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the formal requisition of the magistracy; so that this convention may be considered, in some measure, as a new charter obtained by the Flemings, through the good offices and medium of England, Holland, and Prussia.

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If we shall appear to any of our readers to have allowed a more than proportionate space in our Register to these transactions in the Netherlands, we have to say, by way of apology, that these transactions form an episode in the political epopeia of Europe, uncommonly interesting and instructive. We have an opportunity of contemplating the revolution as whole, in its beginning, progress, and end; and exhibiting in its short duration, a miniature picture of the usual humours and vicissitudes of governments in their round through democracy, oligarchy, monarchy, despotism, and the chaos of anarchy. Never perhaps was there any political struggle in which there was so great a diversity of contending principles and passions: and never one in which the various

fermenting ingredients produced so quick an explosion. The modern Belgians, in the first movements towards a revolution of government, breathed the same fierce spirit of liberty which distinguished their remote ancestors, and exempted them from the most grievous of those taxes which the victorious Romans imposed on their subjected neighbours. And they would assuredly have defied the power of the Cæsars of Vienna, if the catholic priests had possessed as absolute and undivided a sway over the minds of their countrymen as the ancient druids in the time of the first emperors. But there was an irreconcileable repugnancy between the spirit of general improvement and that of bigotry and superstition. The most transient gleams of success disunited these and other jarring spirits, held together for a time only by the pressure of common and extreme danger. And internal discord, which has sometimes proved fatal to long-established empires, nipped in the bud the nascent Belgian Republic.

CHAP. IV.

Peace on the Ground of the Status quo, rejected by the Empress of Russia. Ambitious Designs of the Empress, opposed by Prussia and Great Britain Heroic Courage of the King of Sweden. Means for gaining over the Nation at large to his Views, and raising the necessary Supplies for the War. The King puts himself at the Head of his Forces, and enters Russian Savolax. His successes. Ten Thousand Russians defeated by Three Thousand Swedes at Carnakoski. Reduction of the Russian Fort Valkiala. Other Advantages. The King of Sweden, at the Head of his Gallies, takes or destroys the Russian Galley-Fleet, in the Harbour of Fredericksham. Engagements between the Swedish Fleet under the Duke of Sudermania, and the Russian Fleet. The Swedes prepare to make an Attack on the Town and Harbour of Wybourg. Perilous Situation of the Swedes, Escape with immense Loss to Sweaborg. Defeat of the Russian Fleet, under the Prince of Nassau, by the Swedish Fleet under the Command of the King. Inclination to peace on the. Part of Russia and Sweden. Peace between these Powers concluded. The King

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of Sweden prepares to attack the ruling Powers, and to restore the Monarchy of France. Meeting at Pilnitz. This the Centre of the Affairs of Europe, 1791. Real Object of the Meeting at Pilnitz. Substance of a Circular Letter from the Emperor Leopold to the Sovereign Powers. Russia and Sweden the first Powers that openly declared an Intention to succour the Royal Family of France. Speech of Gustavus to the Swedish Diet. Reflections on the Importance of Hereditary Wealth and Honours in a State. These a Barrier against Monarchical Encroachments on the one hand, and the levity of the People, on the other. Plan of the King of Sweden for a Descent on France. Discouraged by the Emperor, but persevered in by the King. Assassination, Illness, Death, and character of the King of Sweden.

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HE great hinge on which the affairs of Europe at this pe'riod turned, was the convention at Reichenbach. This important treaty had an influence greater or less, more immediate or more remote, and gradually extended its pacific circle over all the belligerent powers of Europe.

When a proposal of peace with the Ottoman Porte was made to the Czarina by the allied and mediating powers, agreeably to what had passed at Reichenbach, on the basis of the status quo, she rejected it with disdain, and in terms more nearly approaching the language of insult than the friendly and conciliating style usually adopted in ne gotiations between independent powers, and claiming an equality of condition. "The empress makes war and makes peace when she pleases, without consulting any other power. She is not to be dictated to. She will not permit any interference whatever in the management or government of her affairs." These, and similar expres

