"BUT

there are multitudes of disaffected persons in France, who wish for peace at any

rate."

So there were among us; and so there have been, and will be in all nations under the like circumstances. Great-Britain trusting in such tales, was encouraged to continue her work of desolation in this land, till news more strange and true, baffled fleets and captured armies, convinced her that her reliance was illusion.

If a man had conversed with people in many parts of this country during our last war, he might have been induced to believe, that America was ready for unconditional submission.. But that would have been a mistake. The impulse was given, and operating according to the laws of nature; but, it was looked for in wrong places: just as if one should judge of the tide in a river, by observing the eddies at its sides, and believe it was running down, when in the channel it was flowing up with a strong stream.

"It is said the finances of France are quite deranged."

SHE Confesses it.

So are the finances of her enemies. They deny it. Yet they beg for peace: she prefers a con

tinuance of the war.

ther and

Let us put these things toge..

think.

"IT is also said

the war is continued, because her rulers are averse to peace, through fear of losing their offices at its restoration."

THAT is to say, that men certainly of eminent talents, appointed by and dependent upon the people, with recent and terrible examples before them, would risk their lives to save their posts. The fact is, that France applauds the conduct of her government in breaking off the late negociation with GreatBritain, and so general and so warm is this sentiment, that individuals who loudly arraigned the haughtiness displayed at its commencement, with impassioned praises celebrate the firmness manifested in its dissolution.

"IT is further said--if the armies should be disbanded, and the soldiers return to their homes, there will be a hideous explosion."

THAT is to say--that bodies of men, who have given every demonstration men could give, of PUBLIC SPIRIT and LOVE OF COUNTRY, 2 B

VOL. II.

when received with transports of gratitude on their natal soil, the sweet remembrancer of their earliest and purest pleasures; where the tenderest affections shielded their helpless infancy, where all the charities of life with untutored eloquence plead their gentle rights, and where even every tree, stone, and brook claims kindred--will instantly be transformed into villains and traitors, and destroy those very objects, for the defence of which they had so long offered themselves to die.

FABIUS.

LETTER VII.

FROM these fables let us turn to history.

ABOUT two hundred and sixty years before the commencement of our æra, a war, of such influ ence on the affairs of mankind, that though twenty centuries of time have been since measured out, yet every nation in Europe at this day, feels impressions from the eventCARTHAGE and ROME.

-broke out between

THE Romans had not then made any establishment out of Italy. Carthage was possessed of very large dominions in Africa, had made considerable acquisitions in Spain, was sovereign of Sardinia, Corsica, and all the islands on the coast of Italy, and had extended her conquests to a great part of Sicily. She was then, and had been for ages, unrivalled mistress of the Mediterranean, the celebrated theatre of ancient maritime adventure, and her navigation alone bounded over the mountainous waves of the ocean.

THE Romans got out a fleet as well as they could. But, so inconsiderable was it in comparison with that of the Carthaginians, and so unskilful were they in naval tactics, that most of their ships were taken, others dashed in pieces by a storm, and the battered remains retired to a port in Italy.

THEY had contrived to transport † an army to Sicily, an island of vast consequence to Carthage, and there they were successful: but, they observ. ed, that the coasts of their own country lay exposed to the depredations of their enemies, who often made descents upon them, while the dominions of the Carthaginians were in perfect tranquillity. Resolved, therefore to be as formidable at sea as they were on land, they ordered one hundred quinqueremes, the ships of the line in those days, and twenty triremes, equivalent to the frigates of modern times, to be built. So unexperienced were they, that a Carthaginian galley, which ventured too near the shore had been stranded and taken, was the model for this armament.

THE Romans immediately set about this laborious work, cut down trees in their forests, and con

POLYBIUS, in his first book, says, that the ROMANS were so unprovided with shipping for transporting this army, that they were obliged to borrow vessels from their neighbours for that purpose.