The Sun.
London, England, 1820-11-16 00:00:00

FOR THE SUS'.

Mr. EDITOR,—YOII presented your, Readers
some time since with a Sketch of tha Character
of Louis the 16th, King of France, reserving
another opportunity to animadvert upon it.

It appears that Louis was a King who lived for the inte-
rests of his people, and desired to promote the benefits of
traplrind in general. A modest distrust of his own judgnient
and. al,ilities induced him to select his Minister; from the
character 'they received in pnblic. Many will imagine he
ec'ul,i not have acted more prudently. He however treated
with unsuspicious contempt the secret designs, intrigues, and
teat arose under his Government; by the neglect of
not ovens helming, them at once, they vitiated, disturbed,
and undermined his Monarchy. We learn that his Nlinis-

trys yielded abundantly to innovations on the system of their
ISin:zs, believing that the Monarchy was not the less secure
-can that Acconnt., We find that republics in other countries
• were patronised by the, French Monarchy, anal we know a Re-
volutivi in the moral state of France preceded the political.
ErAnce had become licentious, profligate, and extravagant,
and Ahat examples were given, and " what measures adopt-
ed, became of more importance than ever; for their causes
no longer lurking in the recesses of Cabinets or in the private
conspiracies of the factious, they were no longer to be con-
trolle4 by the . influence of the grandees," who formerly
could raise troubles, and by corruption compose them. The
chain of subordination was broken, and it was not then the

ireal and the populace—other interests were formed. The
middle classes hod swelled far beyond their former propor-
tion. These classes became the seat of ectire politics; they
were impatient of the place which settled Society prescribes
Therhad got between the,great and the populace,
and the ii hence ou the lower classes was with them. A spirit
et ambition had taken pOisession of this class. They felt the
imoortance of their situation. Withont the great, perhaps,
the first movements in this Revolution could not have hewn
riven. But the spirit of ambition was then for the first time
connected with the spirit of Speculation, and Was not to be
restrarned.:at will, to such 'a crisis bad Fiance arrived pre-
cious to the Revolution; and we'lament-that the character of
the affairs, and the state of England, just now present a poi-
traiture of that unhappy Country at that period. For the
7;thlelle classes in this Country- have acquired wealth and in-

to them.

linenco; and the proportion now between the higher classes
and the middling, bears no comparison. The time.is in our
recollrction when the f espectahle shopkeeper was content to
bare his coat of " gude siftiff brown," and his housewife
gure'd off in the flowered cotton chintz. They were se-
riotous and industrious in their occupations—soberand moral
in their habits, attentive to their families, loyal to their King,
steady in their attachment to the Constitntion of the Country,

o.n d ardent in their zeal for its
.welfare and prospeeity.--:
The•Sabhath was a day of pleasing recreation ; it was passed
in the exercise of their religious duties; and at other intervals
in conversing with those relatives whom the duties of the
week fiad separated from them. If we shall find the shop-
keeper iS dressed in " in the very hest superfine," and his
Lady in the " costly silk and satin,"--a visit is paid to
Church—but,

"Spectatum veniunt, 9 pectentey ut ipsa," they come to see,
that they themselves maylxe seen—instead of the Bible, or
even the History of their own Country meeting* their atten-
tion on that day. (for it would be better if " John Bull's"

