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SOBER REFLECTIONS
ON THE

SEDITIOUS

AND INFLAMMATORY

LETTER
OF

THE RIGHT HON. EDMUND BURKE,

TO

A NOBLE LORD.
MESSED
TO THE SERXOUSCO.VSIDEKA TIO>J OF
HIS

FELLOir CITIZENS

BY JOHN THELWALL.

"Ne
*"

Angrrrush
ht

seyeson

""^

own

his secret stings."

LONDONNOSTER.ROU",
17#6.

A
-

S the following pages are intended, in fome

fort, as

1-

a reply to the inflammatory mifre-

and incongruous principles of a recent pamphlet, from the elegant and abufive pen of Mr. Burke, it might have been expeaed,
perhaps, that

prefentations

of

my

mould have followed the example antagonift, by throwing my obfervations

I

and addrefling it either fome great perfonage, or to that antagonift himfelf. But it has long been a principle with
to

into the form of a letter,

me,

that, as far as

it

is

practicable, at leaft, in
live,

the Hate of fociety in

profeffion

which we

our open

and our
I

the fame; and

to fufpea that

always be have been frequently difpofed

real object fhould

all colourable pretences, all habits of fubterfuge, even in circumftances of the moft apparent indifference, have a tendency to weaken

the moral feelings, and produce a bias of mind eminently unfavourable to reaitude of judgment,

and that
truth,

enthufiaftic
is,

attachment to the caufe of

which

in reality, the nobleft attribute

of a cultivated undemanding.

There

is

manly
and

and independent energy of mind, encouraged by

but a fcrupulous adherence, not only to the efence, a which even to the Jhews and forms of fmcerity,
friend of liberty ought to be particularly zealous
to prefervc.
fions
I

therefore addrefs thefe animadver-

on one of the moft extraordinary pamphlets that ever were publifhed, openly and avowedly they to my fellow citizens, for whofe advantage
are principally intended
I
;

and from whom, alone,

have the vanity to expert any confiderable portion of attention for I have not the fortune (good
:

or bad as " the zealots of the old feet in philo" fophy and politics*," may choofe to confider it)
to

be either the penfioned dependant, friend, or correfpondant of any* noble lord, with whofe honours
for
is
I

might emblazon

my

title-page

and, as

Mr. Burke

himfelf, the diftemper of his

mind

fo evident in every thing

which of
it

late years

he has either
to expeft

faid or written, that

is

impouible

from him the fmalleft degree of candid attention to the arguments of one whom, upon no better evidence than the fuggeftions of his own furious prejudices, he ftigmatifes as " a
66

wicked pander

to

avarice

and

ambition t-"

The hydrophobia
his mind, to fuffer

of alarm rages too fiercely in

him

to

wet

his lips

with the

falutary fober ftream of reafon, or turn to the

* Letter, &c. p.

i.

Ibid, p. 47-

food

food of tmpartial invertigation.

All

is

v 1 duannu ft

foam and headlong precipitancy; and the

,,

ra e

and
indi-

any thing but to be torn by from an attempt to

ftop

bcas,nadashi m fe, fw ocx, v

his

,s

invented
in
left,

to
or'

tumhlm

him

bis career,

to the right, 6r to the

is

the grounds over which he

to

examine

fo furioufly run-

Let me, however, be underftood: I apply this metaphor not in the bitternefs of malevolen but the kin^eft of pity, i would not

7-even

,f

my feeble lance

wi^
_

the feven-fold ftield of literary and arifto crac

I

es

were capable of piercis

not wantonly tear with frefh wounds a brcaft already bleeding with the keeneu an<mim n of paternal affliaion.

won d

pnde by which myoponent

defended

-ous

oppofite to his own a"d who does not even ihrink from the imputlt "putation G11 of bem? a Demormt , *t l7 h"' r a Sam Cul<": Tfor or ,t it s too n much u L the habit with the violent of a" pnrt,es, to fuppofe that there can be nomine or ,bera, in the

Mr. Burke does not, perhaps, expea fo candour and moderation from one whofe cpleaare diametrically

much

charaaer of ^ytl'n

vc when .t Kt

bcantdul, but mifchievous letter P^udice may not that

to themfclves-1 eru fe the p pathetic paffa^e in th I

PP ' ,te Pnna'P ,e

^,

i^S
wjtn

7$ L

with the

affliaions of

an enemy

even when,

which the fineft underfrom that perverfion, from he happens, according ftandings are not exempt, the judgement, to be the enemy, alfo, of
to

my

human

race.

In one refpea,

alfo,

have ever

been ambitious of emulating the

of our ancient heroes.
I

chivalrous fpirtt

can venerate the talents

caufe;

my own and enthufiafm employed againft of the phrafe) and (in the more liberal acceptation
as Shakefpere expreffes

it
and high merits,

Envy

their great defervings

Becaufe they are not of our determination, But ftand againft us as an enemy."
exult
if

I fhould not,

therefore,

Mr. Barkis
calls

reality, "feelings" were, in

what he

them,
find

nearly extinguifhed*
burned
far lefs
(like
I

;" I

do not exult to

moft irritable that ever them, on the contrary, the age: hot-ach) under the froft of
a

do

which

of mind, exult in thofe incongruities while the exhibit reafon in its dotage,
is ftill

imagination

rioting in all the vigour

I

and

luxuriancy of youth.

bow

with veneration to
intellect

; of his unwearied the -io-antic powers effufions rapture upon the fplendid I ,aze with not the fancy 3 and I have of his inexhauftible that if I had the will, favage ignorance to fuppofe

* Letter, &c. p.

2.

or

or the power, to deftroy his reputation,

transfer his genius to myfelf, or plant his

could

honours
the fubeffects

upon
jet. is

my own

brow. Nor, indeed,

in the

when

weighed

important fcale of

and confequences, have the

friends of liberty

any
pro-

ferious caufe to lament his exertions.

The

vocation of political difcuffion

is

the grand defi:

deratum
is

for political

improvement

and, fo far

the gall of perfonal animofity from

my

pen,

that, in the fervent fincerity of foul, I

claim

" Far,

can ex-

far

may

that period be removed,

when
I

fate or caprice

iTiall inflict

upon him

either

the filence of death, or the death of filence!"

could wifh, indeed, that a mind

fo powerful,
if

fo rich, fo fide

cultivated,

were upon the

of

truth
fide

but

he will but write, take whatever

he

will, I

am

fure that truth will be derived

:

from his labours

other individual

for I defy

Mr. Burke,

or any

of

penetrating

and energetic

mind, under what unfortunate delufion foever he

may

labour,

to

publifh

a pamphlet of eighty

pages, without bringing forward fome important

obfervations,

which, on

account of their firm

foundation in juftice, will remain, while thofe

which

are falfe will be expofed

and rejected by
fail

the difcufiion

which fuch publications cannot

of producing.

Nay, the very

abfurdities

and

fo-

phifms of a vigorous mind are fubfervient to

conclufion:
for,

juft

from the energy with which

they

6 they

they are

exprefled,

take

faft

hold upon

the imagination, and compell the reflecting reader

to

give

unlefs

them the mind

that
is

repeated

revifion

which,

very confiderably warped by

fail

the ftrong bias of interefted prejudice, cannot

of conducting the enquirer to principles of liberty

and

juflice.

In this point of view, the caufe of liberty has

eflential obligations to the

pen of Mr. Burke.

were

He

has written books which have converted fuch of

his dijinterejied readers, as
in the habit of

thinking tor themfelves, from the caufe he endea-

voured

to uphold, to that
;

which

it

was

his object

to overthrow

he has provoked anfwers, which,

extending the boundaries of fcience beyond the

narrow pale of opulence, have carried the invaluable difcuffion of political principles and civil
rights to the fhopboard of the artificer,

and the and

his
ex-

cottage of the laborious hufbandman

ungovernable phrenzy has hurried him into

JireJJicns

and

epithets fo

repugnant to every princi-

ple of juitice and humanity*, and fo revoltingly

difgufting to the

common

fympathies of nature,

as could not fail of producing a very general conviction,

I

will not fay, as

fome have

faid,

of the

rottennefs of his heart (for

motives of

who

fhall

judge of the

man, or

fet

bounds

to the

omnipotency

* Reflection?, &c.

of

of felf-delufion !) but of the weakncfs and injuftice of that caufe which could reduce fuch
talents to
fo grofs

the neceffity of appealing to

weapons

and

fo

unmanly.
laft

fpecies of warfare the fury of my prefent antagonift has been at leaf! fufficientiy

In this

feconded by the metaphyseal phrenzy of his friend

Mr. Windham.
been hired by

Indeed,

if

this 'gentleman

had

the Jacobins of France to difgujl all

ranks ofpeople (placemen, penfioners, and dependants alone excepted) with the laws, government,

and

conjlitution

of

this country,

he could not have'

infults

proceeded
feelings.

to

more wanton
line

upon

their

To

fay nothing of his quotation,

direa application of that

" If Richard?*
fit

and from Shakefpere,

fall:

to live, let

Richmond

Which,

if it

meant any

queftion to this bloody

was referring the arbitrament-*//^ theft

thing,

reformers ought to die by the hands of government, or

the governing party

what
" killed

mail
off,"

we

by the hands of the reformers; fay to " acquitted felons,''

and a variety of other fentences, of whofe vitality" this fubtile, MachievelianVecretary (terrified by the lingering echo of his

own

frenzy)
difficult

has
to

fo

pathetically

complained?

It

is

conceive

how human

enough to give utterance to thefe and other expreffions, ftill more inhuman, of which I (hall have occafion
to

become

nature could

callous

take

notice:

But

'

but Mr. Burke,

in the

very

pamphlet

am

anfwering, furnifhes us, according to his conception,

at

lead,

with

fufhcient

explanation.

" Nothing can be conceived,"

fays he,

" more

" hard than the heart of a thorough-bred meta-

" "

phyfician.

It

comes nearer
fpirit,

to the cold maligfrailty

nity of a

wicked

than to the

and

" paffion of a man. It is like that of the prin" ciple of evil himfelf, incorporeal, pure, un44

mixed, dephlegmated, defecated evil*."

In what particular country Mr. Burke has met with thofe philofophers and metaphyficians, from

whofe example he has drawn this definition, I {hall enquire more particularly hereafter; and on
the validitv of his arguments, in this refpecl, I may perhaps be admitted to decide with the
o-reater impartiality, (for

from having the misfortune

is,

fuch

believe

it

to

be deficient

in

any

branch of knowledge) of being liable to no part of that rancorous animofity, with which he is
fometimes difpofed to regard both the fcience and

In the mean time, the profellors of metaphyfics. that I may not appear to prejudge the queftion,

permit

me

to declare, that, if

it

can be (hewn

that thefe fubtile difquifitions and abftracl enquiries are neceffarily hoftile to the principles

and

practice of humanity, I (hall hold myfelf in readi* Letter, &c. p. 61.

nefs

nefs to reject with equal abhorrence " the philo-

" fophy that would eradicate the belt feelings of " the heart," and that fyftem of private attach-

ment and

obligation, which, preferring a part to

the whole, would facrifice to individual gratitude

the interefts and happinefs of

mankind

But the moll powerful of

whofe
to the
efforts in

thofe champions, for

behalf of liberty

we

are indebted

ungovernable fury of Mr. Burke's attacks,

have not been found either among the metaphyficians, or the ferocious violators

of the principles

of humanity.
herent,
Paine,

The

ftrong, rude,

fometimes incoof:

but

always gigantic

mind

Thomas

had been neither

fubtilties

fafliioned nor

debauched

by the
fics;
life,

nor the fophiftries of metaphyat

and he has approved,

the peril of his

the fettled averfion of his foul, not only to

the maffacres, tumultuary or legal, which have

difgraced the French Revolution, but even to that

" penal retrofpect" which rendered the

lefs

faith-

and perjured Louis a viclim to the

trea-

cherous duplicity with which he confpired for

the
thofe
deftrution

of

his

people.

