ould be put into a scale against what this country suffers
from its monarchical form in a week, or England in a month, the latter
would preponderate. Consider the contents of the Red book in England,
or the Almanac royale of France, and say what a people gain by
monarchy. No race of kings has ever presented above one man of common
sense in twenty generations. The best they can do is, to leave things
to their ministers; and what are their ministers, but a committee,
badly chosen? If the king ever meddles, it is to do harm. Adieu, my
dear Sir, and be assured of the esteem of your friend and servant.

TO COLONEL MONROE.

PARIS, August 5, 1787.

DEAR SIR,--A journey of between three and four months, into the
southern parts of France and northern of Italy, has prevented my
writing to you. In the meantime, you have changed your ground, and
engaged in different occupations, so that I know not whether the news
of this side the water will even amuse you. However, it is all I have
for you. The storm which seemed to be raised suddenly in Brabant, will
probably blow over. The Emperor, on his return to Vienna, pretended to
revoke all the concessions which had been made by his Governors
General, to his Brabantine subjects; but he, at the same time, called
for deputies from among them to consult with. He will use their agency
to draw himself out of the scrape, and all there, I think, will be
quieted. Hostilities go on occasionally in Holland. France espouses the
cause of the Patriots, as you know, and England and Prussia that of the
Stadtholder. France and England are both unwilling to bring on war, but
a hasty move of the King of Prussia will perplex them. He has thought
the stopping his sister sufficient cause for sacrificing a hundred or
two thousand of his subjects, and as many Hollanders and French. He has
therefore ordered twenty thousand men to march, without consulting
England, or even his own ministers. He may thus drag England into a
war, and of course this country, against their will. But it is certain
they will do everything they can to prevent it; and that in this at
least they agree. Though such a war might be gainful to us, yet it is
much to be deprecated by us at this time. In all probability, France
would be unequal to such a war by sea and by land, and it is not our
interest, or even safe for us, that she should be weakened. The great
improvements in their constitution, effected by the Assemblee des
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