1799-] 
notwithitandine the frequency of meat 
diet, partaken of four or five times a day, 
the {curvy is not fo prevalent here as in 
Old England: a prefumptive proof, that 
the clearnels of atmofphere, experienced 
throughout the United States, aéts power- 
fully in the prevention of this difeate. 
(To be concluded in our next.) 
eR 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
I MOST cordially agree in opinion 
with a corre{pondent, who fubf{cribes 
V. W. that the report of the Monthly 
Magazine, on the national inftitute of 
France, and the retrofpect of French lite- 
rature, are articles peculiarly interefting 
and valuable; and this intereft is doubly 
enhanced by the confideration, that the 
real ftate of that country, and its im- 
provements, from fome fage motives of 
bottle-conjuring policy, are attempted to 
be ‘eduloufly withheld from the obferva- 
tion of the people of this country. 
In the firft place, I fhall ftate the na- 
ture of my authority, that every one may 
judge of the degree of credibility to which 
it is entitled, and enjoy a fair opportu- 
nity to inveftigate, or even controyert it, 
which is the only method of opening the 
real path to truth, fuppofing that I have 
not yet difcovered it. I do not however 
hefitate to acknowledge my own con- 
viction. 
My inquiries commenced, foon after 
the fortunate diffolution of the reign of 
terror, by the overthrow of the treache- 
rous and felfifh Robefpierre, when the 
republic beginning to affume a legal and 
fettled form, encouraged a return of con- 
fidence, and promoted, in a confiderable 
degree, the facilities of intercourfe ; thefe 
enquiries have been attentively purfued to 
the prefent time, through the medium of 
travellers of neutral nations; fome of them 
commercial, fome agricultural and lite- 
rary, whom a laudable and ufeful curio- 
ditty attracted to the examination of a 
country, which had undergone fo wonder- 
ful a metamorphofis. 2 have alfo ob- 
tained confiderable information from {fe- 
veral intelligent men of the later emigrés, 
who have relations or friends fettled under 
the repubiic; and from prifoners both 
Englith and Irifh, who being confined in 
the inland parts of France, were in confe- 
quence under the neceffity of making jour- 
neys of fome length through the country. 
The particular queries are, rf. Has 
the recollection of the juperftition and ty- 
anny of their old church, produced the 
MonruLty Mac. No. xLil. 
Prefent State of Religion in France. 
129 
fame effe& on the bulk of the people, as 
the contemplation of it did upon their 
philofophers? Anfwer, Yes, that re- 
collection is indelible with full nine parts 
in ten of the people of France. ‘The phi- 
lofophers have fucceeded moft wonderfully 
and univerfally, in imbuing the public 
mind with their favourite principles. 
Congratulations on their efcape from ec- 
clefiaftical fraud and tyranny, are very 
general, and are ufually accompanied 
with ftories of the religious and arittocra- 
tical cruelties of former days. As an ex- 
ample, take the following fa&t, which 
was related to me by an American gentle- 
man. ‘* Before the revolution, a perfon 
travelling in Frauche Compté, {aw in’a 
village near St. Cloude, at the door of a 
miferable hut, three guards armed with 
mufkets, and bearing a bandalier acrofs 
their fhoulders, with the arms of a digni- 
tary of the church. Thefe guards were ftriv- 
ing to prevent a woman in tears, and four 
ragged children, from entering the door. 
The obferver fuppofed them officers of 
jattice, but was informed, that in the hut 
was a mainmortable,in the agonies of death, 
and that his wife and children were 
ftruggling with the guards to get to him, 
and catch his laft breath ; but as his fur- 
niture belonged to the Lord, it was the 
cuftom to drive away every one, leaft 
any part fhould be ftolen.”” The ftories 
which one hears in France, of the vio- 
lence formerly put upon the inclinations 
of young women, from interefted motives, 
ave incredible, for their number and atro- 
city. Nothing furely could be better 
contrived to ftifle the feelings of humanity 
than monattic inftitutions. 
Query 2d. Is the number of French 
Proteflants increafed, fince the revolution, 
or are they generally gone over to Deifm? 
Anfwer. Proteitantifm has decreafed 
much, if it be not entirely obliterated ; 
the little religion which remains in France, 
is the pure Roman Catholic, with an af- 
fected difplay of all the ancient mum- 
mery 3; which they imagine to be politic, 
in thefe times of total laxity in religious 
difcipline. 
Query 3d. Have any confiderable at- 
tempts beew made to promote jree enquiry 
with refpect to religion, and to propagate 
the knowledge of pure Chrifliant:y ? 
Anfwer. None at all, at leatt if any 
fuch have been or are made, they do not 
excite the {malleft intereft or curiofity. 
The French public, of every degree, are 
totally indifferent to the fubject, in all its 
branches ; even books of infidelity have 
now ne attraction, the public mind being 
R abfolutely 
