The Revolution 339 



payment of rent; sayings in direct terms, we are strong enough 

 to detain the rent, and you are not strong enough to enforce the 

 payment. In a country- where such things are possible, pro- 

 perty ol every kind it must be allowed is in a dubious situation. 

 Ver}'^ e/il . consequences will result from this ; arrears will 

 accumulate too great for landlords to lose, or for the peasants to 

 pay, who will not easily be brought to relish that order and legal 

 government which must necessarily secure these arrears to their 

 right owners. In addition to all the rest, by the new system of 

 taxation there is laid a land tax of 300,000,000, or not to exceed 

 4s. in the pound ; but, under the old government, their vingtiemes 

 did not amount to the seventh part of such an impost. In what- 

 ever light, therefore, the case of French landlords is viewed, it 

 will appear that they have suffered immensely by the revolution. 

 — That many of them deserved it cannot, however, be doubted, 

 since we see their cahiers demanding steadily that all their 

 feudal rights should be confirmed : ^ that the carr)'ing of arms 

 should be strictly prohibited to ever^'body but noblemen : - that 

 the infamous arrangements of the militia should remain on its 

 old footing: -^ that breaking up wastes, and enclosing commons, 

 should be prohibited : ^ that the nobility alone should be eligible 

 to enter into the army, church, etc. : ^ that lettres de cachet 

 should continue: ^ that the press should not be free: ' and, in 

 fine, that there should be no free-corn trade. ^ 



To the clerg}' the revolution has been yet more fatal. One 

 word will dispatch this inquiry. The revolution was a decided 

 benefit to all the lower clergy of the kingdom ; but it was destruc- 

 tive of all the rest. It is not easy to know what they lost on the 



1 Evreux, p. 32. Bourbonnois, p. 14. Artois, p. 22. Bazas, p. 8. 

 Nivernois, p. 7. Poiton, p. 13. Saintonge, p. 5. Orleans, p. 19. Chau- 

 viont, p. 7. — Author'' s note. 



'^ Verntaudois, p. 41. Quesnoy, p. 19. Sens, p. 25. Evreux, p. 36. 

 Scsanne, p. 17. Bar stir Seine, p. 6. Beauvais, p. 13. Bugey, p. 34. 

 Clermont F errand, p. 11. — Author's note. 



^Limoges, p. 36. — Author's note. 



* Cambray, p 19. Pont a Mousson, p 38. — Author's note. 



■'■ Lyon, p. 13. Touraine, p. 31. Angoumois, p. 13. Auxerre, p. 13. 

 The author of the Historical Sketch oj the French Revolution, 8vo. 1792, 

 says, p. 68: " The worst enemies of nobility have not yet brought to light 

 any cahier in which the nobles insisted on their exclusive right to military 

 preferments." In the same page this gentleman says, it is impossible 

 for any Englishman to study four or five hundred cahiers. It is evident, 

 however, from this mistake, how necessary it is to examine them before 

 writing on the revolution. — Author's note. 



'' Vermaudois, p. 23. Chalons-sur-Marne, p. 6. Gien, p. 9. — Author's 

 note. 



' Crepy, p. 10. — Author's note. 



' St. Quentin, p. 9. — Author's note. 



