38 



love of peace, and the duty of a prince to respect and 

 presen'e the persons and properties of his subjects and 

 neighbours; which convey the most pointed and energetic 

 censure, on the vain-glorious and relentless Lewis XIV„ 

 and his scliemes of ambition. But, if we consider France 

 as a despotism, such fi'ee exertions of genius were contrary 

 to the despotic spirit; and the event corroborates the ge- 

 neral position, " that arbitrary power, by its principle, 

 " must counteract and hate the progress of the fine arts:" 

 since, if we consider the government, then existing in 

 France, as arbitrary, we must own, that, by depaiting from 

 its principles and maxims of policy, and not only tolerat- 

 ing, but encouraging the fine arts, it prepared the way for 

 its own downfal. The free unfettered exercise of the fa- 

 culties of man, being, in some degree, permitted, they ex- 

 panded themselves; and acquiring force, with a geometri- 

 cal progression, scorned to be restrained within any bounds 

 but what themselves prescribed. There was, indeed, in 

 France, a constant and unconquerable tendency to free- 

 dom, even under the most violent and convulsive exertions 

 of tyranny. All this ended in the subversion of monarchy, 

 and the establishment of the Avildest and most licentious 

 forms and piinciples of democracy. 



In a well regulated republic, the condition of citizens is 

 moderate, equal, easy, and agreeable : every thing partakes 

 of the benefit of public liberty;* even the condition of the 



women. 



* Montesquieu. 



