HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
If it might be permitted to inter- 
rupt the course of our narrative, yet 
a little longer, to deplore an event 
so common in history, as the triumph 
of the wrong over the right, we 
should express the regrets of huma- 
nity, that the Poles, reasonable, 
moderate, and capable of regulated 
freedom, should have been aban- 
doned, to appearance, by heaven 
and earth, while the French, arro- 
gant furious, and atrocious, were 
triumphant. 
It is to be ascribed to the natural 
good temper -of the Poles, that, 
with all the seeds of fa¢tion and mis- 
rule, so profoundly sown in their, 
political constitution, they yet hung 
together so long as they did, as one 
nation. The new constitution of 
41791 was still a greater proof of 
temper and moderation, and ap- 
ars- to be the happiest medium 
that had hitherto been adopted be- 
tween monarchy and popular go. 
[41 
vernment. For moderation, equity, 
and sound political wisdom, it form- 
ed a contrast with the precipitation, 
violence, andimpra¢ticable complex. 
ity of the French revolution, or ra- 
ther revolutions. In the former, the 
ground-workof the constitution re- 
mained the same; respect was paid 
to the rights and privileges of all 
the orders of the subjeéts ; and the 
reform begun, but not considered 
as finished, was to be carried on, as 
the way to perfeétion should be 
pointed out by times and circum. 
stances. In France, as a preli- 
minary to reformation, all things 
were moved from their centre, and 
thrown into the completest chaos 
and confusion. On the whole, as 
the history of the old Polish consti- 
tution warns men of many things ta 
be avoided, so the new constitution, 
though strangled at its birth, exhi, 
bits others worthy of imitation. 
CH AP, 
