continent; they were beginning also to disseminate their poisonous principles in this kingdom. Already the treacherous sneer against religion and government had begun to pervade the lower classes. Infidelity, rebellion and atheism had begun not only to glide in the soft numbers of the poet,-not only to point the eloquence of the historian, but had begun to intermingle itself in the discourse of the peasant and mechanic,-to form the song of the drunkard,—and the toast of the ale-house. And ere now, this kingdom had fallen,-religion, as in France, had been swept away, the altar and the throne had been both overturned, and half the peaceful inhabitants of this tranquil isle had been buried under their ruins. But the arm of the Lord interposed! He raised up men endued with penetration,* somewhat resembling foreknowledge, who discerned the designs of our foes, who warned us of the miserable consequences, and adopted such vigorous means as frustrated the plans of infidelity and anarchy, and preserved to this day, under God, our religion,-our government, our country and our friends. And now blessed be God! we have been preserved to see the blasted fruits of boasted liberty, to dread the term as another word for ruin, and to prize, by the comparison, a con

*No one who has read with an impartial mind "Burk's Reflections on the French Revolution," and considered the vigorous and unmoved stand made by him, Mr. Pitt, and his associates, against the proceedings of infidels and reformists in this kingdom, will deem the expressions used here too strong.

stitution and a religion which are unequalled throughout the globe, a government which affords true liberty, and yet represses licentiousness, a government which aims not so much to dazzle the eye, as to gladden and satisfy the heart.* May it yet continue to be the bulwark of true liberty, the refuge of distress, and the pavilion of piety in the earth.

Turn your eyes back also with gratitude to the signal victories, with which the Almighty has crowned our efforts by sea and land. When all

On this subject I beg leave to offer to the reader's attentive consideration the following quotation from the Right Hon. Geo. Rose's Report on the State of the Records, p. 47. "Our constitution is too well settled now to render an investigation of any of the earliest authorities of real importance with regard to its limits or its form. But it may not be unworthy the attention of the public, as an object of laudable curiosity at least, to trace the progress of our ancestors towards the state which is now our comfort and our boast. It is the great praise of the British constitution that it was formed, or rather formed itself, progressively at different periods by the slow, scarce perceptible gradations to which the situation of the country gave rise. It grew to its present form by energies not perceived in their immediate operation, but gradually unfolding themselves. Its ordinances were sanctioned by experience, cautious of change, and yielding even to improvements only from a conviction of a strong necessity for adopting them. No rash or visionary speculation created of a sudden new powers in the government, or new privileges in the people; they flowed from the common and deliberate consent (taught by long experience of their want) calling for their adoption to produce, or evidently to promote, the freedom, the security, and the happiness of the community. A constitution thus cautiously adopted, has been zealously and firmly preserved; formed for the public good, it has been guarded by the public spirit of the nation; and like that invisible power, which is known by the exercise of its beneficence, it has been revered, obeyed, and loved."

To this may be added what the same author quotes from an eminent writer of the present age. "The vigour of our free constitution has always delivered the nation from its embarrassments; and as soon as the convulsions consequent on the struggle have been over, the balance of our rights and liberties has settled to its proper level,"

Europe seemed confederate against us, how did God employ our naval force in the north, in one day, to break the most formidable coalition, and to turn our very enemies into friends!

When we trembled with apprehension lest the navy of the enemy should waft an invading army to our shores, how was a fleet in one day destroyed in God's providence in the mouth of the Nile,and in another day, how were the combined fleets of our enemies, which more strongly than ever excited our apprehension, discomfited and destroyed off the shores of Spain! If the detail of battles be examined, we may see that the sword and the ball which slay indiscriminately, seem to spare the lives of Britons, whilst they carry off multitudes of our enemies. Victory after victory follows our efforts by sea, whilst defeat mark the track of our foes. Disasters indeed, of late, have attended us, whilst we have interposed in behalf of nations which divine justice appears to be visiting with "the rod of indignation;" but so far as relates to this kingdom, the hand of God has been evidently stretched out in its defence and preservation, for years past. He that does not allow this, and yet owns " there is a God who ruleth in the earth," has never yet reflected to any purpose; he is blind to what is discovered by beams. of meridian brightness. If half the victories which we have gained within a few years past, had been obtained by our enemies, the French would have proved, however we have affected to despise them,

ás irrésistible and tremendous to us as we have been to them. If God had been as decidedly against us, as he has been for us: had he interposed in behalf of the enemy, in many of our naval engagements, as often as he has appeared on our side, we should long ago have seen this land the theatre of war. And now perhaps we should have been flying before the ravages of an invading enemy, groaning and dying under their insults, or starving amid the desolations of their ravaging track, instead of enjoying national tranquillity and peace! And shall we enjoy our mercies in dull stupidity,-and never think of the band that bestows them? Shall we wrap ourselves up in our own sufficiency, and ascribe it to our skill, our wisdom and valour, to our fleets and armies, that we stand a solitary bulwark amid the downfal of nations, and kingdoms?-Shall we ascribe it to the strength of our bark and the skill of our pilot, that we still sail in safety, amid the tempests that have shattered, and the billows that have overwhelmed the other larger vessels of our neighbours? No." He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. His is the victory, and the power, and the glory." To him we owe it that we are what we are? Let us say one and all, " not unto us, not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy name be the praise, and honor, and glory." Even the brutal "ox knoweth his owner, and the" dull "ass his master's crib," and shall it be still said, my people know not the Lord," Britain, doth

not consider!"* Surely if blessings so great, so long continued, cause us not to love, and serve, and obey, and glorify our God and Saviour, He will next "speak unto us in his wrath and vex us with his heavy displeasure." O may we all repent of our transgressions and turn to him with sincerity of heart, so will "God still be entreated for us," and in continued kindness" lengthen our tranquillity." "O that" England "may praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doeth for" us the favoured "children of men." Let us say "It is God that has spared to us, to this day, a King whom we love, and a constitution which we prize, whilst other nations have been destroyed both they and their King." Let us praise him that He hath put into our possession fleets that were destined to pour forth on our shores all the miseries of invasion. Henceforth let us learn

"not to rely on an arm of flesh" in our contests, but on "Him whose name is the Lord of hosts, and the God of battles, to whom it is equally easy to save by many or by few." And in all cases let us give the praise to Him,

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belongeth the power, and the victory." He hath delivered us in

to whom alone

glory, and the

many troubles:

let us call on him and "serve him with a pure heart," and then we may trust that he will yet deliver us, and spare and bless us.