The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-08-11
.un. n. lssa.
'...,eh ser The spfinss.
n. dispatch in LynsAbsrs.
The RoysIu,ienary spirit.

CARLYLE Commences one Of his remarkable
,sesys, BY presenting TO his readers two
strongly contracted pictures, which set before
p,. IT glance, the whole history Of the hu-
man family, a. Ia diorana, from the death Of
LorIs XIV. 70 the present day. In the nrst,
The Archbishop Of Paris and the courtiers OF
the day are seen disputing in room ad)oin-
ins the chamber Of that monarch, who, worn
out with the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF an li.spenf
lfA il at last about to yield mp his soul to him
who rave IL, about the propriety Of admitting
De BARRE or some other notorious favorite,
TO his presence, while he is receiving the last
OF religion. The courtiers con-
tsnd that the last wishes Of the dying mon
arch. harmless In themselves, ought to be
rra,ified the priest insists upon it that, mas
much a. he who undergoes that solemn pre-
paration for eternity must be supposed 10 nave
repented of his sins, he cannot, In conscience,
administer it when the dying man gives such
indisputable evidence OF his still clinging to
them with all the pertinacity Of health and
vigor The dispute between the parties wakes
high; but how 1t terminates we do not recoi-
lect; for At this point the attention is called
OF and directed upon the harbor OF Dos
ton. where a party of rebels are engaged
In smvtying an India ship, and pouring
the tea with which Ut Is loaded into the mar
hor 10 the tune of yankee doodle doc"
The writer observes pithiiy enough that the
priest and the courtiers, II they had only
Known IT. would have been far better employ
- IN I,s,eptns to that ominous music as II
.-.n, across the waves Of the Atlantic, and
,..,nipg to march in time with ii. And so
thew would have been; for it was the music OF
the orchestra, preluding the rise OF the curtain
upon the grandest drama that the earth had
ever witnessed; a drama In which the whole
civilized world were to be actors, and which
vas TO be felt to the utmost extremities OF the
earth; a drama not divided into five acts, and
concluded at single heat, but one which was
40 continue through long ages, and upon which
the curtain has not yet fallen. TWAS thelnau-
suration of the revolutionary era. Philoso-
nhers tell us. that, at certain distance below
tha surface the whole earth is ball OF lire, oil
which the visible world is but the crust, and
diyinee have generally come to the conclusion
that the confiagration which we are taught
to expe ct as the grand catastrophe of the hu-
man drama, is to be produced through the
agency of these fires. They manifest their ex-
istence sometimes in earthq uakes, sometimes in
volcanoes, sometimes in less imposing forms.
For ages they slumber, but just at the moment
when mankind forget their existence, they
manifest their vitality by some fierce convul
sion that startles and overawes the world
Even 20 does the revolutionary spirit under
lie the structure of European society, mass
OF fierce and inextinguishable fame, which
may slumber for a moment, but never sleeps.
Ages upon ages, before II broke out in the har
~ had tod hann he
thrones and hierarchies of the Old Word and
II the mighty of the earth could not read the
Language Of the signs and portents which ii,
at in tsrvsls, presen ted to the world, twas only
because, In all ages, Power has been deaf to the
mutterings of the storm when 1t is gathering
its strength afar, and preparing to shake it to
It's foundation. 1913
Far be 1t from us utterly to condemn the
revolutionary spirit. 1t 10 but an exaggera-
ton Of that principle which teaches man to
eek throughout his life the improvement OF
his condition. 1t is as widely diffused as the
very atmosphere which he breathes. As
Franklin robbed the clouds Of their electricity
which his successors have converted to the
familiar uees of life, so the revolutionary
spirit, when properly restrained, is produc-
tive Of the noblest results. To it we owe, in
soma one form ofits innumerable notifications
all the improvements, moral or material.
which make life endurable. Under the gui-
dance Of wisdom, It gave to the world the
British Constitution and the American
Union It is only terrible when it has no
safety -valve by which 1t can escape. Repres-
sion has but the effect Of making it more ter
rible, as the Titan, imprisoned beneath Mount
Aox,. III
frantic efforts to be free He is either a very
bold man, or he is very ignorant Of history
who will say that the French Revolution was
not productive Of far more good to mankind
than evil, fruitful as it was Of the latter
To no other event in all time can be so well
applied the magnificent language of ERsKINK:
ut is the nature Of everything great and USE
full, both in the animate and inanimata world,
to.be wild and irregular, and you must take
them with the alloys which belong to them'
or be contented 10 live without them GENIUS
breaks from the letters Of criticism, but It's wan
behring's are sanctioned by its wisdom and ma
jesty as it advances in its path. Subject 1t to
the critic and You tame it to dizziness. MlghIy
vers brsak down their banks in the winter,
sweeping away to death the tlocks that live
on tho soil which they fertalize in the summer
The few NAV DO saved by entertainments from
drowning. but the hocks must perish for nun
rey Tempests occasionally shake our dwell
mrs and dissipate our commerce. but they
,courre before them the lazy elements, which,
without them. would stagnate into pestilence
.ibertv herself. Gods last and best GIT TO his
,ra.tures must be taken just a. she is You
nav nara her down into bashful regularity,
|. "A sh.ne her into perfect model CT severe
M .erunulous law, but she will be liberty
N longer. and you must be content to die
..A.r thu lash Of this inexorable justice which
von have exchanged for the banner of freedoms'
crimes there undoubtedly were In the French
but were there none under the
.oyernment which 1t suppianted Its wars
were numerous and fierce; but the wars OF
LOUIS XIV. and LOUIS XIV. were hardly less
20. Tho Revolution brought twenty-fiv years
Of terrible and almost continual war; but II
mt an end TO those eternal wars for dynas-
ties and provinces which had distinguished
the previous history of France. All Its horrors
and all its terrors were collected into one ire
mendous burst of thunder, rs II were, and a
peace Of forty years followed. Now, taking
The whole sixty Ave, had the Revolution never
occurred, We may fairly estimate that forty OF
them would have bcen employed in war. This
would fully have made up the accountof blood
In the meantime. NO man, we think, would VEN
tuye TO compare the coalition Of the common
people In France 1t this time, 10 their condi.
lion one century ago. The fact 10, the Revolu.
ton has been blamed almost entirely for its
AAiiures. while the wat good Ii has effected
has never been properly allowed. 1t il not
diflcult TO convince any man Of the gross In.
justice Of estimating 1t in this manner. Would
II b fair to charge the Christian religion with
AL the crimes Il has not been able TO pre-.
vont1
u seems 70 b conceded now, that NAYo.
LDoH III. stopped short in hiscareer and made
peaee bsceuse he was afraid Of the reyolu.
tioBary spirit. Itwas our opinion. in the BE-.