Show how true safety must be sought!
[Thiers, in his History of the French Revolution, frequently asserts the incorruptibility (with the exception of Barras) of the French Directory. But Alison, in his History, exposes the extraordinary conduct of M. de Talleyrand, then Minister of Foreign Affairs, towards the Envoys from the United States of America, who complained that an immense number of American vessels had been seized by the French Government under a decree of Jan., 1798, which directed that all ships having for their cargoes, in whole or in part, any English merchandise, should be held lawful prize, whoever was the proprietor thereof, from the single circumstance of its coming from England or its foreign settlements. The Envoys were told that nothing could be done till their Government had advanced a sum equal to 1,280,000l. as a loan, and 50,000l. as a douceur to the Directors. These terms were, of course, indignantly rejected. The Hanse Towns, too, only obtained licenses to navigate the high seas by the secret payment of 150,000l. to the Republican rulers.—Ed.]
[LYRICS OF HORACE. BOOK I., ODE V.
TRANSLATED BY ARCHDEACON WRANGHAM.
What slender youth, all essenced o’er,
In sweet alcove or rosy bower,
Now woos thee, Pyrrha, to be kind?
For whom these tresses dost thou bind,
Thus simply neat? O how shall he,
Poor youth! bewail the boisterous sea,