The intrepidity of many eminent com manders may, in the judgement of our po pular enthufiafts, almoft redeem the guilt of ufurpation. CROMWELL over-ruled the enemies of England with a frown, or by an unweary'd attention to their motions blafted their ftratagems in the bud. The fon of artifice did his bufinefs by fpies; and he was a very capital one himself. The refearch may at once centre in the illuftrious BLAKE; engaged indeed in battles,b which displayed his valor, but very little in the fervice of the ftate. War with the Dutch is a mere folecifm in English politics; and it may be properly declared to the ad-. vocates for the commonwealth, that this was the darling error of Steuart infatuation. So much for naval glory.---The storm on shore was anticipated by vigilance.* Τα CROMWELL expected that foreign ftateg would take the advantage of our internal con fufion: the fea, he wifely judged, was our pro tection, The effect was, that he urged the arms' of 1 To-men of undaunted refolution it is fufficient to point an object. BLAKE, it may be reasonably prefumed, would have. conquered, or perifhed, as well under a.. CHARLES, as a CROMWELL. He fallied, forth flushed with the idea of emolument to his country. The mistake was laudable in,, a man, who attempted not to fathom the depths of national intereft. The Dutch, from temporary jealoufy of a formidable. rival, might have infolently withfood, and did effentially oppose the republican revolution of England; but they are evidently our natural friends. The trade of the United Provinces cannot be placed, more confiftently with our commercial welfare, in the poffeffion of any other state. But though wifdom be concluded to prefide over the deliberations of a popular fe of England on that element: thus fuperior, he eafily counteracted the hoftile defigns of the continent, and by the readieft method. He might have had another reafon for this difpofition to naval excellence. The fleet had been miferably neglected by the STEVARTS, fenate, execution of plans is flow and ineffective. Democracy is a jealous govern ́ment, and admits too fcanty a portion of confidence in her warriors: how hap England rued the imperfect orders iffued to republican allies, by which the hour of victory has been loft! A prudent juggle between the army and the government to avoid the neceffity of fighting; in the one, from a difpofition to fpare her troops; in the other, from a backwardness to expose their fears. The genius of my native country, formed on the principles of freedom, cannot endure democracy. She fickened almost at the instant of poffeffion; and whatever the dotage of Patriotifm may affert, for the spirit of novelty affect, the fubject confitutionally loves his King; and the King, his subject. The END. |