ADDRESS.

VERY different are the feelings which prevail, on occasion of introducing a NEW SERIES of the LITERARY PANORAMA, from those which formerly announced this work to the public as an enterprize entirely new. After eight years' experience, the character of a work is fixed, and the general features by which it is distinguished, need not to be specifically described. The course we have taken, is that we mean to continue:—we have no regret to express :-we have no recantation to make:-we have promoted the interests of our country, of mankind, of general benevolence, to the utmost of our humble abilities;—in return, the Public has distinguished us by a confidence, to which our most grateful acknowledgments are due. From this avowal our friends know what to expect; and not to them is a line of further explanation necessary.

But, as this volume will, probably, come under the perusal of many readers, to whom we are introduced for the first time, we may be permitted, in justification of our claims to their patronage, to mention distinctly a few particulars. They are such as entered originally into our general plan; but the distressing circumstances of the times have never before allowed us to realize them.

Our Title implies that, as the means of conveying knowledge, LITERATURE is our first and permanent object;-not the Literature of Britain only, however valuable; but that of all civilized countries. This we employ, not for the gratification of an affected superiority, nor for purposes of party, still less of malice, but for instruction and pleasure. We acknowledge, with gratitude and deference, the applause bestowed, as instances of literary merit, on certain articles which have appeared in our former Volumes; while others have been distinguished as promoting the welfare of Individuals, and of the Public. A much wider range of subjects now offers itself for selection; and, of course, affords the means of presenting additional information and entertainment.

Our POLITICAL opinions, our THEOLOGICAL sentiments, are known; they remain unaltered. The kind partiality of those who have furnished us with much valuable information,--and hints for our direction-we are happy to say, continues undiminished;

and we trust, will never be impaired on our part, by remissness or indiscretion.

In compliance with the ideas suggested in the annexed Introduction, we shall act on the persuasion, that cOMMERCE is about to become of greater consequence than ever; as well in political, as mercantile estimation. That department of our work, of which this is the immediate subject, therefore assumes the character of a distinct article, and will be found more comprehensive, not only than heretofore, but than any other work, not exclusively devoted to it.-Our Table of Public Funds, besides the former Register, incloses those of France, of America, and of other States. The value of Property in our Public Establishments, not strictly National, yet forming part of the National Barometer, will be deemed a valuable accession.-Our Table of Bankrupts comprises, in addition to what is customary, those of Scotland and Ireland; and, on the whole, we offer this branch of our Miscellany without hesitation, as decidedly superior, both in plan and execution, to any hitherto produced in a general work.

Attention to Commerce were extremely imperfect, without a sedulous attention to the prosperity of our NATIONAL MANUFACTURES. We have been honourably distinguished for early Information, Foreign and Domestic; and our pages will continue to present an enlarged and correct view of what is passing abroad, as well as of the progress of ingenuity and industry at home.

We can be gay, as well as grave: we can "shoot folly," as well as promote science. We reject nothing useful or pleasant, whether it come from the North, or the South, from the East, or the West. The General Reader, and the Man of Letters, the Merchant, and the Manufacturer, the Politician, and the Philanthropist, the Inquisitive, in general, will find each a something suited to his taste. On these endeavours our pretensions to popularity and distinction have been founded, and favourably received: persuaded that they will henceforth be more strongly supported, and more completely justified, we presume respectfully to solicit the continuance and extension of Public Patronage, in behalf of this new and improved series,

OF

THE POLITICS OF THE EUROPEAN POWERS;

In reference to their Pretensions at the ensuing Congress at Vienna, 1814.

THE perpetual problem in Politics,sume the form of personal glory, or of always solving, never solved, is, to deter-national felicity, they will, they must, they mine from the past, or present as the ought to consult, and to promote, by all data, what is approaching, or contingent, egitimate means, A Prince has no right to as the result. Of late years this problen give away the strength, or the convehas baffled the skill of the most scientific, nience of his country, merely to oblige and if solved at all, it has been by dint of a neighbouring power, to which it might vigilance and observation. The true inte- be desirable. They either have had, or rest of states has been, obliged to bend now receive, or expect in due time, a combeneath the storm, that threatened in its pensation for what they resign.-Even in fury to overturn all before it; and though treaties of peace, when the weaker transfers Statesmen well knew what was best, they a province to the stronger, he meditates an have been forced again and again to avert equivalent in the safety of his remaining their contemplations from that, and to study dominions; and, perhaps, he relinquishes what was most convenient, under the em- this part of his states, not over-run by his barrassments of the time. enemy, for the purpose of recovering that part of his states, which the fortune of war has wrested from his authority.

