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intrigues of the government, or the fufpicion of fome of its members, difplaced him, and gave the command to a much younger officer. Before Joubert had joined the army, confiderable reinforcements had been fent to it, fo that it was become as numerous as the forces of the antagonist.

On the 14th of Auguft, before Moreau had left the army, and while he and Joubert were reconnoitring a diftant part of the enemy's line, information was given them, that Suwarrow had commenced an attack on their left wing; for the Ruffian, having experienced how formidable the French were when affailants, had determined to anticipate his opponent, and open the combat. Joubert, in emulation of his friend, flew to the hottest part of the battle, in order to encourage the men, and received a mortal wound. The prefence of Moreau, however, prevented difmay and confufion, and obviated the mifchiefs which might have happened from St. Cyr's divifion being worsted. He, in this cafe, effected fo fkilful a retreat, as established an opinion, that, however he might be defeated, he could never be overcome even by fuperior numbers.

After this, when Bonaparte fet himfelf up for Chief Conful, Moreau joined him, and he paffed the winter of 1799 in Paris. In the year 1800, he was nominated to the command of the army of the Danube; and the plan of this campaign is faid to have been laid down by himself.

It was intended to act with large maffes against inferior numbers; and by a well combined and confentaneous movement of the armies of Switzerland, Germany, and Italy, to end the contest with the capture of

Vienna.

A combat took place, on the 3d of May, near Pfullendorf, and was renewed the next morning, when Prince Jofeph, of Lorraine, at the head of the right wing of the Auftrians, was defeated, and obliged to abandon the magazines. But on the 9th of the fame month the allies received fo fevere a blow, that they were obliged to retire under the cannon of Ulmi.

The whole circle of Suabia was now fubject to French fway, and all the imperial magazines on the bank of the Danube at the difpofal of the republican army; and thus the cabinet of Vienna was struck with fo much terror,

as induced it afterwards to accede to thofe humiliating terms, which, as Mo reau justly though vauntingly faid, “put it out of the power of the house of Auf tria to refume hoftilities."

Moreau was indefatigable in his exertions; he prepared to pass the Danube between Ulm and 'Donauwert, and effected it, notwithstanding an obftinate refiftance was made by General Pztaray, then pofted on the celebrated plain of Hochfted, or Blenheim. This led to another figual victory in the early part of June, and enabled Moreau to establish his head-quarters at Munich: while he was afterwards preparing for new victories, news of the armistice being extended to Germany arrived.

During this truce, Moreau married; but in fixteen days after, he was obliged to repair to his head-quarters; for as the French were not then able to force the Auftrians to a feparate peace, they determined to renew the

war.

He publifhed an addrefs to his army, which was the most numerous he had ever commanded. The Archduke John was now at the head of the Imperial army, and, being fluthed at fome partial advantages against the French, he col lected all his forces, and fought his antagonist. The rival armies met on the 3d of December, at feven o'clock in the morning, between the rivers Ifer and Inn. The action was fatal to the Auftrians. They gave way, and the French army hung upon their rear with fuch perfeverance and effect, that night alone faved them from total deftruction. Thus this famous battle of Hohenlinden may be faid to put an end to every hope in the court of Vienna of re-establishing its affairs: the fate of the empire hung upon it. More than eighteen thousand prifoners, and one hundred pieces of cannon taken, fwelled the trophies of this brave and fortunate General. The French army in Italy being equally fuccefsful, the Auftrian monarchy tottered to its bafe. It was menaced by Moreau within fifty miles of Vienna; and three other powerful and successful generals were almost as near. Under thefe alarms, the Auftrian cabinet propofed an armistice, which was made conclufive, by Moreau requiring for its bafis, that the Tyrol fhould be wholly evacuated, and the fortreffes of Bruneau and Wurtzburgh put into the hands of the French,

Moreau has been greatly esteemed for his conduct upon occations where towns and places have fallen into his hands, from the enemy having been forced fuddenly to evacuate them. The unfortunate inhabitants, thus abandoned, whose cause had been protected by the allied armies, or had been drawn in to adopt the fentiment of this country, confidered themfelves as expofed to the vengeance or given up to the generosity of the conqueror. They, however, never experienced the ill treatment they apprehended. Moreau was found to be generous in victory.

