views, self-intereft, and base fubmiffion, as well as of cruelty, mischief, and malevolence. I cannot forbear to obferve in this place, that as it is of no advantage to mankind to be forewarned of inevitable and infurmountable misfortunes, the author probably intended to hint to his countrymen, the proper remedies for the evils he defcribes. In this calamity on which he dwells longest, and which he seems to deplore with the deepest forrow, he points out one circumstance, which may be of great ufe to difperfe our apprehensions, and awaken us from that panic which the reader must neceffarily feel, at the firft tranfient view of this dreadful description. These ferpents, fays the original, are HAUD PUGNACES, of no fighting race: they will threaten, indeed, and hifs, and terrify the weak, and timorous, and thoughtless, but have no real courage or ftrength. So that the mischief done by them, their ravages, devastations and robberies, must be only the confequences of cowardice in the fufferers, who are harraffed and oppreffed only because they fuffer it without refiftance. We are therefore to remember whenever the peft here threatened fhall invade us, that fubmiffion and tamenefs will be certain ruin, and that nothing but fpirit, vigilance, activity, and oppofition, can preferve us from the most hateful and reproachful misery, that of being plundered, starved, and devoured by vermin and by reptiles. Horrida dementes Rapiet difcordia gentes, Plurima Plurima tunc leges Mutabit, plurima reges Natio, Then o'er the world fhall difcord ftretch her wings, Here the author takes a general furvey of the state of the world, and the changes that were to happen about the time of the discovery of this monument in many nations. As it is not likely that he intended to touch upon the affairs of other countries any farther than the advantage of his own made it neceffary, we may reasonably conjecture, that he had a full and diftinct view of all the negotiations, treaties, confederacies, of all the triple and quadruple alliances, and all the leagues offenfive and defenfive, in which we were to be engaged, either as principals, acceffaries, or guarrantees, whether by policy, or hope, or fear, or our concern for preferving the ballance of power, or our tenderness for the liberties of Europe. He knew that our negotiators would intereft us in the affairs of the whole earth, and that no ftate could either rife or decline in power, either extend or lofe its dominions, without affecting politics and influencing our councils. This paffage will bear an easy and natural application to the present time, in which so many revolutions have happened, fo many nations have changed their masters, and fo many difputes and commotions are embroiling almost in every part of the world. That almost every state in Europe and Asia, that is, almost every country then known is comprehended in C 3 this this prediction may be easily conceived, but whether it extends to regions at that time undiscovered, and portends any alteration of government in Carolina and Georgia, let more able or more daring expofitors determine. Converfa In rabiem tunc contremet Urfa The bear enrag'd, th' affrighted moon fhall dread; The terror created to the moon by the anger of the bear, is a strange expreffion, but may perhaps relate to the apprehenfions raised in the Turkish empire, of which a crefcent or new moon is the imperial ftandard, by the increasing power of the Emprefs of Ruffia, whose dominions lie under the northern conftellation called the Bear. -Tunc latis Florebunt lilia pratis, The lilies o'er the vales triumphant spread; The lilies borne by the kings of France are an apt representation of that country; and their flourishing over wide extended vallies, feems to regard the new increase of the French power, wealth and dominions, by the advancement of their trade, and the acceffion of Lorain. This is at first view an obvious, but perhaps for for that very reason not the true infcription. How can we reconcile it with the following paffage. Nec fremere audebit Leo, fed violare timebit, Omnia confuetus Populari pafcua lætus. Nor fhall the lyon, wont of old to reign Or dare to murmur in the flow'ry glade; In which the lion that used at pleasure to lay the paftures wafte, is reprefented as not daring to touch the lilies, or murmur at their growth: the lion, it is true, is one of the fupporters of the arms of England, and may therefore figure our countrymen, who have in ancient times made France a defert. But can it be said, that the lion dares not murmur or rage (for fremere may import both) when it is evident, that for many years this whole kingdom has murmur'd! however, it may be at present calm and fecure, by its confidence in the wisdom of our politicians and the addrefs of our negotiators. Ante oculos natos Calceatos et cruciatos Jam feret ignavus, Vetitáque libidine pravus. His tortur'd fons fhall die before his face, Here are other things mentioned of the lyon equally unintelligible, if we suppose them to be spoken of our nation, as that he lies fluggish, and depraved with unlawful lufts, while his offspring is trampled and tortured before his eyes. But in that place can the English be faid to be trampled or tortured? Where are they treated with injustice or contempt? What nation is there from pole to pole that does not reverence the nod of the British King? Is not our commerce unreftrained? Are not the riches of the world our own? Do not our fhips fail unmolefted, and our merchants traffic in perfect fecurity? Is not the very name of England treated by foreigners in a manner never known before? Or if fome flight injuries have been offered, if fome of our petty traders have been stopped, our poffeffions threatened, our effects confifcated, our flag infulted, or our ears cropped, have we lain fluggish and unactive? Have not our fleets been seen in triumph at Spithead? Did not Hofier vifit the Baftimentos, and is not Haddock now ftationed at Port Mahon? En quoque quod mirum, Sanguinem equus fugit, Neque bellua vita remugit. And, yet more Strange! his veins a horfe fhall drain, It is farther afferted in the concluding lines, that the horfe fhall fuck the lion's blood. This is ftill more ob fcure |