atchievements, and as we think, in a few words, he compreffes his. military merits, we fhall quote the paffage.

"Those who eftimate conquerors merely by their warlike atchievements, without confidering either the juftness of the cause, or the wisdom of the pursuit, muft regard Buonaparte with high honour. He undoubtedly difplayed all that combination of intellectual and active powers which rendered Alaric, Genferic, and Attila, with their refpective Goths, Vandals, and Huns, irrefiftibly fuccefsful in fubjugation and plunder. But in one inftrument of iniquitous acquifition, the Corfican furpalfed the northern invaders: they fimply employed force, whereas he used artifice and deceit, as well as violence and plunder. In this his most difficult campaign, Buonaparte proved himself an able, energetic, and dexterous adventurer; but in no inftance manifested either the magnanimous hero, or the wife statesman."

Our author appears to reckon the retreat of Moreau a more mafterly fpecimen of generalfhip than any that was difplayed by Buonaparté. Britain this year having fought apart from her allies was uniformly fuccessful. Parliament being met, the king announced pacific intentions. Mr. Burke, adhering to his original opinion, conceived no peace could be fecure until monarchy were reftored. Lord Malmfbury was fent to Paris, but found the French would not accede to reasonable terms. He was ordered to leave France, and the negotiation broke off. The afpect of affairs in the earlier part of 1797 was gloomy; "national credit feemed to totter from its bafe; rebellion was ready to burst out in the fifter ifland; and, while foreign invafion threatened, those who had fo long been the champions of Britain upon her own element, refufed to obey orders iffued for her defence, and turned their mutinous arms against their country." The apprehenfions concerning the Bank proved totally unfounded: the wisdom of Pitt removed every alarm refpecting the national credit. The mutiny was very alarming, both in its caufes and proceedings, but by firmnefs and vigour was fuppreffed. Buonaparté compelled the Emperor to make peace. The French directed the naval efforts of their dependents, Spain and Holland, against Britain; but Admiral Jervis by a fignal victory deftroyed the navy of the former, and Admiral Duncan the navy of the latter. Britain again offered peace, but the French would only agree to fuch terms as were inadmiflible. In Scotland confiderable difturbances took place from a mifapprehenfion of the militia act, but by united firmness and moderation were quelled. The late victories in a confiderable degree difpelled the difcontents of the former years, and the haughty refufal of France enflamed the generous indignation of Britons; both Parliament and nation were bent oa great exertions. Mr. Pitt propofed a new scheme of finance to raise a confiderable part of the fupplies within the year. Mr. Addington propofed voluntary contributions. Notwithstanding the weight of the taxes most individuals and claffes vied in fubfcription. Mr. Dundas propofed loyal and patriotic affociations: for the defence of the country, volunteers rofe in all quarters, and the nation became armed against foreign and domeftic enemies, While fuch loyalty and pa

triotifm

triotifm prevailed in Britain there broke out in Ireland a rebellion, the origin and progrefs of which our author retraces from the firft formation of the united Irifhmen to its fuppreffion."

While France threatened invafion against Britain her attention was turned to a very different object. Her plundering adventurer, Buonaparté, propofed Egypt as a fresh and untouched field for depradation, which, befides pretent fpoil, might open the way to farther robbery in the Eaft. This righteous plan being adopted, a grand expedition was undertaken, headed by Buonaparté. The robbing adventurers having captured and plundered Malta arrived in fafety in Egypt, and landed their forces, but the British admiral, Nelfon, overtook their fleet. As the battle of Aboukir Bay is one of the most splendid actions recorded in British hiftory, fo is our hiftorian's defcription one of the most fplendid paffages in the work. Our author follows the victory to its political effects in the fpirit which it kindled througout Europe. Minifters now excited and invigorated a coalition against France. At home they directed their attention 'to the adminiftration of Ireland. Our author presents a luminous view of the fate of facts: the reafonings of ftatefmen and political writers who were favourable to union between Britain and Ireland: of statesmen and writers who were adverse to union from patriotic confiderations; parties and claffes that opposed it from selfish motives, fuch as antiminifterialifts or from difaffection to government. Mr. Pitt's opening fpeech on the bufinefs fpoke to every argument or motive for and againft, and exhibited a masterly view of the benefits which might refult from such a connection. It was refolved that his project fhould be fubmitted to the Irish parliament. Paul, the new Emperor of Ruffia, formed an alliance with Britain and Auftria for oppofing the French. The Ruffians invaded Italy, marched into Switzerland under Marthal Suworrow, in conjunction with the Auftrians, gained fignal advantages, and even recovered the greater part of Italy, but not being properly fupported by their allies, found it neceffary to retreat, and, at length, withdrew from the field. The British undertook an expedition to Holland under the Duke of York, they displayed their ufual valour, but the event did not answer their expectations. In this part of the hiftory our author adheres to his ufual accuracy and impartiality of narrative, but is very fparing in his reflections. Hiftoric truth he preferves as rigidly as in defcribing the 1ft of June, St. Vincent's, Camperdown, or the Nile, but we cannot difcover that he is equally pleafed with the subject. The hiftory now carries us to the Eaft, the projects of Tippoo Saib in reliance on the co-operation of France, and the difcomfiture and death of that renowned adventurer. Next we accompany Buonaparté in Egypt, and after he had plundered that country, and maffacred all who oppofed his robbery, we watch his fteps into Syria in queft of fresh Booty. The fiege of Acre, and its renowned defence, have never been recorded in a manner that does more ample juftice to the heroifm and genius of Sir Sidney Smith. We follow the vanquithed Buonaparté. in his retreat from Syria, and foon after his flight from Egypt. The proceedings

