“LIBERTY has been, by lofophy, or intemperate zeal, to forced and elaborate conftructions, fo often perverted from its rational fignification, that it niay not be unprofitable to search for a fair and impartial definition of its juft and true meaning. Led away by this fafcinating idol, the most abfurd and fpeculative theories have been advanced concerning it, by perfons of fuperior abilities: new-fangled notions and rules of conduct have been furreptitiously, and, indeed, openly introduced by artful and deligning men; while ignorance has eagerly adopted the one or the other, as the popular impreffion of the moment has favoured the principles of either. Plain fenfe and integrity might, if confulted, have readily detected the fophiftry of refined and fub tle difquifitions ; or removed the flimfy veil of artifice and cunning; but the generality of mankind, looking no farther than the furface, feemingly ftrewed with flowers, heed not the precipice fo lightly covered. They eagerly court the ruin which awaits them; and eventually are furprised at their precipitate deftruction, attributing to misfor tune that fate, which, in fact, was the confequence of wilful and unreflecting mifconduct. If reafon, then, were inftead of phi guide the interpretation of this much-abused term; unanimity in its definition would of necefity follow. An inquiry, therefore, under fuch aufpices, must be in ftructive. The first notion of liberty, which fuggefts itself to the inquiring mind, is that which may be confidered as an attribute of its existence; and which may be, and is, collected under the op. pofite term of the natural liberty of mankind a precious and ineftimable gift beftowed upon his creatures, by the kindness of an Almighty Being, as the evidence of their free will! "A definition, so correct and gratifying to the free fpirit of mankind, could not fail of procuring profelytes in every description of perfons, in every ftation of life. And hence arife thofe ferious and falfe propagations of fyftems, deducing, indeed, their origin from this fource, but materially varying in their confequences. If, indeed, reflection were to lead the examination one step farther, this unqualified affumption would be immediately detected; for as this liberty is primarily only reftrained by the feeble barrier of natural law, it would feem, that this almost unlimited power of action action could hardly be confiftent with, or conducive to, either the general or private interefts of mankind, fince against this natural law, our paffions and inclina tions are always at variance and against which, of neceflity, the violations would more frequently, under fuch circumftances, be practifed with impunity. And, indeed, the leaft confideration might carry conviction of this truth; fince every individual being equally entitled, as ourselves, to the fame uncontrolled power of acting, it would inevitably fol, low, that our enjoyments of thefe natural rights could neither be fecure or permanent. The inefficacy and inexpediency, there fore, of this fpecies of liberty is clearly demonftrable upon thefe grounds. It has been properly characterized under the term of wild and favage liberty, in contradiftinction to that which is called political liberty; from which we are to enjoy the bleffings of civil liberty; and by which thofe natural rights fhould only be fo far reftrained, as to make them fubfervient to the general advantage of the community at large. "The facrifice of fuch a portion of this natural liberty as is effentially requifite for this purpose, is the price which every member of civilized fociety pays for the protection and participation of the benefits fuch regulations afford. It is true, in fome inftances, its rules may refeind or curtail the gratification of particular defires or rights; but the man must be felfish, who can fo partially confider his own private interefts as oppofed to confider ations of public utility, or general advantage. It is furely fufficient, that his natural prerogative, in all cafes of importance, is not only refpected, but establifhed his rights, not only defined and clearly afcertained, but alfo protected his perfon, his property, and his life fecured. To obtain this defirable end, can the facrifice of a few trivial and infignificant particulars be faid to contract his fphere of action? : "On the contrary, it may be contended, that fuch restraints virtually extend, rather than abridge, his privileges. A conformity, then, to fuch established rules of civilized fociety, cannot but be conducive to our own private interests, as they are to the general advantage of that community, of which we are a component part. "And liberty, true genuine liberty, may be faid to refide in that well-ordered government, whofe measures are thofe of policy and juftice; in which our natural rights are neither circumfcribed by oppreffive or unneceffary reftrictions, or by arbitrary power; but, on the contrary, where fuch legislative regulations only prefcribe a rational rule of conduct, and fecure the enjoyment of those bleffings of freedom, which reafon and morality teach and inculcate as the birthright of mankind. Liberty, in fuch a State, may in one word be defined, as the right of every fubject." NATURAL HISTORY. IN Sweden the Swallows pafs In other places, Swallows con the winter under the ice. At the approach of winter they plunge themselves into the lakes, and remain there buried afleep till the spring returns. On feeling the warmth of the fun, they immerge and take wing. While the lakes are frozen, if the ice be broken where it appear most black, large heaps of Swallows are seen, lying buried asleep, and half dead. On taking them out, and carrying them near the fire, or chafing them between the hands, they will revive, and make a quick use of their wings. The common people entertain an opinion, that the lakes of Sweden have a power of changing the leaves which fall upon them in the autumn into Swallows. ceal themselves in caverns, or under rocks. Between the Caen and the fea, along the river Orme, there are many caverns, where clufters of Swallows are found hanging in the form of grapes. The fame obfervation has long fince been made in Italy. Albinovanus, in the elegant Elegy which he wrote on the death of Macenas, defcribes the Swallows retiring to the rocks, as a fign of the approach of winter. BIOGRAPHY OF COUNT ALEXANDER SUWOROW RIMNIKSKI,* Field Marfbal General in the Service of His Imperial Majefty the Emperor of all the Ruffias. [From a London publication.] THE family of this able, ex perienced, and fortunate warrior, was originally from Sweden, and of