sions, declared the haughty pride and ambition of the Empress. A mind like hers could not indeed easily abandon such splendid schemes of ambition which she is known to have formed, and which she kept steadily in view in every political connection that she formed. These were, to drive the Turks entirely out of Europe, and to place her grandson, Constantine, upon the throne of the Greek emperor.* Another object scarcely less dear to her, and to be pursued if the others should fail, was, to erect the noble provinces of Moldavia, Wallachia and Bessarabia, into an independent sovereignty for her great favourite prince Potemkin. But the kings of Great Britain and Prussia prepared, by land and sea, to reduce her imperial majesty to peace, on the terms that had been proposed. It appeared like death to abandon her grand designs; but she was so far intimidated, as to make peace with the king of Sweden; whose heroic character could scarcely fail of engaging in some degree her

sympathy

The empress's second grandson was born in January 1779. He was named Constantine. Greek women were given him for nurses; and he sucked in with his milk the Greek language; in which he was afterwards perfected by learned Greek teachers. His whole education was calculated to fit him for the throne of Constantinople: and the design of all this could not be doubted.

VOL. XXXIII.

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sympathy and personal regard, even while it thwarted her projects of ambition.

Gustavus, whose energy of mind and daring resolution are not to be estimated by the common standard of heroic courage, undaunted by the disasters and alarms of last campaign, or the mighty force of the Russian empire, determined to retrieve if possible the fortune of war: and against the overbearing superiority which it was his destiny to encounter, found resources in his own genius. The success of his attempts, he was aware, would principally depend on an union among his own people; without which, he could not expect constant and ef fective support. Knowing that he was generally detested by the nobility; who had indeed for a long series of years been in the habit of selling their country to the highest bidder;-in order to counter balance and controul the opposition of that order, so formidable for their numbers, possessions, and lofty spirit, he determined to conciliate by the most signal acts of favour, the affection of both the commons and the clergy. On his return from Finland, he issued a declaration, that all orders of the state had an equal right to serve their country, in all situations for which, by their abilities and virtues, they should be found duly qualified. On this principle of equalization, he summoned an equal number of per sons from each order of the state: and shewed at once that he was

determined to act upon it, by the appointment of several persons of different orders to the same public departments. He thus incorporated the whole mass of the people into a kind of general council, bound by subscription and oath, like a Roman army under its consul, to co-operate in maintaining the interest and honour of the nation.By this bold innovation, the king attached the people at large to his person and government, to a degree beyond what even he himself had expected. The nation granted him supplies to the utmost extent of their abilities: and he found an unanimity respecting the designs he had in view, which had not for many years been experienced in Sweden. The assessments were very general and comprehensive; extending to articles of consumption as well as of luxury, and to all ranks and conditions of life. Horses, oxen, and all animals capable of affording profit or pleasure, were taxed. The nobility, at the same time that they were obliged to furnish quotas of horses for the army,were subjected to a heavy tax of 21. 6s. for every horse though thus devoted to the king's service.* The supplies, exceeding very considerably any of those granted by preceding diets, amounted to no less a sum than 1,640,000l. a-year, Provision was made, that the recent extraordinary grants should not be considered as precedents in future. The means adopted by the king for conciliating the affections and producing

The double oppression, for such it would undoubtedly be considered, of degrading the nobility, by raising the lower orders to a participation in all their privileges, and of so heavy an extra tax, could scarcely have been expected by any other man than the king of Sweden, to pass away without some such tragical consequences as in fact ensued.

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producing unanimity in the Swedish nation, were so acceptable to the burghers, that several of the greater cities, Stockholm, Gothenberg, Cal mar, Londen, Wisby, Abo, and others, in proof of their attachment and zeal, built, manned, and equip ped gun-boats, which they presented to the king; and likewise raised, clothed, and armedbodies of volun teers for his service. By means of this cordial support at home,and the further aid of the annual subsidy from Turkey,* he was enabled to open the campaign in 1790, at a season much earlier than usual, and to make an attack on the Russians sooner than they expected. On the morning of March 28th, he set sail on board a yacht from Stockholm, reached Abo on the 31st, and next morning set out for Helsingfors, a sea port on the north coast of the Gulph of Finland, to put himself at the head of his forces in that quarter. On the 15th of April, a body of Swedes, under the command of his majesty, penetrated boldly into Russian Savolax, carried two posts, Carnakosky and Suomenieni, con sidered as of great importance in the future operations of the war on both sides, with some prisoners, artillery, arms, and military stores. The first-mentioned of these posts, lying on the borders of the lake Sarma, was deemed of so much consequence, that a body of 10,000 of the best and oldest Russian troops in the vicinity of St. Petersburg (where inroads so near excited the greatest alarm), including a strong