And

as

for

other

diftinguifhed
this

antagonifts

of Mr.

Burke,

whom

country

challenge as her

own; they

may more exclufively are men whofe focial

been queftioned,

virtues have either never yet

or being queftioned, have been put to the-ordeal,

and

and patted,

like

pure gold, through the

luftre.

fire,

undiminiihed either in weight or

The energy
thefe has,
it is

of fome of the moll celebrated of

true,

been relaxed awhile, by the

enervating influence of party attachment; while

others, infecled

by the temporary mania of alarm,

at
leaft,

have
caufe
:

appeared,

to

defert

the facred

but

let

the tools and advocates of corrupif

tion beware; for

tyranny mould advance with

too audacious a ftride

if

thofe

who have already

encouraged by a
infult

provoked
temporary

fo

much

difcuiTion,

fupinenefs,

mould

too

out-

rageoufly the feelings and underftandings of the

nation,
thefe
their

champions may be provoked to

neglecled
arms,
or
others,
ftill

refume

more
dead

irrefiftible,

their place.

may ftep forward to fupply The manly fpirit of Britain is not

Sampfon
in

but

fleepeth.

the

lap

of

Dalila (the Dalila of dependance and corruption!)

flumbers
is

it

is

true,

amidft his bonds: but he

ft

not yet

morn of his

rength j nor

is

the myftic

fecret yet difcovered:

and mould he chance but

to

awaken from
fly!

his lethargy, the

Philijlines

new

cords

may

be burft afunder, and the

to

be compelled

Behold then the unwearied fervices of Edmund

Burke,

whom

corruption has penfioned for

!

its

own

deftru&ion

who

defends

the

privileged

orders

orders

by overwhelming
ridicule!

their

privileges

with

contemptuous
bility

and protects the inviola-

of places and penfions, by tearing afunder

veil

the venerable

of prescription, and under-

mining the foundations of hereditary property!

But what reafon foever the noble perfonages

attacked in this letter
the charge

may have

to hurl

back

upon

their aflailant,

and accufe the

minijlerial faEtion

of being

" executors in their

"

own wrong*," the friends of popular enquiry " have nothing to complain of." " It is well! " it is perfectly well! We have to do homage

" to" his zeal in the caufe of political inveftigation.

The

difcuffion

provoked by

his inconfiderate

" Reflections" was nearly exhauited;

days wonder of the State Trials
political perfecution

the nine

had fubfided;
familiar,

had become

and,

like the

daily bread of a land in plenty,

was

taken as matter of courfe, and digefted without

comment
feemed
to

or obfervation; and whatever fpirit or

energy had hitherto remained

among

the people,

have evaporated
Pitt's

in the ftruggle pro-

voked by Mr.
and to have

and Lord

Grenvi/Ie's bills,

left

them,

in this refpecl,

like

the

fallen angels, after the toils of unfuccefsful right,

repofing in the oblivious pool, equally forgetful

* Letter, &c. p.

z.

f Ibid

Of


iz

of the difgrace they had experienced, and of the

energies by which
Burke, however,
in
it

might be retrieved.
that this

Mr.
ftate

knew

was not the

to

which

it

was

their duty, or their intereft to re-

main; and he determined, accordingly,

awaken

them from

their lethargy.

He

feized, therefore,

again the trump of political controverfy

>" With a withering " The war-denouncing trumpet

look,

took,

" And blew

'*

a blaft fo loud

and dread,

JVere ne 'er prophetic founds fo full of ivoe !

" And ever and anon he beat " The doubling drum with furious heat*."

Such a
of
all

peal,

at

fuch

a time

was

certainly

things molt defirable.

No

other circum-

ftance could, perhaps, fo foon, and fo effectually,

have revived the energies of popular exertion, or have diffipated

fo

effectually

the lazy mills

of
the
it

torpor and defpondency which

hung on

fickening ear of Britilh virtue, and threatened

with eternal blight:

tages

fo true is

it

that thofe advan-

which the ardour of

friendfhip labours to

produce

in vain, are frequently conferred

by the

over-active zeal of our bitterefr. enemies.

my exultation at the appearance of this letter, why have I called it a "mifchievous pamphlet?" To this I anfwer, that
But
it

will

be

faid, if

fuch

is

the advantages to be expected from this letter

* Collins.

are

13

are confequential
that the mifchief

is

certainly not intended;

in the

but

thing

itfelf.

Mifchief

and good are merely relative terms; for nothing

is

exclufively productive cither of the one or the

other: and with refpeft to intellectual, or literary

exertions,

the balance

is

always eventually,

believe, favourable to the happinefs of

mankind.

In fhort,

it

feems to be paft the time,

in this part

of Europe at lead,

when
too

it is

in the

power of any
mifchief.
to

book

to

be

productive

of ultimate

Mankind now read

be apprehended,

many books

be permais

nently injured by any.

Whatever mifchief

to

mud

be rather from the Jlagnation-

than the nature of their enquiries: and, perhaps, the

bell advice that can

be given them,

is

to read every

thing that comes in their way, from a Grub-flreet

ballad
to

Royal proclamation.

There

are,

however, fome publications which, abflractedly

conndered, and
likely to

independant of thofe anfwers

in

be produced

a bufy, literary, difpu-

tatious age, like the prefent, muft be confidered

as moll pernicious in their tendency:

and fuch,

above all that ever fell under my cognizance, is " A Letter from the Right Honourable Edmund

" Burke So

to

a Noble Lord.'"

rafli

fo

intemperate

fo

imprudent

cannot help adding,

fo unprincipled
all

an attack upon

the peaceful fecurity of

property, never has

been made,

believe, before, lince

England had
a

language

>4

a language in which that attack could be con-

veyed.

Sir

Thomas Moore,

it is

true, has vifited

the clofets of fpeculative

men with

the fafcinat-

ing picture of a fociety in which inceffant toil

is

not the portion of any man, and every thing

is

enjoyed in
fe

common
is
is

But there

is

nothing in the
;

Eutopia" that

irritating or

inflammatory

no-

thing that

calculated to hurry the uncultivated

conclufions, or (hake the founda-

mind

into

rafli

tions of fociety

Paine, alfo, in

with fudden convulfion. Thomas " the fecond part of his Rights of

Man,"
cuted

projected,
in

what Servius Tullins partly exeancient Rome, a fcheme of progreffive

which the towering pride of wealth
reftrained,

taxation, by

might be humbled and

man's fhoulders
brated, and

and the bur-

thens of government be fhifted from the poor

:

And Licinius, and the much celeGracchi laboured hard

much flandered,

for the eftablifliment of thofe Agrarian laws

which

conftituted an important article in the original

compact of the
regarded as
nation.

Roman

government, and muft be

among
for

the conjiitutional rights of that

alone, of
of,
all

But
I

Mr. Burke,

the de-

mogogues

ever read or heard

was referved
ftirring

the honourable diftinction of aflailing, with popular

fury, the very exigence of
all

property

up

the paffions of a diftrefled and irritated peo-

by reprefenting the " overgrown" fortunes of the nobility as " oppreffing the induftry of
ple,
'c

humble

'5

" humble

men

*," " trampling on the mediocriindividuals

"

ty of

humble and laborious

Mr. Burke
:

f" and

the like.

In
I

fliort,

is

the nrft eomplete leveller

have met with

the only

man who

has had the

audacity, in

direct,

and popular language, addreffwealth

ed

at

once to the perceptions and paffions of

at large,

mankind
territorial

to reprefent

all

all

poffeffion, as

plunder and ufurpation

as the fruit of blood, of treachery, of profcrip!

tion

as

being obtained by " the murder of

" innocent perfons \" " from the aggregate " and confolidated funds of judgments iniquitoufly " legal! and from " poffeffions voluntarilyfurrendered
" by the lawful proprietors with the gibbet at their " door | ;" nay, to complete the climax, as havvery

ing been augmented (as fome fortunes are at this day augmenting! ) by " bringing poverty,

" wretchednefs, and depopulation on the coun" try," and fwelled by confifcations produced
" by inftigating a tyrant to injuftice, to provoke

" a people to rebellion ."

I

do not ftand forward as the champion of pre-

fcriptive rights, nor wield the

for the

fword of reafon

perpetuity of ancient prejudices, or the

I

vindication of hereditary honours.

am more
Ibid. p. 44.

* Letter

p. 33.

f Ibid. 39. and

% Ibid. p. 42. p. 48.

felicitous

16

folicitoLis

about the living than the dead

more

anxious for the happinefs of poilerity than the

reputation of long buried anceftors.
fore to
I

leave thereilluftrious

the

avowed advocates of the

leaft,

and the

great, the eafy talk of repelling a confi-

derable part, at

of that outrageous obloquy

ag-ainft
lefs,

which, though directed

does in
reality,

a particular family,,

more or

befpatter the whole

body of the
land.

nobility
if

and great proprietors of the

of which

But,

fuch were the real foundations of

fluff

property
all

if

fuch were indeed the

eftate,

and wealth, and grandeur were com-

pofed,

what good and

friend to the peace

what and order of fociety the

coniiderate

man

to

fweet fleep of fecurity, and the humane emotions

of the heart, would have laid bare thofe foundations with fo rude a ftroke
?

There are even fome truths of the utmoft importance to the improvement and happinefs of
fociety,

which the

true

philofopher, though

he

ill

not fupprefs, will unfold with a tender and

a trembling hand.
tion

He

will

proceed with a cau;

almoft bordering on referve

and

will

ac-

company every advance towards

developement with the moil

the requifite

folicitous exposition

of every appendage and confequence of the refpective parts of his docirine

;

left

by pouring

acceptable truths too fuddenly on the popular

eye, inftead of falutary light

he fhould produce
blindnefs

blindncfs

and frenzy!

and from premifes the

in particular are

moft

juft,

plunge into conclufions of the moft

deftru&ive nature.

Sueh

many

of the fpeculations which relate to the fubjecl of property. Thefe are indeed of fo delicate a nature the abufes relating to them are fo clofely

interwoven with the very texture of fociety

the
principles

and
fo
is
it

upon which they

whether mankind

ftand

are

liable to

mifapprehenfion and abufe, that

is

almoft doubtful

yet

fuffi-

ciently enlightened
veftigation,

and humanized for the inand whether the fubject had not
omitted even
in the
abjlracl

been

as well

and

fpe'dilative

quartos

of William Godwin.