Thus we have compreffed in a few pages the life of one of the moft diftinguished of modern generals, upon which volumes might be written with intereft, and read with eagerness.

After his toilfome campaigns, Moreau purchased the eftate of Barras, who had been exiled to Bruffels; and at Grobois (belonging formerly to Louis XVIII) he was enjoying the company of the beloved of his heart, when the fatal difcovery was unfold ed, which, it is feared, will put an end to his days before he has concluded thofe memoirs he has been writing, and which may be confidered as no leis

important than the Commentaries of Cæfar.

The time for trying this fucccfsful this unfortunate General, is at length fixed, and every one prefages what will be the iffue. The hero who has faved, or contributed to fave, his country has in all ages atpired to the dominion over it. If, at the conteft on the plains of Pharjalia, fortune had given the victory to Pompey, there is no doubt but he would have acted a similar_part_to that which Cæfar performed. Dumourier threatened that power which vested him with the fupreme command of the army. Bonaparte raifed himfelf to fovereign authority by the fame vaft engine which has exalted numerous foldiers of fortune to a feat on a throne. If Moreau has wifhed to run

the fame career, there is nothing in his conduct to furprife the hiftorian. The moralift will enquire how far the road was to have been ftained with blood; for few, indeed, are thofe who believe the ultimate defign of the confpiracy between Pichegru and Moreau (if the confpiracy be proved) was to reflore the fceptre to the family of the Bourbons.

P

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

To the Editor of the Univerfal Mag. SIR, ERCEIVING by your last Number that my strictures on Mr. Godwin meet with your approbation, I fhall, according to promife, bring them to a conclufion in the prefent letter.

In Effay XV, on the choice in reading, is the following atrocious affertion, for I can call it by no fofter name. It fcarcely deferves to be noted, were it not to give you a proof of the undeviating attempts of this writer to undermine every basis of virtue, and honour, and happiness. Speaking of the different productions of the celebrated writers of this country, he obferves, "Milton has written a fublime VOL I.

poem upon a ridiculous ftory of eating an apple, and of the eternal vengeance decreed by the Almighty against the whole human race, becaufe their progenitor was guilty of this black and deteftable offence."

On this paffage I thall make no farther comment, but proceed to extract another of a fimilar nature. In his Eflay on trades and profeffions, he confiders, among others, that of a clergyman: his fate he defcribes as peculiarly hard; he is compelled to fit in the midst of evidence, and be infenfible to it." He reads "fiories the most fabulous and abfurd, and is filled with the profoundeft reverence."

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"He receives a fuftem, with the most perfect jatisfaction, that a rePPP

flecting farage would infallibly scoff at for its groffness and impertinence!"

Such is the man whom fociety yet admits as one of its members! Where is that virtuous indignation, which in former days would have driven him forth as a wild beaft from its haunts?

With the filly, weak, and impracticable dreams of this author I have nothing to do. It is only when he is dangerous that I would repel him; it is only when he comes masked among us, that I would ftrip him, and hold him up to public deteftation. Among many of his wanderings may be reckoned, his effay on avarice and profuhon, which is perhaps as wild a rhapfody as folly ever penned. His "cultivated equality" (p. 175) is fociety reduced to primitive barbarity, and even worse. I really cannot fometimes withhold my pity, that any man fhould fo far commit himself as to prefent fuch miferable effufions to the public eye. But to proceed.

In Efay IV, Part II, we meet with the following grofsly falfe defcription. I will tranfcribe it entire, that you may conceive fully the magnitude of our author's defigns.

