have it inserted in the French Gazette, but never could obtain his
consent. The fact was that Count Vergennes was an aristocratical
despot at home, and dreaded the example of the American Revolution in
France, as certain other persons now dread the example of the French
Revolution in England, and Mr. Burke's tribute of fear (for in this
light his book must be considered) runs parallel with Count
Vergennes' refusal. But to return more particularly to his work.

"We have seen," says Mr. Burke, "the French rebel against a mild and
lawful monarch, with more fury, outrage, and insult, than any people
has been known to rise against the most illegal usurper, or the most
sanguinary tyrant." This is one among a thousand other instances, in
which Mr. Burke shows that he is ignorant of the springs and
principles of the French Revolution.

It was not against Louis XVI. but against the despotic principles of
the Government, that the nation revolted. These principles had not
their origin in him, but in the original establishment, many
centuries back: and they were become too deeply rooted to be removed,
and the Augean stables of parasites and plunderers too abominably
filthy to be cleansed by anything short of a complete and universal
Revolution. When it becomes necessary to do anything, the whole heart
and soul should go into the measure, or not attempt it. That crisis
was then arrived, and there remained no choice but to act with
determined vigor, or not to act at all. The king was known to be the
friend of the nation, and this circumstance was favorable to the
enterprise. Perhaps no man bred up in the style of an absolute king,
ever possessed a heart so little disposed to the exercise of that
species of power as the present King of France. But the principles of
the Government itself still remained the same. The Monarch and the