For

my

own
fions,

part, at leaft, confeious of the difficulty of

all

keeping clear from

I

dangerous mifapprehencan fee with as

have never ventured to enter

I

the fubjea: not but that

clearnefs,

much into much

as

and

feel

with
it

as

keen a fympathy,
the

Mr. Burke (when

political

fuits

purpofes of his

frenzy and

perfonal refentments) can

the vices, the miferies, the unfocial pride and abject wretchednefs too fre-

himfelf pretend,

bv thofe huo- e mafies and immeafurable difproportions of proin

quently

produced

fociety

perty,
tions,

which unjuft laws and impolitic inftitumore than the rapacity of individuals, have
is

tended to accumulate.

Perhaps there

no humane and

reflecting
leaft,

man who

does not, occafionally at

wifh
that

*8

that refpectability were

things,

more attached

to other

and

lefs to

wealth; that the great body

of the people were "^deemed from that neceffity

of unremitting drudgery, penurious

food,

and

confequent ignorance and depremon of

to

intellect,
;

which they

are fo

invariably

doomed

and

that the
territory
for juft

huge and unwieldy maffes of wealth and

(too vaft for

enjoyment

too

dazzling

and prudent

diftribution)

were

in the

way

of being gradually and peacefully melted down,

by the
laws.

falutary operation of wife

and equitable

There

is

perhaps, for example, no one

who

does not occasionally queftion the juftice of

the law of primogeniture

the

great root of

all

the evil; and the propriety of marrying together

contiguous and overgrown

eftates,

without

re-

gard to the inclinations, difpofitions,

iions,

taftes, aver-

and confequent morals of the parties,

who
In
evils

are to be the inftruments, or perhaps the victims,

of thefe fchemes of family aggrandizement.

fhort,

there

are

undoubtedly a thoufand
ftate

refulting

from the prefent

of things, in this

refpet;
liative

and there are perhaps a thoufand palframe,

the

remedies that might be applied without

the
focial

lacerating facred
tion.
ties

or

diflblving

of reciprocal fecurity
in

and protecthis or

Whatever can be done,

any

other refpect, for the emancipation of mankind,

and the advancement of general happinefs, it is right that we mould enquire into the means of
doing;

>9

doing

and the wider the

real

knowledge of

thofe

means can be diffeminated, the better

peace and happinefs of the world.

for

the

Every thing
I re-

that relates to this fubjeSr. ought, however,

peat

it,
;

to

be treated with extreme delicacy and

are conclufions fo falfe, and

caution

for there

confequences fo
breadth, as
it

terrible, laying

within a hair's

were, of the truths

we aim
all

at, that

he

who

rufhes forward with too boifterous a preis

cipitancy,
rors of

in

danger of provoking
affaflination
;

the hor-

tumult and

initead of
race.

ame-

liorating the condition of the

tricks

human

No

and

arts

of eloquence, no gulls of paffion,

leaft incite-

no inflammatory declamation, nor the

ment

to perfonal animofity or refentment,

in

ought

to be admitted

the examination of fuch a

navigation.
is,

queftion.

It

is

Almoft

all

that

new and untried we know about it

a

that the

ihoals are

dangerous, and the quickfands innu-

merable.
all,
it

And under fuch circumftances, above mud certainly be the duty of a cautious

mariner to " heave the lead every inch of the

" way he makes*." But Mr. Burke, who, when a

few places and penfions were

from
moorings the

all

the freight he
neceffary,

had on board, thought thefe precautions

tears
its

velfel of hereditary
ftate

property, and, notwithstanding " the aweful

*

-Letter, p. 23.

D2

of

^o

" of the time*," giving the rudder

ment, expofes
it,

to his refent-

at

random, to

all

the fury of the

tempeft which himfelf has raifed.

Is it

polTible

that
all

Mr.
this?

Burke's

new

patrons

can countenance

penfioned gratitude transported

is it

Has the zeal of his him too far? Or

?

a part of the long-digefted confpiracy of po-

litical

panders and rotten borough-mongers

to

Is

no property
and
votes in

be facred, but the property of feats

the Houfe of
all

Commons ?

And

are

the foundations of

other inheritance to be

fhaken, that thefe

ufurpations

may be

render-

ed the more fecure, and the authority of the

Steeles

and the

Rofes,

who meafure

their eftates
St.

by

the fquare inch on the planks of

Stephen's

chapel, be relieved from the checks and counterpoifes

that

may

hitherto

have controuled the

?

exercife of their fpurious fovereignty

Let us hope,

at leaft, that

we

are not to look

for the folution of this

myftery to fome blacker

caufe.

Let us hope,
oligarchy

at leaft, that this infidious

new-created

have not, on the profpecl:

of failure in their ordinary refources, turned to the bird's-eye profpecl of new " confifcations of the
fl

ancient nobility of the landf," to fupport their

all-devouring fyflem of corruption.

at leaft,

Let us hope,

that this inflammatory farago of denun-.

* Letter, p. 36.

f Ibid.

p. 41.

ciation

(21)
ciation and profcription

this
fifty

portentous retroyears
is

fpet of

two hundred and

not fent

out, as the avant courier of a fanguinary faclion,

to prepare the

way

for the meditated, cataftrophe

illuftrious

of other " innocent perfons of

rank *,"

whofe

fate,

according to Mr. Burke's fuperftitious

mode of

calculation,

might atone

for

<c

the but-

" chery of the Duke of Buckingham f," and the " pillage" committed upon that " body of unof" fending

men

*,"

the monks

of Tavijtock and

Wooburn Abbey \
Inflammatory pamphlets, and ferocious
lities in

fcurri-

the daily prints, have

late, for
:

however paved the

way, of

attempts equally daring and un-

expected
the

and the axe, which has pafled over

inflicting

humble weeds without

deftined to try
foreft.
its

a wound,
ftatelieft

may be

edge upon the

oaks of the

Some, perhaps, may put together the circumftances

of

Mr.

Burke's

education,

the

pathetic

lamentations which he has poured forth in a for-

mer publication , upon the impious invafion of the facred numbers of the cloifter, and the frequent allufions in
of
this

pamphlet to the wrongs

monks and

abbots, priefls and Cordeliers, Ca-

puchins, Carmelites, Francifcans, and

Domini-

cans

||

and hence they mayfuppofe,

p. 42.

at leaft, that

* Letter,

f Ibid.
||

p. 48.

% Ibid p. 68.

Reflections, Sec.

Letter, p. 41, 42, 43, 67, 68.

they

22

they have difcovered another reafon for the in-

temperate zeal of

the pupil of St. Omers.

They

may

trace, perhaps, in this bitter

inheritor

and inflexible

malevolence againft the

of the crimes of

former centuries, the feeds of that metaphyseal piety y

fo confident with the myftical refinements of a
Jefuit's college,

which

afcribes all the fublime

attributes of the Deity to

whatever

is

connected

with the priefthood, and, of courfe, confiders

the wrongs of that facred order, according to
their

own

language, as neither paft nor future

as exifting always in the prefent tenfe

accumu-

lated and concentrated in the

ONE ETERNAL

NOW
If,

however,

we

appeal to internal evidence,

we

(hall find that

motives of a more perfonal na-

ture have not been entirely without influence in

the production of this pamphlet.

That

unfocial

vanity that
oppofition

irritable

felf-love

that
all

proud im-

patience of queftion or controul, which regards

all

as

infult,

and "

infult as

" wound *$"

in fhort, that

proud and revengeful

egotifm, which
trait in

has formed fo diftinguifhing a

all

the character of

inveterate ariftocrats,

from Appius Claudius to Edmund Burke, muft be

admitted to have had fomething to do, at
leaft,

with the colouring of the piece,

Refle&ions, Sec.

to

whatever

in-

(ligation

C
ftigation

23

we may
defign.

attribute the

fketch,

or

the

What but this could have hurried fuch a man into fuch extravagant inconfiftencies? What but this, even penfioned as
original

he

is,

could have rendered him

to

fo blind

an

inflru-

ment

the ufurpations of a fa6tion

which he

cannot but defpife, and have driven him with fuch headlong violence to the deftruclion of every principle which he had hitherto pretended
to revere
?

There

are,

it

is

true, perfons

who have

at all

times regarded Mr. Burke as a fplendid inftance of the depravity of genius as a man of bafe and
difpofition, whofe patriotifm was the mere purchafed property of a party, which held him in dependance by the loans granted to him by the Marquis of Rockingham; and it was,

time-ferving

therefore, thought confiftent enough,

when

his

patron, by a
all

legal

had cancelled obligation, that he mould fet himfelf

and become the

laft

aft of liberality,

to fale to the oppofite party,

furious

hired to defend.
to

opponent of every principle he had been I have endeavoured, however, judge him with greater charity. I have fought
and thought
I

for,

had difcovered, a principle

for his

that

would account
have
left

conduct in a

lefs dis-

it is true, would him among the number of thofe deluded men whofe judgments have been per-

honourable way.

My

folution,

ftill

verted

24

verted by a miftaken fenfe of private obligation

but

it

would not have reduced him

to the level

of

fordid corruption.

In fhort,

conceived Mr. Burke to have been

throughout a Republican of the old

or, in other

words, a high-toned

Roman fchool ariftocrat. And

underit
it

I readily

accounted for

this twift in his

ftanding from the patronage which

his misfortune to experience.

had been
is

For

but too

natural with us to regard thofe inftitutions as

every thing, without which

we mould
It

ourfelves,

apparently, have been nothing.

fore, not

was, there-

extraordinary that Mr. Burke, finding

himfelf redeemed, by the powerful and generous

patronage of the leader of an ariftocratic party,

from the neccffity of being a

provincial
univerfity,
foil

public letlurer in a
to

and tranfplanted
political

the

more

genial

of

influence,

mould
his

think himfelf bound in gratitude to exalt that

ariflocracy to
altation.

which

alone

he

owed

ex-

Upon

this folution, his

conduct, apparently fo

oppofite, with refpet to the American and French

revolutions,
is

perfectly reconcileable.

For with

pure, genuine, whole-length ariftocrats, princes

and people are

alike indifferent: alike obnoxious,

to

when they afpire

ambition.

any

fliare

of power ; and alike

acceptable, as the tools and inftruments of their

But

as,

in

all

mixed governments,
their

*3

their

power

is

of a very doubtful and amphibious

nature, but

little

recognized by the avowed maxims

and

fpirit

of the conftitution, and depending rather

influence of their property,

upon the

and

their

talent for intrigue, than either the

weight of their

functions, or real attachment of the people, as

circumftances vary they are obliged to vary the

fafhion of their fentiments

and conduct.

Their

principle and their object

is,

however, always the

fo,

fame; and always has been

Tar quin

whether they
*.

in-

ftigated the people to deftroy a Tarquin, or created

to

deftroy

the

people

Law

and
their

liberty are alternately in their

liberty
is

mouths; but

the unreftrained licence of monopolizing

oppreffion, and their

law the arbitrary exercife

of their
reign,

own

difcretion.