birth and education were more exteniivety known) the

News Paper and the Pamphlet, the Budgets of idle specula-
tion, factious declamation, destructive theoretical plans-, and
lying ' rumours, become " the Sunday Family Expositor.'
The evil in this is obvlons ; not so Much Injurious is it to the
parent, - who it is probable may be on the coutines of the
grate, anti his situation awaken Isis slumbering faculties •of
reasoniag, but to the offspring, who, imbibing 'on M.at day
esmelusions frequently stated to he drawn from facts which
neer.oceurred, adopts the opinion, which so presses on Isis
sni.al, that the nieditatioo of the Scriptures, which ought to
hr his only pursuit, and I lie worship of his Creator his only
dtsty on thht day, 'are entirely neglected, and in the remin-
ds:meal-the week the newly at:paired notions bees's& more than
s. twice told tale to his fellow-apprentices; thils the contagion
is spread, with its corrupting influence.
Wt. Witness also a change in the condition of the " Country
Farmer." who formerly -rode "Old Dobbin," and his Mistress
lump: jt behind him, wearing. her red cloak, and carrying
her basket of eggs. lu these days, no such thing is to he
seen. "-Old Dobbin" draws the dung cart only, and the
Country Farmer and his Mistress grai-,e a one horse chaise, the
animal generally one of the best of his race ; instead of the
basket in her hand, red cloak on her shoulders, a white poc-
ket handkerchief suits her Limerick glove, and a silk shawl,
It.wesAtegligently on her arm. We believe facts like these
do wit indicate distress and want, though they have producel
more evil than good.—Yet, 'the manufacturer natt4 be sup-
purred—but laud the shopkeeper and his housewife, the farmer
anti Ins
.111.ist ress, acted upon the system their ancestors prac-
tised, then at this day they would not have had tat cry Si) loud,
air sigata begp,,tey, the very depressed state of their exigency -1
bot, if the shaplivetter and fanner could not,atford in times
past to clothethemselves so richly—and they can do now, the
inference is, that they are rich. These observations apply
both tes the farmer and the shopkeeper alike, and to all of
that 'class; with the additional observation to the farmer,
that if he wooid still continue to live in the respectable but
bumble style that his ancestors did, he would then have
seonetbing to spare, which might be consumed in the encoar-
agemeat of "after duty" recreations.; whereby the husband-
man ;and the labourer would be allured front the care-killing
quit-Onse.into health,industry, and comfort. When the nuin-
hers ofour conntrynien that are to be denominated under tl:e
classes we have mentioned ate considered, the extent of the evil
complained against will be at once perceived. Another, and
it is thought the main evil existing' among us, is the pride,
and enmity, the jealousy, and ambition, that are predamiciant
ill and between -the- middling classes, and that immediately
aitJee them; but is there not a remedy ? 'Yes ; let t heyge-
nerous; but sturdy Britons unite—and, as they have attained,
unshackled by foreign deveitism, to these enlightened days,
eoteara he means of ac juicing learning .and knowledge, by
oral as well as Written instruction, are so profusely bestowed
and strenuously encouraged, the mains striking will -be this
view of the subject. The middling classes are wealthy, and
have the means ; so have the classes, above them, up to the
Graudees. If then'the middling el asses haviag mean"s will
ease them for rendering there:selves in personal, and as far as
can Oa an mental accomplishments, adequate to the slate of a
uniari in society with the classes above them, then -society
woad he gent raiiv increased, it would become more polished,
refined, chaste acrd wise; no just reason, no pretext, no plau-
sible objection could be then urged against the preposi-
tion, - Beyond
..these advantages to Society; the country
would- reap a much More extensive and genuine benefit.—
The ,iiscontented murmurings that, now prevail -in Britain
would gnidually be bushed, Conspiracies no longer exist,
Trait Ors, and assassins. and Revidutionists, would "hide their
elnehiished heads;" all would_be harmony arfd peace.; then.
unght we boast that bonny Did leAgiand is at once the envy
and the glory of the world. But the fact is evident—it must
ho!, It cannot, it ought not to rest with the Grandee's to form
this coalition ; but with the classes between them and the
mutating classes; when they were once united and soldered
loci:, a general society, they would, at any time, be superior
to the risings of the classes that are below them. To common
sense it is plain those enders cannot be altered, that dill's r-
ent gradations of society and maakind are necessary for the
civilization and order of this world; and it is to be laniented
that as we grow richer, we cannot, we do not grow wiser.
The proposed coalition, however, would form an inapenetrable
bulwark against Revolution, in the support of die Monarchy,
Ar i “cracy, and Commons.
'lke length of. this communication prevents me adding any
tour e observations at present ; besides that J avereaty GuusE-
Ql Letter must necessarily draw from inc an explana-
mauy of my sentiments, on which I conceive he has
josined mistaken notions. A. -