The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-01-13
for sic Gni,rirer.

The works OF Rousseau are in many r'accs
stamped with species of inspiration His bold
end enthusiastic Imagination seems TO have soar
ed into the regions OF fituri,y, ant snatched u
hasty glimpse 81: the times 70 came. He whom
the Tyrants of Europe could not I'VE, nor the iet g.
tors of Superstition represe, has equally dared
draw asidcthe mystic veil OF time.-Iience in the
following extracts, we behold tho spirit of n pro
phet-but it is the prophetic spirit of the thiio-
isofher, who has deeply mct,itated the order of
things, and traced effects from their CAUSES
a., one, who sees in the prolific germ of the seed
before him, the future plant l;ixuriant and dove
loped.
The first Of these extracts is tailer, from his
Social Contrtit but it is not in just spirit Of
prophecy as some have imagined. it evidently
does not point to so extraordinary n man, as Do
paparte--but to the state of the island ITSELF 1t
does not point to the appearance of mar, who
WOULD arise in that isle to rule The sceptre of
France and the destinies of Europe but simply
to the rise OF political system among themselves
which would astonish the world. In this last
sense, toe prophecy is not realised by fact----
Corsica has not yet astonished Europe, bv the
productioa of a Legislator, who ina. gwen her a
wise and free system of laws; and it is only true
IN ore sense, as it shows Rousscau's discern.
ment of the spirit of people whose Mariners
were capable 81 Producing man who would as
ton'sli the world In t''s passage, Rousseau is
touching the question, 7rhGt people are in a pro-
Per stateto receive laws After delivering his
own opinion upoS it, he thus goes on
lnthe arduous work of Legislation, it is less
difficult to SNOW what to establish than what to
destroy; & That makes legislators succeed so sci!
don. is the impossibility Of uniting The simple
5ystem Ofnature with those establishments which
are necessary for the welfare of Society Tut
as we rarely gee all the circumstances rerui,te.
TO form state combine together, so we seldom
md any state well constructed.-1here is still in
this quarter of the world one country prcpcr 10
L.. =
he valour and constancy yyith which that brave
people have recovered their liberty, well deserves
To have SEINE wise man step forward and teach
them how TO preserveit; and have a PRESENT.
ment that this little island will some day as,onish
all Europe
The other passage is much stronger in point,
IT seems 10 hare been written by the pen of in
SEPARATION itself. He is the Daniel or the Isaiah
that preceded the French revolution. What was
then prophecy is now history. What was on the
pages OF the " Erniiius," is now inscribed on the
annals Of France. The descendants of those,
who We're shining III splendor, are now compell-
ed to wander in other countries, and live on the
produce of mechanical ernployments
Adapt the situation of man, SAYS Rous.
scau, to his PERSONAL and not accidental abilities
Do not you see, that by bringing him up ONLY to
Till enc station in life, You make him unfit for G.
very other and that mere accident may render
all the pains you have taken useless, or destruc.
tive to him Is there more ridiculous being
on earth, than a lord become n beggar, and re,
tanning in his misery the prejudices attached 20
ms birth !? What is more vile and contemptibe
than rich man become poor, sensible of the
disgrace Of poverty, and reduced to the lowest
of the human species The one hath no other re.
source than to turn common cheat, and the O.
: Their seviiely to put Oh livery with this fine
phase in their mouths, cve snust Eve
You make dependence on the actua! order
81. society, without thinking that order subject
to unavoidable revolutions. and that it is imrossi.
bic to forcsee or prevent that which may affect
your children The high may be reduced low.
and the rich may become poor--and even the
monarch dwindlc into subject Arc these
changes of fortune unrequcnt, that YOU can
flatter yourself your pupil will be exemp, from
them We certainly are approaching the crisis
of human ESTABLISHING ats, the ae.of poli,i,a,
Sevolutons.' Who can assure YOU. what vii;
he your lot All that men made, they nav
destroy There are no characters ndelibie but
those imprinted by nature-and nature never
made man royal, noble, rich.
What then will become ofthe pupil VOC; hayc
educated to live only with splcndor when Z has.
ed INTO Indulgence and mcanness What will he.
come OF farmer Of Che revenues, whose soul de-
lights in nothing but wealth, when he is rcduc
cd 10 want and beggary How miserable must
be the situation Of that pau,rcrcd, helpless be-
'rE, who, destitute ofevery Ting, is incapable of
providing in the least fo7 himself, and niaces all
-!!s satisfaction in things, dependent on others {.
Hairy - he who knows how to oui, rank that
is quitting him. and TO remain still man in spte
ottortune Let others lavish what cnconjums
they please on the frantic behavior @! the van.
pushed monarch, who wanted 10 bury hmseIfa
live in the ruins of hrs throne for my part 7
hold him in contempt. 1t appears TO me, that
ms existence depended his crown and
that, had he not been king, he would
have been nothing at all But the monarch
who can throw aside the robes of roval,v
and be still himself, is, in my opinion infinitely
superior TO a crown From the rank of king.
which may be filled up by coward. knaye, or
fool, he rises 10 that of nan, which so few are
able to ill with delracy and dignity Such a
man msy brave the yicisstudes of fortune and
VIII triumph over them. He owes nothing tn n
nv one bst himself; and though destitute of an
adventurous substance, is not therefore annibiIat
ed; he ia still something. Yes, prefer infinitely
the character of king OF Syracuse turned school.
master at Corinth, OF king of NJ aced don become
anotary at Rome, TO that Of an unhappy Jarouif
ignorant how to subgist without Kingdom: &C
an heir to race OF kings, become the snort Of
All VINO are brutal enough 20 exuit in his misery.
wandering from court to court in search of re-,
.ief, ard meeting on every side with nothing but
mockery, Insult, and sRronts and all for want of
knowing how to exercise any employment differ.
eut from that to which he has been educ ,ted. and
-~lccii IS no longer in his power"
Eoquerr Genevesc What fidelity in lie ,:c
lures What spirit and soul in bis coiorngy
| hold it impossible tIat the Great noonar
oh;cs of Europe eau subsst much longer tbpv
al affect mag Gcence and SPLENDID. Every state
that doth this, is upon its decline. would give
very particular and copent Tensions for ,;,,~ 80, q,