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488 RISE OF THE CONTINENTALin private life it is an acknowledged principle, that a statecannot submit to an affront without degrading itself. ABritish fleet passed through the Sound the attack ;uponCopenhagen followed; 1 and perhaps no blood would havebeen spiltif it had been known on the 2nd April at Copenhagen what had transpired on the 24th of March atPetersburg.The succession of Alexander to the Russian throne hadthe happiest effects on the continental relations of England.The northern league dissolved of itself (there had indeedbeen only a partial acquiescence in its formation) immediately the new emperor offered the hand of friendship toEngland. It fell to the ground without leaving behind anypermanent traces of its existence ;nothing was determinedrespecting the principles of international maritime law;even the claims of England were., to a certain extent, tacitlyrecognised. She had, though not strictly allies, yet at leastfriends, in the North. The armed neutrality now survivesonly in history it is scarcely possible that it should ; againexist in Europe though it may ; possibly be recalled intobeing by America.The British policy was directed to other objects. Thetime approached when England was to retire from the conflict, which she had now carried on for nine years withoutintermission. The deliverance of Egypt had removed outof the way a main obstacle, and facilitated the negotiations ;preliminaries of peace were signed in the autumn of thesame 2 year, and its final ratification at Amiens was only delayed by the determinations respecting Malta to the springof the following year.3Even on this occasion the peacewas not concluded by the same minister who had conductedthe war, William Pitt had previously made wayfor hissuccessor Addington; though not by compulsion as formerly,but voluntarily. In full possession of power, and of a majority in parliament, he resigned his post, because his opinionson Catholic Emancipation, which was to crown his great andnewly achieved work, the union of Ireland and Englandinto one kingdom, did not harmonize with those of his sovereign. And if George III. did not hesitate to accept theresignation of his long-tried counsellor and friend, rather1April 2, 180L2 Oct. 1, 1801. March 25, 1802.