The states of Europe at present are 57 in number, and, considered with respect to political importance, may be divided into four classes. Britain, France, Russia, Austria, and Prussia, belong to the first; 'Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and the Netherlands, to the second; Portugal, Naples, Bavaria, Sardinia, Den mark, Saxony, Wirtemberg, Hanover, and Switzer land, to the third ; Baden, Tuscany, and the States of the Church, with the other small states of Germa ny and Italy, belong to the fourth class. Objections may be made to this classification, but we have not been able to find a better; and a few remarks will explain the principle on which it is founded. The first five powers are the only powers that exercise a decided influence over their neighbours; and it is by their joint counsels that differences among the smaller powers are adjusted, and all questions that concern the general state of Europe decided. The four states of the second class visibly occupy a lower the scale of power than those of the first.
have very little exterior influence, but they are not directly controlled by any of the stronger powers ; and it is only among them and the states of the first class that wars are now likely to origi nate. The third class includes those states which are too feeble, and too much under the influence of the great powers to become principals in war, but are of importance enough to be valued as auxilia ries by states of the first and second classes. The
fourth class consists of states which have too little force to maintain any degree of independence, and owe their existence to the justice, the forbearance; or the mutual jealousies of the stronger powers. It is only in Europe that small states exist among large ones; and their existence is the consequence of that equality of power among the great states, which compels each to respect the rights of the others, and to pay a certain degree of deference to public opi nion. The close union among four of the powers of the first rank since 1813, has established their influ ence over the rest of Europe much more firmly than at any former period.
A detailed account of the principal European States is given under the proper heads in the Ericvcio PAD'S, Or in this SUPPLEMENT. Our object here is only to bring together such geseralfacts as will afford a comparative view of the internal condition, power, and resources of those larger societies which com prise the greatest part of the population of Europe. With respect to the smaller states, we cannot make room for any further details than what are contained in the TABLE, which forms the conclusion of this article.