The
for
it

dignity of the fove-

and the fovereignty of the people, are

ftalking

alternate

horfes

As Mr.

Burke exprefles
alike.

" Popularity

their

usurpations.

and

" power they regard

Thefe are with them

" only different means to obtain their object: " and have no preference over each other in their

" minds, but as one or the other may afford a " furer or lefs certain profpect of arriving at
"
their

end

f"
is

* The reader
attention
(

particularly

recommended
Tullius,

to perufe with

the

account

given by Dionyfius of Halicarnaflus

B. IV.) of the

murder of Senilis

and of the expulfion

of the Tarquins.

f Letter,

p.

;.

Such

*6

Such are the

tocracy

characteriftics of inveterate
optimates of

arif-

of the high-toned
the ancient

mixed and
dif-

limited governments: a fet of

ferent from
try:

men
of

widely
this

Tories

coun-

more

dangerous,

believe, to the

peace
defti-

and happinefs of fociety;

principle.
talents, the

certainly

more

tute of all fupport from rational and confident

Such

is

the party to

which the

firft

moll capacious understandings, perin this nation,

is

haps the beft hearts

long enflaved
!

have been too

Such

the party to

which

ima-

gined Mr. Burke to be infeparably wedded.

This fuppofition
political hiftory.

is

countenanced by his whole

is

This fuppofition

confirmed
public

by

his

own

account of what he
is

calls his

fer vices;

that

to fay, his fervices to this party.

And, upon

this fuppofition, his

conduct with
is

re-

fpect to the French revolution,

perfectly recon-

cileable to his conduct refpecting

America.

The
at leaft,

principle

of

the

two revolutions was,

perhaps, the fame: though this

may be

contefted,

upon very

plauiible grounds.

Their ope-

ration in this country was, however, widely different.

Party difputes ran high,

it

is

true,

on

both occafions;

and the nation was unhappily But

in

divided into the moil inveterate factions.

the former inftance,

it

was

the gentry, the opti-

macy, the
agitated,

ariftocratic intereit, that

moved

in

that

and conducted

every

thing;

the

latter,

27

latter, the great

tnafs,

body of the people

to

the common

had the audacity

judge

for themfelves,

and inquire

into the nature of their rights.

ariftocrat

Could an inveterate
tolerate this?

be expected to

Was

it

not to be expected, that

perfons of this defcription, (like the ariftocracy

of Spain, upon a iimilar occafion) lhould cling to

the throne for protection, againft

what they regardfuffer the

ed as the
to

invajions of Liberty,

and permit themfelves

be degraded and enfiaved, rather than

?

people to be free

Thus

did the candid and liberal part of

man-

kind account for the apparent inconfiftencies of

Mr. Burke; and, by

referring his

whole conduct to

the influence of ariftocratic prejudices, exonerate

him from the charge of venal apoftacy. But what fhall we fay now ? What opinion fliall we form of the prefent work ? To what principle
ihall

we
?

refer the incongruous fentiments

it

con-

tains

Certainly not to that abhorrence of un-

controuled prerogative which infpired

the enthufiafm of oppofition during the

him with American

for the

war, and
eyes
;

made

rebellion for liberty lovely in his

thefe fentiments

were relinquifhed,

reafons above Hated, at the very

dawn of

the

French revolution.

Certainly, not to thofe feel-

ings which, during the difcuilion of the regency

bill,

occafioned that exulting, indecent, and un-

feeling exclamation

" The Almighty has hurled

E
2

him

"

28

" him from

his throne!"

Mr. Burke

has learned
!

a very different "

ftyle to a

gracious benefactor*

His Majefty

is

now "a

benevolent prince,"

who

" fliews an eminent example, in promoting the

? commerce, manufactures, and agriculture of " his kingdom ;" and " who even in his amufeIs

ments is a patriot, and in his hours of leifure an " improver of his native foil j":" a pofition, the

truth of
is it

which no one
at this
?

will call in queftion.

But

more true

time than before the aboveI, for

mentioned period

my

part,

can perceive
patriotifm

no

alteration.

The benevolence and

of the prefent reign has been fteady, uniform, and

confiftent.

At leaft,

the only important difference

is, that Mr. Burke has now a penjion from his " mild and benevolent fovereign;" and that then he

expected a place from his fucceffor!

Still lefs

can

we

refer this

extraordinary pamphlet to
principles

thofe

ariftocratical

which offered the only

folution of his former conducl.

" The government of France," fays that great " was totally overoracle, Sir John Mitford\
y

" thrown in confequence of the total failure of " the good opinion of the people;" and hence
that profound and fubtile logician thought himfelf entitled to infer,

that

it

mud

neceffarily

be

high treafon to
* fetter,

make
f

the foundations of popular

&c

p. 10.

Ibid. p. 44.

J Trial of

T. Hardy.

opinion

*9

opinion:

was

conclulion were juft, never fo capital a treafon committed againft the

if this

but

ariftocratic

branch of the conftitution, as by the

publication of Mr. Burkes pamphlet.

Is

the compofition of ariftocracy fuch as

is

Mr.

Burke reprefents it? Then

the very inftitution

of ariftocracy radically vicious! Is it " the offal " thrown to jackals in waiting," after " the lion " has fucked the blood*?" and are " innocent

" perfonsf," and " bodies of unoffending menf the " prey" upon which both are pampered:

am

afraid thefe premifes

would carry us further

friends are yet preit

than Mr. Burke and his

new

pared to go.

am

afraid

like high treafon, at leaft,

would be fomething under Lord Grenvi/le's

yet if fuch

new

at,

to

draw

the conclufions that irievitably

!

refult

from fuch data

And

pamph-

put in circulation by the advocates and penfwners of government, what acl of parliament
lets are

can prevent the confequences?

Mr. Burke, an advocate of government Mr. Burke, the champion of ariftocracy Mr. Burke,
!
!

who fupports with fuch " great zeal," and fuch " fuccefs," thofe old " prejudices which buoy up the ponderous mafs " of nobility, wealth, and titles j!" Judge for
the
political

Atlas

yourfelves,

my

fellow citizens:

but before you

% Ibid. Sec. p. 34.

* Letter, &c.

p. 41.

Ibid. p. 42.

pronounce,

30

pronounce, too pofitively, read with attention of virulent abufe againft his eighty pages

" overgrown dukes, who opprefs the indujlry of " humble men*/" " who hold large portions of

" wealth"

(" the prodigies of profufe donation t")

" without any apparent merit

and by
their

of their

own J!"

"

vaft landed

penfions^ (obtained by

the blacked crimes of treachery and opprefiion||) fo enormous as not only to outrage cecono-

" my,

but

even to
!"

dagger

credibility

f,"
indi-

" trample on the mediocrity of laborious

" viduals**

But

it

is

not only with the battle-axe of moral

indignation that

Mr. Burke

affails

the ariftocracy

of his country.

With
:

equal

expertnefs,

and

of equal ardour, he wings the light, keen fhafts nay, fo blunt is his fympathy, fatire and ridicule

and
tears

fo
it

exquiiite

his

animolity,

that

he even

occasionally with the rude hand-favv ot

pointlefs fcurrilitytf.

The

rage of Juvenil, and

and the playful levity of Horace, are not fufficient ; into Billingfgate and the fhambles are forced
alliance with

the

mufes, the daffies, and the

fciences,

to fupply

him with terms and meta-

mighty phors fufficiently forcible to exprefs the

hatred with which he labours.
* Letter, &c. p. 33.
Ibid. p. 38.
p. 37.
||

Ibid. p. 39.

Ibid. p. 41, 42, 43 ? 44>

**

Ibid. p. 39.

ft

I bid - P-

and 46. 6 37? 68 > 9-

t Ibid. p. 34Ibld '

Youthful

Youthful intemperance

may

furnifli

fome apo-

but if grey hairs expect our reverence, they muft purchafe it by difcretion, wifdom, and moderation.

logy for hafty and indecorous language:

Mr. Burke, however,

juvenile

retains, at three-fcore, his

contempt

for

thefe

cold

qualities

this well felefted rigour

u police of morality*!"
as he

!" this "preventive The hungry lionefs

rufhes not with fo blind a fury

upon her prey, upon the victims of his refentment. I am

bedchamber
for

told that a noble attendant of the

(I

mean Lord

Winchelfea)

who

turned feveral of

his

tenants out of their farms,

&c.

being

guilty of diftant relationfliip to

me, and of havino-

u Peripatetic," which he confidered as calculated to inflame the minds of the common people
and the great. I will not venture to affirm that there are no expreffions or
fentiments, in that hafty publication, which, upon mature confideration, might demand fome foftening or apology. But to fay nothing of the much
againft the opulent

my publications, among other things, complained very bitterly of fome pafTages in my

read

more popular and queftionable fhape" in which Mr. Burkes pamphlet comes before the
public,
I

defy

all

the lords of the

bedchamber

* Letter, &c.

p. 34.

put

3*

put together, to find

or in any other of

in the

work before-mentioned,

my

productions, paffages of any

thing like the inflammatory nature with thofe in

which the " Letter

I

to a
is

have pleaded,

it

Noble Lord" abounds. true, and while I have a

fo juft a caufe,
I

tongue or a pen to exercife in

will continue to plead, the caufe of the opprefled

and injured labourer.

feeling
offered

have reproved the unof greatnefs;

and

faftidious
in

pride

and

fome thing

extenuation for the pilfering

I

vices

of laborious wretchednefs.

have even

prefumed to hurl back the charge of difhonefty

upon " mighty

t(

lords,

and defcendants from the

" loofe amours of kings,"

who

" rob us, by letters

patent, and fuffer not a coal to blaze in our

"

grates, nor an action to be brought for the " recovery of a juft debt, till they have levied * contribution upon us:" But Mr. Burke flies at

higher quarry.

He

pounces

at

once at hereditary

property; calls the birds of prey around him, and

excites

them

to the
if

promifed banquet.

