70 
fee, blots of blue, red, or yellow, with 
a chubby boy with duck’ s wings, anda 
heart with a fpit run through: it; but 
fimple, elegant, and appropriate figures, 
with a very elegant border ftamped 
round the oer of the paper. - One of 
them, ina mot elegant flyle, of a Venus 
drawn inher chariot by doves, reminded us 
of the introduction to one of thele little 
poetical cffulions, by James Howell, who 
lived-in the re:zgn/of James I. 
State of Public Affairs in January, 1803. 
[ Feb. 
‘© Could I charm the Queen of Love, 
To lend a quiil-of her white dove, 
Or one of Cupid’s painted wings, 
Dipp’d in the fair Caftalian {prings, 
Then would I write theall divine 
Perfections of my Valentine,” &c. &c. éc. 
Indeed, every one of them affords 2 
good fabjeet for a poetical imagination to 
forma poem, or aningenious miad to ap- 
ply one already written. 
STATE or PUBLIC AFFAIRS, 
In Fanuary, 1805. 
THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 
HE Britifh Minifter at the Court of 
Spain has returned to London. Soon 
after his departure from Madrid, which 
was on the 147h of November, the "Spanith 
Government iflued a Declaration of War 
againft England. This Declaration — is 
written with uncommun imbecility ; ad- 
mitting, in faét, one of the principal com- 
plaints of the Englifh Court againft that of 
Spain—that of giving France aidin money, 
in lieu of military and naval aid, thus con- 
feffing the nature of the fubfidy paid to 
France. The admiffiicn, however, does not 
fan&tion (nor could -any aggreffion fanc- 
tion) the conduét of out Minitters in their 
manner of beginning the war; nor can 
any advantage we may be fuppoled to 
have derived from that condué, compen- 
fate for the injury done to cur national 
character by that tranfaction. The 
Prince of Peace has fince publifhed an 
Addrefs to the Spanifh Armies. It affects 
to pafs in review the éaufes of the war 
between this Coun:ry and Spain ; and 
calls upon the ho: — courage, and loy- 
alty, of the Spanifh Nation, to carry on the 
war with vicour. With refpect to that 
pat of the Addrefs whieh fpeaks cf cur 
feizure of the Spznifh frigates, we are 
compelled to be filent under feelings of 
the deepet humiliation. In this extre- 
mity, we are happy to find, that no folid 
explanation is given in a Addrefs, af 
the acts of tke Spanifh Government 
complained of by our’Court. The at- 
tempt of the Prince of Peace (Captain- 
General of the Spanifh Forces) to excite 
the Spaniards-to a defence of their coun- 
try, is natural ; but the gafconading ity] 
of the Addrefs Pireatens: us with no great 
energy in his war-adminiftration, nor can 
afford any fincere pleafure to the wife and 
honeft of his own nation. 
Some kind of overtures of peace have 
been made directly from the French Go- 
vernment to our Court. A French Officer ' 
(an Enfeigne de Vaifeau) on the 7th of 
this month, came out of Bovlogne ina 
fithing-veffel, with a flag of truce. He 
was received on board one of our dhips of 
war on that ftation, and his difpatches fent 
to London ; and an anfwer has fince been 
returned by cur Miniiters. 
On the igth ct this month, his Majefy 
went in the ufual flate to the Houte of 
Peers, and opened the Seflion of Pariia- 
ment witha Speech from: the Throne. 
The terms of the Speech are, on every: 
important fubject, fo extremely guarded, 
as to be almoft nucatory. _With-relpect 
to the unhappy mealure of feizing the Spa- 
nifh fhips, and the fublequent deciaration 
of war by Spain, the language is fo eva- 
five, that a mere ftranger to thele tranfac- 
tions would conclude from it, that the: 
Court cf Spain -had declared war in con- 
fequence of the Englith, Miniger having 
quitted Madrid. ‘The following are the 
on of the Speech on this fubject : 
‘ The conduct of the Ccurt ef Spain, 
evidently under the predominant influence 
of France, compelled me to take prompt 
and decifive mealures to guard againft 
the eficcts of holiility. I kave, at’ the 
fame time, endeavoured, as long as it was 
poifible, to prevent the necefiity of a rup- 
ture; but, in confequence cf the refufal 
of fatisiactory explanation, my Miniiter 
guitted Madrid, and war has fince been 
declared by. Spain againft this Country.” 
This account has no refzmblanee to the’ 
tranfaction, with thofe who know what? 
the real Rory was; and would lead a 
firanger, 
