exequer. They retain at home whatever is necessary for building or repairing fortreffes, and for other public fervices; and they are likewife obliged to furnish troops and provifions. According to M. DE VOLNEY, the contraft between the firft twelve fultans who reigned from Ofman I. to Soliman II. and their degenerate fucceffors, amounting to feventeen in number, feems to announce the inevitable deftruction of the Turkish monarchy. M. DE PEYSSONNEL finds no other difference between the first twelve fultans and the feventeen who fucceeded them, but that which their respective fituations introduced. By the victories, and ftill more by the regulations, of Soliman II. the Turkish empire was fecured on every fide. Neceffity kept his predeceffors in a state of perpetual vigilance; those who came after, experienced the fatal influence of profperity; they were lulled to an inglorious repofe; but they may still be roufed rom their flumber. The prefent conjuncture feems peculiarly favourable for this purpofe. The dangers with which they are threatened, will fhew them the neceffity of a wife and useful reform; they will feek and difcover the means of effecting it; and as it is easier to restore than to create, they will have lefs trouble in correcting the vices and abufes which threaten to fap the foundation of their power, than the firft fultans had to establish it.

The moft confiderable part of M. DE PEYSSONNEL's work is employed in examining how far the interefts of the other powers of Europe, and particularly thofe of France, are concerned in the iffue of the prefent war. To fuppofe' (fays M. DE VOLNEY) the exiftence of the Turkish empire neceffary to our fafety, and to the balance of power in Europe, is fuppofing that empire to be what it was in the time of Francis I. and Lewis XIV. His antagonist replies, that fince the time of Francis I. the Turks have made great acquifitions, having added, at the expence of the Venetians, both the Morea and the Ifle of Crete to their territories. That fince Lewis XIV. they have fuftained no lofs, the Crimea and the Cuban having been occupied by the Ruffians during peace; thus the Turks had not ceded their poffeffions, but had actually entered on a war in order to recover them. It is the intereft, therefore, of every independent flate in Europe, but more especially of fuch states as take the lead in her affairs, to hinder this immenfe mafs of empire from augmenting the ftrength, already too formidable, of Auftria and Ruffia. The interefts of the French commerce in the Levant, in which their nation enjoys many privileges, ought to roufe them particularly to the defence of their ancient and generous ally. Tur trade with the Turks amounts to above fixty millions o livres; and this trade continues to encrease:

R14

nor

nor ought they to facrifice fuch an advantageous commerc without abfolute neceffity.

In the limits prefcribed for this article, we cannot follow thefe difputants through the labyrinth of their reasonings and contradictions. M. DE VOLNEY thinks the ruin of the Turkifh empire certain and near at hand. M. DE PEYSSONNEL judges the fame event to be diftant and doubtful. The former fays, that in two campaigns, the allies will be under the walls of Conftantinople; the latter thinks that two campaigns will probably exhauft the refources of thefe allies, and oblige them to make peace. The former compares the Ottoman power to an old tree, that, notwithstanding fome fresh branches, is rotten at heart, and being only fupported by its bark, will be thrown down by the first blast of the tempeft. The latter compares the fame power to a tree exceedingly ftrong, which might wither under the care of an indolent and ignorant gardener, but which, with proper management, will recover its ftrength and beauty, and raife its proud head over the loftieft trees of the foreft.

The events of the war feem as yet rather favourable to M. DE PEYSSONNEL's opinion of the Turks. That nation is naturally brave. They ftill feel, in its full force, the religious enthufiafm by which their ancestors were animated to great and fuccefsful exertions; and when difcipline, which they muft acquire by experience, and which they will learn at length from their enemies, is added to their native fury, their arms may again become irresistible. M. DE PEYSSONNEL refided many years in Turkey; and in point of general information refpecting the ftate of this empire, appears to have had the advantage of his antagonist. To fallies of fancy, and flashes of eloquence, he oppotes folid argument and ftubborn facts. What Demofthenes faid of Phocion, M. DE VOLNEY may fay of M. DE PEYSSONNEL, He is the hatchet of my barangues:' Twv spwr xywu nomis. Plut. in Phoc. p. 255.

