Frenchmen, and led the way to a revolution in the state. The
arbitrary nature of the government had been long submitted to, and
perhaps would have continued so much longer, if France had not taken
part in the American war.

The perfidious policy of VERGENNES, who, with a view of humbling the
pride of England, assisted the subject in arms against his Sovereign,
soon imported into his own nation the seeds of liberty, which it had
helped to cultivate in a country of rebellion; and the crown of
France, as I once heard it emphatically observed, was lost in the
plains of America. The soldier returned to Europe with new doctrines
instead of new discipline, and the army in general soon grew
dissatisfied with the Monarch, on account of unusual, and, as they
thought, ignominious rigours which were introduced into it from the
military school of Germany. The King also, from a necessity of
retrenchment, had induced his ministers to adopt some mistaken
measures of economy respecting the troops, and thus increased the
odium which pride had fostered, and by diminishing the splendour of
the crown, stripped it of its security and protection.

To this was added the wanton profusion of the Court in other
expenses, and the external parade and brilliancy, which, if they
impoverish, often dazzle and gratify the people, was exchanged for
familiar entertainments, which gave rise to frequent jealousies among
the nobles, and tended to lower that sense of awe and respect for
royalty among the people, which in monarchies it is of the utmost
importance to preserve.

At this time, also, philosophical discussion had reached its pinnacle
of boldness. Infidelity had woven the web of discord in the human