I79I' LITKRARY IXTELLIGEXCER. l^g 



upon the welfare of the whole : But thick is the film that 

 vet overfpreads his eye, and prevents him from receiving 

 that effulgence of light, which is neceffary to enable him 

 diftinclly to know his real interefl:. The happy rera we 

 v/'ith for will not arrive in our day ; but w'e ought to rejoice 

 in the profpccl of the empire of knowledge gaining ground 

 perceptibly over that of ignorance. ' 



Perhaps no nation ever aiforded a more interefiing object 

 for the political fpeculator to contemplate, than that of 

 France at the prefent time, and for a Ihort period back- 

 wards. Never was there experienced fuch a great and uni- 

 verfal revolution in the ideas of a whole people, as has taken 

 pl<ice in this country, within a few years part. Formerly 

 all ranks of men gloried in Ihevring the moll profound re- 

 fpeft and veneration for the name of royalty ; and every 

 thing that was connected with it was deemed facred. Now, 

 it is the glory of a Frenchman. to difregard his fovereign, to 

 trample upon authority, to laugh at diftinftion of ranks, and 

 to mock at legal fubordhiation. Under the fafcinating name 

 . of freedom, every bread is warmed with entliuliafm ; and 

 many an honefl: man fcriouily feems to believe, that under 

 the banners "of this bewitchin;.; power, nothing is toodiiiicult 

 to be accbmpliOied. Whether they judge wifely in this 

 refpecV, time only can fully difcover ; but many of the beft 

 friends of liberty begin to fear, that, by grafping at too 

 •luch, theymay endanger the lofs of the whole •, and that by 

 etching at the ihadow, they will allow the real objeft to 

 '.'.de their grafp, which they had once in their own power. 



Every man of upright principles and found fenfe, muil: 

 V iih well to the caulc of freedom ; but every man acquaint- 

 ed with the human heart, :ind the principles of government, 

 is aware of the diihcultles that mutl ever itand in the way, 

 'in an attempt radically to alter the conftitution of any 

 country. When great changes are fuddenly nir.de, the in- 

 tereft of many nidividuals mull be deeply affected, which 

 will produce fecret dilcontents, that, though fupprefied for 

 the time, feidom fail, fooner or later, to }Mcduce internal 

 convulfions, that dilturb the public tranquillity, and often 



verfe the mod beneficent plans of a humane legillature. 



r thefc reafons, a prudent man will always behold with 



■uety and doubt, that apparent calm which fucceeds tp 

 . ly violent revolutions in govcrnracnt. The very doubt 



