The National Register.
London, England, 1816-01-28 00:00:00

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900 .1

'the daily papers are, indeed, for ever talking of revolution
and reaction in FRANCE ; and we hear much of the silence and
the gloom that precedes a storm. We arc constantly told, too,
of the weakness of the Monarch and of the Court ; but we con-
fess we are at a loss to discover it, speaking, as we would wish
Always to be understood, by comparison with other monarchs,
and with other courts.
BUON APA RTE, indeed, possessed great vigour of mind, of
talents, of personal constittrion, and, except in the two last
instances of his abdication, great pertinacity in his schemes
of conduct. But, as was wisely said by the Marquis of WEL•
LESLEY, it is of the character of such minds, to prepare for
themselves great reverses. 'they play high, they risk much, and
arc constantly tempting fortune : they must sometimes lose her
favours. Not so with the men of Louts' stamp. They risk
nothing by boldness. Moderate in their talents, they yield to
circumstances, and, endeavouring to keep things as they find
them, fortune, at most times, is in their favour.
When, indeed, the choice was for FRANCE between the
BOURBONS, who were almost forgotten, and BUONAP ART Ey
who was the creature and the support of the revolutionary
system, it was decided in favour of that system, which has been
established for twenty-five years ; and, probably, if FRANCE
could now speak its sentiments, either Buonaparte, or some
chief who would preserve that system with more tranquillity
and less ambi lion, would be preferred. For it is quite absurd
to believe, that a nation like FRANCE, vain and boastful as any
of her neighbours, can really hail as a blessing the return of a
sing, whose establishment is the ERA of their subjugation, and
whose greatest boast must be, that,with thirty millions of francs,
;ud five years of occupation by foreign troops, he is enabled to
seat himself on the throne of SAINT Louts.
Thrones, however, are not so easily disturbed, when sup-
ported by a brave soldiery, as theoretical Republicans have
lately imagined. The weakness of any government arises from
its want of knowledge of the spirit of the times, and of its
means to pay and secure the fidelity of its troops; or its igno-
rance, in not diverting the attention of the people to foreign

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Lotus XVII!. has, we think, shown much caution. Ile has
promised little, except when driven to extremities ;and, though
tie has disregatded the charter, yet he has contrived to obtain
a complete power over the dress, and the legislative assemblies ;
and when he shall have raised a sufficient army, which he may
clo befote tlae foreigners arc withdrawn, we have little doubt
that he will be able to reign with as much tranquillity as his
tieighbouts. The greatest difficulty in which he is involved
acems to be in pacifying the craving appetites of the returned
einigrants ; who, we know, have an cagey ness to possess them-
&Lives of their former domains, and to occupy all places of rank
iu the state. The pliests also are a little too eager to violate the
freedom of religion, and to regain possession of:. the tythes.
This, wl en I3uusA PAIt Ti was at hand, and the army was not
entirely broken, lost him the throne in 18 ; but, no immediate
claimant of courage and abilities being in the way to seize the
opportunity cf the moment, it is obvious, that, by a little ma-
nagement, much may and will be done for the emigrants;
though not quite all that may be wished for the priests. The
parties, it is said, are divided now only into two. Those who
wish to pi eserve the 'evolutionary establishments, and those
who wilt to restore cvt.rything as it was in ancient times. With-
out a head, under the watch of the t.olice, with pier. cutirely

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