They, the English merchants, contributed with their gold to
uphold the corrupt system of Pitt and to carry on unjust, unreasonable and
liberticide wars. Yes! it is perfectly fit and proper that the despotic
governments they have contributed to restore should make them feel their
gratitude. If the French since their Revolution have not always fought for
liberty, they have done so invariably for science; and wherever they
carried their victorious arms, abuses were abolished, ameliorations of all
kinds followed, and the arts of life were improved. Our Government since
the accession of George III has never raised its arm except in favor of old
abuses, to uphold despotism and unfair privileges, or to establish
commercial monopoly. Our victories so far from being of beneficial effect
to the countries wherein we gained them, have been their curse. We can
interfere and be prodigal of money and blood to crush any attempt of the
continental nations towards obtaining their liberty; but when it is
necessary to intercede in favour of oppressed patriots, then we are told
that we have no right to interfere with the domestic policy of other
nations. We can send ships to protect and carry off in safety a worthless
Royal family, as at Naples in 1799, but we can view with heartless
indifference, and even complacency, the murders committed in Spain by the
infamous Ferdinand and his severities against those to whom he owes his
crown, all of whom had the strongest daim to our protection as having
fought with us in the same cause and contributed to our success.
The Platz at Leipzig is large and here it is that the fair is held. The
theatre is an elegant building and lies just outside one of the gates of
the city. Innumerable shops of booksellers are here and it is astonishing
at how cheap a rate printing in all languages is carried forward.
There are some pleasant promenades in the environs of Leipzig; but this is
not a time of the year to judge of the beauty of the country. I went,
however, to view the house occupied by Napoleon on the eve of the battle of
Leipzig. A monument is to be erected to the memory of Poniatowsky in the
spot where he perished.
I started from Leipzig on 7th March at eleven o'clock. I was five days en
route from Leipzig to Frankfort, tho' the distance does not exceed
forty-five German miles. I travelled in the diligence, but had I known that
the arrangements were so uncomfortable, I should have preferred going in a
Landkutsche, which would have made the journey in seven days and afforded
me an opportunity of stopping every night to repose; whereas in the
diligence, tho' they go en poste, they travel exceedingly slow and it is
impossible to persuade the postillion to accelerate his usual pace.
