It is a melancholy reflection, that the spirit of melioration which has been going on in that part of Europe, more or less, during this century, and the various schemes very lately on foot for further advancement, are all put a stop to at once.  Reformation certainly is nearly connected with innovation; and where that latter comes in for too large a share, those who undertake to improve their country may risk their own safety.  In times where the correction, which includes the confession, of an abuse, is turned to criminate the authority which has long suffered it, rather than to honor those who would amend it, (which is the spirit of this malignant French distemper,) every step out of the common course becomes critical, and renders it a task full of peril for princes of moderate talents to engage in great undertakings.  At present the only safety of Spain is the old national hatred to the French.  How far that can be depended upon, if any great ferments should be excited, it is impossible to say.

As to Portugal, she is out of the high-road of these politics.  I shall, therefore, not divert my thoughts that way, but return again to the North of Europe, which at present seems the part most interested, and there it appears to me that the French speculation on the Northern countries may be valued in the following or some such manner.

[Sidenote:  Denmark.]

[Sidenote:  Sweden.]

Denmark and Norway do not appear to furnish any of the materials of a democratic revolution, or the dispositions to it.  Denmark can only be consequentially affected by anything done in Prance; but of Sweden I think quite otherwise.  The present power in Sweden is too new a system, and too green and too sore from its late Revolution, to be considered as perfectly assured.  The king, by his astonishing activity, his boldness, his decision, his ready versatility, and by rousing and employing the old military spirit of Sweden, keeps up the top with continual agitation and lashing.  The moment it ceases to spin, the royalty is a dead bit of box.  Whenever Sweden is quiet externally for some time, there is great danger that all the republican elements she contains will be animated by the new French spirit, and of this I believe the king is very sensible.

[Sidenote:  Russia.]

The Russian government is of all others the most liable to be subverted by military seditions, by court conspiracies, and sometimes by headlong rebellions of the people, such as the turbinating movement of Pugatchef.  It is not quite so probable that in any of these changes the spirit of system may mingle, in the manner it has done in France.  The Muscovites are no great speculators; but I should not much rely on their uninquisitive disposition, if any of their ordinary motives to sedition should arise.  The little catechism of the Rights of Men is soon learned; and the inferences are in the passions.

[Sidenote:  Poland.]