In fhort,

the daemon of anarchy willied to

reduce the

focial

frame to chaos, what charms

for his incantations
?

more proper could he .felet

than the ingredients of this troubled cauldron

Should fome prophet of pillage and maffacre

reality arife,

in

what more could he with

for

than

fuch a Koran? what further inftructions could he

give

33

give to his apoftles and miilionaries than to

com-

ment upon the

I truft,

text of

Edmund
in this

Burke, and puili

his principles to their

molt obvious conclufions?

however

and,
to
'

one refpect,

my

opportunities of forming a juft conclulion have

been much fuperior

that

my

antagonift's

truft,

what

are called the

common

people of this

country are in no danger of being ftimulated to

fuch excefles as this letter fometimes pretends to
deprecate, but more frequently appears calculated to provoke.
I

too have laboured " with

" very great zeal, and I believe with fome degree " of fuccefs*" (rather more, if I am not miftaken,
than Mr. Burke can boaft of in his attempt to

" fupport old prejudices*") not indeed " to " difcountenance enquiry*" but to give it a juft
direction
;

to

point out to the poorer fort in

particular of

my

fellow citizens,

fmarting and

writhing under the lafh of opprelTion and contumely, the peaceful means of redrefsj to (hew

them the
fociety

diftinclion

between tumult and reform

between the of the

truft

amelioration and the diffolution

removal of oppreflion, and the

I

fanguinary purfuits of pillage and revenge.

that the
falutary leffon has not

been enrefult

forced in vain
to fociety ,

that

whatever calamities may

from

the prefent enormous inequality in the

* Letter, &c. p. 34.

diflribution

34

dijlribation

of property, all tumultuary attacks upon

pojjeffion, all

individual
ling

attempts, or pretences of level-

and

equalization, mufl be attended with maffacres

equally deflruclive to the fecurity of

and

affajjinations,

every order of mankind; and, after a long flruggle of

affiiclions

and

horrors, mufl terminate at lafl, not in

equalization, but in
cut-throats

a mofl

iniquitous transfer, by
to

which

and

affajfms

would be enabled

found a

new

order of nobility, more injufferable, becaufe more

ignorant

and

ferocious, than thofe

whom

their daggers

had fupplanted.

The
later,

friends of liberty

know

that,

fooner or

the progrefs of reafon muft produce (per-

haps, at no diftant period) an effential reformation

in the
try:

government and

inftitutions of this

coun-

but (unlefsthe frantic and defperate councils

of fuch

men

as

Mr. Burke and Mr. Windham,

mould unhinge all fociety, under pretence of preferving order) no part of the exceffes which have
rent and convulfed the devoted land of France

need be dreaded

in

England: for the caufes of

thofe exceffes do not exift

like

a long-woo'd virgin,

among us. fhall come

Reform,
at
lafl,

in

the unfullied robes of Peace, and, in the

Temple
But

of Concord,

fhall

give her hand to Reafon.

fuit

fuch hymeneals
tions of

not the taftes and difpofifor

Mr. Burke;

will not

be invited to

placemen and penfioners The marthe banquet.

in a robe of

riage of

Tyranny and Corruption,

blood,

35
in

blood,

would be more

harmony with

his difor-

dered and irritated imagination ; with a legion of

foreign mercenaries to protect the

pomp, and a

proceffion of Inquifitors, and an Auto da Fe, to

clofe the

accuftomed revels!
leaft, are

Such, at

the only orgies, for

which the
are calcu-

vows and the

which
able:
tion
his

offerings of

Mr. Burke

lated to prepare.

Such alone are the fyftems to

are reconcile-

maxims and fentiments

if,

For
all

on one hand,
is

all

democratic innovarefilled,

reform

to

be pertinacioufly

and on the other,

all

refpecl for rank, fortune,

and

hereditary ftation are to be torn away,

by the
legal

impaflioned hand of perfonal rancour and factious

malevolence

if

the people, deprived of

in

all

weight and influence

the legiflature of the

all

country, and therefore of

rational

attachment from
are
to

and well-placed
to

affection,

be

ftimulated

perfonal

hatred

and

animofity
great,

againft the noble, the wealthy,

and the

whom
(oh
!

they are to be taught by

minijierial hirelings

that fuch a

mind
!)

fliould ever

be included

in

fuch a defcription

to regard as the plunderers

of their anceftors, and the oppreffbrs of themfelves,

what but tyranny the moft unqualified what but blood what but foreign mercenaries, and the

united horrors of inquifitorial and military defpotifm, can long fuftain that rule which miniflers

pretend to be

fo

anxious to preferve unaltered?

What

36

What
Britons

but this?

Nay:
:

not this, nor

more!!!

may be led but driven they will not be. They have fpirit they have intelligence they have a manly firmnefs-^-they have fome know-

ledge of their rights, and a keen defire to poffefs

them.

In fhort,

they are

men who

live

to-

wards the

clofe of the eighteenth

century, and

have feen two Revolutions: and if Bifhops continue to preach, that " they have nothing to do

"
"

with, the laws but

to

obey them V' and Lord

Chancellors to declare, that " the laws they are

to obey ought to be couched in fuch terms " that they cannot comprehend them !" If

wafteful wars are to create famines, and illuftrious

peers are to confole the half-ftarved people with

the reflection, that

" their fcanty mefs would

" have been ftill more fcanty, if fo many of " their friends and relatives had not been u ilaughtered 5" or, as Mr. Windham would call
it,

killed
is

off,

" in foreign expeditions

!"

If every

door

to

be clofed againft peaceful remonftrance

at

and complaint, and Secretaries

thruft

War
if,

are

to

obnoxious ftatutes

down
!

our throats with

the fabres of armed aflbciators

and

finally,

every gallant patriot, noble or fimple,

who

has

the generofity to item the torrent of corruption,

is

to

be befet by treafury blood hounds, and

hunted with threats of confifcation and profcription

37

lion;

by the great

terror that fwells

my

heart, as
I

imagination conjures up the picture,

believe that earth or hell have

do not

power

to fuftain

the fyftem

but

that

which France has been,

place,

Britain too foon mult be!

If fuch events

mould take
and

whom
f

has

the country to

thank but the

Pitts,

Grenvi/Ies, the Wejl-

mor elands

the

Windhams

If pro-

perty mould be ihaken, and nobility go to wreck,

who
tion,

founds the Indian yell of pillage and defla-

but the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, with his " Letter to a noble Lord ?"
In vain
(hall the

advocates of this

political

maniac accufe
ments,

me

of mifreprefenting his argu-

by generalizing obfervations which he

I

has confined to a particular inftance.

do no
in-

more than every reader of

evitably do.
that
is

his

pamphlet mult
of Bedford,

It is the

Duke

indeed,

oftenfibly attacked;

but the whole body of

nobility

and

landed proprietors, are wounded

through his
minifter

fide.

Let not the partizans of the

" the

weakly and wickedly fuppofe,

"

rival honours of the houfe of Riiffel are " blighted by this pamphlet, and public odium " excited againft their wide porTeilions ; but we
iC

have yet
" Golden opinions from all ranks of men, " Which may be worn ftill in their neweft

glofs."

Shakesfeare.

Let

38

Let them
" untion

not,

I fay,

" lay

this
is

flattering

to their fouls."

There

not one arguoffatire,

ment of moral reprehenfion

or ridicule one

one ftroke
and new,

intemperate expreffion of

de-

gradation or abufe, that does not equally apply

to

them

all.

Old

nobility

all

are in-

cluded^

all

are alike the victims of

Mr.

Burke's

irritated

pride

and immeafurable refentments.

gift,

Their patents, their deeds of

their titles,

and

their rent-rolls, all

all

are

confumed togeall-

ther in this conflagration of his inflamed and

inflaming mind!

of Bedford deferve " landed penfions *," the odious appellation of

are not the eftates of the

If the eftates of the

Duke

Dukes of

Portland, of

Rutland, of Richmond, of the Earls of Wejlmoreland, Winchelj'ea,

et ceteras,

Lonfdale,

and the long

?

train of

" landed penfions" alfo

Is the

Duke
the

of Bedford a " Leviathan

4<

among
and

the creatures
frolics in
I

of the crown,

who

plays

" ocean of royal bounty," (by which,

fuppofe,

we

are to underftand that the

king, whenever
fhall

his virtuous

and difmterefted minifters

his bounty^,

fo

advife,

may withdraw
is

and transfer
grateful fer-

thefe " landed penfions,"

to

more

vants

!)

not the Earl Fitzwilliam a " Leviathan"

alfo? and,

would not
&c.
p. 3S.
it

all

the difgufting details

not the meaning of

*
this

Letter,

f If

this

is

language, what does

mean?
/

of

39

of

this figure, in

which Mr.

'Burke indulges

his

imagination, equally apply in one inftance as in

the other?

Does he

not,
if

alio,

*'

lay floating

? many a rood *?" And

the " overgrown" bulk

of the one " opprefle.s the induftry of humble

" menf," are not the unwieldy proportions of the

other equally opprefiive ?

Was Mr.

Rnjfel,

in the

time of Henry the

eighth,

a " Jackall in Wait*

" ing J?"

What

are the Hawkejburies, the Lough-

boroughs, the Macdonalds,

and the long

lift

of new-

created peers,

whofe
little,

wliolefale

elevation has

tended,

not a

to fhake the prefcriptive

reverence, or in

Mr.

Burke's

own
f

words, " thofe

"old prejudices," which can alone fupport a

houfe of hereditary
grace to the
legijlators

If

it

is

dif-

Duke
,"

of

Bedford to have

been
into

" fwaddled

and rocked,
||

and

dandled

"

legiflator

have

not

the

whole

body
in

of nobility,

by defcent,

become

legiflators

the fame ridiculous manner?

If
I

were not

afraid

of being fufpe&ed of
party, (than

courting

the favour of
is

which nothing,
the fplendour

believe,

more

deftruclive to the energies of genuine patriotifm)

or

bowing

to

of wealth
is

and pa-

tronage

(than which nothing

more degrading

it would be only a tribute of juftice, to the value and ability of late

to the free-born mind!)

* Letter, &c.
Ibid, p. 34,

p. 37.
||

f Ibid,

p. 33,

Ibid, p. 41.

Ibid, p. 28.

exertions

40
it

]
foi*

exertions to fay, that

would be well

the

country,

and

for the

honour of that houfe, of

himfelf

which the Duke of Bedford has rendered

a
diflingniflied

ornament

if this legiflative

fwaddling,

and

rocking,

and dandling, had been uniformly as

efficient to the

end propofed.
Burke muft

On

the contrary,

how many
thofe

of our iiluftrious nobles (aye, and of

whom Mr.

now rank among

number of his friends!) are no better, to this day, than " mewling in a nurfe's arms;" or, what is worfe, with a criminal fupinenefs, equally
the
dillionourable to their rank

and

to their nature,

are abandoning every thing to the fpoil and uSur-

pations of a fet

of

jobbers,

loan

contractors,

Chan^e-allev calculators and adventurers,

who
dis-

have no other claim to the implicit confidence

they enjoy, than what
is

derived from the

grace and mifery, the ruin, defolation and famine,

which
lations

their

mad

projects,

and defperate Specu-

have brought upon the country

and,

in-

deed, upon the whole of Europe?

But
flail

this

is

not the only inftance in which the

it

of Mr. Burke ftrikes harder behind than

I

does before.

whether
afford a

this

firfl:

do not trouble myfelf to enquire leaf of " Burke's new Peerage"

Specimen of accuracy and impartiality,

or of mifreprefentation

and malevolence.