*.* For our fhort account of M. DE VOLNEY'S Confiderations on the War with the Turks,' fee Review for July 1788, p. 66.

ART. VIII.

Confeils à un jeun Prince, &c. i. e. Advice to a young Prince who is fenfible of the Neceffity of repeating his Education: And a Letter fent to FREDERIC WILLIAM III. King of Pruffia, on the Day of his Acceffion to the Throne. By the Count DE MIRABEAU. 1787. The Place where published is not mentioned.

WE HAT prefumption is it in a privaten, to fuppofe

that a monarch of France fhould ever be fenfible of a deficiency in point of education, or that the king of Pruffia

fhould

fhould need his advice in the adminiftration of his government!. Yet we have read thefe pieces with pleasure, becaufe, not being the parties advifed, we can allow that an abhorrence of oppreffion, a love of truth and focial order, and an affectionate regard for the happiness of mankind, which feem to have infpired the fe pages, will apologize for the freedom of addrefs that characterizes them.

The Advice to a Prince is only a fragment, particularly calculated for the meridian of France; but it is fuch as every Prince may accept with advantage to himself. It relates chiefly to his conduct as a man of the world, the influence of whofe manners on the circle that immediately furrounds him, must form those of his court, and thence extend to the reft of his fubjects. Hence delicacy in the choice, together with propriety and temperance in the purfuit, of his pleasures, a ftrict attention to the external decencies of behaviour, affability and dignity of addrefs, and a conftant command of his paffions and temper, are particularly recommended. These subjects are certainly not new; but they are here treated in a lively, pleafing manner," and illuftrated with anecdotes taken from the memoirs of former reigns.

The Kings of France, whom the Author recommends as models to his pupil, are Henry IV. and Lewis XIV.; but the Count has too much judgment to bestow indifcriminate praife; he exposes their follies and errors, as well as their good qualities; and points out thofe parts of their character and conduct which ought to be avoided, as well as thofe which deferve to be imitated. Of Lewis XV. he fays little, and feems to hold his character in no very high eftimation.

Of the influence of women in forming men for public bufinefs, the Count talks like a courtier in the reign of Lewis XIV. and fets too great a value on the graces of external address acquired by an early intercourfe with them. These are certainly of excellent ufe to recommend folid knowlege and ufeful endowments, but ought not to be fubftituted in their ftead; and we cannot think a fentimental intrigue with a coquetish politician in petticoats the moft eligible way of forming the underftanding of a youth of fifteen. However, the Author obferves, that the ladies of the laft age were very different from those of the prefent; for, after the acceffion of Lewis XV. they in a fhort time loft all pretenfions to influence.

The Count's inftructions with regard to the advantages to be gained from converfation, are just and liberal. Every man, he observes, has fome kind of merit, fome degree of knowlege, and, most probably, fome talent, that, if properly employed, might be ufefub The grand art of government confifts in the difcernment of it: in this refpect, princes poffefs a peculiar ad

vantage

vantage, as, by asking questions, they oblige the perfons interrogated; by doing this with propriety and judgment, they not only accumulate knowlege, but alfo acquire popularity.

He justly advifes a prince to difcourage the calumniating reports which fo frequently abound in a court, and to fufpect the integrity of those who are officious in depreciating the characters of others. These are, in general, the means by which the ambitious and defigning, who wish to monopolize the royal ear, endeavour to prevent the competition of thofe, whofe merit might rival their own pretenfions. Lewis XIV. he obferves, knew the value of a man who thought candidly of others. He was at dinner in public, when he received the news of the death of Bontemps, his firft valet de chambre. Tears ftarted into his eyes, and the manner in which he expreffed his regard for the character of an old and faithful fervant, reflected honour on his own. I have now loft," faid he, "a man, to whom I have liftened for thefe fifty years; whom I have always believed, and I always had reafon to believe; and who, during all that time, never fpoke ill of any one."

