Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-03-20

Fewcan avoid admiring the charity which
dictated this paragraph when they consider
il as valedictory to man who had offered
to Madame de Stael every modification
which could offend her sensibility as wo-
man and an authoress. After exiting her
from Paris. the scene Of her happiness and
her glory. he suppressed her writings, and
lessened, in so far as it was possible to
tyranny, the praises accumulated on them
by mankind.
The concluding division Of the work sug-
gests some admirable provisions for the sta
biliment Of liberty in France and honors
the English constitution with splendid
eulogy, which is maintainable rather by
its theory than by its administration. E.
qually eloquent, and far more true, are her
remarks on the moral and political insttu-
tions of the United States. The false state
ments in these respects which have given
bread and infamy to the venal writers OF
Great Britain, now find their refutation in
the prosperity and moral dignity Of Ameri-
ca. As great orator Of our country said
of himself, "our constitution has hued do1un
| the calumnies OF ito enemies"
There is no doubt that the tendency OF
the "Gonsiderations will be to fortify and
even to extend the reputation OF its autho-
ress, as il not only abounds in the same ge-
neral excelIences which had postponed to
her all contemporary writers, bat presents
the only satisfactory view of the French
revolution which has yet been Afforded
Criticism may perhaps object that the mar
rative is NOT continuous. If the work had
been published as history, an ample de-
tail might certainly have been expected /;
but however it may be regretted that such
was not its design, it lis unreasonable TO
eensure Madame de Stael for not perform.
ing what she never promised. In truth,
the book consists OF a series of philosophi-
cal essays on the different stages OF the re-
volution. and affects not to record regular
ly its events. l., as Bolinghroke has
said "histo,y he philosophy teaching by ex-
ampIes," mankind should be more CRATE
full for the principles here distilled from
the experience of tons, than for mi
mute recital Of those circumstances of
blood and horror which can be furnished
by the Lumblest pamphleteer.
The advantage resulting from Madame
de Stae's acknowledged penetration and
accuracy would, it might have been app
pretended, be somewhat diminished by
her concern in the revolution. This, tho
not immediate to herself, was sufficient to
foster many prejudices to her recolections
as her father, whom she regarded with
fOndness almast iiolairous, was promi-
nent actor in the scenes which she now de-
scribes. Every occasion she indeed uses
to illustrate the wisdom and integrity of
that statesman, but never at the expense
of historical truth, and it is only in her re-
Elections that we find her peculiarly inte-
rested in his fame 1t had been the unhap-
piness of Necker TO be at once blamed by
the revolutionists for retarding the fill of
despotism, and by the royalists Tor accel-
lerating the revolution. These contr. RI
ent opinions, which prevailed during his
life, afterward made compromise more
injurious to him than either, by agreeing
that IL his Intentions were pure, his views
were narrow, and that though not
treacherous, he was an unenlightened smi-
mister. This opinion was not merely the
conclusion which ignorance and envy had
drawn from their wishes, but il received
in some me asure the support of more au-
thoritative judgments. Adam Smith, par
ticularly, professed to see in the Genevan
Financier rather banker than politician.
To refute by candid exposition of facts
a doctrine SO sacrilegous in the eyes Of
Madame de Stael, the early portions of
the present work are devoted, and TO this
purpose its general objects are for season
made subsidiary. She shews very clearly
that though principle and habit had at
tashed M. Necker TO republican institu-
tons, he never attempted to introduce
them into France that his conduct to-
ward both the King and the people was,
wise and hoaest-that the system he, re-
commended was the only one by which
The King Could have been sayed-that the
influence at court which was due to his Of