The
was

queftion

w ith me
T

(and the only queftion of real

is,

importance to Society)

not

how

property

acquired

4i

acquired three hundred years ago?

it

but

howis

is

now employed ?
as
I

If the

Duke
he

of Bedford
is,

difpofed,

hope and

truft

to

employ

and influence to the protection of the liberties and happinefs of his country,

his great property

the people will have an intereft in the proIf there be others

tection of that property.

who
them

are difpofed to
flavery

abufe their advantages, to the

of mankind,
let

and deftru&ion
left

beware,

they urge the people to

do that

mfelf-defence,
abhor:
for

which, from principle, they would

is

not very ftrange that grinding oppreflion mould fometimes force the haraffed multitude to reftea, that the rights and
it

of* millions are of more importance than the fecurity and poflefTions of a few. The

happinefs

alternative,
is

it is

true,

is

dreadful

but the crime

with thofe

who compel

a nation to choofe be-

tween fuch hideous extremes. Regarding property in this point of view,

enquire not

I
7

how "the

firft

Earl of Bedford'

acquired the vaft eftates which he has tranfmitted to his pofterity; nor by what title John a Gaunt held thofe immenfe commons, which he be-

queathed

in

perpetuum to the poor of the refpec-

tive diftricls.

to

I would not even be very curious enquire into the means by which the wretch-

holds,

ed peafantry have been deprived of thefe freeand their eftates transferred to a few

wealthy

4*

]
it

wealthy proprietors ; unlefs

were with a view

But, furely,

of preventing future encroachments.

Mr. Burke does not fuppofe us ignorant enough to believe, that Mr. Rujfel is the only founder of a family, whofe merits it would be painful to probe. Does he call us to look back to the
reign of Henry the eighth?
tyrant and

who,

by the way,

monfter as he was, (and even Mr.

is

Burke,

it

feems,
fuch)

aware that kings can fome-

times

be

by

exterminating

from

the

country thofe lazy and peftiferous drones, the monks and religionifts " of his time and coun-

" try*," made an ample atonement

all his

to fociety for
fay, call

crimes

Does Mr. Burke,

upon

us to look back to the reign

of this

eighth

Harry? Let this " nentf" reflect, that we can look

need not look
Bentinck,
fo far!

" defender of the high and emifarther! or

we

Let him afk the houfe of

whether there were no " prodigies o

" profufe donation" in the time of William the third? Whether the " lions" of the houfe otHajjau

had not

their

"jackaUs," as well as thofe of the

houfe of Tudor f Let him afk the proudeft he

that ever traced his genealogy to

the times of

the

Norman
even

robber, whether there were no inin thofe

ftances,

good old days, of " immo-

" derate grants taken from the recent confifcation

* Letter, &c.
p. 43.

Ibid. p. 42.

" of

(
c:

43

of the ancient nobility of the land*:"

Had

none of the landed penfions of that day their u fund in the murder of innocent perfons, or in
" the pillage of bodies of menf," more truly " unoffending:" than thofe cloiftered drones and
juggling \ iiionaries, whofe difperfion Mr. Burke fo
pathetically bewails
?

Could the monks of IVooburn and

days of old,
the furies

Tavijiock,

and

the murdered franklins and freeholders of thofe

rife at

once from their graves,

Oreftes)

(like

who

purfued

to harafs the prefeats,

fent poffeffors

of their refpective

whofe

wrongs would found moft

ears of nobility
?

terrible in the affrighted

whofe

appeal would be moft

?

forcible to retributive juftice

Mr. Burke has done an

fion

irreparable injury to

the caufe of ariftocracy by provoking this difcuf;

and,

if

an antidote

is

not applied, which I

truft it will,

by

fair

and manly expofition of the

fubject, has fet a poifon in circulation moft danger-

ous to the health and exiftence of the focial frame.

The

attachment, however, of

this

polemic to

ariftocracy, appears at leaft to

religion.

be

as fincere as his

He
in

pretends to fofter and protect the

it

former, and he tears

up by

the roots, from that

only

foil

which any

inftitution

can

flourilh
it

the opinions of the people over

whom

fpreads.

* Letter, &c.

p. 41.

IbiJ. 42.

He

44

He
ter,

pretends to be a zealot in behalf of the

lat-

and he

acts

on the

direct

converfe of the
that fyftem

pofition
is

upon which the morality of

profeffedly built.

The decalogue

only

de-

nounces vengeance upon the

pofterity of offenders
;

to the third and fourth generations

but promifes

mercy to thoufands of the righteous and good. Mr. Burke, on the contrary, vilits the fins of the
forefathers
paffes
I

upon generations without end, and

no account
fimulator
I
;

by

their virtues, as of
it

at all.

repeat

for I

am no

nor have

the popular fchools in which

ed, (whatever
fit

have been falhion-

contempt Mr. Burke may now think

to

entertain for them)

made me
I

fo

keen a

difputant, as to be willing, for the fake of victory, to appear the thing

fore,
I

am

not.

repeat

it,

there-

do not ftand up

as the advocate of here-

ditary diftinCtions, or

hereditary honours.

All

honour, and

all

merely perfonal.

mame, are, in my calculation, Goods and chattels may be

;

heritable property
are

and in fuch a fociety as

convinced that
it is

we

members

of,

am
fo.

necef-

fary they lhoukl be

But moral and

intellectual

diftinctions, (the fountains of all real

honour) are
is it

neither heritable nor transferable; nor

in the

power of human laws

I

to

make them

fuch.

They

begin and they end with the immediate

porlefTor.

admit, at the fame time, that anceftral reputa-

tion fometimes operates very powerfully in the

way

45

way of example.
the

Strong inftances of this are to

be found both in the hiftory of the ancient and

modern world

and

if

the

Duke

of Bedford

has been roufed to his late exertions by a proud

admiration of the conduct of that anceftor who,

in

the infamous

reign of Charles the fecond,

fealed his attachment to the principles of liberty

with his blood,

I rejoice

that he

had fuch an exis

it

ample

to fet before his eyes; nor

juftice to

fociety to fuffer that

his

example
to

to

be forgotten.
s

If

Grace, in defiance of Mr. Burke

admonition *,

mould ever condefcend

(where
I

attend

my

leclure,

have fometimes been honoured with the

plaudits of as fine fcholars, as diftinguiihed patriots,

and almoft

as exalted geniufes as
I

my

cais

lumniating antagonift)
true, to

would endeavour,
is

it

convince him that there

a furer and a

better motive of virtuous action: that the love of

mankind
that
it is

is

better than the pride

to enquire

of anceftry
nations and

more noble

how

generations can be moft effectually ferved, than

what our
to

forefathers did, or

have done:

and that

to

what they would be what we ought, is

if

be fomething more than the moft virtuous

!

anceftor has ever been

to

But

mankind
as a

are

ftill

be eftimatcd, not by individuals, but by families

if

the

whole race

is

to

be regarded

body

cor-

porate, and the living reprefentative to be aceount* Letter, &c. p. 35.

able

46

able for the actions of the whole,

Hill let

us pay

fome

little

regard to juftice

let

us balance fairly
fet

the debtor and the creditor, and

down

the

good

as well as the bad.

is

If this

the

way

in

which we

are to proceed,

the houfe of RuJJel has nothing to dread in the

fettlement of the long account. paint the
firft

Let Mr. Burke

the blacked

Earl of Bedford in

colours his imagination can fupply

let all that

if

he has

afferted

pafs unqueftioned,
to the

and more,

more can be found, be added

virtuous refolution of
in the full poffeihon of

account; the
RuJJel,

Lord William
all

who,

that youth,

and rank,

and wealth, paternal pride, and conjugal affeclion

could bellow, difdained to preferve his
ihrinking from his principles,
is

life

by

an ample atone-

ment

for all.
it

But

is

not ftrange that Mr. Burke mould be

blind, not only to juftice, but to the interefts alfo

of the order he profeffes to defend ; for what fo

blind as the headlong fury of
felfifh

and

irritable

pride

What

fo precipitate as the

pamons and

refentments of a mind

evidently and avowedly

uncontrouled by any curb of principle?

regardlefs of the unity
profeffes to fubmit
its

which,
truth,

and immutability of

calculations and conclufions

to the fluctuating decifions of intereft, favour, or

averfion

and

on queftions that

relate

to

" the

" theory [and practice] of moral proportions *,"

* Letter, &c. p.
9.

to

47

toufe "one ftyle to a gracious benefactor; ano" ther to a proud and infulting foe*?"

That fuch were the motives and caufes

produced
this

that

pamphlet, the pamphlet

itfelf

has

put beyond all queftion and difpute. " Why " will his Grace," it is faid, " by attacking me, force " me reluctantly to compare my little merit with

"

" that which obtained from the crown thofe pro" Let him digies of profufe donation,-}* " &c.

" remit his rigor on the difproportion between " merit and reward in others, and they will make " no enquiry into the origin of his fortune J!" Was ever reftitude of mind more publicly dis-

avowed than

in this fentence

Was

ever

felf-

love and refentment fo openly proclaimed para-

mount
right,

to

all

principle

Either the enquiry

is

and ought to require no inducement from

it is

perfonal motives; or

wrong, and no perfonal

it.

motive ought to provoke

is

But
do

this, I

fuppofe,

the gratitude about

fo

much
I will

parade: " You

I

which Mr. Burke makes

injuftice

to
it 3

manand

" kind, that

"

may

reap the benefit of

do the

like injuftice, that the benefit

may

" be reaped by you!"

Such

is

the common

obligation !

Such, " in politics and morals,"

virtue
* Letter, &c.
p. 10.

of gratitude and private according to " the old feci:

traffic
is

the fquare rule of

Ibid. p. 39.

Ibid. p. 47.

This

43
ftill

This fentiment
fed
*'

is

more nakedly expref"

in

another place.
in

Had

he

permitted
faid
'tis

me
his

to

remain

quiet,

mould have
It is his

" eftate; " have I

that's

enough.
its

by law; what

to

do with

hiftory?
fide,

He would
'tis

na-

"

turally

have faid on his

this

man's

" fortune. He is as good now, as my anceflor " was two hundred and fifty years ago. I am a " young man with very old penjions ; he is an old man " with very young
penjions,

thafs all*!

11

What
men

is

this

but faying, in other words, that

of eftate and property, and the nobles of

the land in particular. the hereditary guardians of

the rights

and properties of
to

the people, are

all

bound

in

good policy

countenance
;

the growing peif

culations of corruption

and,

they refufe to

do
the

fo,

that the

new peculators
all

will turn

round upon

old proprietors with

the fury of a dan-

gerous and defperate revenge,

tions of their property,
againfr.

make

the foundato excite

and endeavour

them

all

the popular
!

odium
if

that

may

lead to pillage and tumult

reveal the felfijh
writer,
in the
irritability

But

thefe paffages

and

lax morality of the

what

enfuing? " Since

fnall

we

fay to the fentiment expofed

the total

body of

"

fervices have obtained the acceptance of

it

my my

" fovereign,

would be abfurd
*
Letter, S,x. p. 59.

in

me

to

range

" mvfelf

49

" myfelf on the fide of the Duke of Bedford and " the London Corref ponding Society*!"

What, then
that
is

are we to

underftand that

if the

total body of his fervices

had not been accepted,

to fay, srewarded

good penfon,

by the animating foul of a he would have ranged himfelf on

the fide of the

Duke

of Bedford and the

?

