Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/172

142 CAUSES INVOLVING FRANCE AND ENGLAND CXI A P. torial aggrandisement in this quarter of the globe: - '. And, although it is the duty of all the rest of the great Powers as well as of England to endeavour towards the maintenance of peace and order, yet, inasmuch as there is no other great State without some sort of lurking ambition which may lead it into temptation, the fidelity of the Continental guardians of the peace can always be brought into question. Suspicions of this kind are often fanci- ful, but the fears from M'hich they spring are too well founded in the nature of things to be safely regarded as frivolous ; and the result is, that the great island Power is the one which, by the well- informed statesmen of the Continent, is looked to as the surest safeguard against wrong. Europe leans, Europe rests, on this faith. So, the moment it is made to appear that for any reason England is disposed to abdicate, or to suspend for a while, the performance of her European duties, that moment the wrong- doer sees his opportunity and begins to stir. Thos^e who dread him, missing the accustomed safeguard of England, turn whither they can for help, and, failing better plans of safety, they perhaps try hard to make terms with the spoiler. ^Monarchs find that to conspire for gain of territory, or to have other princes conspir- ing against them, is the alternative presented to tlicir choice. The system of Europe becomes de- composed, and war follows. Therefore, exactly in proportion as England values the peace of Europe, she oufrht to abstain from cverv word and from