The laft French flag, on thofe pofts which were in fight among the neighbouring hills, was scarcely ftruck, when M. D'Eftaing, with a prodigious force, appeared in view of the fleet and army. Befides his original fquadron of twelve fail of the line, and those ships of great force and weight of metal, he was now accompanied by a numerous fleet of frigates, privateers and tranfports, with a land force, eftimated at 9,000 men. Of the latter, he had brought no inconfiderable part on board his fhips from France; the reft were compofed of regulars and volunteers from the different French iflands, who, as well as the tranfports and cruizers, had been collected in readiness. to join him at Martinico, being intended for the immediate reduction of the Granades, and of the island of St. Vincents; but with the farther view, and no doubtful expectation, of completely fweeping all the British leeward fettlements. In his way, on that expedition, M. D'Estaing received intelligence of the attack on St. Lucia; a circuftance which he confidered as the most fortunate that could have happened, it feeming to afford the means: of throwing the whole British force by fea and land, an eafy prey, into his hands. It must be acknowledged, that if he had arrived 24 hours fooner, it feems, in all human probability, that this must have been the inevitable event. As it was, the day being far advanced, D'Estaing deferred his operations until the enfuing morning.

It will be neceffary here to take fome notice of the scene of action, and of the fituation of the British forces; not confidering the fhipping as they lay at the unexpected appearance of the French fleet; but in that ftate in which the unremitted labour and industry of a night had placed them, in order to withstand fo vaft a fuperiority of force on the following day. The fleet were in the moft fouthern inlet, called by the French the Grand Cul de Sac, the tranfports filling the interiour part of the bay, and the ships of war drawn up in a line across the entrance; and that was still farther fecured, by a battery on the fouthern, and another on the northern oppofite points of land. The Careenage Bay, which led up towards Morne Fortune, Jay between two and three miles to the northward of the Grand Cul de Sac; and the Peninfula of the Viergie, occupied by General Meadows, formed the northern boundary of the Gareenage, and

covered its entrance on that fide. Choe Bay, and Grofs Iflet Bay, lay ftill far

ther north.

Admiral Barrington had intended, upon General Meadows taking poffesfion of the Viergie, to have removed the tranfports into the Careenage Bay, as a place of much greater fecurity than the Cul de Sac; but was prevented by the fudden appearance of the French fleet. The Cul de Sac being thus confidered as a mere temporary lodging, the idea of an immediate removal prevalent, and no apprehenfion of an enemy entertained, it will be eafily conceived, that the night called forth all the powers and industry of that able officer, in getting the tranfports warped into the bottom of the bay, to be as remote from danger as poffible, and the fhips of war brought into their refpective stations, fo as to form a line effectually to cover its entrance. His force confifted only of his own fhip the Prince of Wales, of 74 guns, the Boyne of 70, St. Albans, and Nonfuch, of 64, the Centurion and Ifis, of 50 each, and three frigates. Such was the weak fquadron, with which the admiral, with the most determined countenance and refolution, waited the encounter of so vast a

fuperiority of force. His own fhip, the Prince of Wales, took the poft of honour and danger, on the outward and leeward extremity of the line; the Ifis, supported by the frigates, who flanked the paffage between her and the fhore, was stationed in the oppofite and interiour angle to windward.

However odd it may appear, it seems as if the Count D'Estaing was not yet fenfible, that the British forces had extended their operations fo far, as to have taken poffeffion of the Viergie, and other pofts adjoining to the Careenage; for under this apparent delufion, his firft motion in the morning, was to ftand in with his whole fleet of fhips of war and tranfports for that bay. But a well directed fire, which his own fhip the Languedoc received from one of thofe batteries that had fo lately changed masters, foon convinced him of his mistake. The French were apparently much difconcerted at this unlooked for circumstance; and not only immediately bore away, but feemed for a time totally at a lofs how to act. At length, after much evident hesitation, the admiral bore down with ten fail of the line upon the British fquadron. A warm conflict enfued; but they were received with fuch gallantry by the admiral and command

ors, and fuch coolnefs, refolution and firmness, by their brave officers and men, who were also well fupported by the batteries from the fhore, that they were repulsed, and found it neceffary to draw off.

