How she acquitted herself of this duty, we have already seen and lamented: yet on this--and on this duty only--ought the mind of that army and of the government to have been fixed.

Every thing was smoothed before their feet;--Providence, it might almost be said, held forth to the men of authority in this country a gracious temptation to deceive them into the path of the new virtues which were stirring;--the enemy was delivered over to them; and they were unable to close their infantine fingers upon the gift .-- The helplessness of infancy was their's--oh! could I but add, the innocence of infancy! Reflect upon what was the temper and condition of the Southern Peninsula of Europe--the noble temper of the people of this mighty island sovereigns of the all-embracing ocean; think also of the condition of so vast a region in the Western, continent and its islands; and we shall have cause to fear that ages may pass away before a conjunction of things, so marvellously adapted to ensure prosperity to virtue, shall present itself again.

It could scarcely be spoken of as being to the wishes of men,--it was so far beyond their hopes .-- The government which had been exercised under the name of the old Monarchy of Spain--this government, imbecile even to dotage, whose very selfishness was destitute of vigour, had been removed; taken laboriously and foolishly by the plotting Corsican to his own bosom; in order that the world might see, more triumphantly set forth than since the beginning of things had ever been seen before, to what degree a man of bad principles is despicable--though of great power--working blindly against his own purposes.

It was a high satisfaction to behold demonstrated, in this manner, to what a narrow domain of knowledge the intellect of a Tyrant must be confined; that if the gate by which wisdom enters has never been opened, that of policy will surely find moments when it will shut itself against its pretended master imperiously and obstinately.

To the eyes of the very peasant in the field, this sublime truth was laid open--not only that a Tyrant's domain of knowledge is narrow, but melancholy as narrow; inasmuch as--from all that is lovely, dignified, or exhilarating in the prospect of human nature--he is inexorably cut off; and therefore he is inwardly helpless and forlorn.
Was not their hope in this--twofold hope; from the weakness of him who had thus counteracted himself; and a hope, still more cheering, from the strength of those who had been disburthened of a cleaving curse by an ordinance of Providence--employing their most wilful and determined enemy to perform for them the best service which man could perform?
The work of liberation was virtually accomplished--we might almost say, established.