hours.

See Albion, round her rocky coaft
While loud the rage of battle roars,
Derides Invafion's haughty boast,
Safe in wave-encircled fhores;
Still fafer in her dauntless band,
Lord of her Seas, or Guardians of her Land,
Whof: patriotic zeal, whofe bold emprife,
Rife, as the ftorm of danger rife;
Yet, temp'ring Glory's ardent flame
With gentle Mercy's milder claim,

To fet thee free?

Genies of Albion, hear! Grafp the strong fhield, and lift the avenging spear,

By wreaths thy dauntlefs fons of yore
From Gallia's creft victorious tore,
By Edward's lily-blazon'd fhield,
By Agincourt's high-trophied field;
By rath Iberia's naval pride,

Whelm'd by Eliza's bark beneath the stormy tide;

Call forth thy warrior race again, Breathing, to ancient mood, the foul infpiring train; "To arms, to arms, your enfigns traight difplay!

"Now fet the battle in array; *The Oracle for War declares, "Success depends upon our hearts and fpears! "Britons, ftrike home, revenge your coun"try's wrongs.

Fight, and record yourfelves in Druids "fongs!"

LINES

TO THE MEMORY OF R. BURNS.

By the Author of the Life of Lorenzo de Medici.
PORTENTOUS fang the hollow blaft,
That, forrow-freighted, fouthward past;
I heard the found and stood aghaft
In folemn dread;
The mournful truth is told at laft,
For Burns is dead.

Ah ? fwecteft minftrel? Nature's child?
Could not thy native wood-notes wild,

And crops the prize!

But not for thee, O Bard, the lot
In cold oblivion's fhade to rot,
Like thofe unhonour'd and forget,
Th' unfeeling great
Who knew thy worth, but haftened not
To footh thy fate.

Whilft Love to Beauty pours the figh;
Whilft Genius fhall with Nature vie;
Whilft Pity, from the melting eye,

Shall claim regard,

Thy honour'd name fhall never die,

Immortal Bard.

But oft as Winter o'er the plain
Shall pour at eve the beating rain,
The Hind fhall call call his focial train
Around the fire,

To listen to fome thrilling ftrain

Of thy lov'd lyre. Whether to "Heaven's Eternal King." Thou strike the deep refounding string, Whilft rifing on devotion's wing

Hope foars above, To happier realms of endless fpring,,

And boundless love:
Or whether lighter themes beguile
The moment of relaxing toil,
Bidding on Labour's front the fmile
Of Pleasure fit,

The roof re-echoing all the while
To genuine wit:

Or if wild Fanty feize the rein,
Whilft Horror thrills thro' every vein,
And fp'rits and elves, an awful train,
Their orgies keep;

Or warlocks o'er the frighted plain
At midnight fweep.
As works the fpell, the lift'ning band
Aghaft in mute attention ftand;
Again thou wav'ft thy magic wand
Of power fo rare,
And all the scene, by Fancy plann'd
Diffolves in air.

By thee infpir'd.

Her bofom, as the ftrain impells,
Or thaw'd, or fir'd.

Around him, fee, to guard his flate,
A train of pamper'd minions wait,
And fee, to form his daily treat

Each climate join, Where Iceland's froft, and Afia's heat, Their gifts combine.

Yet whilft he revels unconfin'd, Through all the treasures of thy mind, No generous boon to thee confign'd, Relieves thy care;

To folly or to vice affign'd,

What pomp can spare. For rights withheld, or freedom fold, Corruption afks the promif'd gold; Or in licentious fplendor bold,

His titled fame,

Squanders in riot uncontroll'd

What worth fhould claim.

From bill to hill, from plain to plain,
Extends the Chieftain's proud domain,
That, half a defart, afks in vain

For culture due;
Whilft cold inaction chills thy vein,
And rufts thy plow.
Meanwhile thy youthful vigour flies,
The ftorins of age unpitying rife,
And wounded fuperftition tries

To thwart thy way;
And loath'd dependence anbuff'd lies
To feize his prey.

