ave been taught, by
restless visionaries, to consider the destinations of Providence, which
had before, by an imperceptible gradation of social colouring, united
the russet brown to the magisterial purple, as usurpations over those
natural rights which have been impressed without illustration, and
magnified by a mischievous mystery. In the fierce pursuit of these
imaginary immunities, which they had been taught to believe had been
long withheld, they abruptly renounced all deference and decorum, as
perilous indications of the fallacy of their indefinable pretensions,
and were not a little encouraged by the disastrous desertion of their
superiors, who fled at the first alarm. In short, the revolution has, in
general, made the higher orders poor, and dispirited, and the lower
barbarous, and insolent, whilst a third class has sprung up, with the
silence and suddenness of an exhalation, higher than both, without
participating in the original character of either, in which the
principles of computation, and the vanity of wealth, are at awkward
variance.

Until lately, the ancient french and the modern french were antipodes,
but they are now converging, under a government, which, in point of
security, and even of mildness, has no resemblance, since the first
departure from the ancient establishments. The french, like the
libertine son, after having plunged in riot and excesses, subdued by
wretchedness, are returning to order and civilization. Unhappy people,
their tears have almost washed away their offences--they have suffered
to their heart's core. Who will not pity them to see their change, and
hear their tales of misery? Yet, strange to relate, in the midst of
their sighs and sufferings, they recount, with enthusiasm, the exploits
of those very men, whose heroic ambition has trampled upon their best
hopes, and proudest prosperity. Dazzled by the brilliancy of the
spreading flame, they forget that their own abode is involved in its
desolation, and augments the gloomy grandeur of the scene. To this cause
may, perhaps, be traced that singular union of grief and gayety, which
affords rather an impressive contrast to the more solemn consistency of
english sadness. The terrible experiment which they have tried, has,
throughout, presented a ferocious contest for power, which has only
served to deteriorate their condition, sap their vigour, and render them
too feeble either to continue the contest, or to reach the frontier of
the