644 
Mistery. the nation was which allowed or wor 
—\—" those distinct causes to operate together with the 
effect. 
Embarras- We have already noticed the embarrassed state of 
ed wate of the French finances at the termination of the American 
> finan war in 1783; and that the government, finding all their 
ineffectual towards the bringing them into order, 
were at last compelled to assemble the Notables. Thus 
were collected at Paris most of those men who were 
desirous of a change ; and who beheld themselves in a 
condition, from the wants of the government, the appeal 
which had been made to them to t measures for 
the supply of those wants, and their own strength, to 
use their efforts for the accomplishment of their wishes. 
Their objects, indeed, might differ ; for while some 
wished merely to curtail the power of the crown, in or- 
der to restore the privileges of the nobility ; others 
wished to attack the power and privileges both of’ the 
crown and the nobility. Under these circumstances, it 
is evident, that the former was placed in a situation of 
peril, and that the objects of the nobility were not 
so likely to be attained as those of the other , since 
had to concert their measures in such a manner 
as at the same time to act against the crown, and agai 
that party. But in this view of the causes of the Revo- 
lution, the nature of the place, where those desirous of 
a were assembled, must be taken into considera- 
tion, In countries, where the mass of the people have 
been long habituated to regard themselves as interested 
in the acts of the government, and privileged 'to express 
their wishes and opinions regarding those acts, it is im- 
ible that the population of the capital, however nu- 
merous or intriguing, should possess an undue share of 
influence ; but the case is different in countries where 
the le do not think themselves authorised or quali- 
fied to discuss the measures of their rulers, expecially i 
the connection and communication between the capital 
and the provinces is by no means intimate, lar, and 
frequent. In such countries, the population of the capital 
gives the colour and tone to the feelings and actions of 
Cote of the provinces ; and whoever wields 
it, wi a machine, by means of which he may almost 
certainly succeed in overthrowing the government of 
the country. ‘This was very strikingly the case in Pa- 
ris, not merely from the political ignorance and bon- 
dage in which the —_ of Frahor haiileng been kept, 
but also from the peculiar character of the ulation 
of the capital ; in which, even before the Revolution, 
there was to be found a greater laxity of principles and 
conduct, and more intrigue, restlessness, and s 
tic depravity, than existed in any other capital of Eu- 
— There was also in it a] number of what are 
men of letters, who would willingly lend their 
talents to the ion and support of any doctrines, 
to the en on of any schemes or acts, however 
unjust or cious, 
t is not to be wondered at, therefore, if all the parties 
in the Revolution aimed princi at gaining over the 
population of Paris, which, both trom its influence as 
the population of the capital of France, and from its 
peculiar reach mo 8 Cnet such a state of 
thingy could not fail to be of essential service to their 
views, ; ' 
Character of Those who first a as the leading actors in the 
the first tremendous drama the French Revolution, were, it 
movers of may “be allowed, without any great stretchvof candour, 
den. men who at least did not contemplate or approve of 
violent and unjust changes in the state ; but at the same 
Influence 
of Paris. 
FRANCE. : 
ture—by 
principles 
Lon oe of their own unfitness, and of the total want of 
Le ets wr me a even for gradual and 
te reform. Thus ignorant, they roused: and 
armed the worst passions of the multitude ;_ i 
led into them ee eee them 
their own er. consequences were as 
be , when we reflect on ceocnadenedtaueen. 
pulation of Paris, on whom they at first acted, and who 
afterwards became the instruments of more daring and 
unprincipled leaders. Shy o) Cowen OEy ® 
‘ Rill, however, it must be admitted, that it isdifficult 
to trace the formation, or understand the real features 
of the characters of such men as i Danton, 
Marat, &c. cepted eonalatiede a 
cruelty ; that no conception of the obligations 
pv: and justice, is too: ~ : but these horrid 
ualities were strangely mixed with some species of 
Ciotism; and even in theranidst of--unlicnited power, 
they seem to have had little or no ambition, and cer- 
tainly made no attempts toenrich themselves) 
- IE. With respect to the causes of the wonderfulimi> Causes of _ 
litary successes of the French, it appears to us that the 
three causes principally contributed to these successes, success of 
on previous to the'revolution, the Frenchy 
- In the first place, 
certainly as far back as the of Louis XIV. the 
the and 
most 
ly privileged, ‘ lee been distinguished by their love of 
glory, an a : weak and evanescent, 
and vi > 
at other times 
extinguished, that 
versal empire. ‘This meee —= ror National 
characteristic passion; i : > glory. 
ened and encouraged: by all the circumstances of the 
Revolution. pectry ha +N) Chieti Hayept 
-’ For, in the second place, there came imaid of this etiona 
passion, the strong 
which all nations, even ia 
slaved, - ina or less 5 
ary fe tr ica te oo eh 
ted to political slav " Sanbeecasiienn tpteaeneaiae 
political liberty ; consequently to promise it to 
ee was to promise them that which could neither 
excite their hopes nor enter into: their’ conceptions. 
But, as soon’as they understood that their'country was 
about'to be attacked, that and almost instinc- 
tive love of national i endence, which operates'in = 
the breasts of the inhabitants of all countries, broke — 
case of France, too, this love ——e 
was tly aided by their love of national glory. » ‘They 
wanbas lend the idea, that France, the Great Na- 
= 
‘ e 
of the Revolution, in the abolition of feudal services, 
and of those ions which are much more 
carl igecuvaliy hit thaspthe raniol iti bapa 
ence and liberty, by. the le at | , in all coun- 
tries, they were roused to the cause and exist- 
23 
le were so igt 
ing of national independence, independ- 
AS Oho 
‘ 
—~ 
a a 
4 
a 
4 
» 
& 