Yet high above thy reptile foes
Thy towering foul unconquer'd rofe,

Nieft to your master keep your aith,
Which is, as your indenture faith,
That ye will ferve 'im wi' gude faith,
An' 'oneft dealin':
An' that he ne'er fhall come to fkaith,
By fraud an' ftealin'.]
Such faith the Scriptures is the track
In which a man muft firmly walk,
If he doth not, or turneth back,

His doom is written: So pray-That ye mayn't fuffer wrack, By fin committin'.

For ae, d'ye mind the day that's comin',
When He, nor heedin' man nor woman,
Will wi' his trumpet a' fouks fummon,
That e'er war livin';
An' as their actions were here, doomin'
To Hell or Heaven.

I'll now conclude my fage advice,
In hopes it will mak fome fac wife,
As to forfake the paths o' vice,

An out o' measure,

They fhall obtain Eternal joys,

Eternal Pleafure! PHILO SCOTICES.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

SUBSIDIARY TREATY.

Dec. 30. Mr Whitbread enquired whether a Subfidiary Treaty did not exift between his Britannic Majefty and the Landgrave of Heffe Caffel; and whether any money had been tranfmitted in confequence of that Treaty?

Mr Pitt replied, that fuch a Treaty had been concluded fo long ago as the 12th of June laft, but, from fome inadvertency, the ratifications had not been exchanged.

Mr Whitbread moved for production of a copy of that Treaty; which being agreed to, he followed up that motion by another, For an Account of the fums of Money that had been iffued (if any) in confequence of the Treaty.-Agreed to.

KING'S MESSAGE.

Jan. 2. The order of the day was read for taking his Majefty's meffage into confideration; which was as follows:

"GEORGE R.

"It is with the utmost concern that his Majefty acquaints the Houfe of Commons, that his earneft endeavours to effect the restoration of peace have been unhappily fruftrated, and that negocia tion in which he was engaged has been abruptly broken off by the peremptory refufal of the French Government to treat, except upon a bafis evidently inadmiffible, and by their having, in confequence, required his Majefty's Plenipotentiary to quit Paris within 48 hours.

"His Majefty has directed the feveral memorials and papers which have been exchanged in the courfe of the late difcuffion, and the account tranfmitted to his Majefty of its final refult, to be laid before the Houfe.

"From these papers, his Majefty trufts, it will be proved to the whole world, that his conduct has been guided by a fincere de fire to effect the reftoration of peace on principles suited to the relative fituation of the Belligerent Powers, and effential for the permanent interefts of his kingdoms, and the general fecurity of Europe: whilst his enemies have advanced pretenfions at once inconfiftent with thofe objects, unfupported even on the grounds on which they profeffed to reft, and repugnant both to the fyftem eftablished by repeated treaties, and to the principles and practices which have VOL. LIX.

hitherto regulated the intercourfe of independent nations.

"In this fituation, his Majefty has the confolation of reflecting, that the continuance of the calamities of war can be imputed only to the unjust and exorbitant views of his enemies; and his Majefty, looking forward with anxiety to the moment when they may be difpofed to act on different principles, places in the mean time the fulleft reliance, under the protection of Providence, on the wisdom and firmness of his parliament, on the tried valour of his forces by fea and land, and on the zeal, public spirit, and refources of his kingdoms, for vigorous and effectual support in the profecution of a conteft, which does not depend on his Majefty to terminate, and which involves in it the fecurity and permanent interefts of this country, and of Europe."

Mr Pitt began by ftating, that various and important confiderations would arife from the difcuffion of this fubject, and a variety of opinions would, no doubt, prevail; but all must concur in fentiments of regret at the abrupt failure of the negociation, and the neceffity of perfevering in a conteft_undertaken, however, in confequence of complicated aggreffions on the part of the enemy, for the independence of Great Britain, and the general fecurity of Europe, the unavoidable alternative must be matter of deep regret, and a difappointment to our fanguine expectations for the reftoration of peace. Thefe were the feelings of the House, but they were feelings of regret unaccompanied by dejection; for there was nothing to regret but the obftinacy and extravagance of the enemy.

