194 
State of Parties and Opinions in France. 
[Oct. ly 
ness of her temper, she died as one that goes to sleepe, without disease or paine, the 
15th of November, 1695; in full hope and expectation of a happy resurrection,” —The 
house at Oates, in which Mr. Locke resided, has within these few years been pulled 
down, and no remains of it are to be found except the foundation-walls, which may be 
traced in the grass. The noble trees, which were given in the engraving in our Maga- 
zine for Aug. 1821, are however still standing ; and the fish-ponds, with some remains of 
the stables, orchard, and spacious kitchen-garden, afford melancholy indications of inte- 
resting generations long passed away. An aged countryman on the spot told the writer 
that his grandfather well remembered Mr. Locke, who was known in the neighbourhood 
by the name of the good philosopher, and was so much esteemed and celebrated in his 
day, that it used to be said, that more people of distinction came to Oates to see Mr. 
Locke, than went to St, James’s or Whitehall to see the king and queen. 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
STATE of PARTIES and OPINIONS in 
FRANCE. 
N France, as in England, political 
speculation now enters into the 
accounts, and is frequently mixed up 
in the common occurrences of life. 
The spirit of liberty endeavours to 
keep pace with time; and, though 
sinister accidents have long retarded 
its course, its most active partizans 
are now to be found within the limits 
of France. The moral materials of 
the people for legislation, if not com- 
pletely matured, are yet ripening, and 
exist there, in as great a degree, as in 
any other nation. 
The political system, at all times a 
matter of the first importance, was 
never more investigated, in that coun- 
try, than itis at present. Its effects 
on the component members of the 
community are examined and ana- 
lyzed, not only by those who aspire to 
employments and distinction, but by 
numbers in the middle ranks and infe- 
rior classes of society. The insolence, 
caprice, and rapacity of men in 
power, have been checked, thanks to 
that species of government, and the 
principles it illustrates and expands, 
which have emanated from _ the 
revolution. 
The Chamber of Deputies, in 1815, 
acted, in many respects, with great vio- 
lence, leaning too much to the ancient 
aristocracy. Bold and confident men, 
they were for inspiring terror into their 
enemies ; but the number’ of these is 
much diminished, and subsequent ‘dé- 
feats have rendered them? moré eit- 
cumspect. , The die i§’cast, ‘ther épre- 
sentative system is irrévocably” dé- 
cided; it has enteréd into’ the 'pririci- 
ples and manners, and the question is 
to what objects it shall be directed. © 
The truth of these general observa- 
tions cannot be disputed; in making 
particular applications of them, we 
may refer to the accession of the pre- 
pa 
4 
“Were formerly." The  delib 
‘gress of public opinion operating on 
‘bench, and at the bar. 
sent ministry, or the leading men on 
the right side of the Chamber. The 
last ministry was ousted, from the effect 
of a coalition like that in the English 
arliament, between Lord North and 
r. Fox, in opposition to Lord Shel- 
burne. Since that accession, the left 
side has acquired a glorious preroga- 
tive, than which nothing is, nothing 
can be more excellent and beneficial, 
the liberty of the press. France 
was deprived of this in 1820, by a 
party which had been proscribing it for 
the last thirty years, and which has 
since restored it, though modified in its 
operation, and deformed in its charac- 
terizing properties. 
These two lines of politics, the right 
of granting money, and the freedom of 
the press, are now become general, es- 
sential principles, experimentally as- 
certained to be good, by all the several 
classes of the constitution. They are 
acting with more and more clearness 
and force on the public mind ; they not 
only inform and convince, but incul- 
cate, prompt, and impel, in the relations 
and duties of political conduct. ‘The 
publicity attached to the discussions 
of the Budget, must prove highly use- 
ful, as tending to a consequence pecu- 
liarly salutary, explaining and render- 
ing familiar. the respective disburse- 
ments of the revenue. In the general 
feeling and understanding, there is a 
prevalent tendency to this, and sooner 
or later it must be realized. 
“With respect to the correctional 
tribunals, or courts of judicaturé, un- 
_der a law more seyeré than that of 
1817, in, spirit, and conduct, they are 
very different now from what’ they 
Mijerate (pro. 
constitutional doctrine, bears sway over 
the learned, grave, and solemn cha- - 
racters that hold high stations on the 
The address of 1821 brought in the 
This may be com- 
~ “mended 
present ministry. 
