THE REV. HERBERT MARSH.

As this Review commenced with the Work of Mr. Arthur Young, owing to his being more attentive to true statements of facts than any of the other Writers, it may properly be concluded with a very able Work published in Germany by Mr. Herbert Marsh, now Margaret Professor of Divinity at Cambridge*, an English Gentleman, who had resided (it is said) in that country a few years for his health, and acquired the German language so well as to write it not only correctly, but elegantly, in which language the Work was written and printed.

Astonished and concerned at the misrepresentations that were propagated over the Continent by French emissaries relative to the conduct of Britain, Dr. Marsh, like a true Englishman, and a friend to truth, wrote his "Politique Devoilee de la France vis-a-vis l'Angleterre," &c. drawn from Authentic Documents, which cannot be contested.

It is the excellent arrangement and choice of those documents that gives to this work its greatest value; and, had the British Government but half that attention to public opinion that it deserves,

* We universally find theorists quote Writers partially, and distort facts; Mr. Marsh and Mr. Young, who were observers, not political schemers, sought truth wherever they could, and gave it as they found it.

this Work would have been distributed in such numbers as to have undeceived all the world. The French are not more superior to the Russians and Germans in military skill and activity than they are to the British in cultivating public opinion, and spreading such reports and opinions as are favourable to their own views. The conduct of the French is not indeed to be imitated in regard to their actions or the veracity of their details, but their energy in spreading falsehoods ought to be copied in repelling them.

OPINION, INCLINATION, and NECESSITY, govern mankind in all their actions; but, in most important events, opinion governs; and, when it does not entirely govern, it always has a great influence-How necessary then to prevent false opinions from being propagated! The former Government of France neglected this; its enemies were active in bringing it into contempt, and it vanished like a shadow,-so will every Government not supported by public opinion, as soon as that opinion has the means of operating-so will the present despotism of France terminate, the first moment that is favourable for the will of the people to operate.

"It is become," says Mr. Marsh, "so general a custom in Germany to accuse England of having excited the War, that no one asks whether the accusation is well founded. Repeated so often by able writers, and so little contradicted by others, those who have not leisure nor means to examine

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examine the question themselves, must necessa rily believe that there is nothing to say in oppo sition to the accusation-I write to remedy this, and shall assert nothing without proofs.

"The Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia met at Pilnitz on the 27th of August, 1791. England, Russia, Spain, and several Italian States, were invited to join, and their answers arrived about the middle of September at Vienna, whither the Emperor had returned, followed by his own request by the Marquis de Buille, to whom he said, 'I am assured of the co-operation of all the powers except England, which is determined to preserve a strict neutrality*! As no one will reject the testimony of Buille, neither can any one overlook the circumstance of the Emperor having only received the answer of England a month after the Conference, which is a proof that England was no party towards it, as has been so often and so confidently asserted.

"Another proof is in the Declaration of the King of Sweden in a letter to the Marquis de Buille, dated Sept. 2d, 1791 †t, where he had a project to attack French Flanders by sea, but feared that England would oppose it, adding, the neutrality of England, of which you speak, would be a great point gained.'-Thus those who were most in the secret, and most interested,

* Memoirs of Buillé, vol. II. page 189.

+ See the Memoirs, with the Letter at length, page 142 to 145.

would

would have been glad of neutrality on the part of England, which is a positive proof that they had some reason for dreading her hostility.

"Even Brissot in the National Assembly, on the 20th of October, so far from accusing England, said, that the English were insulted in Paris, whilst her Government was occupied in calming the Diet of Ratisbon, (Moniteur 22d October, 1791). The Minister at War, in a very long Report, on the 11th of October in the same year, in speaking of the dangers of France, names all her enemies, amongst whom is not to be found Great Britain.

"Whilst England was thus looked upon with jealousy by the Coalition, she was friendly with France; and when Louis XVI wrote Circular Letters to the different Courts to declare his acceptance of the Constitution, England was one of the first that answered; and, in the Report made by M, Montmorin the Minister, to the Assembly, it was stated to be a favourable answer, whilst the King of Sweden sent back his Letter unopened.

Brissot said, (and he is no mean authority) on the 29th December, 1791, The sentiments of England respecting our Revolution are no longer doubtful, because she sees it is a point of support for her own liberties; and it is probable that the English Government, if it had the means, would not dare to attack the French Constitution.'

"The King's Speech on opening the Parlia

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ment on the 31st of January, 1792, was quite pacific (see Annual Register); and, on the 9th of February, it was decided in Parliament, that there should be only 16,000 seamen, including 4,000 marines, which was lower than the ordinary Peace Establishment, which had till then been 20,000. As to the land army, it will be seen by the New Annual Register, that it was reduced from the small number of 17,003 men to 15,701 men, on the 24th of June 1792, when war was raging on the Continent; and at the same time the taxes were diminished!

"All these measures prove that England had no intention to go to war, and not even any expectation of being forced to enter into it*.

"We have considered the conduct of England in the spring of 1792, and find it quite pacific; let us see what France was doing at the same time. Not only was France arming most powerfully by land, but, what is less known is, that France augmented her navy after that of Britain was reduced. This appears from the Report of Theodore Lameth to the Assembly, in the name of the Marine Committee, (March 31, 1792), when he says:- The complete armament of the ships which are at the disposal of the State, and

*It would appear from a Speech of Mr. Pitt in 1792, March 22, that he calculated on the probability of 15 years of peace, which would have been an uncommon thing, he therefore probably founded his hopes on the weakness and embarrassments of France-His being mis taken is nothing to the business.