more and more remote, and to keep an eye not only on the affairs of one, society of men, but also on those of others. Curiosity is in proportion to intellectual_improvement. It may, we fear, appear at first sight to our Readers, that we had lost sight of the truth of these observations, when, in drawing up the History of Europe for 1797, we devoted so large a portion of our space to the affairs of Great Britain. But it will soon be perceived, that, the British history for that year comprehends `events more important to Europe, and, to the British nation, particularly, more striking and alarming than those of any year preceding it, since the commencement of the Annual Register.-" without were fightings, within were fears:" Not only the British constitution trembled on the pivot of fortune, but the political balance of Europe. An extension of the British history, beyond its usual limits, was unavoidable.-To swell this part of our Work, by copious accounts of parliamentary debates, with other domestic transactions; and, on the other hand, by a proportionable reduction, to confine the history of all Europe besides, to one-fifth, or even sixth, part of our narrative, would be a great saving of labour; and, and, indeed, an easy matter. But it is impossible, that any intelligent and liberal mind should approve of such economy. Our Readers will do us the justice to acknowledge, that our Annual volumes are not written on this plan if, in the present, we have brought forward Great Britain, which, at all times, makes so conspicuous a figure in the circle of civilization, still more prominently than usual, this conduct, by the clouded aspect of the political horizon, in our quarter, is abundantly justified. From a combination of causes, to which we have been, at different times, compelled to allude, the publication of the Annual Register was every year more and more protracted: and the complaint was just, that it had become extremely dilatory, if not, as was apprehended by some, uncertain. The publication of this Volume at this time, in which we have faithfully observed, and even somewhat exceeded, the engagement we came under in our Volume for 1793, will, we trust, afford to our Readers an earnest of that assiduous zeal with which we endeavour to give them satisfaction. THE Comparatice View of the Confederacy and the French Republic, at the Close of 1796.-Spain, drawn into an Alliance with France, declares War against England.--Conjoined Efforts of the French, Spanish, and Dutch Fleets, for overthrowing the naval Domination of England.War in Italy.-Capture of Mantua. Political Conduct and military Preparations of the Court of Rome.-Letters from Buonaparte to the Cardinal Mattei.-The Cardinal's Answer.-The Court of Madrid refuses its Mediation, in Behalf of the Pope, with the French Republic.Republican Party in Rome, and other Parts of the Ecclesiastical States. -Buonaparte declares War against the Pope.-A French Army enters the Papal Dominions.-The Papal Troops completely routed.-Buonaparte, by Promises and Threats, induces the Romans to submit to the French, without the Effusion of Blood.-Takes Possession of several Provinces in the Ecclesiastical States.-Advances towards Rome. Treaty of Peace with the Pope. HE rapid progress of the duced different sensations on the opposite sides of the mountains. The Italian states and princes were struck with terror. But a spirit of indignation and exertion was rouzed in Germany; where the tide of fortune, towards the end of VOL. XXXIX, the year, was completely turned. tice, between the Austrians and the French, in the month of May, in that year, the army of the Sambre and Meuse, under Jourdan, penetrated into Franconia; that of the Rhine and Moselle, under Moreau, into the heart of Germany, [B] and Yet, on the whole, on weighing the prosperous against the adverse events of the year, the balance was greatly in favour of the French/republic. Jourdan, though defeated in several engagements, by the young Austrian hero, had been able to effeet his retreat to Dusseldorf.. And Moreau, who, for want of a third French army, was exposed on his flanks, to total excision or capture, had made a masterly retreat, and conducted the main body of his army, through many dangers and conflicts, across the Rhine, into a situation of safety, within the French frontier. Thus, though the French were repulsed from Germany, the honour of their arms, even in that quarter, was unimpaired, while, in another, they were gloriously triumphant. The policy of France was not less successful. After detaching Prussia and Spain from the confederacy, she had succeeded, through dint of artifice and intrigue, in connecting herself with both of these powers by a close alliance. The former of these had not, indeed, publicly declared in its favour, but was well understood to be so intimately connected with the republic, that, in case of absolute necessity, no doubt was entertained of its determination to assist France to the utmost of its capacity. The latter having, in the year 1795, concluded a peace with the republic, had afterwards entered into an alliance, defensive and offensive, with it, that was explicitly levelled at Great Britain. This treaty, which took place in August, 1796, was followed, in the commencement of October, by a formal declaration of war against England, and by the preparation of a formidable naval strength, to act in conjunction with that of France. In Italy, every prince and state was either in peace or confederacy with the French, the pope alone excepted; whose situation, however, was such, that he could not long defer submission to their own terms. Germany could not be reputed hostile to France. Though certainly averse to the entrance of its armies into the empire, yet the secondary ranks of princes and states, of which it is composed, were not dissatisfied at the humiliation of Austria, of which they dreaded the power and pretensions. These were permanent, and had often endangered the liberties of Germany: whereas, the irruptions of the French could never be more than occasional and transitory. The precedents of former times had shewn, that the politics of France, which must continue the same, whether it were a monarchy or a republic, would always aim at holding the balance between the head and the members of the empire. In the north of Europe, the two kingdoms of Denmark and Sweden were too conscious of the impending power of Russia, to lend themselves to the depression of France, which they now considered as necessary to preserve the dominion of the Baltic equally divided between those three countries. To |