ea te 
(Aug. 1, 
STATE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, 
- ta Fads 1803. | 
; FRANCE. 
ERHAPS a war has hardly ever ex- 
ifted between two neighbouring na- 
tions for fo long a’ {pace of time as two 
months from the declaration, fo entirely 
barren of events as the prefent between 
France and England. Except the capture 
ot a few fhips, chiefly traders, in the num- 
ber of whtch the balance is greatly in fa- 
vour of England, the war lias hitherto been 
confined to words only—and we will ven- 
ture to propounce that it will fo continue 
a ftill fonger time. TTois ftate of things 
rifes chiefly from the relative fituation of 
the two countries. England is not able 
to encounter France on land; and France 
is not capable of contefting with her by 
fea. The period, therefore, fince the de- 
claration of holtilities, has paffed in mu- 
tual preparations—threats on the one fide, 
and defiance on the other. -The project 
for the invafion of England is faid to be 
popular in France—we cannot help being 
furprifed at this circumftance. The va- 
riations in national fentiment, it is true, 
are often fuch as to confound the philofo- 
pher; and the wonderful change in the 
French, from the enthufiafm of liberty 
which blazed forth in 1789, and which 
run toa moft licentious excefs in 1792 and 
3; to the abject flavery to which the na- 
tion is now reduced, ts perhaps as extra- 
ordinary as any that ftands recorded in 
hiftory, Yet that a civilized nation fhould 
be ledto regard with pleafure the maffacre 
and ruin of a neighbour, and that from 
the fordid motive of gain-and plunder, is 
extraordinary indeed ; that a nation which- 
fo lately profeffed itfelf free, fhould be ar- 
dent to extinguith the only free country in 
Europe, muft be fhocking to the friends of 
liberty even in France, if any ftill remain, 
In the project of plunder, the French, 
were they likely to achieve the conqueft 
of Great Britain, would fill be difap- 
pointed. The wealth of England confifis 
not in the precious metals, nor in portable 
commodities ; but in its credit, its induf- 
try; in its canals and public works; in its 
colonial produce ; in the accumulation of 
heavy merchandize, which lies in its ware- 
houfes, and could never be made a booty 
for foldiers. The plunder of an Italian 
palace, or a villa of Spain, would afford 
more actual treafire than that of a large 
town in England. Plate and jewels are 
not our paflion. The quantity of current 
{pecie in the kingdom is extremely {mal}; 
in the bullion-office at. the Bank they 
would find little but, the bare walls; and 
in the ranfacking of the metropolis itfelf, 
we could venture to prediét, that a large 
army would not divide FIVE SHILLINGS 
a man! 
While this we are confident is a true 
flatement of the matter with refpeé& toa 
plander, the invafion of England is a mot 
gigantic undertaking ; fuch as the am- 
bition of Louis XIV. at a time when the 
kingdom was almoft equally divided-into 
two factions, did not dare, to undertake, 
even for the reftoration of his friend, and 
the eftablifhment of the popifh religien. 
The Englifh are nota nation of Sybarites; ~ 
they love their comforts, but they are not 
debauched by effeminate pleafures. Even 
the higheft and moft opulent among us are 
engaged in manly employments, or in 
manly amufements. Our young nobility, 
when they appeared at Valenciennes, and 
in Egypt, did not fhew themfelves un 
worthy of the valour of their anceftors ; 
and is there a fingle infiance of a Britifh 
army running panic-ftruck from the field ? ~ 
The nation never was, at any period of 
its hiftory, except perhaps: in the latter 
years of the feven year’s war, under Lord 
Chatham’s adminiftration, fo united as at 
this crifis. The friends of liberty, thofe 
who were ftigmatifed as Jacobins, are now 
the moft forward to refent and to refift the 
odious tyranny of Bonaparte. Jt ought 
to be a {trong and impreffive leffon to the 
Firft Conful, (if the Firlt Conful were a 
ftatefman,) that the Britifh Miniftry are 
at this period not afraid to trult the whole 
people with arms in their hands. If there 
were a difaffected party in the kingdom, 
this would be a moft defperate meafure ; 
but the Minifter.and the Parliament know 
there is none. ro 
If we turn our eyes to another branch — 
of the public defence, the undertaking wall 
appear ftill more defperate, indeed border- 
ing on infanity. The navy of England 
never was in fo flourifhing a ftate as at 
prefent.. If Louis. XIV. then, after the — 
ation off Beechy-head—if the late king of 
France, when the navy of France and 
Spain rode triumphant in the Britith chan- 
nel—if while a defperate mutiny perva- 
ded our fleets the jacobin government did 
not dare to attempt an invafion, with 
what but difcomfiture and difgrace can 
the Firft Conful flatter himfelf at prefent. 
To land in England the French expedi- 
ti0Q 
