340 LETTER TO 



cause of royalty in France receive its last sup- 

 port ? Not from the pensioned courtiers of Ver- 

 sailles ; but from a Stoflet, and a Charette, men 

 before unknown, but whom the occasion that 

 called for their talents formed into heroes; 

 from the plain and simple inhabitants of Brit- 

 tany, actuated by no motives but what arose 

 from attachment to the ancient government of 

 .their country, and reverence for the religion of 

 their fathers. 



Leaving, however, to more able advocates, 

 what further defence may be deemed proper 

 for the other licentiates, who have been charged 

 with disloyalty by the members of the college, 

 I shall now confine myself to a special vindica- 

 tion of my own character from so atrocious a 

 calumny. If, my Lord, I speak with warmth 

 upon this subject, I trust that I shall find an 

 excuse in the energy of your own feelings. He 

 that is wealthy may be robbed, without knowing 

 that he has experienced an injury. But the 

 poor man's all is often included in a single ob- 

 ject, which, though to other eyes worthless and 

 contemptible, may be to him the sole spring of 

 joy and hope. Any attack' upon it excites his 

 utmost powers of resistance ; its loss leaves him 

 without bond to the world, or interest in its 

 concerns. When we read of a rich man's de- 

 spoiling a poor neighbour of his only property, 



