poffible for England to preferve her neutrality with any honor or fafety? We are bound, as I understand, by treaty, to guarantee the dominions of the King of Sardinia and the Austrian provinces of the Netherlands. Thefe countries are now invaded and over-run by the French. Can we refufe to fulfil our engage. ments, without expofing ourselves to all Europe as a perfidious or pufillanimous nation? Yet, on the other hand, can we affift thofe allies, without plunging headlong into an abyss, whose bottom no man can discover? But my chief anxiety is for our domestic tranquillity; for I must find a retreat in England, fhould I be driven from Laufanne. The idea of firm and honorable union of parties pleases me much; but you muft frankly unfold what are the great difficulties that may impede fo falutary a measure: you write to a man difcreet in fpeech, and now careful of papers. Yet what can fuch a coalition avail? Where is the champion of the conftitution? Alas, Lord Guildford! I am much pleased with the Manchester Afs. The affes or wolves who facrificed him have caft off the mask too foon; and fuch a nonfenfical act muft open the eyes of many fimple patriots, who might have been led aftray by the fpecious name of reform. It should be made as notorious as poffible. Next winter may be the crisis of our fate, and if you begin to improve the conftitution, you may be driven step by step from the disfranchisement of old Sarum to the King in Newgate, the Lords voted useless, the Bifhops abolifhed, and a Houfe of Commons without articles (fans culottes). Necker has ordered you a copy of his toyal defence, which has met with, and deserved, uni

verfal fuccefs. The pathetic and argumentative parts are, in my opinion, equally good, and his mild elo. quence may perfuade without irritating. I have applied to this gentler tone fome verfes of Ovid, (Metamorph. 1. iii. 302, &c. ) which you may read. Madame de Stael has produced a fecond fon. She talks wildly enough of vifiting England this winter. She is a pleasant little woman. Poor Severy's condition is hopeless. Should he drag through the winter, Madame de S. would fcarcely furvive him. She kills herfelf with grief and fatigue, what a difference in Laufanne! I hope triple answers are on the road. I muft write foon; the times will not allow me to read or think. Ever yours.

To the Same.

LAUSANNE, Dec. 14th, 1792.

OUR little ftorm has now completely fubfided,

and we are again fpectators, though anxious fpectators, of the general tempeft that invades or threatens almost every country of Europe. Our troops are every day difbanding and returning home, and the greatest part of the French have evacuated the neighbourhood of Geneva. Monfieur Barthelemy, whom you have feen fecretary in London, is moft cour teously entertained, as ambaffador, by the Helvetic body. He is now at Berne, where a diet will speedily be convened; the language on both fides is now pacific, and even friendly, and fome hopes are given of a provifion for the officers of the Swiss guards who have furvived the maffacres of Paris.

January 1ft, 1793

WITH the return of peace I have relapsed into my former indolence; but now awakening, after a fortnight's flumber, I have little or nothing to add, with regard to the internal state of this country, only the revolution of Geneva has already taken place, as I announced, but fooner than I expected. The Swiss troops had no fooner evacuated the place, than the Egalifeurs, as they are called, affembled in arms; and as no refiftance was made, no blood was shed on the occafion. They feized the gates, difarmed the garrifon, imprisoned the magiftrates, imparted the rights of citizens to all the rabble of the town and country, and proclaimed a National Convention, which has not yet met. They are all for a pure and abfolute democracy; but fome wish to remain a fmall independent ftate, whilft others afpire to become a part of the republic of France; and as the latter, though lefs numerous, are more violent and abfurd than their adverfaries, it is highly probable that they will fucceed. The citizens of the best families and fortunes have retired from Geneva into the Pays de Vaud; but the French methods of recalling or profcribing emigrants, will foon be adopted. You must have obferved, that Savoy is now become le département du Mont Blanc. I cannot fatisfy myself, whether the mafs of the people is pleafed or difpleafed with the change; but my noble fcenery is clouded by the democratical afpect of twelve leagues of the oppofite coaft, which every morning obtrude themfelves on my view. I here conclude the first part of the hiftory of our Alpine troubles, and now confider

myself as difengaged from all promises of periodical writing. Upon the whole, I kept it beyond our expectation; nor do I think that you have been fufficiently astonished by the wonderful effort of the triple difpatch.

You must now fucceed to my task, and I fhall expect, during the winter, a regular political journal of the events of your greater world. You are on the theatre, and may often be behind the fcenes. You can always fee, and may fometimes forefee. My own choice has indeed transported me into a foreign land; but I am truly attached, from intereft and inclination, to my native country; and even as a citizen of the world, I wish the stability of England, the fole great refuge of mankind, against the oppofite mischiefs of defpotifm and democracy. I was indeed alarmed, and the more fo, as I faw that you were not without apprehenfion; but I now glory in the triumph of reafon and genuine patriotism, which feems to pervade the country; nor do I diflike fome mixture of popular enthufiafm, which may be requifite to encounter our mad or wicked enemies with equal arms. The behaviour of Fox does not surprise me. You may remember what I told you last year at Lausanne, when you attempted his defence, that

You have now crushed the daring fubverters of the conftitution; but I now fear the moderate wellmeaners, reformers. Do not, reformers. Do not, I befeech you, tamper with parliamentary representation. The present houfe of commons forms, in practice, a body of gentlemen, who must always fympathize with the

interefts and opinions of the people; and the slightest innovation launches you, without rudder or compass, on a dark and dangerous ocean of theoretical experiment. On this fubject I am indeed serious.

Upon the whole, I like the beginning of ninetythree better than the end of ninety-two. The illufion feem to break away throughout Europe. I think England and Switzerland are fafe. Brabant adheres to its old conftitution. The Germans are difgufted with the rapine and infolence of their deliverers. The Pope is refolved to head his armies, and the Lazzaroni of Naples have prefented St. Januarius with a gold fuzee, to fire on the Brigands François. So much for politics, which till now never had fuch poffeffion of my mind. Next poft i will write about myself and my own designs. Alas, your poor eyes! make the Maria write; I will speedily answer her. My Lady is ftill dumb. The German pofts are now flow and irregular. You had better write by the way of France, under cover. Direct to Le Citoyen Rebours à Pontarlier, France. Adieu; ever yours.

To the Same.

LAUSANNE, January 6th, 1793.

THERE was formerly a time when our correfpondence was a painful discussion of my private affairs; a vexatious repetition of loffes, of disappointments, of fales, &c. Thefe affairs are decently arranged: but public cares have now fucceeded to private anxiety, and our whole attention is lately turned