fecret meditation of the French philosophers and politicians. It has been produced, to employ an expreffion of our English Horace, by

"The patient touches of unwearied Art.”

POPE.

There was certainly a great neceffity for a REVOLUTION.

For many years, the French government had imagined, that it might with impunity multiply the privileges of an order, already by far, too much privileged; and it never fufpected, that the vilified victims on whom it dared to tread, would on their fide dare to revolt. The nobility basked in the continued funfhine of court favour; and the Tiers Etat were contemptuously thrown into an ignominious obfcurity. The military department yet remained open to the emulation and hope of the citizen; but an order was latterly iffued that required a proof of nobility from those perfons whofe merits, and whofe valour afpired to a distinguished rank. Again, whenever a

man of noble descent, devoted himself to agricultural pursuits, his eftates, (as if they were ennobled by the hand that cultivated them) were exempted from the taxes which were levied on commoners; while, (what is still more difficult to credit) the deficiency in the taxes, paid to the government, arising from this odious privilege, was made up by an additional levy on his unfortunate neighbours, who thus dearly paid for the honour of having a person of noble extraction in their neighbourhood. It was not, therefore, fufficient to be infulted by the privilege of this noble, but the people were compelled even to pay for the honour of being infulted!

Such oppreffions (among a variety of others) were too obvious, not to have been hourly felt by the people at large. But their flavery was hereditary; and the execration

that was concealed in their hearts, did not

venture to iffue from their lips.

groaned and laboured.

They

A nation may, perhaps, be fo habituated to the vilest flavery, that it shall be incapable of enjoying liberty. There was an ancient people, who, when they were offered freedom by the Romans, preferred their ignoble fervitude. not fufficiently firm to fupport the weight of freedom; and it is not improbable, that the abject Frenchmen we now describe, would have eternally worn their manacles without a blush.

The genius of every nation is

But of what the MANY can have no conception the FEW realife. Men exist, perhaps, in all ages, who are born to form new fyftems, and correct the old. Never did fuch a galaxy of fublime minds appear together, as in the last half century, in France. Every ftar darted its influence; but there were among these, several planets of á marvellous magnitude.

In ages unfavourable to philofophy, the elevated mind was often a folitary fpecufator; his labours were then the abortions of debility

debility and terror; and he was often more known by his fufferings, than his fuccefs. The caverns and the stakes of the Inquifition; the Paftille and the Star chamber of government; fhortened his periods, or his life.

Phi

Within the present century a great Revolution was effected in the human mind. lofophers ceased to be isolated. It is but of late that the people have been taught to read, and ftill later, that they have learned to think.

It must not be diffembled, however, that among the croud of philosophers, many artful and defigning men, infinuated themselves; and in profeffing the amiable fentiments of philanthropy; the moft fervid indignation against defpotism; the livelieft horror of fuperftition; they only covered with a beautiful mafk, a deformity too repulfive to be feen openly. Thefe enemies of their fellow men, have but one view; to gratify, licentious

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licentious appetites, and to fet a city in flames, that they may get something in the pillage.

This libertinifm of mind, we all know, has been fatally displayed by a fanguinary faction in the French Convention; while fuch men exist, no nation can enjoy freedom; for like a certain malady, (which is fortunately rare) the people will produce its own vermin, which will prey on it, till it expires by the creatures of its own creation.

These men are, in fact, more accomplished time-fervers, than the most debauched courtiers. Their libertinism of mind, is pliant; for the corruption of the heart is favourable to take any impreffion its owner wills. Nothing fo elevated which they will not grafp; nothing fo low which they will not folicit; they crawl like a ferpent full of wiles and poifon; they fly like a vulture full of audacity and destruction.*

We

* Du Clos has thus admirably observed on this pernicious fect," I cannot help blaming thofe writers, who,

under