Time being now taken for somewhat of a new difpofition, D'Estaing renewed the attack at four in the afternoon, with twelve fail of the line. He now directed his efforts more to the right, from the leeward point of the British line to its centre, by which the Prince of Wales underwent rather more than a due proportion of the weight of the action. This attack was better fupported, and longer continued than the firft. The French cannonade was exceedingly heavy, and its whole weight concentrated within a narrower direction than before; but neither the change of pofition, nor the additional force, were capable of

MAGAZINE.

7.

proximation; for as horfes, whofe reins are entangled, become difficult to manage by the skillfulleft driver, wisdom always finds it the most arduous and laborious task to feparate and diftinguish truth from errour.

It is only by a conftant appreciation of what paffes before us, that we are enabled to untie the gordian knot of uncertainty, that perplexes moft of our thoughts and actions :-Erroneous notions lead us into vicious courses; these, by foothing our paffions, keep us in a ftate of voluntary fubjection, from which we are the less defirous of being emanci pated, as our conviction is not clear that we are blaineable for perfifting in it.

By a just appraisement of those objects that engage our attention or pursuit, neither over-rating nor undervaluing them, we profecute the bufinefs of life without that endless anxiety which is its greatest burden.

MAGAZINE.

INTELLIGENCE.

South-America groaning in voluntary bondage-The United States a complete model of political wisdom and popular virtue-The pot-bellied Spaniards making rapid advances in agriculture and manufactures-Finally, the world an

enigma!

MAGAZINE.

Magazine will much oblige a Customer. purchafing at prefent; but, if from a motive of private emolument, they intend

to poftpone the drawing until a paper currency is emitted, and properly depreciated, for the payment of the prizes, it is fufficiently evident, that the most fortunate numbers among them, would be by no means worth the rifque of a single dollar.

SIR,

OU ask me if we shall not have bet

You

ter times? To answer NO, and to fay that I think there is no profpect of it, without affigning you a reason for what I fay, would be to leave the matter where it was before you asked the queftion; unless my opinion without the principles whereon I have formed it, would be fatisfactory, which I have no right to fuppofe would be the cafe. To affign my reafons, would be opening a wide field, which I have not time fully to traverfe, even if you had patience to attend me through it. But I fhall employ a moment's leisure on the subject.

Publick faith, among the Romans, was confidered as the jewel of the Commonwealth, and he who would attempt to injure it, was confidered as the greateft enemy of the State. This was, when their government was in its highest perfection.

Publick credit is the neceffary offfpring of publick faith, and without it no nation on earth can exift, under the enjoyment of a free conflitution and government. What I mean by a free conftitution, is fuch a form of a Commonwealth as confiders property exifting independent of Government, and Government formed, for the fupport and protection of it; and that protection flowing from "ftanding promulgated laws," carried into execution by known and authorized Judges;" and equally and impartially applying to each member of the State. I mean in fine, a form of Government established by the people, which fecures to them their property, as their own, against the rapine, and under controul of a Legiflature, and is a law to the legislative authority itself. In fuch a Government, publisk credit is

abfolutely neceffary to the existence of the State, because no Government can have refources for every emergency, and fovereigns therefore are often obliged to apply to the people, for the loan of that property, which cannot be taken without their confent.

But in an arbitrary Government, where the executive, judicial, and legiflative authority, are all alike, in the hands of the fovereign power, property is confidered as derived from, not merely protected, by the Government, and is rather a poffeffory loan, than a right; and the fovereign power has no need of credit; publick faith to the fubje&s, is of no confequence; force anfwers the purpose of credit, and the monarch takes what he wants, and compels thanks for leaving the refidue: And who is there in our day, and in our country, that does not realize the diftinction between these forms of State policy? If there is any one that does not, I will venture to pronounce him a flave, and urge him to the realms of Sweden, Denmark, Ruffia, or Pruffia, where he may enjoy flavery at his eafe, and in the highest perfection.

If publick credit, is then fo neceffary to the very existence of a State, you will ask me, why these States are deftitute of it, and how they fhall procure it? As to the United States as a nation, they ne, ver had any national credit? Have patience, I will explain myfelf; to do which it is neceffary to fix the true meaning of national or publick credit.

Here then, I fay, that credit is the forcing an opinion upon another, who is poffeffed of fomething which we want, and which we have no right to take from him without his confent, that if he deliyers it to us, we will pay him an equiva