matrimony in their armies; and one allows his foldiers, in rotation, to apply their hands to the neceffary occupations of field-labour. Thus we may in time behold hereditary armies; and the countries of Europe may fee a new order of men grow up amongst them, who, from father to fon, inherit manners, principles, and interests, separate and diftinct from thofe of the community at large.

Nor did the increase of thofe armies exceed the conftant attention which was paid to their perfection in military skill, and in the dexterity of military evolution; whilft the abundant provifion for war which was made in their refpective states kept pace with both. It might indeed have been imagined upon a flight view, that the fudden friendship which fprung up between the two great monarchs in queftion, would have been in fome degree a pledge for the public quiet and fecurity; but to thofe of a fhrewder turn, and clofer obfervation, it is probable that their friendship appeared more dangerous than their enmity.

Some particular circumftances perhaps preferved the tranquillity of Germany for a longer space of time, than the appear ances of things feemed to indicate, or men in general to expect. The near equipoife of power, military ftrength, and of the means and refources of war, between the houses of Austria and Brandenburg, might produce, for fome time, and in fome degree, fimilar effects, with those which would have arifen from a ftate of mutual inability. The affairs of Poland, which seemed at first calculated to scatter firebrands and defolation over every part of the north, produced a directly contrary effect. They not only drew off for fome yearsthe attention of thofe great powers from domeftic, or other matters, and at the fame time occupied the hands of a dangerous and equally great neighbour; but the fhare which they all obtained in the partition of that ancient kingdom, would have feemed well calculated to appease the in fupportable cravings of ambition, if long experience had not demonstrated, that the appetite in that distemper becomes more infatiate, in proportion to the greater quantity of food which is adminiftered to its fupply.

The King of Pruffia feems the only power to whom the independent princes and free cities of Germany can, with any degree of certainty, look up for fupport

against the great and increafing strength of the house of Auftria; a house, to which the prerogatives, the peculiar powers and undefined claims, appertaining to the title and office of Emperor, may now be nearly confidered as an appendage. No union of the leffer ftates, could now, as heretofore, form a sufficient weight to counterbalance in any degree that power. Befides the natural imperfection and inftability which muft neceffarily attend fuch an union, compofing an ill-connected body, with a number of difunited heads, it would undoubtedly be found greatly deficient in the mere article of ftrength.

On the other hand, the house of Auftria is at prefent a neceffary curb on the fuddenly-grown power, and the ambitious views, of that of Brandenburg. Between both, the leffer ftates, by a prudent and watchful attention to the prefervation of that balance of power in Germany, which has fo unaccountably, and perhaps fatally, been worn out of memory in the general fyftem of Europe, may ftill long continue to preferve their independence. A neglect of this politi cal principle, will probably occafion one of the fcales to preponderate, which, in the nature of things, must prove dangerous, if not ruinous, to the independency of the Germanic body.

But if that rage of dominion, and fpirit of arbitrary power and encroachment, which feem at prefent fo generally prevalent in Europe, fhould unite thofe two great powers in a common league against the independency of the other princes, and the liberties of the free cities, it feems evident, that no force within the Empire could preferve the Germanic body in its prefent form. Poland has afforded a recent inftance, that quietness, an inability to offer injury or wrong, with many useful and valuable properties of good neighbourhood, afford no protection against the luft of power, and the rage of ambition; whilft Dantzick prefents an yet living example to the free cities, that the ruft of parchments, and the venerable antiquity of immunities, offer no better defences againft fuch enemies. From what every body has feen, and from a ftate of public affairs, and general difpofition, which cannot escape common obfervation, it seems not impoffible, that the greater part of Europe might continue indifferent fpectators of fuch an event. Nor does it feem lefs probable, that Ruf

fia, though deftitute of liberty herfelf, (and perhaps at present incapable of it), would, notwithtanding, be the only power which would interfere in fuch a caufe, and to whom the Germanic body might owe the prefervation of its independence and liberties.

The extinction of the male William line of Bavaria in the person of the late Elector, opened a new scene in the affairs, and may poffibly mark an interesting period in the history, of Germany. At least this event has opened the way to claims and pretenfions which had not been before generally thought of, and in a great measure withdrawn the veil from political views and defigns of the greateft importance to the Germanic body, and which otherwife might for fome time longer have been reserved in darkness.

Maximilian Jofeph, the late Elector of Bavaria, died, of the small pox, at Munich, on the 30th of December 1777, in the fifty-first year of his age. The death of this prince without iffue, totally extinguished the male Guillielmine or Ludovician line of Bavaria, which had been in poffeffion of that duchy for near five hundred years. This prince was fucceeded, both in the electoral dignity and his dominions at large, by his gene ral heir, Charles Theodore, the Elector Palatine of the Rhine. The large allodial eftates of Bavaria, with several particular territorial acquifitions, which were obtained at different times, and held by different tenures from that of the grand fief, were also open to feveral claimants, whofe titles were to be difcuffed, and rights legally determined, according to the general laws and conftitutions of the Empire.

The Elector Palatine, at the time of his acceffion to the Bavarian dominions, was newly entered into the fifty-fourth year of his age; and having no iffue, the large poffeffions of the double electorate, with the dignity appertaining to one, were in the expectation of his apparent heir, the Duke of Deuxponts, who was the nearest relation in the male Palatine line. The present Elector is much cele brated for the liberality of his fentiments and difpofition; for his affection to learn ing and the fine arts; and for that happy flate of freedom and eafe, in which men of genius of all kinds, and of all countries, have for many years, amidft the kofpitality and pleafures of Lis elegant

court at Manheim, forgotten all the inequalities of fortune and condition. The particular circumftances of fitu tion, the temper and difpofition we have defcribed, with the habits of life confequent of them, will ferve to explain some parts of his fubfequent conduct, and account for that flexibility with which he feemed to facrifice his rights to the love of ease, and defire of tranquillity.

As the courfe of the fucceffion to Bavaria had been fettled for ages, was known to every body, and had been even prepared for by the late prince, the Elector found no difficulty in taking poffeffion of that duchy with the Upper Palatinate, and of receiving the willing homage of his new fubjects. But before he could feel his new fituation, he unex pectedly found, that he had a rival o fuch fuperior power and greatness to encounter, that all competition on his side would not only be futile, but that the disparity was fo great, as to render all appearance of oppofition even ridiculous. He had fcarcely arrived in his new capital of Munich, before the Auftrian troops, who had been evidently stationed on the frontiers for the purpose, and only waiting for an account of the, event of the late Elector's death, poured on all fides into the Lower Bavaria, and feized upon every place they came to. In the mean time, another ftrong body advanced on the fide of Egra to the Upper Palatinate, where the regency in vain pleaded the laws of the Empire, and the rights of fovereignty, againit the entrance of foreign troops.

We have obferved, that it was not in the character of this prince to enter willingly into the animofity of conteft. He accordingly fubmitted to the neceflity of the times, with a facility for which he has been blamed, as committing an act which was injurious to his heirs, as well as to himself. He has fince juftified his conduct, on the ground of that neceflity which he ftates to be invincible, in a letter to his kinfman and heir-apparent, the Duke of Deuxponts. He could yet have no knowledge of what support he might receive, or indeed whether he would be at all fupported. He faw, that instead of lofing a part by compromise, a fruitlefs oppofition to the court of Vienna would infure the lofs of the whole fucceffion. But that was not the only stake that was at hazard. He was threatened with an army of 60,000 men, though A λ

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he was not able to refift the force which was already feizing his territories. If things were carried to the utmost extremity, the lofs of his old dominions might fpeedily follow the lofs of his new; and life would be spent before he could have a hope of redress. At any rate, he knew that no act of his could in any degree injure the rights of his fucceffors; that a more favourable opportunity than the prefent might occur for establishing them; and that, unless the conftitution of the Empire, and the Germanic fyftem, were entirely overthrown, fuch a violence must fooner or later be redreffed.

A convention was accordingly concluded, and ratified, before the middle of January, between the court of Vienna and the Elector, by which the latter gave up the better half of his new poffeffions, and left claims open which might have swallowed a great part of the remainder. The articles of this convention were indeed of an extraordinary nature; and it may be doubted, whether aný public inftrument has appeared for many years, which carries in its own face more glaring marks of violence and compulfion. In a word, it bore a complexion of fuch a caft, as if it had never been intended to come under any other cognisance than that of the contracting parties.

By thefe articles, the Elector acknowledges the claims and pretenfions of the house of Austria upon the Lower Bavaria, without knowing the titles, or feeing the documents, upon which thefe claims were founded. It is true, it was fuppofed in the treaty, that these material articles were to be afterwards produced; but we also find the Elector, long after, under a neceffity of applying to the diet of the Empire to obtain that fatisfaction. He agrees, that they fhall take poffeffion of all the eftates which composed the patrimony of Duke John of the line of Straubingen, who died early in the fifteenth century; and that they fhall alfo be intitled to all thofe diftricts to which Duke John had even any doubtful claim. These articles, which contain claims founded on fo remote and doubt ful a period, and which muft neceffarily refer to many facts and circumftances, which, at this distance of time, it muft be equally difficult, if not impoffible, either to afcertain or difprove, were accompanied with no fpecification, either

of the poffeffions which Duke John actually held, or of those to which it was fuppofed he might have claims.

A more extraordinary article (if poffible) ftill remained. It was agreed, that if the Elector fhould claim any particular district which he wished to retain, as not belonging to the Duke John, the proof of the negative fhould reft upon himself. Thus, befides a renunciation of the better part of his new dominions, the task was impofed upon him, of proving his title to, and justifying the limits of the remainder, against unknown claims, which might extend to any part, or to the whole, of his poffeffions. In the fame fpirit, he acknowledged the rights of the court of Vienna to the county of Cham, and to fuch parts of the Upper Palatinate as had been fiefs of the kingdom of Bohemia: An undefined claim, which might take in any part or the whole of that country. Other claims were recog nifed, with respect to the principality of Mindelheim, and to various other poffeffions, both fiefs and allodial estates. In a word, an inftrument under the name of a convention or treaty, was concluded, which feemed to leave nothing as a matter of right or certainty to one of the contracting parties, but to throw him entirely on the grace, moderation, or favour, of the other. Such are fome of the confequences, whether in public or private life, of living in the neighbour. hood of the great and powerful.

It could fcarcely be fuppofed, and probably was not expected, that in fuch a republic as that of the Germanic body, the proceedings of the court of Vienna could pafs without difcuffion, if not oppofition. The difmemberment and spoil of two great electorates, including a number of adventitious poffeffions, and involving many foreign claims and titles, and this done without any attention to the usual forms established in such cases, without waiting for any legal fanction or determination, and without taking the fenfe of their co-eftates, the hereditary confervators and judges of all rights, and more particularly thofe of fucceffion, could not fail of seriously alarming all the princes of the Empire. Their tenures were all involved in the darkness, uncertainty, and frequent violence, of early ages; their titles were to be fought for amidst all the rubbish of ancient jurifprudence, ftill more perplexed and confounded by local ufages, particular conventions,