a noble defcent. The firft of his name fettled in Ruffia the latter end of the last century; and having engaged in the wars against the Tartars and the Poles, F was rewarded by the Czars of that period with lands and peasants. Bafil Suworow, the father of the Field Marshal, was godfon of Peter the First. He was held in high eftimation for his political knowledge, as well as extenfive erudition; and enjoyed at * For the principal facts contained in this account we are indebted to "The History of the Campaigns of Marshal Suworow," 2 vols. 8vo. printed for J. Wright, Piccadilly, and "Hiftoire des Campagnes du Comte Alexandre Suworow Rymnikfki," 2 vols. 8vo. printed for Jordan, Hookham, New Bond-street. at his death the twofold rank of Corporal; two years after, he General and Senator. ALEXANDER BASILOWITCH SUWOROW, the hero now under our confideration, was born in the year 1730. His father had deftined him to the robe; but his earlier inclinations impelled him to the profeffion of a foldier; and the fame fpirit has conducted him through a long and unrivalled career of glory, to attain the diftinguifhed rank of Field Marshal, and after having conquered for his Country, to conquer for Europe. obtained fome farther advancement, which was foon followed by his promotion to the rank of Serjeant. During this period he was employed as a courier in Poland and Germany. In 1754 he quitted the guards with the brevet of Lieutenant of the Army. In 1756 he had the conduct of the provifions; was afterwards Lieutenant to the Auditor General; and appointed to the command of Memel, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He made his first campaign in the feven years war against the Pruffians, in 1759, and entered upon actual fervice under Prince Wolgonfki. He marched against the Pruffians with the rank of First Major; and was at the bat It is the custom for the fons of perfons of diftinction in Ruffia to be enrolled in the army at a very early age; fometimes within a year after their birth. But the young Suworow had attained twelve years before histle of Kimmerfdorf, and at the name was, fortunately for his country, infcribed on the military roll of the Ruffian Army. He remained, however, at home for a few years, in order to complete his education under the fuperintendance of a father who was fo well qualified to conduct it. It has been obferved, that Cornelius Nepos was his favourite Claffic; and he read with great avidity and attention the hiftories of Turenne and Montecuculi: but Cæfar and Charles the Twelfth were the heroes whom he most admired, and whofe activity and courage became the favourite objects of his imitation. History and Philofophy had great attractions for him; he ftudied the firft in Rollin and Hubner, and the fecond in Wolf and Leibnitz. In 1742 he was enrolled as a fufileer in the Guards of Seimonow. In 1747 he ferved as a taking of Berlin. He this campaign fignalized himself by many acts of valour, until the year 1762, when a truce was made between Pruffia and Ruffia, which was followed by a peace. Although he was attached to the Infantry fervice, Count Romanzow prefented him at the gencral promotion as Colonel of Čavalry, from his fuperior knowledge in that department of the army; but there were certain obstacles which caufed that line of promotion to be abandoned. Soon after, the Count Panin, who commanded in Pomerania, fent him to Peterburg with an account of the return of the troops. On this occafion he gave him a special letter of recommendation to the Emprefs, who prefented him a Colonel's commiffion, written with her own hand. In August 1762 he was appointed ' pointed Colonel of the Regiment of Infantry of Aftrachan, which was in garrifon at Petersburg; and when the ceremonial of her coronation called the Emprefs to Mofcow,fhe ordered him to remain at Petersburg, where the charged him with the execution of fome very important commiflions. After her return, his regiment was fent to diftant fervice, and was replaced by the infantry of Sufdal, confifting of more than a thousand men, of which he received the command in 1763. In autumn of the following year he went into garrifon at Ladoga. In 1768 he was advanced to the rank of Brigadier; and as the war was just commenced against the confederates of Poland, he was ordered to repair with all speed to the frontiers of that kingdom in the courfe of November, and in the most unfavourable feafon of the year. During the winter he was continual ly engaged in improving his regiment in their manoeuvres, and habituating them to every action that would be required, and every circumftance that might happen in a state of actual fervice. In the following fummer of 1769 thefe troops were ftationed on the frontiers of Poland, from whence they were fent to Warfaw, a march of eighty German miles, which he completed in twelve days. He overcame Kotelpowki, near Warfaw, and defeated and difperfed the troops commanded by the two Puławkis. He afterwards took up his quarters at Dublin; and the Ruian army in Poland requiring the eftablishment of four major generals, he was advanced to that rank on the Ift of January, 1770. In the middle of the fummer, when Colonel Mofchinfki had gained a reinforcement, our General gained a fecond victory over him; and in the autumn of the fame year he attempted an operation on the Vistula, but from the rapidity of the current he miffed the pontoon in leaping from the bank, and falling into the river, was in great danger of being drowned. After many fruitless attempts to fave him, a grenadier at length feized a lock of his hair, and drew him to the bank'; but in getting out of the water he ftruck his breast against a pontoon, which caufed a violent contufion, that threatened his life, and from which he did not recover for feveral months. Towards the end of the year the Emprefs fent him the order of St. Anne. We shall not detail all the various exploits of the General, it will be fufficient to take notice of the principal of them. He afterwards fought and beat the army of the confederates under Pulawski and Nowifi, and the Emprefs conferred on him the order of St. George of the third clafs, as a teftimony of the fatisfaction fhe had received from his fervices. A fecond confederation being formed in Lithuania, the General again defeated the army under Öginfki; and this victory was confidered fo important that the Emprefs fent him, as conque ror of the Grand Marshal, the order of Alexander, accompani-ed with the following difpatch. "To Major General de Suworow. "In recompenfe for the fervices which you have rendered to us, as well as to your country, by |