HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



191 



ferred accordingjto theabilities they 

 displayed; and when they deserved 

 it, were called to the supreme com- 

 mand. Was it marvellous that 

 armies thus regulated should be 

 victorious ? The coalesced pow- 

 ers should weigh, without the pride 

 and presumption that had hitherto 

 swayed them, the prodigious differ- 

 ence between their own people 

 and the French in those various 

 particulars, and not attribute to su- 

 'periority of numbers what was ow- 

 ing no less to the fortitude and 

 elevation of mind arising from the 

 principles and ideas now uppermost 

 among the PVench, and that had 

 transformed them into quite ano- 

 ther people. It was owing to the 

 energy infused by those lofty sen- 

 timents that they bore with a stoi- 

 cal indifference the deprivation of 

 all the luxuries and comforts of life, 

 and thought themselves happy with 

 the bare necessaries for existence. 

 This temper was become general 

 among them ; and to betray im- 

 patience under want and difficnl- 

 .ties, was held unmanly, and degra- 

 ding to the character of true repub- 

 licans. While the Frencll conti- 

 nued in this disposition, ready to 

 sacrifice every consideration in life 

 to the preservation of thc-ir present 

 •ystem, it would be irRpossible to 

 destroy it, without first destroying 

 the nation itself. History did not 

 afford mere striking examples of 

 cheerful acquiescence in the hea- 

 viest burdens, than were daily ex- 

 hibited in France. The Conven- 

 ption proposed nothing, however 

 ' painful and distressing to thf^cir- 

 cumbtanCes of individuals, to which 

 tlicy didiiot readily cui.Etnt. Tr.ose 

 who stood ai the l:'.hfi of the state 

 J»ere the foremost in settling those 

 *■ uniplcii ; \Le cousequentc was, 



►;«• 



that all the wealth of the nation 

 was at the disposal of its rulers, and 

 that with few exceptions, the peo- 

 ple in France had laid aside all in- 

 terests but those of the public. 

 Could as much be said for the sub- 

 jects of those powers that had con- 

 spired their ruin ? Were the Aus- 

 trians, and Prussians, or the inhabit- 

 ants of Spain, equally forward in 

 contributing to the exigencies of 

 the war ? Were they indeed t?ruly 

 convinced of its necessity, or of its 

 justice i The murmurs and dis- 

 contents in those countries suffici- 

 ently proclaimed how much more 

 they were inclined to peace, and 

 how little disposed to give any mo- 

 lestation to tiie French. But with- 

 out stepping out of Great Brit«iii, 

 did it appear that individuals could 

 be prevailed upon to advance mo- 

 ney H;o government for the prose- 

 cution or this war, without ample 

 interest and ample security ? Would 

 any minister dare to propose such 

 measures as v/ere daily adopted by 

 the French administration ? The 

 prospect of gain v»"as the only al- 

 lurement to the monied men of 

 this country, to induce them to 

 corfie forward to the assistance of 

 ministry. Thisinterested disposition 

 pervaded all ranks of the commu- 

 nity, from the \&ry highest to the 

 very lowest : all without exception 

 were eager to seize every oppor- 

 tunity of enriching themselves, ac 

 ^he ex^Wice of the public, and of 

 riotipg in the spoils of their coun- 

 try, even iii the midst of its severest 

 wants. The only classes that could 

 be called the loaded and oppressed, 

 were the needy and laborious. 

 Hardly able to support themselves, 

 they iud no money to spare for 

 those immense loans that were such 

 a sdurce of prolit to the lenders, 



and 



