STUDY XIV. 



405 



When the Nations which now cover the Earth 

 fliall be no more, your name fliall ftill live, and 

 (hall flouriOi with a glory ever ncvv. The Majefty 

 of ages (hail increafe it's vcnerability, and pofterity 

 the moft remote, (hall envy us the felicity of hav- 

 ing lived under your government. 



I, Sire, am nothing. I may have been the 

 victim of public calamities, and remain ignorant 

 of the caufes. I may have fpoken of the means of 

 remedying them, without knowing the power and 

 the refources of mighty Kings. But if you render 

 us better and more happy, the Tacitufes of future 

 times will ftudy, from you, the art of reforming 

 and governing men in a difficult age. Other Fe- 

 nelons will one day fpeak of France, under your 

 reign, as of happy Egypt under that of Sefqftris, 

 Whilft you are then receiving upon Earth, the in- 

 variable homage of men, you will be their medi- 

 ator with Deity, of whom you iliall have been 

 among us, the moft lively image. Ah ! if it were 

 po(rible that we ftiould lofe the fentiment of his 

 exiftence from the corruption of thofe who ought 

 to be our patterns, from the diforder of our paf- 

 fions, from the wanderings of our own under- 

 (landing, from the multiplied ills of humanity ; 

 O King ! it would be ftill glorious for you to pre- 

 ferve the love* of order in the midft of the general 



diforder. 



