650 
yield to their paradoxical positions, 1 
was still able to follow the rules dictated 
tome by humanity; [ accordingly paid 
the imposts levied on my own peasantry, 
reserving the right of rermbarsing myself 
during a fruitful harvest. General gra- 
titude, was the consequence in the spring; 
but this was followed byg ecneral murmurs 
among my vassals in the autumn, wher 
E demanded re-payment. In short, one 
of the peasants whom I had reprehended 
on accoant of his bad conduct, cut down 
two favourite cherry-trees in my orchard, 
and then abandoned bis habitation, 
“To complete my sorrows, I fell in 
love once: more ; and that too with Ca- 
therine, the daughter of my gardener: 
but I soon discovered that she was 
attached to Thomas, the son of a neigh- 
bouring farmer; in short, I found 
that winle old age blunts our senses in 
respect to pleasures, it leaves us all our 
sensibility. in regard to chagrin. With 
a view of bei ng just, E united the two 
lovers; I portioned the maiden, and let 
some fruitful lands to her Young spouse 
atan easy rate. A few weeks alter, how- 
ever, happening to pass by their panne: 
i was attracted by the screams of Cathe- 
rine, and on entering immediately seized 
-on her husband, who was heating her 
most unmercifuily. * There isno state,’ 
exclaimed T, ‘which does not exiibit'a 
series of rniseries, although they present 
themselves under different forms. In 
the metropolis, Catherine would have 
shed tears in consequence of the pew 
of ber husband, 
out from the excesses of his brutality 5, 
and since the society of men 1s every 
where the same, t am determined to fly 
from.it for ever.’ Of all places Paris 
appeared to me.to'be the best calculated’ 
for this purpose. The immense number 
of people who inhabit this city, and the 
Gontinual suc 
Jord full liberty of being anknown and 
in seclusion, without experiencing the 
horrors of solitude. During the two 
years I 
very first man to whom I have spoken !” 
The next article, consists of political 
and military s speculations. The author, 
ee or being astonished at the en 
sxumber of great oe is surprised 
di so many should have existed, gceing 
that such extraordinar y requisites are de- 
manded in the composition of a General. 
“Tn respect to states, they are elevated 
_and sipported by thé virtue of the citi- 
zens, and by this virtue 1 understand, 
simplicity of manners and patriotism. 
our French authors. 
here she is made to cry: 
cession of occupations, af 
have resided here, you are the ’ 
Retrospect of French Luerature—Biography. 
But no sooner, do states refine than men 
begin to calculate; and it is soon disco= 
vered that the houour produced by the 
exercise of these virtues, is little better 
than a chimera! From the moment 
that ev ery citizen thinks only of himself; 
the whole secial body necessarily lan 
guishes: the machine indeed will ope- 
rate sometime longer by its own proper 
movement, but:at the least shock diss 
Wganigation is hkely to ensue.” 
After this the Baron draws a lively 
picture of France, suchas it was atleast 
anterior to the revolution. He at the 
Same time observes, that although the 
English constitute the nation who have 
given the severest blows to France, yet 
ee manners are no more chaste, nor 
their writings jess licentious, than ‘those 
of the French it is the audacity of their 
pens which seems to have emboldened 
As to their morals 
too, they seem to push debauchery toa 
greater length; but the firmness of cha- 
racter peculiar to this people, preserves 
it from effiminacy and corruption, which 
are the inevitable rocks of French frivo- 
lity. The English, who are profound 
calculators, feei the necessity of a sub-= 
mission to those laws which constitute 
the preservation of society, while the 
French, ignorant and frivolous, must 
fear in order not to violate them. A 
little after ‘this, he exclaims as follows : : 
‘Non, je le repéte, il n’y a qu "un mi. 
racle qui puisse sauver la Fraice!” oy 
Our author next recurs to the history 
of France; and observes, that “ Cardinal — 
Richheu finding that country torn to 
pieces by civil wars, which were conti- 
nually fomented by the too powerful nos 
bility, he, in conformity to his nature, 
which was harsh and cruel, cut off the 
heads of many of them. Knowing 
however, that this at best was bata tem- 
porary remedy, he attracted the gran- 
dees to jcourt by means of honourable 
and advantayeous employments, which 
rendered them dependant on the king. 
During the minority of Louis XLV: the 
civil wars were renewed, and no sooner 
did this monarch, appease them, than he 
followed the route which he: catdinal 
had chalked out. 
“« But under the reign of Louis XV. 
the system ought td fave been changed z 
for these same ‘nobles, ‘being convinced 
that they had no other existence than 
that which the favour of their master 
bestowed, instead of courageous barons, 
became vile and servile courtiers. Nay, 
they did not stop there; for they made 
themsely eg 
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