London
are

Correfponding Society
to underftand that

In other words,
peniion,

we
and
the

his hoftility to

liberty,

the negociation

for his

began

at

fame time
hope,

For the honour of human genius,

in defiance

would

fain

ftances,
this
is

and of

many concurring circumMr. Burke's own teftimony, that

of fo
is

not entirely a correct ftatement of the

it

cafe,

and that

yet pomble to find fome

way

of accounting for his conduct, without referring every thing to confcious and voluntary corruption.

Be

this,

however, as

it

may

truft

that the

public are not at any lofs to decide which of the

important fervices, fo oftentatioufly difplayed in

this fplendid farrago of

abufe and egotifm,

it

was

that occafioned that " able, vigorous, and well-in-

" formed Jlatefman\, Lord Grenville, to have the

" goodnefs and condefcenfion" both " to fay" and do fuch " handfome things in his behalf \" I
will

not enter into

Sec. p. 59.

the perfonal merits or def Ibid.

p. 3.

* Letter,

Ibid. p. 2.

merits

merits of Mr. Burke, nor into the general queftion of the propriety or impropriety of his penfion.
I

leave this enquiry in the hands of older

and of better judges.

courfe, object to

Mr. Burke would, of my " being on the inqueft of his

" quantum meruit*" (may his fate never be in the hand of a lefs candid juror !) He, of courfe, f* cannot recognize in my few" (he cannot, however,

add my "
his long

idle)

years, the

competence to judge
life* 5"

" of

and laborious

and

am
but

certainly as well attached, as he, at this time, finds

it

convenient to be, " not only to the

to the fpirit of the old Englifh

letter,

law of

trial

by

" peers f;" and fhould be forry either to prejudge him by a garbeUed and inflammatory report, fabricated in the guilt-concealing cave of
prefent
fecrecy, to

him with a packed jury, or to traverfe But Mr. Burke will not himfelf his challenges. " the total body of his fervices," it that from deny is eafy to fmgle forth the limb or feature whofe
grace and attraction

won

the rich prize of royal

or rather of minifterial favour.

will not pretend to

Mr. Burke himfelf

and important
fo well

doubt

that, great

as thofe fervices might be,

which he has

enumerated, his

unexampled toil in the fervice " of his country " ceconomical reforms ," J," his
" ftudies of political oeconomy," which he had
* Letter, &c. p.
9.

ec

his

Ibid. p. 8.

% Ibid. p. 6.

Ibid. p. iS.

purfued

5'

purfued " from his very early youth," and by which " thehoufe" [of commons] " has profitted"

above eight and twenty years*," together with all that " preparation and difcipline " to political warfare," by which he " had earned
fo

much, "

for

" his penfion before he

fet his foot in Saint Steall

" phen's chapel f,"

lected

all,

would have been negfor his

and forgotten, but

conduct with
All that he

refpect to the

French Revolution.

"

did, and all that he prevented from being " donej," even at that time (1780), when "wild " and favage infurre6tion quitted the woods, and

" prowled about the ftreets in the name of re" form%" and " a fort of national convention" (of

which
collects

his

new

friend

Mr.

Pitt

now, perhaps,

re-

that he

was a member) "nofing parliament

"

||," threatened u England with the honour of leading up the

in the very feat of its authority

" death-dance of democratic revolution!

all

would have

lain in thanklefs oblivion

even

*|J"

all,

the eternal impeachment, " on

which

(of all his fer-

" vices) he values himfelf the moft**," would have

failed

to

influence " minifters to confider

if
it

"his
zeal

fituation

]*(-,"

had not been

the
ideal

for the

and ardour with

which he founded the

danger of
% Ibid. p. 23.

trumpet of alarm
* Letter, &c. p. 28.
Ibid. p. 13.
||

againft
\ Ibid.

p. 27.

Ibid. p. 14.

%
2

Ibid. p. 13.

**

Ibid. p. 27.

ff

Ibid. p. 6.

" rude

5*

" rude inroads of Gallic tumult* " called up,

with his hideous

litical

yells, the

hell-born fiend of po-

perfecution,
into

and,

turning the

houfe of
dagger-

commons

mountebank's

ftage,

ftruck every imagination, and plunged his country

plunged
moft

all

Europe, into the moft

frantic, the

terrible, the

moft defolating war, that ever

fcourged the univerfe!

This was the crown of

all

his labours

" the
had

" Corinthian

capital,"

that

gave the nnilhing

utility his life

grace to the temple of public

been fpent in rearing. But for this " the four and " a half per cents had been kept full in his eye f"
(c

in vain.

He

might have enjoj ed,

it

is

true, in

vifta,

the profpecr of this trophy of " the cecono-

of feleclion and proportion J," but never would he have beheld the minifter entering the

"

my

porch
ihrine.

to confecrate the fpoils

and offerings

at his

If I

were not impatient to enter

into

more

important matter, and unwilling to extend too far

would fain make fome few animadverfions upon thefe four and a half
the limits of this pamphlet,
I

per cents.

would

fain enquire into the

grounds

of that exultation with which Mr. Burke compares the funds and fources of his penfion, with
thofe that adminiftered to the exaltation of the

houfe of Ruflel.

would
f

fain enquire

whether

* Letter, &c. p. 54.

Ibid. p. 25.

J Ibid. 33.

it

53

it

be more vicious to enrich onefelf with the

dormitories,

plunder of

and by the extermination

like

of flothful, juggling,
locufts,

monks (who,

devouring

prey on
its

the green leaf of ufeful induitry,

and blight
even

hopeful fruitage

in

the

bud) or

with the confifcations of attainted nobles,

the defcendants, according to Mr. Burke, of former

"jackalls in waiting"

for the

argument holds
the

equally true ad infinitum

or to

draw

means of

luxury and profufion from taxes extorted from

the hard-earned pittance of the labourer, and

thereby to

make

the fpare meal of poverty

comfortlefs.

ftill

more fcanty and

quibbles

Mr. Burke has

his
friend,

and

fophiftries,

and

Mr.
to

Windham, has metaphyseal

doubt, to repel
this

fubtilities, I
if I

make no

charge ; but
I

had time

pufli the queftion

home,

could prove, by calcu-

lations as incontrovertible as

any in the minifter's

arithmetic, that every penfion that rewards the

bafenefs of political apoftacy, (trips the wretched

family of the peafant and the manufacturer of a portion of their fcanty bread.

Mr. Burke may therefore congratulate

as

himfelf,

much

as he pleafes, upon the " fpontaneous

" bounty" of " the Royal Donor," and " the

*f

goodnefs and condefcenfion" of " his minifters*;" but his penfion

is,

fi

in reality, a beggar's

* Letter, &c. p.

arm

2.

can,

54

cap, thrown by the

way

fide,

to

receive the

farthing of the pooreft paffenger; while, to ag-

gravate the difgrace, taxation, like the crippled

foldier in Gil B/as, refts its blunderbufs
ftile,

upon the

and converts the pretended "charity*" into

an

at of plunder.

But

my

pamphlet

is

fwelling beyond
I

its

in-

tended proportion; and

important matter.

muft haften to more

I leave, therefore, all confiderall

ation of the general merits of the penfioner,

comparifon of the proportion between the

vices

fer-

and the reward ; and

all I

enquiry into the

operation of the penfion, that

may examine
all
;

the

particular conduct without which

fervices

his other

would have been of no avail and canvas the principles upon which that conduct was profeffedly built.

"
"

If I

am unworthy," fays the pamphlet, " the miworfe than prodigalf:" and
if

nifters are

with re-

fpect to French affairs his conduct has been inconfiftent with juftice, policy, and the fecurity
pinefs of

and hap-

mankind, the greater

his former fervices,

the more criminal thofe minifters muft appear:

for the fyftem

indeed muft be rotten to the core,

when
its

life

of honourable fervice can only obtain of depredation and

reward by an old age

mifchief.
* Letter, &c. p. 33.

Ibid. p. 7.

Mr.

55

Mr.
'

Burke,

it is

true,

modeftly declines " the high

diftintlion,"

as
I

and" the glory" of being confidered the exclufive " author of the war* ;" and as
not at
all

am

defirous of removing refponjibility

from the moulders where the conftitution has placed it, I am ready to exonerate him from the
charge.
I

believe that
refolved,

the

miniftcrs
firft

of this
of the

country had

from the

dawn

Revolution in France, to feize the earlieft opportu-

nity of attacking that nation.

I believe,

that but

for the minifters of this country, the profligate

and

fatal treaty

of Pilnitz never would have been

figned; France and the

been embroiled

in

Empire would not have war; the exceffes which have

difgraced the greatefl and moft glorious event in the annals of mankind,

would never have been

perpetrated

and that Louis XVI. might, perhaps,

to this day have continued "

I believe, alfo,

King of the French."

that if no fuch

man
or

as

Mr. Burke

had been

in exiflence,

Mr. Pitt
this

more properly
conteft.

fpeaking, Lord Hawkefbury, would neverthelefs

have plunged us into

unhappy

Mr.
in

Burke and his dagger were therefore only inftru-

ments (powerful inftruments, however,)

citing that terror

ex-

and alarm, which gave, among

certain claffes at leaft, a degree of popularity to

the meafure, without

which the

minifter

would

* Letter, &c. p. 79.

have

50

have found
gagements !
It

it

difficult to fulfil his continental en*

was Mr. Burke who

affifted

him, in

this

em-

barraffment, by founding the

creating a real danger

tocfin

of alarm, and

by proclaiming one that

inquifition,

was imaginary.
pared the

It

was Mr. Burke who made

himfelf cryer to the

new

and pre-

way

for

the Reevefes, the Devaynefes y

Star Chambers,

and the

Idefons,

whofe departmental

and Revolutionary Committees*, have polluted the

ftream of administrative juftice, and debafed the
character of the nation.

He
;

it

was

that, like a

political dog-ftar, (hook " from

his horrid hair"

diftemper and delirium

till

the

brain-fever of
j

property maddened the whole land

and great

bankers and wealthy merchants, furrounded by

their

clerks

and

dependants,

(the

myrmidons

of the

ware-room and counting-houfe) turned

harflily in

* This phrafe may found rather

affociators !

the ears of loyal

but

it

mould be remembered,

that there are revoit:

lutions againft liberty, as well as revolutions for

revolutions

made by governors againft the people, as well as revolutions made by the people againft the government. The latter of
thefe have always, I believe, proceeded

actuated, in the

firft

inftance,

from neceflity been by right principles and been

;

productive of ultimate good.

refulted

The former have

as

uniformly

from the ambition, rapacity, and tyranny of wicked

and have been productive of oppreffion and mifegenerally of ultimate revolt! Thefe revolutions are, in and ry, But of reality, the caufes, and the juftifkations of the other.
counfellors,

this

more

in the text.

Merchant

57

Merchant Taylor's Hall into a bear garden Billingfgate and Bedlam to the blufli by
difgraceful,

put
their

and outrageous conduft; and thus prefented us with a modern illuftration of that
profound and indubitable remark of Machiavel, that " tumults and disturbances are more

" frequently created by the wealthy and powerful, than by the poorer clafles of fociety*."
In
* See that invaluable work

" Difcourfes on the

this

firfl

decade

of Titus Livius."

