nifter to be juft; allowing the annual furplus of a million of the public revenue over the public expenditure; what are we to expect from a plan which requires twenty-eight years to bring it to fuch maturity as confiderably to diminish the national debt? This nation never has enjoyed, and, from our natural and unavoidable rivalship with France, never can enjoy, twenty-eight years of peace.

To talk of a fund facred, unalienable, and folely to be devoted to this purpose, is to speak the language of inexperience. Mr. Pitt is not immortal as a man, much lefs as a minifter. One parliament can undo what another parliament has done. A new miniftry will be proud as well as happy to overturn the fine fpun schemes and projects of their' predeceffors; and, in the event of a war, the hand of adminiftration will immediately lay hold of this facred and unalienable fund, to carry on the operations of government. The people will confent with pleasure to be lightened of a prefent load; the additional expences will be raised by the old practice of funding, and new bure dens be laid upon the shoulders of posterity.

IMPEACHMENT OF GOVERNOR HASTINGS.

From the indefatigable affiduity with which the charges againft Mr. Haftings have been published in the course of this month, the general attention is obviously engroffed by our affairs in India. And these are become of too much confequence in the aggregate of our national credit and refources; too interefting, from the prodigious patronage they involve; and too seriously connected with the characters and fortunes of a large and respectable body of individuals; not to make an impression in proportion as they are known. But, though we allow to Mr. Burke the merit of commanding the public attention to a vaft body of facts, which might otherwife have escaped obfervation; the colouring they neceffarily affume, from the purpose for which they are stated; the forcible and fpecious manner in which they are put, by means of a fuperior elocution; and a variety of alleviating circumstances, which could not be coupled with direct unqualified accufations; are circumftances which our readers ought not to omit, in deciding fo important a queftion.

Far from withing, in any degree, to anticipate that defence which. Mr. Haftings will certainly produce, in whatever ftage of the bufinefs it is moft proper, we are anxious, only from an impartial regard to the credit of candid inquiry and public juftice, that no violent opinions fhould be prematurely entertained on either fide; that charges thus ferious and important fhould not be admitted without the clearest evidence; and that, for want of due confideration, the mere appearance may not be fubftituted for the reality of guilt.

Malice prepenfe, in law, in equity, and in common fenfe, inva. lidates the moft plaufible accufations. Many, who are altogether neutér in the iffue, concur with others in opinion, that pique is not the leaft active principle in this impeachment. The circumstances are numerous, and of great variety, which have rendered the admi niftration of Governor Haftings a fubject of much altercation. It might be deemed rafh to affirm that all the imputations, with which his political conduct in that fituation of high truft and refponfibility is loaded, have no other foundation than perfonal animofity; but that

no

no feelings of this kind have been indulged, or intermingled them. felves with the statement which has been made, few, even of Mr. Burke's friends, will pofitively alledge. Suppofing the whole affair to originate in the immaculate fource of modern patriotifm; the paffionate language in which it was frequently menaced, and the many violent unqualified attacks made on Mr. Haftings, where it was not in his power to reply, exafperated his adherents, and tempted them to defend him in fuch a torrent of invective as muf have put a much greater floic than Mr. Burke out of temper. Provoked or galled by his adverfaries, he folemnly pledged himself to the Houfe of Commons, to the nation, and even to God, that he would impeach Mr. Haftings. Thus circumftanced, a man of much stronger nerves and with fenfibilities lefs irritable might have been precipitated into measures, which, on cool, deliberate, and unbiaffed reflection, he would himself have been the first to condemn.

The decifion of this point is rendered peculiarly delicate by the different manner in which it feems to affect the two parties, who at prefent divide the nation. Such is the bias which mislead the minds of most men, fo ftrangely are they warped by intereft, influence or attachment of one kind or other, that all questions, adopted with violence or urged with obstinacy by either, come before the public in a very questionable fhape. It is at least not difficult to penetrate the views of oppofition in the impeachment of Mr. Haflings. They owe fuch difappointment to the present miniftry and parliament as will not foon be forgiven. An idea has been induftriously propagated, that the riches of India have deluged and corrupted the British fenate, and that the prefent majority in the House of Commons. owes a confiderable portion of its ftrength to the creatures of the Company, or the flaves of Mr. Haftings. Prefuming, therefore, that the politics of government are interested in the protection of Mr. Haltings, the ftigma of conniving with fuch enormities as are in charge against him is eagerly expected by the party.

