THE NEW YORK 74855 ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS. 1008. LONDON GILBERT & RIVINGTON, PRINTERS, ST. JOHN'S SQUARE. PREFACE. THE history of Empires is a tale, to which their dust is the moral, "Behold the imperial mount! tis thus the mighty falls." There is the moral of all human tales, First freedom, and then glory-when that fails, Such, it is but too true, has in general been the headlong career of emperors and their empires. And history, with all her volumes vast, Hath but one page. ""Tis better written" in the dust of the imperial mount! In contemplating the ruins of ancient empires, the very question of, whether a similar fate awaits modern states, enhances the interest of every event which appears to affect the stability of our own glorious nation. It is said that "there is nothing new under the sun" at any rate, the jealousies existi between rulers and their subjects, in modern state are not without precedent in former times. An perhaps the Fable of the Frogs and their King although originally addressed to an ancient people may not be considered altogether inapplicable t some modern communities. Indeed, regarding th present political aspect of European nations, wher the thirst for political and moral changes on the one hand, and the hazard of rash and speculative innovations on the other, are apparent to every reflecting mind; where the entire fabric of our own domestic polity is placed in jeopardy, by the very means which are even laudably sought for the relief of our state difficulties and national burthens, by a large portion of the people; the Fable of the Frogs may still serve to illustrate, as well the inconsiderate folly of those who clamorously sue for theoretic changes and utopian perfection in legislation and forms of government, as the fatuity of those rulers, who, in spite of the wants of increased population, and the diffusion of general intelligence and political opinions, stupidly oppose or neglect the wishes and real wants of the people. The democratic spirit of change and rash speculation, whether it be called into action by the supineness of rulers, or the restlessness of the |
