"They are for that reafon fo attached to their eftates, that it is rare to hear of an alienation of lands among them. "Their peasants fear not that the Aga, the Kaimacham, or "the Pacha, fhould fend his Djen dis to pillage their houfes, carry. "off their families, or give them "the baftinado." Such oppreffions are unknown in the mountains. It is this fecurity which has been the original caufe of the population of their country, and which has given to the mountains of Lebanon, by nature fterile, all their fertility. The government of this fingular people is a well-proportioned mixture of monarchy, ariftocracy, and democracy. The fituation of the other fubjects of the empire is truly deplorable. Monf. Volney compares the empire to a plantation in one of our Sugar Islands, "where a multitude of flaves labour to fupply the luxury of one great proprietor, under the infpection "of a few fervants, who take good care of themfelves. There is no difference, except that the domi"nions of the Sultan being too vaft "for a fingle adminiftration, he is obliged to divide them into smaller plantations and feparate go"vernments, administered in the fame mode as the united empire. Such are the provinces under the "Pachas. These provinces, again, being too extenfive, the Pachas "have had recourfe to further fub 65 66 66 "ted abfolute and arbitrary to all "his fubdelegates. It is certain, to "ufe the expreffion of the Turks, that the fabre of the Sultan de fcends not on the duft, but this fa"bre he entrufts to the hand of his "Vizir, who delivers it to the Pacha " from whom it paffes to the Motfel lam, to the Aga, and even to the loweft Delibafhe; fo that it is, in "fact, within the reach of the vileft "retainer to office, and its deftruc"tive edge defcends even on the meanest heads." meanest heads." The total population of Syria Monf. Volney eftimates at 2,305,000 fouls. The revenues he calculates at £.1,281,250 fterling; not including the profits of the fub-farms, fuch as the countries of the Druzes, the Maronites, the Anfarians, &c. &c. The military establishment is by no means proportionable to what in Europe we should expect from such a reve nue. All the troops of the Pachas united cannot amount to more than 5,700 men, both cavalry and infantry. The detail refpecting the divifion of Syria into Pachalics is particularly curious and interefting; the limits of our prefent plan will not however allow us to enter into it. We must now conclude with the author's opinion refpecting the political ftrength of thefe countries. .Syria and Egypt, compared "with respect to the facility with "which they may be attacked or "defended, differ almost in every point. Egypt is protected from a foreign enemy on the land fide by her defarts, and on that of the "fea by her dangerous coaft. Syria, on the contrary, is open on "the fide of the continent by the "Diarbekar, and expofed also on "that of the Mediterranean by a "coaft every where acceffible. It is 3 "easy " easy to make a defcent in Syria, "other. The reafon is, that Ebut very difficult to land in Egypt being a country of plains, "gypt: Egypt once invaded is "conquered; Syria may refift: "Egypt when conquered is ex"tremely difficult to keep, and eafly loft; Syria is fo eafily defended, it is impoffible it should "be loft. Lefs fkill is neceffary to conquer one than to preferve the " the invader there makes a rapid "progress; every movement brings "on a battle, and every battle is "decifive; Syria, on the contrary, "being a mountainous country, "war there must be a war of pofts, and every lofs may be repair"ed." THE THE со CONTENT S, HISTORY OF EUROPE, CHA P. I. Mediation of France and Pruffia in the affairs of Holland. Reafons for doubting the fuccefs of that mediation confirmed by the event. Negociations carried on at Nimeguen and the Hague. Conditions laid down by the States of Holland as the bafis of an accommodation with the Stadtholder. Caufes which rendered theje propofitions inadmiffible. M. de Rayneval fuddenly breaks off the negociation and returns to Paris. Count de Goertz receives a letter of recal, and returns to Berlin. Violent animofity and mutual recrimination of the contending parties on the failure of the negociation. The new form of government, established in the city of Utrecht, confidered as a model of perfection by the democratical party in other places. Difficult fituation and temporizing conduct of the States of Holland, with respect to the prevalent democratic fpirit. Sudden and unaccountable changes in the political conduct and principles of the party in oppofition to the Stadtholder difplayed in various places. States of Friefland firft waver, and then, from being among the foremost in oppofition, appear decidedly in favour of the Prince. M. de Rendorp changes fides in Amfterdam, and carries over a majority of the fenate along with him. Immediate confequences of this change; great alarm spread by it among the republican party. Means pursued by the leaders to remedy the defection of Amfterdam. Procure addresses from feveral towns, with a view of gaining thereby a decided majority of votes in the affembly of provincial ftates. Failing in this attempt, they propose in the affembly a refolution to fufpend the Prince of Orange from his remaining high offices of fladtholder and admiral-general. Foiled likewife in this, they endeavour to increase the number of votes in the provincial affembly, by affording a right of reprefentation to feveral new towns; in which they are aljo defeated. Eftimate of the comparative firength and numbers of the contending parties. Retro Гребе pe of the measures pursued by Holland, for supporting the city of Utrecht in its contumacious oppofition to the fates of the province. Unexpected revolution in the assembly of the fates of Holland, who, following the example of Amfterdam, adopt meafures evidently favourable to the Stadtbolder's interefts. General confternation and critical fituation of the republican party. Defeated in all their late attempts; with now a great majority of the provinces, and a greater of the people decidedly against them. Bold and hazardous measures become acts of prudence. Obliged to throw themselves upon the democratical party for Jupport, and to call in the armed burghers to new model and settle the ftate and conftitution. These furround the fenate-boufes of Amfterdam and Rotterdam, purge them of thofe members who were adverfe to their defigns, place all power in the hands of their own party, and establish a determined majority in the ftates of Halland. Thefe prepare to affift Utrecht by force of arms against the Provincial States. States general, who had hitherto preferved a strict neutrality, now take a decided part in oppofing the defign of Holland to support Utrecht by force of arms. Council of ftate iffue an order ftrictly forbidding the officers in the fervice of Holland from marching their troops inte the territories of any other province. Prohibition confirmed by the States General. Reply from the fates of Holland. First blood drawn in a fkirmish at Futphaas, a village near Utrecht. States of Holland order troops to the fuccour of Utrecht. Propoje a teft to their officers. A great majarity refuse the teft; are fufpended and new ones appointed. Sufpended afficers taken into the protection of the States general, and their pay conbinued. Manifefto published by the Stadtholder, amounting nearly to a declaration of war against the ruling party in the province of Holland. Riots at Amfterdam. States general iffue an order to general Van Reyffel, to break up the cordon or line of troops formed on the frontiers of Holland. Counter orders from the ftates of Holland. Colonel Balneavis carries off the regiment which he lately commanded himself, with a battalion of another, from the fortress of Oudewater to the Stadtholder. This example caufes a general revolt in the troops of Holland, CHA P. II. 1 Arrest of the princess of Orange near Schoonhoven. Obfervations on the conduct and principles on which the ruling party in Holland acted in that meafure; with an account of the circumstances attending it. Confequences of that event, which change the whole face of public affairs in the republic, and intermingle foreign interefts and connections with their domeftic contefts. Princefs returns to Nimeguen. Strong memorial from the king of Pruffia, demanding immediate and ample fatisfaction, with due punishment to the authors of the outrage offered to the princess. Answer from the States of HolLand deemed by the king unfatisfactory and evafive. Anjwer from the States General, in which they disapprove the conduct and obftinacy of the States of Holland, and leave them to abide the confequences, highly acceptable to the king. Court of Versailles condemn the conduct of Holland, and juftify the king in his demand of fatisfaction. Second memorial from the court of Ber- CHA P. III. Undisturbed tranquillity of Great Britain during the recess of parliament. |