Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-07-15
NEW WORK
on THE FRENCH REPOLUTION.
FOR THE ENQUIRER.

IL mas long been subject OF deep regret
with those who feel AN interest in the welfare
ana reputation of the United States, that the
literature Ofthe country rarely meets with the
fostering patronage, To which il is entitled, and
which is as necessary to ripen it to perfection,
AS the sun To mature the iuiis of the earth.
"niie American writers experience such cold
ana chilling neglect, their efforts will be re-
pressed, and many pen, which, under better
order OF things would be usefully employed
ior the entertainment and instruction of the
nation, will remain idle.
These reflections are excited by the perusal
OF work entitled Letters from Paris. on the
causes and consequences the French Revo-
luton, which, although published four months
s'nC nee Is scarcely known among our citizens.
These letters possess very great merit, and
are entitled to place in the library of every
gentleman who is DESTROYS of acquiring a
knowledge of the causes and CONSEQUENCES or
al; an e'entto which history produces no parallel
ihey contain various profound views which
nave escaped the notice of former writer's on
the subject, and which shed strong light ON
me history of the eventlu period through
which the civilized world has recently passed
Ana not their least merit is the luminous
sketch OF the Charter solemnly given To the
French nation by Louis XVIII. which has
oeen so perfdlousy violated by the ultra ro val
party, VINO now mIsgoverD France, and vi H.,
are 'aoorlng, with their utmost energy, and
WIN Zeal worthy of good cause, to intro
duce the old despotism, under the deceptious
cloak of representative government. The
frIghtful inrOads made in that national instru-
'hen', whereby ITS most sautary provisions
are annued, are satisfactorily detailed
impressed with the merits of this work, /
nave made number of extracts from IT,
winch request you will publish, and which,
trust, will afford high degree of qualification
to your readers. Ihave two objects in view
one To convey useful information TO such of
'hen as may not or cannot purchase the work
-and the other, to induce those who can
AFFORD 1t, to- make a valuable addition to their
libraries.
Let me not be understood to imply that the
work is wholly faultless. II has its blemishes !.
but they are OF little importance, and yery
slightly detract from its merits, which would
amply atone for defects tenfold greater than
those to be found in the Letters from Paris"
mr. Somerville Is young writer and has
ia'irn INTO an error not uncommon in the com
mencement of the career of authorship, for
which his inexperence in that department
may apologize bnt which, hope, his ma
turer Judgment will in future avoid mean the
use OF sesquiPedalian and uncommon words
suci, 'oI lnstance-as exenteralion, exiliiion-
-'enetice-eioigned cresciyeness, Goa q.
cervalIon, reticrsctnce, &c. II il truly won
derful, and much to be regretted. that mind
"f such endowments as the writer obviously
possesses, should have fallen into an error at
whict correct taste revolts. Let it be OBJ
served, however, that with the exceptions of
the words IN question, which are not very pu
mernus, Mr.. Someryille's style is generally
excellent and polished, and often highly florid
anu e'oqueni. NC.
Richmond, July o, 1928.
LIST ExTRAcT-Jr from INTRODUCTORY LETTER
dated Paris, 1890.
nose who have written on the French
revolution, instead of atfordiDg an iumina-
ton of the causes which produced that enor-
NOUS political volcano or of embodying its
eNis'iiS consequences into one view, SO as to
enable us TO Judge with olerable precision. W he.
Their IFS eruptiOns are destined tn increase or tn
wth'r Inc bloom of human civilization, have
generally argued upon il with, the prejudices
of the nation to which they happened to be-
long and after the artificial habit of Judging
derived from the principles in which they
were educated. They have consequently
been misled rather by The suggestions ofinter-
est anu the dictates of passion, than by an
absolute want of candour. II has been the
iashIon too among the advocates of the new
doctrine of legitimacy in France, and among
the shallow and presump.uous observers Of
historical events in foreign countries TO esti
MAZE the present moral feeling and political
inteiIigence of the French by the monstrous
atrocities and fUllies Of the re, olution. No
sooner was the restoration accomplished than
- HocK OF English writers, whose spleen had
been engendcred by the circumstances of a
long and perIlous war, hurried over to France
to write Journals which should harmonise with
the tone of public resentment at home
they accordingly statnpt the image of their
own preludices on every observation they
made and so plausible were the epicediums
'nry sang on the pretended extinction of mo.
rainy and religion in France, that even in A
merIca the public judgment was most cgregi-
ousIy inIsled by their assertions. IT unfortu-
nately happens for the Responsibility of human
nature that no country is exempt from scenes
OF wee, and examples of iniquiiy, which If
dihgeniIy collected together into one frame
c"nid nor tall To create most Disgusting pic
,ure oil iatiOnal character. Its not hOweFer
rom The assemhlage Of all the defects Of
people inio one portrait, but from comparative
view TIMER good and bad qualities that a gone
raj conclusion is To he drawn: and far my
part confess | do not know on what ground
those writers assume AS a given axiom. The
neriect moral and religious pulchritude of
france ~ 1899. The hierarchy was 10 be- sure
AT mar ime more richly endowed cardinals
"nu archblsh0ps moved rather with the state
ana PaSeSBiry ct princes than in a style be-
coming the professors of the doctrine of the
meek and humble Jesus numerous corpora
ions at luxurious monks then riotPd i'm lofty
mansions which have been since converted
'nto hospitals and are now the abodes of
Penury or dccrepitude; and the churches
were then, no doubt, more frequently filed
WIN snowy congregations, who considered
devotion rafhrr ~ q ,,r..f....i.... a. - -