Much, undoubtedly, depends on the evidence by which thefe charges are fupported. Allowances, however, ought to be made for that artful colouring with which many of the facts are certainly detailed. Strong language, bold affertions, fpecious furmife, fophiftical reasoning, and even plaufible inferences, or the moft ingenious conftructions, are altogether diftinct from plain, direct and unequivocal proof. There is hardly any thing charged, which has not already undergone an open and minute difcuffion. The papers in reference are, in many inftances, as equivocal as voluminous: And the matters at iffue are at least as ttrongly denied by one party as they áre affirmed by the other. Moft people have even made up their minds on the cafes of Cheit Sing, Shaw Allum, the royal family and country of Oude, the Rana of Ghod, the Rohilla and Marratta war, which are by far the blackest and most formidable in the catalogue.

But this is not all. Though the charges were fubftantiated beyond the poffibility of cavil, how are they to be applied or brought home to Mr. Haftings? Was he not empowered with the fole right of pronouncing on the state of affairs thus fubmitted to his management; and accommodating his measures according to the refult of that judgment, whatever it was, whether properly or improperly formed? And may not many of the outrages, which he is faid to have perpe

trated,

trated, be defended on this general principle, that the difeafes of the body politic, as well as of the natural body, often make it neceffary to facrifice a part for the whole. However the validity of the charges fhould be determined, it will still be competent to inquire into the extent of that refponfibility under which the late governorgeneral acted; how far the individuals employed in the execution of his. measures may be deemed anfwerable for their own misconduct; and what are the specific nature of all thofe various contingencies, which, in an adminiftration fo fingularly extenfive and complicated as that of India, are inevitable.

Thus, in forming an opinion of the nature, neceffity and confequences of that folemn impeachment which is now in process before the British parliament, the public would do well to confider maturely, the temper in which it has originated, the political effect it is intended to produce, the truth of the articles committed, and their relevancy to couftitute a criminal accusation.

THE UNITED PROVINCES.

66

Some events in hiftory are inftructing, and fome extremely diverting.. Towards the close of the last century, when the Grand Monarque ftretched forth a bold arm to conquer the Dutch, and fubvert their republic, they formed the magnanimous refolution to abandon Holland, and explore an afylum for liberty in their fettlements in India. Who could have predicted that, in little more than half a century, they would court the alliance of the French king; fubmit their freedom to a tyrant; and kifs the hand that is raised to crush the vitals of their conftitution? The monarch of France was looked upon by their grandfathers, and even by their fathers, as the beast with the Jeven heads and the ten horns, foretold in the Revelations; and the children fall down and worship him! The magiftrates of Holland burning a portrait of King William, and inviting a company of French comedians to their city, reminds us of a favourite idea of Bishop Butler's, that nations, like individuals, are fubject to fits of frenzy and lunacy; and of the old obfervation, Quas Deus vult perdere prius dementat." A reflefs and intriguing nation, by infinuating their fentiments and introducing their manners among the Dutch, are preparing the way for their fubjection; while the infatuated people accelerate their own deftruction, and, like a bird charmed, fall Ipontaneously into the mouth of the ferpent. Nothing can be more truly ludicrous than the new metamorphofis that will take place; mynheer transformed into monfieur; a Dutch frow into a French madame; Nic Frog and Lewis Baboon walking hand-in hand, and smelling at the fame nofegay, like the two kings of Brentford ! Baotia and Batavia, the Thebans and the Dutch, bear a near refemblance to one another. The former were the dulleft, the ftupidest, and the most interested people of antiquity; as the latter are in modern times. Thebes gave birth to Pelopidas and Epaminondas; Holland produced the De Wits. Bæotia could boat of a Pindar; Batavia of an Eraf mus and a Grotius. In fome things, however, the parallel fails. The former refifted the progress of the king of Macedon with as much zeal as the latter difcovered in forwarding the progress of the French tyrant. It must be mentioned, too, to the honour of the Thebans,

Thebans, that, fatisfied with their own grofs, fubftantial, and come fortable vices, they never imitated the levity of the Athenians, nor introduced among them the buffooneries of Ariftophanes.

