Page:Account of the dispute between Russia, Sweden & Denmark, and Great Britain.pdf/24

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himſelf: for Alexander appears to do what his father requires of him, from a principle of filial duty rather than compliance with his own inclinations; His humanity has acquired him the hearts of the ſoldiers his good ſenſe the admiration of the officers: he is the conſtant mediator between the autocrat and thoſe unhappy persons who, by some trifling neglect, may have provoked imperial wrath and vengeance. The Young Prince requires not the dignity of grand duke of Ruſſia to inſpire ſentiments of love and intereſt; nature has richly endowed him with the moſt amiable qualities, and his character of heir to the greateſt empire in the world, cannot render them indifferent to humanity. Heaven, perhaps, may have deſtined him to render thirty millions of people more free than they are at preſent, and more worthy of being ſo.

His character, however, though amiable, is paſſive He wants the courage and confidence to diſcover the man of merit, always modeſt and unobtruſive; and it is to be feared, that the moſt importunate and impudent, who are generally the moſt ignorant and vicious, will find leaſt difficulty in procuring acceſs to him. Yielding too eaſily to the impulſes of others, he does not ſufficiently conſult his own heart and underſtanding. He appears to have loſt his reliſh for inſtruction, on loſing his maſters, and eſpecially colonel L'Harpe, his firſt preceptor, to whom he owes all the knowledge he has acquired. A premature marriage may have contributed to diminiſh his energy; and it is probable that, notwithſtanding his good qualities he will become in time the dupe of his courtiers, and even of his valets.

FINIS.


Air, Printed by
J. & P. Wilson, 1802.