 
tried, there is but littl doubt that he 
would not only be amply indemnified for 
the lofs of the Netherlands, but alfo for 
the expences of the war. 
It appears, however, that 
THE EMPEROR OE RUSSIA 
Ts difeufted with his imperial ally, and 
has actually iffued orders for the return of 
his troops. This circumitanee, which is 
likely to give a new complexion to the 
war, has been differently accounted for : 
it having been maintained, on one hand, 
that the Czar had haughtily demanded the 
difmifion of all the Auftrian generals late- 
ly employed in Switzerland 5; while it has 
been aflerted, on the other, that thrs 
i March ‘ 
prince has generoufly, but unfuccefsfully, 
infifted on the reftoration of the Italian 
States, and the reintegration of the French 
monarchy. : 
It muft be allowed, that thefe are the 
principles on which Paul Petrowitz feems 
to have engaged in the conteft; for how- 
ver advantageous in a pecuniary point of 
view his fubfidies from this country may 
appear, yet it cannot be doubted, that they 
afford no adequate compenfation for the 
tran{portation of his beft trcops to a dif- 
tant {cene of warfare, and the lofs of ve- 
teran legions, in a conteft in which he is 
lefS interefted, perhaps, than any other 
potentate in Europe. 
GREA'T BRITAIN. 
Itis now evident, that a continuation 
of the war has been refolved upon by our -- 
cabinet, although it be diffcult to ccn- 
ceive on what principles a miniftry that 
attempted to treat with the laft govern- 
ment of France, can refufe to negociate 
with the prefent. Such a determination 
has accordingly ftaggered fome of the 
warmeft fupporters of the war; and al- 
though but little difference has enfued, in 
refpeét to the votes of parliament, this 
mutt be allowed to have confiderably jn- 
fluenced its debates; it alfo appears, in 
fome meafure, to have reftored the vigour, 
and filled the ranks of a truant Oppo- 
fition. _ ee 
The effects produced on the public 
mind have been {till more confpicuous ; 
and the livery of London, on the 1@th of 
February, not only agreed to petition the 
Heoufe of Commons on this fubje&, but © 
aétually inftruéted their reprefentatives to 
vote in favour of peace. 
When his Majefty’s meflage was taken 
intS confideration in the Houle of Peers, 
Lord Grenville, ina fpeech of three hours, 
took an ample review of public affairs ; 
he infifted, that thofe who had hitherto 
acted with him ought ftill to continue of the 
fame opinion, as nothing had occurred to m- 
duce a change of fentiments ; on the other 
hand, he could not hope to conciliate the 
approbation of {uch as had always oppoled 
the profecution of the prefent war. 
He then adverted to the condué of the 
French government. ‘The'rulers of that 
nation perfevered, he faid, in the fame 
principles which had produced the revolu- 
tion: thee were {ufficient to overturn every 
fyftem of regular government, and ought to 
have been changed previoufly to the com- 
mencement of a negociation ; but the fe- 
cond note of the French government en- 
deavoured to juftify its former conduét, 
and to throw the odium of the war upon 
this 
in February, 1800. 
