le of discretional =sic= power in a
representative government; good cannot be done but by rules, which,
in many cases, it is impossible to comply with. This is a disadvantage
which we labour under, and is a sort of drawback on our excellent
form of government; but this is not like the opposition in the senate, it
may be got over, and merits attention.

Such appear to be the disadvantages to which Britain is peculiarly
liable, either in toto, or in the degree; but, on the other hand, she has
many circumstances in her favour, if they are properly taken hold of;
and, indeed, some, of which the effect will be favourable, whether any
particular attention is paid to them or not. To those we shall advert
with peculiar pleasure, and hope that they will not be neglected, but
that they may afford a means of continuing our career of prosperity on
the increasing scale, or that, at least, they may prevent us from sharing
the fate of those nations that have gone before.

[end of page #260]

CHAP. VII.

_Circumstances peculiar to England, and favourable to it_.

It has been observed, that, in northern nations, where luxury is not
attended with such a degree of sloth and effeminacy as in warm
climates, the habits of industry can never so completely leave a
country. The feelings of cold and a keen appetite are enemies to sloth
and laziness; indeed they are totally incompatible with those habits
and that degradation of character, that are to be found in southern
climates. This advantage Britain shares with other nations of the
north; but she has some peculiar to herself.

Situated in an island, the people have a character peculiar to
themselves, that prevents foreigners and foreign influence from
producing those baneful effects that are so evident in many nations,
where they come and depart with more facility, and where a greater
similarity in manners and in character enable them to act a
conspicuous and a very dangerous part, in the cases of
misunderstanding and party dispute.

In all the wars, bloody and long-contested as they were, between the
houses of York and Lancaster, foreign influence never produced any
effect such as that of Spain did in France, previous to the accession of
Henry IV. or as the influence of France and Spain have produced in
Italy, or that of France on Spain itself, or those of Russia and Prussia
in Poland, with numerous other examples on the continent.

We know of no ideal boundaries in this co