If it should appear that ministers were fincere and defirous for peace, and that they had attempted it on principles which ought to render it adequate and permament, the attempt, though unfuccessful, would not be loft. It would convince Europe, that the enemy was the caufe of the prolongation of the war, it would tend to unite England and to divide France.

With refpect to the fentiments the houfe ought to exprefs to his Majesty, there could be little difference of opinion. The neceffity of perfevering in H

the

the conflict would likewife be admitted; and the only difference he could anticipate, would be in the mode of conducting it; the question of the greatest difficulty that prefented itself from the correfpondence, was the adequacy of the terms. After the propofals had been made, and terms, founded on equitable grounds, had been offered; after refufing to fuffer thofe terms to be difcuffed; after the infulting order for his Majefty's Minister to quit Paris; and after (he would not call it the femblance but the mockery by which the negociation was to be broken off on the part of the enemy) did not leave this country any option or alternative, as to the ultimate line of conduct it ought to adopt.

The two great and leading confiderations he stated to be,

1. What fentiments were fit to be expreffed on the communication, with regard to the fteps which ought to be taken in confequence of the failure of the negociation. And,

2. Combining his Majefty's offers with the reception, or rather rejection of the terms, and the conduct we ought to adopt in fupport of our independence.

Mr Pitt now entered into a general review of all the circumftances attending the overtures that had been made in order to a pacification, beginning with Mr Wickham's correfpondence with Monf. Barthelemi, at Bafle, with a view to eftablish that they had been uniformly made on principles fanctioned by practice in the mode of terminating difputes, and that the French had declared their determination not to liften to any propofitions that were not confonant to their own conftitution and laws, in contradiftinction to the law, and incompatible with the fafety of independent nations.

Before the opening of the last campaign, and the reverfe of fortune that attended his arms, the Emperor renew ed the proposals, which were fomewhat fimilar to thofe offered by his Majefty, and came to a fimilar termination. Ob jections of forms, points of etiquette, and a variety of other inaufpicious cir. cumftances, did not deter his Majefty from another trial. The attempt was made through the intervention of the Danish Minifter, who enquired whether the Directory would grant paffports to a Minifter Plenipotentiary. After much delay, he was informed they could not receive any papers from nations at war,

through the medium ofneutral powers, but on fending an ambassadorto theirfrontiers, they would furnish him with a passport.

The mode which appeared most con genial to the wifh of the Directory, was adopted under a flag of truce. Our ob ject was to do what was moft agreeable to reafon and usage. We were aware that the circumstances of this negociation were new, and that much diftrust and jealouly prevailed on both fides.

The establishment of fome bafis became therefore expedient, to fimplify and facilitate the complicated labyrinth of negociation. A balis of mutual com. penfation, and mutual conceffion, it was our object and our duty to propofe. We had little to ask for ourselves immediately, but much for our allies, and the compenfation was to be made out of the advantages which the valour and exertions of this country had wreed from the enemy. Before the Directory produced their counter projet to the bafis, founded as it was on reasonable, adequate, and juft terms, and at this fage of the bufinefs, our Ambaffador received a requifition to deliver his ultimatum.

The bafis being accepted, contrary to the speculations of fome advocates for France in this country, the next fubje&t was the particular terms. It was hardly neceffary for him, he faid, to remind the Houfe, that in no negotiation whatever, were the terms a preliminary but a fub* fequent confideration. Not one advance on the part of the enemy, but every difficulty started, and every difficulty overcome, and arrived at the threshold of negotiation, notwithstanding this flow and inert acceffion to the bafis, his Majesty's Minifter is called upon to specify terms on the admiffion of these bases.