Hard fate, surely! when an honest man found himself constrained to forego his own wishes for the welfare of his people, to postpone, sine die, his meditated exertions for their prosperity, and to meet the exigencies by which he was pressed on all sides, not as he would, but as he could; not with the frankness of an open heart and a liberal soul, but with the cunning of an adept in legerdemain, and the tricks of a gamester, whose all is staked on a desperate chance. The severe necessity of that inauspicious period is passed the pressure is abated: the present is a moment of cessation, purchased at a prodigious expense, but happily realized. The expense has not been in vain; though many a difficulty long opposed itself, and struggled hard to prevent that result in which the world rejoices.

Those difficulties are overcome; and we now await others, different in kind, but little less obstinate in character. It cannot be supposed, that Sovereigns should neglect or abandon their own interest now, more than at other times it is that of their people. For what are they exalted to their conspicuous situation, if not for the advantage of the dominions they govern? and this advantage, whether it as

Not to a treaty of peace, as such treaties have usually been conducted, at the close of a war, are we now looking forward; but to the winding up of that great entangled skein of events, by which Europe and the world have been enthralled for many years. It requires no common skill to begin it, no common perseverance to continue it, no common felicity, as well as sagacity, to conclude it.

A slight glance at the situation of some of the leading kingdoms of Europe, may enable us better to comprehend the perplexities of the case.

Happily for themselves, some States are, and must continue to be, unaffected, as to their Geographical limits. Britain, as an island, surrounded by a determinate boundary, fears no diminution of her soil:-not an inch will any, or all, of the assembled poteutates attempt to take from her.Spain is equally secure: Nature has marked her outline by the sea, and by a chain of mountains, which ought to be an impenetrable barrier. Sweden, when in complete possession of willing Norway, will enjoy much the same security: her frontier will be impassable, speaking generally. France

COMPENSATION is openly avowed; and, in fact, will be insisted on, by all concerned.

So much for GEOGRAPHICAL POLITICS; but if we are not greatly mistaken, there is another principle still more actively in operation, than the desire of extending national territory. All the world has seen, and felt, the prompt interposition of Bri

has accepted a boundary, in much of its course sufficiently marked by mountains and rivers; and where not so marked, distinguished, and about to be further distinguished, by towns fully adequate to national protection. Switzerland makes no pretensions to empire beyond her natural precipices, and snow-clad summits. These powers, then, may be regarded as non-tain, on a late occasion:-on what did this actives, in point of Geographical avidity or anxiety. Denmark will do her utmost to obtain an equivalent for her former kingdom of Norway, now abandoned to Sweden. Russia will desire to place an advanced post of power, between her most valued dominions and the possibility of such an irruption as she has lately had the good fortune to surmount, and to convert into a triumph. Certainly, had her late invader been less inordinate, her difficulties would have been increased, and there is no denying the possibility, that at this moment her plains might be fields of battle. His rashness saved Russia: but, at the same time, it has shewn what may be done. The example has its danger and who can say, what improvements on the mode of conducting the enterprize may be devised by him who next resolves on it ?

rest?-whence had Britain this power? Were her territories increased by the accession of provinces, cities, strong holds ? No. Had she acquired an immense augmentation of her strength, by a sudden influx of population? No. Her coasts were as limited as ever: not an inch of land enlarged them. Her power of making a sudden exertion-of contributing, at the moment when it might be most useful, (and indeed, indispensable) to the confederacy, that strong arm of support which it wanted, rested on her credit; and her credit rested on her commerce. This truth is felt abroad most keenly; and COMMERCE will be the object of the princes of Europe, either more openly, or more covertly ;— let them affect to be desirous of whatever they may. This will afford the Master-Key to their politics. Under this persuasion we shall venture a few words in illustration.

were the North Cape crumbled into the Frozen Ocean, the philosopher might interest himself, not the king.