detachment of the guards, and supported as usual by a powerful artillery, were despatched, towards the close of April, under the conduct of general Ingelstrom and the prince of Anhalt, not only to dislodge the Swedes from this post, but to drive them entirely out of the country. The Swedes amounted only to about 3000 men; but their ground was strong; they were well entrenched; and there was yet ai lively tradition of those times when the Swedes seldom took the trouble of inquiring into the number of their enemy. The Russians, im three close and heavy columns, advanced to the attack of the entrenchments with all their natural indifference to danger, and all that pride and confidence of success which long habits of victory are wont to inspire. To the astonishment of the assailants, they were received with a firmness and cool intrepidity, of which they had not known any example. The attack was repelled; but soon renewed by the impulse of national pride, rivality, indignation, and shame, at being defeated at their own doors: by such a handful of men. The engagement continued for about two hours, was most desperate, obstinate and bloody. Rage, fury, and superior numbers gave way at last to calm and determined valour. The Russians left about 2000 of their number dead upon the spot; among whom was the prince of Anhalt (a near relation of the empress) major general Belloff, who commanded

We are informed by Mr. Eaton, that this subsidy was negotiated by Mr. de Choiseul Gouffier, the French ambassador at the Porte. The part which France also took, not only in acquiescing but in urging Great Britain and Prussia to oppose the progress of Russia, and support the king of Sweden in this war, was well known to the two imperial courts.-Eaton's Survey of the Turkish Empire.

commanded the guards, and other officers of distinction.

On the 28th of April, his Swedish majesty, at the head of a body of his troops, crossed the deep river Keymene, which separates Swedish Finland from Carelia, and entered the Russian territories. The next day in the evening he stormed and took the Russian fort at Valkiala, with the entrenched camp by which it was defended, after a well-fought battle, which lasted for several hours, in which he received a contusion on the shoulder. The reduction of this important place was followed by several other advantages. The Swedes took possession of Wilman Strand, and several other places, with several magazines of stores and provisions; and the king fixed his head quarters at Borgo, where he was joined by his fleet of gallies; of which he took the command himself, and hoisted his flag on board the Amphion.

A great division of the Russian galley-fleet was stationed at Fredericksham, a strong and well fortified port and arsenal in Finland, where they waited for the junction of the other and still greater division from Cronstadt. The king, at the head of his gallies, stormed and forced the defences of Fredericksham, took thirty-eight vessels, sunk ten, and burnt forty gun-boats, with thirty transports laden with provisions, destroyed the docks, and set fire to all the timber and stores accumulated for building fleets of light vessels. In any other country than Russia, where labour is cheap and naval stores inexhaustible, such a loss would have been irrepara

ble.

In the mean time the king's brother, the duke of Sudermania,

had put to sea at the head of a Swe. dish fleet, consisting of twenty-three ships of the line and eighteen frigates. It was not the object of this armament to prevent a junction between the Russian fleets in the harbours of Revel and Cronstadt, or to seize any favourable opportunity of fighting them separately; but (agreeably to the maxim of Sweden at this time, of making the attack where the strength and the danger was greatest) something more desperate and daring. It was nothing less than the destruction of the Russian squadron, and great naval arsenal at Revel, along with all its docks and magazines. The ships at Revel were eleven of the line; three of which carried 100 guns each, and five frigates; and they were protected by numerous batteries of heavy cannon in various parts of the harbour. The Swedish fleet, notwithstanding all these obstacles, on the 13th of May, penetrated into the harbour, and in the midst of the hostile fire, maintained for hours a doubtful conflict. But towards the evening a violent storm arose, which obliged the Swedes to retreat. In this manœuvre, performed with great difficulty, a Swedish ship of sixty guns being dismasted, was taken. Another was wrecked, and set on fire by its own crew. On the third of June, the duke of Sudermania, accidentally fell in with the Russian fleet coming from Cronstadt, under admiral Kruse, consisting of eighteen sail of the line. An engagement ensued, which was continued with an interruption only in the dead of the night, and in which the Swedes at first had the advantage. But on the second day the Russian fleet from Revel appeared in the rear of

the

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