"I amufe myfelf, fuppofe, with viewing the mansion of a man of rank-I admire the splendor of the apartments, and the coftlinefs of their decorations-I pafs from room to room, and find them all spacious, lofty, and magnificent, From their appearance my mind catches a fentation of tranquil grandeur. They are fo carefully polished, fo airy, fo perfectly light, that I feel as if it were impoflible to be melancholy in them. I am even fatigued with their variety.

"I will imagine, that, after having furveyed the reft of the house, the fancy ftrikes me of viewing the fervants' offices. I defcend by a narrow staircase. I creep cautiouf

ly along dark paffages. I pass from room to room, but every where is gloom. The light of day never fully enters the apartments. The breath of heaven cannot freely play among them. There is fomething in the very air that feels mufty and ftagnant to my fenfe. The furniture is frugal, unexceptionable perhaps in itself, but ftrangely contrafted with the furniture of the reft of the house. If I enter the apartment which each fervant confiders as his own, or, it may be, is compelled to share with another, I perceive a general air of flovenlinefs and negligence, that amply reprefents to me the depreffion and humiliated state of mind of its tenant.

"I efcape from this place as I would efcape from the fpectacle of a jail. I cannot return again to the fplendid apartments I have left. Their furniture has loft its beauty, and the pictures their charms. I plunge in the depth of groves and the bofom of nature, and weep over the madnefs of artificial Society."

Parthis Mendacior.

HOR.

Could you, Mr. Editor, have fuppofed any man capable of deliberately fitting down, and inventing,

without any motive whatever but the moft difgraceful, falfehoods fo grofs as are contained in the preceding excerpt. Indeed, fo confident am I that the experience of the meaneft individual is adequate to its confutation, that I will not wafte my time by any ferious reply.-Surely Mr. Godwin muft have been weepMr. Godwin muft have been weeping in a grote when he wrote it, for he could not fuffer his cool reafon to deceive him fo miferably. But I with his views in this, and many other needlefs exaggerations which are to be found in his Enquirer, may not have been more fubtle and dangerous than an hafty and fuperficial view of his writings

might induce a man to fuppofe they are. A character like his will feldom commit itfelf idly: fome finiftrous intent may juftly be fufpected in all its actions, and there are few who cannot penetrate the covering worn by this author.

But you are probably by this time fufficiently acquainted with him. Before, then, his character becomes painful to contemplate, I drop the veil. Do not, however, fuppofe I have pointed out one third even of his errors. No: they are "Thick as autumnal leaves that ftrow

the brooks in Vallambrofa." How unenviable is the fituation of fuch an author!---to be celebrated only for the atrocity of his writings, and the magnitude of the evils he has laboured to produce! When we reflect on fuch a perverfion of intellect, our furprife and indignation are equally excited, and we regret only that the means exift for fuch beings to fcatter within the pale of fociety their atrocious writings. If I am too warm in my cenfure, you must pardon me; for the times are fuch, that it is the duty of every man to watch over the enemies of order and happinefs: we know the extenfive power of literature, and fhould endeavour to render it harmless when it affumes the form of atheifm, blafphemy, and lies; we well know, too, the ftate of mind in which the million of this Country are at present. It is not the individual effort of one man which can prop a falling edifice; but the united exertions of many may fave it-I would be one of that many, if my endeavours can be of avail.

Of fuch a writer as Godwin it is difficult to fpeak fufficiently harsh, without trefpaffing on the common forms of fociety. That his principles are dangerous, need not now be afferted by me; but I am willing to hope they are now

fo completely developed, that none but the truly ftupid or the truly vicious can be misled by them.-I difmifs this defultory enquiry into fome of his opinions with the following obfervation from the elegant Addison, and which may be aptly applied to many writers of the prefent day.

