of whom is furniſhed by each tribe; the grand ſautier preſides in it, inſtead of the avoyer in office: the conſiſtory, and the chamber of orphans. This canton has a large country ſubject to it, comprehending eleven bailiwicks.
The ſoil is extremely fertile, yet there is a want of hands for agriculture, and population decreaſes; although commodiouſly ſituated for commerce, they have none. Theſe circumſtances are enough to ſhew the bleſſings of a government by a few noble families. They ſhew another thing, ſtill more curious; to wit, the conſequences of mixing the nobles and commons together. The latter have here been induced to reduce their own conſtitutional ſhare in the government to a mere form, and complaiſantly to reſign all the ſubſtance into the hands of thoſe whom they think their natural ſuperiors: and this will eternally happen, ſooner or later, in every country, in any degree conſiderable for extent, numbers, or wealth, where the whole legiſlative and executive power are in one aſſembly, or even in two, if they have not a third power to balance them.
Let us by no means omit, that there is a grand arſenal at Soleure, as there is at Berne, well ſtored with arms in proportion to the number of inhabitants in the canton, and ornamented with the trophies of the valour of their anceſtors.
Nor ſhould it be forgotten, that a defenſive alliance has ſubſiſted between France and ſeveral of theſe cantons, for more than a century, to the great advantage of both. Theſe republicans have found in that monarchy a ſteady, faithful, and generous friend. In 1777 the alliance was renewed in this city of Soleure, where the French ambaſſador reſides and extended to all the cantons. In the former treaty an article was inferred,
