human wisdom: j'entens, he says, que malgré tout ce que les hommes font de très-propre à ruiner une chose, il y a neanmoins une Providence superieure qui la fait durer. If he could thus express himself, with how much greater reason may we trust that the British Constitution, however it may be threatened and betrayed, will yet be preserved to us in mercy! We who know in WHOM We believe, and on what our principles are established, shall neither lose heart nor hope. In those principles too we have an assurance that for the part which we have taken, you in the front of the contest, and I in my retirement, we can never justly be reproached by others, nor have cause to reproach ourselves, be the issue what it may.

Accept then as a token and a memorial of friendship these Essays, wherein, during the course of two and twenty years I have pleaded against the growing errors of the times; not more earnestly opposing evil designs, and perilous experiments upon our social system,

than urging the necessity of those efficient measures, and those only real and radical reforms, by which alone it can be supported.

Yours affectionately,

ROBERT SOUTHEY.

Keswick, 15 Sept. 1831.

ESSAY I.

ON SIR FRANCIS BURDETT'S MOTION FOR PARLIAMENTARY REFORM;

ON THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR;

AND ON

THE CRY OF THE WHIGS FOR PEACE.

1810.

B

ESSAY I.

ON SIR FRANCIS BURDETT'S MOTION FOR

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.

SIR FRANCIS BURDETT, in his speech upon the Walcheren Expedition, argued that Parliamentary Reform, through the want of which he affirmed that miserable expedition had arisen, was the one thing needful for the salvation of the country. Without it,' he said,..‘without a change of system,.. without ' reverting to the principles of the constitution, ' with the decline of which the country had de

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clined, no permanent good could be expected. 'If we wished to be rescued from our present 'perilous situation, we must have reform,.. reform ' which would revive and re-establish the ancient ' fundamental principles of our constitution. Un'less this was obtained, neither himself nor the country would be satisfied. From the folly of 'not demanding this arose all our evils. All our 'calamities, all our disgraces, were derived from • the want of a fair and equal representation. To ⚫ that, and that alone, the people ought to look; it would be folly to expect relief from any other C cause. If this were obtained, they would no longer see ministerial weakness working on 'abandoned prostitution. This was their only avenue of escape from ruin, imminent ruin.'

His own scheme for renovating the constitution he had on a former occasion thus specified: