words; and risking the independence of this country, for the nominal supremacy over America.  France seems to leave us time for treating.  She mad no scruple of begging peace of us in ’63, that she might lie by and recover her advantages.  Was not that a wise precedent?  Does not she now show that it was?  Is not policy the honour of nations?  I mean, not morally, but has Europe left itself any other honour?  And since it has really left itself no honour, and as little morality, does not the morality of a nation consist in its preserving itself in as much happiness as it can?  The invasion of Portugal by Spain in the last war, and the partition of Poland,[1] have abrogated the law of nations.  Kings have left no ties between one another.  Their duty to their people is still allowed.  He is a good King that preserves his people; and if temporising answers that end, is it not justifiable?  You, who are as moral as wise, answer my questions.  Grotius[2] is obsolete.  Dr. Joseph and Dr. Frederic, with four hundred thousand commentators, are reading new lectures—­and I should say, thank God, to one another, if the four hundred thousand commentators were not in worse danger than they.  Louis XVI. is grown a casuist compared to those partitioners.  Well, let us simple individuals keep our honesty, and bless our stars that we have not armies at our command, lest we should divide kingdoms that are at our bienseance!  What a dreadful thing it is for such a wicked little imp as man to have absolute power!  But I have travelled into Germany, when I meant to talk to you only of England; and it is too late to recall my text.  Good night!

[Footnote 1:  A partition of Poland had been proposed by the Great Elector of Brandenburgh as early as the middle of the seventeenth century, his idea being that he, the Emperor, and the King of Sweden should divide the whole country between them.  At that time, however, the mutual jealousies of the three princes prevented the scheme from being carried out.  But in 1770 the idea was revived by Frederic the Great, who sent his brother Henry to discuss it with the Czarina.  She eagerly embraced it; and the new Emperor Joseph had so blind an admiration for Frederic, that it was not hard to induce him to become a confederate in the scheme of plunder.  And the three allies had less difficulty than might have been expected in arranging the details.  In extent of territory Austria was the principal gainer, her share being of sufficient importance to receive a new name as the kingdom of Galicia; the share of Prussia being West Prussia and Pomerania, with the exception of Dantzic and the fortress of Thorn; while Russia took Polish Livonia and the rich provinces to the east of the Dwina.  But the spoilers were not long contented with their acquisitions.  In 1791 intrigues among the Polish nobles, probably fomented by the Czarina herself, gave her a pretence for interfering in their affairs; and the result was a second partition, which gave