proceedings of Buonaparte and his coadjutors in France from his firft arrival to the establishment of the Confular defpotifm are reprefented in a very ftriking and indeed picturefque exhibition. The Chief Conful offered peace to Britain, his propofals were rejected, the subftance and manner of the rejection were feverely cenfured by oppofition. The plan of union between Britain and Ireland was finally adjufted between the refpective Parliaments, and the time of commencement fixed to be January 1ft, 1801. An attempt to affaffinate the king alarmed the public, and new regulations were made by Parliament for the perfonal fafety of his Majefty. Ruffia being withdrawn Auftria only remained to combat France on the continent. Buonaparté undertook to recover Italy, encountered the Imperialists at Marengo, and was almoft defeated, when Deffaix coming up, procured to him a fignal victory, which decided the fate of Italy. In Germany Moreau, by a masterly fyftem of operations, advanced upon the Germans until he gained at Hohenlinden a victory which terminated the continental war. In Britain a great fcarcity prevailed, and it was proposed that the legislature fhould interfere in the price of corn; but the propofition was reprobated as extremely impolitic and unjust. The dispute with the northern powers evinces our author thoroughly acquainted with the public law of Europe. In a few words he fhews that it is the interest of all trading countries that Britain fhould profper.

Nothing (he fays) is more evident, than that the commercial exertions of Great Britain, promoting the induftry and arts of the various countries with which he traffics, and exchanging furplus for fupplies, benefits refpectively and jointly every country within the wide range of her trade: it is, therefore, the intereft of all thofe countries that her commerce should continue and increafe, by which their emolument and gratification continue and increase in the fame proportion; her capital, ability, and fkill, ftimulate their most lucratively productive labours, and enabled them to purchase imported actommodation and luxuries."

The northern princes at this time were blind to their intereft, and fought to change maritime law, but Britain refifted their attempts. At this time a very unexpected change took place in the British cabinet by the refignation of Mr. Pitt and his co-adjutors, the caufes of which our author developes, and concludes that part of his narrative with a fummary of Mr. Pitt's character, and fhort fketches of Mr. Dundas, Lord Grenville, Mr. Windham, and Earl Spencer. Mr. Pitt was fucceeded by Mr. Addington, and Lord Grenville by Lord Hawkesbury. Vain was the attempt of the northern powers to intimidate Britain, a fleet failed to the Baltic, Nelfon was victorious, an armiftice was propofed and accepted, and Paul being dead, and Alexander difpofed to peace, an amicable adjustment took place between Britain and the northern powers. The history now comes to the naval campaign of our country in the channel and ocean, where fuccefs attended all her efforts. We are now conducted to exploits and atchievements of the British army, which,

