to fecure its dominions, is to make itfelf refpeCtable by its
ftrength and unanimity, and to be prepared againft any attacks.
When a powerful people impute national difafters,
which a proper vigour and foreiight might have prevented,
t& the perfidy of foreign ftates, they only bear teftimony, in
more fpecious terms, to their own indolence, negligence, or
weaknefs of government. Nor is that fyftematical jealoufy,
which modern nations profefs to entertain for the balance of
power, to be depended on as a more effectual fafeguard to
any particular ftate, than the faith of treaties. This principle,
though founded on the mod obvious and judicious policy,
and though at times productive of the mofh beneficial effeCts,
is unluckily liable to be counteracted and defeated by an al-
moft innumerable variety of contingencies. Where a combination
of different powers is requifite to give efficacy to this
principle, thofe powers may want unanimity and concert;
where again the exertion of only a fingle ftate is fufficient,
that ftate may, by the temporary fituation of affairs, or the
cafual interefts of its governing party, be rendered incapable
of aCting with proper fpirit. In a word, the anxiety of
European ftates for the prefervation of the balance of power
is, by no means, an invariable pledge of protection to any
fingle nation. Venice was brought to the verge of ruin by
a reliance on this principle ; Poland received from it no fub-
ftantial protection; nor did England, though ftruggling
fingly againft a hoft of enemies, reap, in her late conteft, the
flighteft benefit from its influence.
The natural ftrength of Poland, i f properly exerted, would
have formed a more certain bulwark againft the ambition of
her neighbours, than the faith of treaties, or an attention, in
the other European nations, to the balance of power. It is
extremely worthy of remark, that of the three partitioning
powers,
powers, Pruffia t was formerly in a ftate of vaffalage to the C^A?‘
republic; Ruffia + once faw its capital and throne poffefled >— ,— >
by the Poles ; while Auftria, fcarce a century ago, was indebted
to a fovereign j of this country for the prefervation
of its metropolis, and almoft for its very exiftence.
A kingdom, fo lately the matter or proteCtor o f its neighbours,
would never have been fo readily overwhelmed by
them, without the moft glaring imperfections in its government.
Poland, in truth, formerly more powerful than any
of the furrounding ftates, has, from the defeCts of its con-
ftitution, declined in the midft of general improvement;
and, after giving law to the north, is become an eafy prey
to every invader.
The Partition of Poland was firft projected by the. king of
Pruffia. Poliffi or Weftern Pruffia had long been an objeCt
of his ambition: exclufive of its fertility, commerce, and po-
* In the 1 3th century, all Pruffia belonged ion Frederic W illiam, the great Ele&or, was
to the knights o f the Teutonic order. In the firft duke o f Pruffia releafed from this
1454 that part, fince denominated Poliih or badge o f feudal dependence by John Oafimir;
Weftern Pruffia, revolted to C a fim ir lV . and Eaftern Pruffia being declared a fovereigii,
was afterwards incorporated into the domi- independent, and hereditary duchy,
nions o f the republic ; at the fame time the Frederic, fon o f Frederic William the
knights were conftrained to hold the remain- G reat, aflumed the title o f King o f Pruffia,
ing part, called Eaftern Pruffia, as a fief o f which however the Poles never acknow-
Vhe crown o f Poland. In 1525 Eaftern Pruf- ledged, until 1764, at the acceffion o f Sta-
fia was eredled into an hereditary duchy, niilaus Auguftus. His prefent majefty Fre-
and given to Albert o f Brandenburg as a d e r ic ll. by the partition treaty now poflefies
Poliih fief. Upon his death it fell to his both Weftern and Eaftern Pruffia.
fon Albert Frederic, who being impaired + Under Sigifmond III. whofe troops got
in his faculties, the adminiftration was veiled pofleffion o f Mofcow, and whofe fon Ladif-
firft in Joachim Frederic eleftor o f Branden- laus was chofen great duke o f Mufcovy by
burg, and afterwards in Joachim’s fon John a party o f the Ruffian nobles.
Sigifmond, who had married Albert’ s daugh- J John Sobieiki, who compelled the Turks
ter. Upon-the demife o f Albert, without to raife the fiege o f V ienna, and delivered
male heirs, John Sigifmond, who fucceeded the houfe o f Auftria from the greateft daj>-
fo the duchy o f Pruffia, did lid mage for that gers it ever experienced,
duchy as a vaifal o f the republic. His grand-
4 pulation,