d, it is more doubtful, for we do not as yet consider the little
partisan affairs which are taking place every day. France and England,
conscious that their exhausted means would poorly feed a war, have been
strenuously exerting themselves to procure an accommodation. But the
King of Prussia, in a moment of passion, has taken a measure which may
defeat their wishes. On receiving from the Princess of Orange, a letter
informing him of her having been stopped on the road, without
consulting the court of London, without saying a word to his own
ministers, he issued orders himself to his Generals to march twenty
thousand men to be at her orders. England, unwilling to bring on a war,
may yet fear to separate from him who is to be her main ally. Still,
she is endeavoring, in concurrence with this court, to stop the effects
of this hasty movement, and to bring about a suspension of hostilities
and settlement of difficulties, always meaning if they fail in this, to
take the field in opposition to one another. Blessed effect of a kingly
government, where a pretended insult to the sister of a king, is to
produce the wanton sacrifice of a hundred or two thousand of the people
who have entrusted themselves to his government, and as many of his
enemies! and we think ours a bad government. The only condition on
earth to be compared with ours, in my opinion, is that of the Indian,
where they have still less law than we. The European, are governments
of kites over pigeons. The best schools for republicanism are London,
Versailles, Madrid, Vienna, Berlin, &c. Adieu, my dear Sir, and be
assured of the sincere esteem of your most obedient humble servant.

TO MONSIEUR DE CREVE-COEUR.

PARIS, August 6, 1787.

DEAR SIR,--I was not a little disappointed to find on my return that
you had gone punctually in the packet as you had proposed. Great is the
change in the dispositions of this country in the short time since you
left it. A continuation of inconsiderate expense seemed to have raised
the nation to the highest pitch of discontent. The parliament refused
to register the new taxes. After much and warm altercation, a _lit de
justice_ has been held this day at Versailles; it was opened by the
reading a severe remonstrance from the parliament, to which the King
made a hard reply, and finished by ordering the stamp tax, and
impot-territorial to be registered. Your nation is advancing to a
change of constitution; the young desire it, th