SCOTLAN D.

The great object of Scottish patriots for forty years paft, next to ferving themselves and their friends, has been to monopolize the privilege of shooting partridges and moor-fowl, and to give liberty to the highlanders to expofe their bare pofteriors to the north wind. But, as nearly the half of the Scotch members of parliament are at prefent on the fide of oppofition, those who are in power will be under the neceffity of doing beneficial and popular actions, in order to preferve their influence and character in the country. The augmentation of the falaries of the judges in the Court of Seffion, while their numbers are preferved, will add to the dignity of the bench, and give fatisfaction. to the nation. Government will find it neceffary to give every poffible encouragement to the fifheries, as being the best nursery for feamen. Since improvements first began in Scotland, which was about the year 1745, they have been carried on with rapidity. In point of elegance and tafte, Edinburgh is likely foon to become the fecond city in the British dominions.

CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

The final blow was given to the long and violent oppofition to the law of patronage, in the laft general affembly. The rejection of the overture for confulting the landed intereft on this question, by a decided majority, has put an end to ecclefiaftical controverfy, and restored peace to the church. This great victory of fenfe over nonsense, of reason and order over fanaticifm and licentioufnefs, has been obtained partly by the progrefs of knowledge and literature among the people, but chiefly by the heroic efforts of the moderate party, who from a principle of real patriotism and philanthropy, unknown to any order of priefts fince the creation of the world, have fought the battles of their country, and fupported the cause of rational and liberal religion, against the pernicious and inveterate prejudices of the people, and at the expence of their own reputation, popularity, and intereft. The oppofite parties are now approximating; the odium theologicum will wear away, and peace and cordiality be univerfally eftablished. Delivered from the evil spirit of theological faction, the minifters of the apoftically pure and poor church of Scotland will difplay the fervidum ingewium of their country in calmer and more elegant occupations, and devote their time and talents to edify their flocks, to cultivate literature, and to kiss their wives. From the bush ceafing to burn, the tree of knowledge may arife and enrich the world with its fruits.

* The burning bush is the enfign armorial of the church of Scotland.

Communications for THE ENGLISH REVIEW are requested to be fent to Mr. MURRAY, No. 32, Fleet-flreet, London, where Subfcribers for this Monthly Performance are refpe&fully defired to give in their Names,

THE

ENGLISH REVIEW,

For MAY, 1786.

ART. I. The Hißory of Wales, in nine Books: with an Appendix. By the Reverend William Warrington, Chaplain to the Right Honourable the, Earl of Befborough. 11. 1s. boards. 4to. Johnfon, 1786. London.

THE

HE 'fpirit of hiftorical compofition, which fo generally prevails in the present age throughout Europe, but especially in our ifland, has produced, and ftill continues to produce, many hiftories, which fcarcely aim at novelty of information, and whofe only object it is either to excel other compofitions in fine writing, to defend fome controverted opinion, or to give a colouring to the transactions and events which form the body of our history, agreeable to the maxims and partial views of those men, who, for the time, prefide at the helm of government. And, as it is the nature of princes and men in power to grafp all authority in their own hands, the greater part of our moft celebrated hiftorians give an air and aspect to their works inimical to civil liberty and the rights of human nature.

Thefe ftrictures are not applicable to the history before us. The fubject which the author has chofen ftood in need of illuftration; he has brought forward many facts, either not at all, on but little known: Known facts in his hands affume a new form by a judicious and important arrangement: and it is not his ob ject to flatter the great, but to record and do juftice to the long and gallant refiftance of Wales, against the invafions of a n tion fuperior to itfelf in refources, in policy, and the art of war. Thefe glorious efforts, this long lingering Spirit of liberty forms the principal bond of connection by which the great vaENG. REV. Vol. VI. May 1786.

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riety