"Writers of great talents, who employ their parts in propagating immorality, and feafoning vicious fentiments with wit and humour, are to be looked upon as the pcfts of fociety, and the enemies of mankind. They leave books behind them, as it is faid of those who die in diftempers, which breed an ill will towards their own fpecies, to fcatter infection, and deftroy their pofterity. They act the counterparts of a Confucius or a Socrates, and feem to have been fent into the world to deprave human nature, and fink it into the condition of brutality."

Spect., No. 166. With this I conclude, and subfcribe myself, &c.

ATTALUS.

ON THE SUPPOSED DEGENERACY OF THE HUMAN STATURE.

To the Editor of the Universal Mag. SIR,

IT has ever been a fubject of complaint among moralifts, poets, and divines, and as unceafingly echoed by the multitude, that man has undergone a woeful degeneracy. His morality has been tainted by all the vicious fedactions of wealth; and his corporcal ftrength has dwindled into effeminacy and weakness, in confequence of the enervations of luxury and indolence. We all, with one voice, join the fatirift in his exclamation :

"Damnofa quid non imminuit dies? "Etas parentum pejor avis tulit Ppp 2

"Nos nequiores, mox daturos

66

Progeniem vitiofiorem."

HOR. Lib. III, Od. 6. Yet it may be queftioned, whether this notion be not founded in error; and whether thefe complaints do not arife from the querulous difpofition of man, who, as he advances in life, is difappointed in thofe expectations of fincerity, and virtue, and happinefs, which the imagination of youth had uniformly excited in picturing the allureIt is fomewhat paradoxical, at least, that thefe complaints of degeneracy both in phy

ments of life.

fical and moral attributes were as

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loudly reiterated in the days of Homer as they are now, after a lapfe of near three thoufand years. "Few men," fays that great poet in his Odyfley, equal their fathers: the majority are inferior to them, and very few excel them :" and in his Iliad, he reprefents Diomed as throwing an enormous ftone at Eneas:

66

μέγα ἔργον, ὃ ε δύο δ' ἄνδρα
φέρονεν,

« Οἷοι νυν βροτοί εἰσ'.” Lib. V, v. 304.
a huge mals, which no two men,
fuch as men are now, could raife
from the ground:" yet this rapid
degeneracy had occurred in the
fpace of about two centuries and a
half; for Homer lived at a period
no longer diftant from the fall of
Troy, according to the statements
of chronologifts, and at that pe-
riod we fhould imagine the refine-
ments of luxury had made a very
inconfiderable progrefs. This de-
generacy, however, rapid as it was
before the time of Homer, feems
to have advanced in arithmetical
progreflion to the age of Virgil.
For Turnus, we are informed, feiz-
ed an immenfe ftone, fuch as twelve
chofen men of the Virgilian æra
could fcarcely carry on
their
fhoulders, and threw it at Æneas:
"Saxinn antiquum ingens---

"Viz illud lecti bis fex cervice fubirent,
Qualia nunc hominum producit cor-
pora tellus."

AN. Lib. XII, v. 897.

According to this ratio of the progrefs of degeneracy, it would appear that we are mere pigmies waged war on the plains of Troy. in comparison with the heroes that

For if in the courfe of eleven or

twelve centuries (i. e. from the time of the Trojan siege to the age of Virgil) mankind had become fo extremely enervated as to retain only one twelfth of their former ftrength, in the eighteen centuries which have elapfed fince the time of Virgil, we must have declined, according to the fame ratio, no lefs than eighteen degrees more; and confequently we muft infer, that thirty chofen men of our times, thirty grenadiers of the Guards, for example, with their united strength, would just be able to oppofe the gigantic powers of a Diomed or a Turnus. But thefe heroes, in fact, upon the fame principle, muft have degenerated as much from the original firength of man as we have deWho lived three thoufand years generated from their's; and Adam, prior to the deftruction of Troy, muft of course have been endowed with firty times more mufcular ftrength than the pigmies of the nineteenth century. And Eve, too, the mother of beauty, who, when moved with a captivating riling from the nuptial bower,

"Grace in all her steps, heav'n in her

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