Paris 8 1 



bnation of circumstances that promise e'er long to ferment 

 into motion if some master hand of very superior talents and 

 inflexible courage is not found at the helm to guide events, 

 instead of being driven by them. It is very remarkable that 

 such conversation never occurs but a bankruptcy is a topic: 

 the curious question on which is, would a bankruptcy occasion a 

 civil war and a total overthrow of the gover7iment ? The answers 

 that I have received to this question appear to be just: such 

 a measure conducted by a man of abilities, vigour, and firmness 

 would certainly not occasion either one or the other. But 

 the same measure, attempted by a man of a different charactur, 

 might possibly do both. All agree that the states of the kingdom 

 cannot assemble without more liberty being the consequence; 

 but I meet with so few men that have any just ideas of freedom 

 that I question much the species of this new liberty that is to 

 arise. They know not how to value the privileges of the people: 

 as to the nobility and the clergy, if a revolution added anything 

 to their scale I think it would do more mischief than good.^ 



18/A. To the Gobelins, which is undoubtedly the first manu- 

 facture of tapestry in the world, and such a one as could be 

 supported only by a crowned head. In the evening to that 

 incomparable comedy La Metromanie of Pyron, and well acted. 

 The more I see of it the more I like the French theatre; and 

 have no doubt in preferring it far to our own. Writers, actors, 

 buildings, scenes, decorations, music, dancing, take the whole 

 in a mass, and it is unrivalled by London. We have certainly a 

 few brilliants of the first water; but throw all in the scales and 

 that of England kicks the beam. I write this passage with a 

 lighter heart than I should do were it giving the palm to the 

 French plough. 



ic)th. To Charenton, near Paris, to see VEcole Veterinaire and 

 the farm of the Royal Society of Agriculture. Monsieur Chabert, 

 the directeur - general, received us with the most attentive 

 politeness. ^Monsieur Flandrein, his assistant and son-in-law, 

 I had had the pleasure of knowing in Suffolk. They showed the 

 whole veterinary establishment, and it does honour to the 

 government of France. It was formed in 1766: in 1783 a farm 

 was annexed to it and four other professorships established, two 



1 In transcribing these papers for the press, I smile at some remarks and 

 circumstances which events have since placed in a singular position; but 

 I alter none of these passages; they explain what were the opinions in 

 France, before the revolution, on topics of importance; and the events 

 which have since taken place render them the more interesting. June 1790. 

 — Author's note. 