Russia has removed Sweden from her capital by the acquisition of Finland: she Lapland affords neither natural nor arwill endeavour to remove Western Europe tificial commodities of value:-what soveby what shall be equivalent-an interpo-reign concerns himself about Lapland? sition of dominion. Austria will feel herself bound, in common policy, to effect an equilibration; that she may not see the scale of another power heavily laden, while her own is comparatively light. Prussia will strive to make herself amends, by acquisition of territory, for former losses.Holland will endeavour to obtain possessions on land, having no further prospects of obtaining dominion at sea.

To accomplish these purposes it will be recollected, that Saxony, as a territory, is in the hands of conquerors: that Flanders, formerly part of the Austrian heritage, is not at this time in possession of Austria: that Swedish Pomerania is pledged to Denmark; and that the principle of

The mention of the Frozen Ocean, reminds us that Russia, as a Commercial power, is shut up during half the year in a prison formed by the hand of Nature. Her communication by sea from Archangel is an absolute blank. The Baltic, on which her capital, the seat of her court, is situated, defies the power of human industry, not on her own coasts only, but along the whole of its shores, and at its narrow exit into the open sea. No art, no contrivance can remove this ice-locked barrier; it must be endured. But Russia will strive, and continue striving, till she ob

tain some outlet not subject to this mortifying inconvenience. She will creep as far as possible southward from the Baltic; -but her eye will be constantly fixed on the perennial waves of the Black Sea, the Archipelago, and the Mediterranean.

purposes: those Powers whose dominions border on the Ocean, will doubtless study to derive all possible advantages from their situation; but they have not equal occasion for accessions of territory, and accessions, generally speaking, they will not receive. What can augment Italy? What can angment Spain? If these countries are industrious, the way is open to receive returns for their industry; if lazy and idle, what additional territory do they want?

It is perhaps long-many ages-since the Water was so highly valued as at this moment: it may almost be said to predominate over the Land. When the Hanse Towns by their combination, energy, and commerce, turned the scale of military operations in Europe, the importance of the sea was demonstrated and acknow

Sweden has hitherto participated in the effects of this natural phenomenon. By the acquisition of Norway, she is doing her atmost to render it more tolerable. The ports of Norway will be open to commerce, when the port of Stockholm is blockaded: they will allow passage to Royal fleets, when Carlscron is one sheet of ice. This has been the value of Gottenburg; Custom Duties were receivable there, almost all the year round; it will be the value of Bergen and other ports: they will open earlier and close later than those on the Baltic. It is so obvious, further, to consider the produc-ledged: it is demonstrated and acknowtions of Norway as articles of commerce, in addition to those furnished by Sweden, that we merely hint at this, and pass it by.

Prussia has severely felt that military greatness is no real greatness: in a time of adversity it succumbs. She will endeavour to obtain a seat of productive labour; she pants for vomitoria for goods and merchandize. Leipsic, by its fairs, would suit her admirably: could even Frankfort become Prussian, what felicity!—and from the same cause—exchange-exportationrevenue. We infer that Saxony is her object: -for Saxony is industrious; her looms, her labours are valuable: they afford better employment to a dense population than the military parade of Berlin.

ledged once more; but under circumstances, we trust, more favourable to the permanent prosperity of the World. That permanent prosperity, we are persuaded, is the sincere desire of the present negociators for the commonwealth of Europe. Each wishes for an established order of things: each has had quite enough of war: each has broken-down finances to re-instate: each has suffered severely, has been, as it were, cut to the quick; and each is conscious that all the world is acquainted with the real state of things: no supercilious concealment can avail: it is ridiculous to attempt it: no anticipation of a state document, or secreting of early intelligence, can now prove of that consequence it formerly was. The value of Go

Venice, once an Emporium of Com-vernment Paper, the Course of Exchange, merce, is of value to Austria, its present the Price of Stocks, is communicated half possessor, for this very reason. Though over Europe in a few hours: there are thouthe trade of this city be now but a shadow sands of individuals intent on their own of what it was in ages past, yet it is not interest, watching all that passes, and these despicable; and it is more than Austria will take care to perform the office of Pocan obtain by any other way. Trieste is litical Telegraphs. not equal, as a substitute, for Venice. The productions, too, of Lombardy, are articles of export: export will yield revenue; and who needs revenue more than Austria ? These are the Powers, principally interested in obtaining facilities for Commercial

As to the limits on the Map to be obtained by each division, or Royalty, we confess our ignorance: they will assume several forms in discussion; they will be settled at last; but till then it is not safe to spe culate beyond the usual visions of the daily