as

as our hiftorian well obferves, had never been furpaffed in the annals of war. Our hiftorian purfues che ftate of the French in Egypt from the departure of Buonaparté to the spring 1801, thence he conducts us to the bay of Tetuan, where was aflembled the armament under Sir Ralph Abercrombie and Lord Keith to proceed agamit the French in Egypt. Having croffed the Mediterranean, the expedition arrived, near the end of September 1801, at Marmorice, in Afia Minor. The object of this diagonal movement was to be affured of the military cooperation of the Turks, and alfo their affiftance in furnishing horses, gun-boats, and other neceffary articles: here alfo they procured fupplies of fresh provifions. There they remained till the end of February. On the 1ft of March they difcovered land that proved to be the coat near Arabs Tower, and on the next morning the whole fleet moored in Aboukir Bay, and the men of war occupied the very ground on which had been fought the battle of Nelson. There follows a very triking defcription of the coaft, the ftrength of the enemy, the batteries and fand-hills. For fome days the extreme roughness of the furf prevented an attempt to dif-embark, but on the 8th the attempt was made. The fignal was given, and the troops proceeded to the fhore. The French poured from the heights and Aboukir Castle all the fhot and grape-shot that their musketry and artillery could iffue: the effect was tremendous; in a fituation in which they could not return the fire, and feeing their comrades fall about them; under these fell meffengers of multiplied death, instead of being difmayed, our heroic foldiers were the more indignantly eager to reach the fhore, where, bringing arm to arm of Briton against Frenchman, they knew they would foon avenge their fellow countrymen. The boats arrived at the deftined point; fpringing on land, in the face of cannon, our , champions formed on the beach, and advanced in a line. Marching coolly and fteadily up to the foes, they were enabled to use the fureft inftrument of victory to British courage, fupported by British mufcular ftrength-the bayonet; and now the artillery from our fhips could operate against the batteries of Aboukir, without expofing our foldiers to danger. The French made a ftand worthy of their national heroifm: but when British failors can use their cannon, and British foldiers their bayonets, the most valiant Frenchmen are deftined to yield. In the conflict between fuch combatants, the battle was obftinate and bloody; but our heroes prevailed. The French found they had more formidable foes to encounter than even those whom they had met at 'Lodi and Arcola; and that a British handful at Acre, had merely given a fpecimen of what they might expect from a British army. The defcription of the campaign rifes in intereft. The engagement of the 13th farther displays British heroifm, but the moft ftriking and glorious difplay was fecured for the 21ft, of which our author's account is a masterly piece of historical painting. To all the troops that were engaged he renders juftice and confequently high praise: perhaps a little more than justice to his countrymen-the 42d. On the capture of the ftandard, however, he allows the merits of Anthony Lutz.

Briefly

Briefly ftating the evidence he obferves the refult of the whole is, "that Major Stirling took the ftandard and delivered it to Sinclair,; who being wounded, and in a state of infenfibility, loft the fame, and that it was retaken by Anthony Lutz," and concludes with the following compliment to both.

Taking no part in the difpute, the hiftorian has only to express his with, that future narrators of British wars may ever have to celebrate fach valour as was exhibited by the 42d. and foreign regiments, the captors and re-captors of a standard that was termed invincible till it was borne againft the troops of Britain.”

Our historian conducts us with the army to upper Egypt through all the difficulties which they had to encounter, and places their perfeverance and fortitude in a light no less ftriking than their recent va→ lour and prowess. Another virtue draws forth the deserved praife.

"Accustomed," fays our author, "to Mahometan and French depredators, the people regarded the new comers at firft with dread, but afterwards with wonder, when they found that not a fingle foldier of the British committed the flighteft pillage; and, at laft, with gratitude hailed them as their deliverers from a plundering banditti. The only gratuitous contribution which our champions required was water, this beverage with gladdened eagerness the natives brought, and readily fupplied with every provifion in their power, heroes, who in the midst of war and feanty ftores, ftrictly obferved the principles of juftice, and fhewed that British troops were SOLDIERS not robbers."

Having brought the campaign of Egypt to the expulfion of the French, he concludes his account of that glorious enterprize in the following terms worthy of the fplendid subject.

"Such was the iffue of Buonaparte's expedition to Egypt; there, as in ́ all their undertakings during the laft war, the French profpered, until they encountered the forces of Britain: there Buonaparte learned, that in vain he might project fchemes of maritime and commercial conqueft, when oppofed by the naval and military heroes of Britain. All the mighty preparations and boafted atchievements of four years in purfuit of the favourite object of the Chief Conful, perifhed without leaving a wreck behind. The whole, and every part of this expedition, difplayed the British character in its manifold excellencies. Adventurous courage, were guided by wisdom, united with patience and magnanimous conftancy, and were all infpired by patriotifm and loyalty, and enhanced by juftice. Such were the qualities that rendered Britain triumphant in the fignally glorious campaign of Egypt, in fuch Britain may always confide, and fuch let her enemies dread. If ambitious pride fhould overlook more remote events when the feeks war with Eritain, let her REMEMBER EGYPT."

The hiftory concludes with the termination of the war, mentions the general joy which it occafioned, and acknowledges, in a note, that the author himself was one who rejoiced at the ceflation of hoftilities. He does not, however, enter into the merits of the peace.

"The treaty of Amiens, (he fays) opened new fubjects of difcuffion be longing

NO. LXXIII, VOL. XVIII.

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