The Count DE MIRABEAU Complains of the many falfe reports that have been circulated to his prejudice, and says that, among other things equally groundless, he has been accused of addreffing a libel on the immortal Frederic II. to the reigning King of Pruffia. Of other accufations we can take no cognizance, as they come not properly before us: our business is only with this letter, which he has published in his own vindication, and which, as here printed, does not deserve to be confidered in fuch a light: for, though he very freely points out the errors of his late Majefty's adminiftration, he does juftice to his great qualities, and addreffes the prefent King with the refpect due to his rank, but, at the fame time, with the manly freedom of one zealous for the welfare of his fellowcreatures, and confcious of having truth on his fide. He informs us of a fact, which we relate with pleasure, because it does honour to the heart as well as to the understanding of his prefent Majefty, viz. that the King acknowleged the receipt of this letter, and expreffed his thanks for it to the author in writing; and that he afterwards condefcended to treat him with diftinction in a public affembly. I mention this,' fays the Count, because the magnanimity of loving truth is more honourable to a Monarch, than that of declaring it can be to a private citizen of the world.' This leads us to hope that the Count's advice may not be entirely rejected; for we will venture to predict, that, in proportion as it is adopted, the fubjects of Pruffia will be happy, and that FREDERIC WILLIAM III. will thus acquire as just a claim to the appellation of GREAT, as even his illuftrious predeceffor.

After

After congratulating the King on the favourable circumstances in which he afcends the throne, and on the advantage he enjoys in the counfels of his uncle, the Count advifes him not to aim at governing too much; but, by leaving to able minifters and magiftrates the bufinefs which properly belongs to their department, to referve to himself that freedom of mind which is neceffary for the direction of thofe important concerns which require the attention of the Sovereign. The power of the King, he obferves, fhould never be feen to interfere, when the purpofes of civil government can be answered without it,

He then proceeds to enumerate the feveral abufes of government which ought to be reformed, and the improvements which fhould be made fome of thefe, he acknowleges, require time and mature deliberation, in order to be properly effected; but others are fo obvious, that they ought to take place immediately; by which means his Majefty will engage the love and confidence of his fubjects, and thus facilitate the entire reformation of his government. Under this head, he intreats the King immediately to abolish the flavifh obligation to military fervice, to put his army on a more liberal footing, by giving better pay, and forming it on a plan fomething fimilar to that of the Swifs. He implores him to give all his fubjects full liberty of egrefs; to grant the citizens freedom of purchafing and poffeffing lordfhips, &c.; to abolish the oppreffive prerogatives of hereditary nobility; to eftablish a gratuitous adminiftration of justice; to affign a higher rank, and better falaries, to the civil magiftrates, to treat them with greater refpect than his predeceffors did; and thus to fhew that he confiders himself, not merely as the general of his army, but alfo as the firft magiftrate of his people-to abolish the office of licenfer of books, and grant full liberty of the prefs, only obliging every printer or bookfeller to prefix his name to the works he publishes; to establish the most unlimited toleration with refpect to religious opinions, and to grant the Jews every civil right that other fects enjoy. On this fubject the Count hints, that doubts have been entertained concerning the liberality of the King's intentions, and entreats him to diffipate them by an early compliance with his advice. How far thefe fufpicions were founded in truth, we presume not to determine, but leave them to the judgment of those who have perufed his edict concerning toleration. He alfo earnestly recommends the eftablishment of public workhoufes, for the prevention of idlenefs, and the encouragement of induftry; the abolition of lotteries, which tend to introduce a fpirit of gaming; together with every regulation that can promote the freedom of trade, and the advancement of manufactures; particularly an entire abrogation of the Traite Foraine and the Droit d'Aubaine.