In all times, especially in complicated negotiations, parties have concurred to take upon themfelves jointly the burthen, as to the views of negotiation and the extent of their refpective demands, because if one of the parties took the burden exclufively, that party gives his opponent an opportunity of founding the estimate of conceffion, and the extent of his demand. How great, there fore, the difficulty and the burthen to be obliged to announce the scheme of peace, without the appearance of reciprocity; yet in conformity to the bafis agreed upon, a plan was delivered in by Lord Malmesbury, containing the outlines.

The allufion naturally led to the two principal notes in the Correfpondence,

"The

"The Confidential Memorial on the principal objects of Compenfation and Reftitution, Compensation and mutual Arrangement," and "The Confidential Conversation between Lord Malmesbury 2nd M. Delacroix." The great point most pertinaciously infifted on by our Government, was the reftitution of the Netherlands as a fine qua non. Lefs we could not ask, at the commencement of a negotiation for our allies, without the confent of the Emperor, and no fuch confent had been obtained. In the fubfequent ftages, however, even this flipulation might have undergone certain modifications by conceffions elsewhere. We likewife infilled upon the evacuation of Italy by the French troops, but Savoy, Nice, and Avignon did not come within the fcope of this defcription; and the late fucceffes of the Auftrians in the Milanefe, gave us reafon to hope that that district was in possession of the Emperor.

The Milanefe ought, therefore, to be confidered as a fair object of compenfation, fubject to fubfequent modifications and arrangements. The fecurity of Europe required the facrifice, and the Emperor who had fuffered adverfity, and retrieved profperity with fo much honour to himself, demands the conceffion. Upon the whole, he contended, that the offer to France was fair, juft, and liberal, an offer which thewed our anxiety for a speedy restoration of peace, and merited a fair and candid discussion from the enemy.

He next adverted to the fyftem of devaftation which France had eftablished in the West Indies, and proposed that it fhould be thrown into the fcale of compenfation to the Emperor; and the conceflions we might be difpofed to make in that quarter of fome conquefts; though a facrifice to our national refources, evinced our defire to act confiftently with honour more than policy, on general rather than on private intereft. With refpect to the ceffion of the Spanish part of St Domingo to France, he difputed their right of transfer, and contended, that as it was in violation of the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, the conveyance was spurious.

The next topic was the relative fituation of France, Spain, and Holand to Great Britain. He commented at great length on the confidential Memorial on the peace with Spain and Holland, and

likewife on Lord Malmesbury's converfation with the French Minifter for Foreign Affairs on this fubject.

Holland,confidered with a reference to its former connexion with this country, and its transfer to the fcale of France, muft render the restoration of any of the Colonies conquered by Great Britain gratuitous. What France had extorted from Holland, (the Dutch Netherlands) if reftored, might be the means of fecuring the Nethelands, and might form an ufeful barrier to Holland itself; but Holland, connected with France, France had no right to demand any of those conquefts in behalf of Holland. That part Minifters were not disposed to relax, as it would give France, connected with Holland, an opportunity of annoying us in those parts most expofed to aggreffion; and any conceffion, either separately or jointly, would ftill be an acceffion of ftrength to our most inveterate engmy.

France had refused to concede any of their conquefts. To fhew their inconfiftency, this principle was fuperceded by the admiffion of a bafis of compenfation. But had this not been admitted, they were not to be allowed to eftablish a principle deftructive of the admitted practices of other nations. He then read a variety of extracts from the French Conftitution, to prove that they acted upon a misconstruction of the article, which they contend prohibits the alienation of their conquefts, and pointed out its abfurdity, by making territories by law, an integral part of France, which could not be fo by conquefts.

Having expatiated on the different topics of the Negociation, from its origin to the propofition to renew it through the medium of couriers, he said he was convinced there was not a hand in the British Cabinet who would fign fuch a propofition, not a heart in the country who would fanction fo much infamy, not a fubject in the British dominions who would confent to be the courier of fo much degradation.

He concluded by moving the Address, which was a reverberation of the Meffage.

Mr Erfine rofe, under evident marks of indifpofition, to move an amend ment, but after proceeding for a few minutes, he was obliged to fit down quite exhausted.

Mr Fox regretted that the House and