Verfions of

neglefted book,

it,

tranfplant and, indeed, the whole of this author's works, into their libraries. The doarine above quoted, will be found at fome length in book i. c. 5.

both in French and in EngUJh, are to be met with upon almoft every ftall: and my readers cannot do better than

Some, perhaps, may think

" fpe&able body of men

but the turbulent
yells,

that I have treated this re!" rather too harfhly in this pafTage:

the

grinning diftortions

of im-

perfuade us that the boafted police of this country, is not fo much intended to preferve the peace, and protect the perfons of the people
as to enforce a blind

paflioned countenance, the joftlings, and perfonal violence, with which every individual was aflailed who attempted to oppofe their refolutions, cannot but live in the memory of all who were prefent at that meeting. The outrageous 'and aflaffin-hke attack made by a part of this re/jtedable body upon Mr. Favel, as he was departing from the hall, fixes a ftain of a deeper dye, and would furnifh fome colour, at leaf! to the arguments of thofe who might wifh to

and abjeft fubmiffion

thefe

governing party!

to the will of the

The conduct of

fame re/kedaUe

gentlemen at Grocer's Hall was, I underftand, rageous. Let any perfon compare

ftill more outthefe facls with the tran-

quil,

53

was Mr. Burke who condefcendcd to be the "jackal," not of a Son, but of an ape, who, having run through all the tricks and metamorphofes of apoftacy, determined, at lair, to become
In fhort,
it

a beaft of
courage,

prey,

though he had neither the

to
ftart

nor

the fagacity,

his

own

game.
His new
with
all

ally,

however, caught up the fcent

imaginable keennefs.

No

fooner did the

troubles in France

make

their appearance, than

he began to beat the war-provoking hide ot " old John Zifca*" and call out for carnage and blood. Like Collins 's perfonification of Anger,
forth

"

he rufhed

his eves

on

fire

" In lightnings own

his fecret flings !"

and, this too, at a time

when

every thing in that

philofocountry was going on fo humanely, fo generous phically, fo benevolently, that every

the triumphs heart in Europe fympathifed with

quil, firm,

multitudes and orderly proceedings of the immenfe Houje Copenhagen Chalk Farm, ot common JieoJtlezfembXzA at tranlthey which with and Mary-le-bone Fieldsthe regularity they which in manner peaceable and the
atfed their bufinefs,
difperfed, as foon as
it

was over

let

them add

to this, an atten-

behaviour of the plebeians and oHhe tive examination of the ancient are called the feJitumsct what in patrician order, can in they arguments what Rome, and then let them draw aarmmprefeat the of favour of the maxims and fyftem
ftration.

* Letter,

&c

p. 3.

of

59

of Gallic liberty; and

their nationality,

mankind began

to lofe

and nobles their prejudices, in

that pro-

the

unbounded admiration of an event

mifed a fpeedy extinction of thofe fyftems of

devaftation and ambition,

which have hitherto

been the greateft fcourges of the univerfe.

It is in

vain that

Mr. Burke now raves about

It
is

mafTacres,

and fanguinary executions.

in

vain, that he difgufls our imaginations with tedious rhapfooies aDout " foul and ravenous birds

" of prey-

obfeene revolutionary harpies, fprung

and
hell,

" from night " anarchy " monftrous,

time

or

from

that

chaotic
all

which
all

generates

equivocally

prodigious things*!"
firft

At

the

when
of

his

wild

and

frantic

publi-

cation on this fubjeel: miniftered to the infidious

defigns
his

pre fen t

patrons,

no

excefTes

had taken place which could

or
afford

juftify his abufe,

the

leaf!

colour

for

regarding

the

French revolutionifts as maniacs "

who

thought

" The whole duty of man confifted in deftruftionf." The revolution was then in the hands of " philo" fophers," and "literary
fallen
(as afterwards,

men J

!"

It

had not yet

in-

from the unprincipled

ftill

terference of foreign defpots, and the

fatal influence

more
to

of foreign gold,

fcattered

among

emiflaries " in the night cellars of Paris"

* Letter,

Sec.

p. 21.

f Ibid. p. 7,
I

1 Ibid. p. 57.

hire

hire intrigue,

and provoke infurretion,

it

did

moft undoubtedly fall) under the management of " bravoes and banditti" of " robbers and

arTaffins."

If his

declamations

againft

the

changes that have taken place in that country, had never been heard till the fyftem " of pillage,
<c

oppreffion, arbitrary
exile,

imprifonment,

confiscation,

"

revolutionary judgment,

and

legalized

"premeditated murder*" had been adopted 3 and

thofe declamations had been

abandoned when
fome

the cruelty and wickednefs of this fyftem were

relinquiihed, he might have claimed
credit,

perhaps,

for his

humanity; and have

laid lefs

open
ever,

to the fufpicion of a

grounded abhorrence

to every principle of liberty.

Even

then,

howintel-

we

muft have pitied the confufion of

lect that

could not feparate principles from un-

principled actions;

and continue to revere the

their profeflbrs: or rather

fentiments of truth and juftice, however they

might be violated by

by

individuals of the country in

which they were

profefled.

But

it is

the profeffion and occupation of this

fingular writer, to
affected antithejis
;

confound

all

diftintions

by

to deftroy all unities of time,

for the

place,

and acfion,

purpofes of mifrepre-

fentation; to bewilder the underftandings of his

* Letter, &c. p. 64.

readers

6i

readers
fiction,

by incongruous mixtures of
and
to build his conclufions

fact

and

upon

artful

tranfpofitions, that unite

things together

which

have no conne&ion, and make caufes the confequences of their

is

to

break

own effects. His mode of analyfis down the whole feries of events into one
and arranging them ac-

chaotic mafs; and then, felecling fuch parts as are

belt fuited to his purpofe,

cording to his

own

arbitrary fancy, to

draw concluand
all

fions that contradict all the facts of hiftory,

the dictates of unfophifticated reafon.

Thus, for
at
dif-

example, the French Revolution having

ferent periods,

and under

different circumflances,

brought into action, upon the political theatre, fome of the moft enlightened philofophers that
ever adorned, and fome of the
that have
fiercer!:

cannibals

difgraced,

the

modern world,

Mr.

Burke,

that every thing French,

and every thing

revolutionary,

may be brought

into abhorrence at

two claffes together under the denomination " of the Cannibal Philofophers of France*;" and exclaims, with affected aftonifhment, " In the French Revolution every thing is
" new ; and from want of preparation to meet fo " unlooked for an evil, every thing is dangerous. " Never, before this time, was a fet of literary
"

once, confounds the

men

converted

into a

gang of robbers and

* Letter,

Sec. p. 56, 59.

"

affaffins.

62

Never before, did a den of bravoes afTamns. " and banditti, afiume the garb and tone of an

,c

"academy

of philofophers*."
!

Never before No, nor now. The author of " Reflections on the French Revolution," and the author of the " Rights of Man," are not more
diftint

the fentiments
men and
in

of

American war, and the

fite

Edmund Burke on the fentiments of Edmund

Burke on the prefent crufade, are not more oppothan the

the motives he has thus

confounded together.
diftinct,

They were men,

oppofition.

not only

but
till

pofitive

As

well

might the

iate

unheard-of maxims of defpo-

tifm, faid to

have been delivered by the Bifhop

of Rockefter and Lord Loughborough, be attributed

by future
by

hiftprians

to

the Earl of Lauderdale,

whom

they were fo fpiritedly and fo properly

expofedt!

as well

might Thomas Paine be

the

re-

proached

with the virulent and

unprincipled
oppreffed,
la-

malignancy of ftigmatifing
a " fwinifh

borious, and moll: valuable claffes of fociety as

multitude,"

becaufe he lived and

wrote in the fame age with the being

raged

who
as

out-

humanity

with

fuch

fcurrility,

the

crimes of Robefpierre, of Couthon, and of Marat,

of the

attorney general

Fouquiere,

and the

hangman Le
*
,

Bone, be charged to the account of

Letter, Sec. p. 5;.

Grenville's

f Debates on Lord

new

treafon

bill.

the

63

the Condor cets, the Ifnards, the Rochefoucaults, and the Rolands, who were the viclims, not the authors,

of the crimes which

we

deplore.
cold,

That the philofophers of France were too

too fpeculative, too flow and cautious, to have

faved their country, in the defperate condition

which they were plunged by the coalition of German defpots, and the intrigues and corrupthat they had tion of courts pretending neutrality
into

too

little

of the energy of

men

of bufinefs for the

flormy times they had to fleer through, and that

the profligate and deteftable proclamation of the

Duke

of Brunfwick, (the true proximate caufe of

all

the maflacres and horrors in France), required

other antidotes than fine-fpun theories and fpeculations,

however
nor
juft

juft
I

and excellent,
be backward

am
in

ready

to admit:
tifing

fliall

ftigma-

with

epithets of abhorrence, the fe-

rocious barbarity, the enormous, and almoft unparalleled cruelty

(I

fay almojl

for I

have not

forgotten Ifmael and Warjazvl) with which the more energetic party abufed their power! But
if it

was

the misfortune of France, that her philo-

fophers were deficient in the powerful energies

of manhood*, and her energetic characters deftitute

* " France," fays

Madam

Roland, " was

in a

manner def-

" "

titute

of men.

Their

fcarcity has

been truely furprifing in

" appeared.

this revolution, in

which fcarcely any thing but pigmies have

64

tute of the humaniling

temperament of
juft,

philofo-

phy, furely
the

it is

not therefore

to attribute to

former the favage ferocity that deformed

;

the latter

by confounding them together, to involve the whole in one indifcriminating cenor,

fure,

and endeavour

to bring all fcience

and phi-

lofophy into difgrace, and reprefent " knowledge"

itfelf as

" enormous
Still

" rendered worfe than ignorance, by the evils of this dreadful innovation f."
will
it

lefs

be admiffible, to attribute the

mifchiefs that fprung from thefe unfortunate

comthe

binations

of circumftances to the principles of

" appeared. I do not mean, however, that there was any " want of wit, of knowledge, of learning, of accomplifh" ments, or of philofophy. Thefe ingredients, on the con" trary, were never fo common but as to that firmnefs of " mind) which J. J. RofTeau has fo well defined, by calling it " thefirji attribute of a hero, fupported by that foundnefs ofjudg* ment, which knows how to fet a true value upon things, and " by thofe extenfive views which penetrate into futurity, altoge" ther conftituting the character of a great man, they were " fought for everywhere, and were fcarcely any where to be " found." Thefe obfervations difplay at once great penetration and great prejudice in this extraordinary woman.
:

The

latter

prevented her

from looking

for real greatnefs

of mind beyond the boundaries of her

own

party

but the forit

mer compelled her

not to be found.
rondijis

to

acknowledge, that within

qualities,

this pale

was

The

however, of which the Gi-

w ere
r

fo obvioufly deficient,

were moft eminently pofin paras

fefTed

by feveral of the Mountain party, and by Danton,

perhaps in as high a degree
is

ticular,

by any individual

whofe " name

deftined to live in the pantheon of hiftorv."

p. 21,

* Letter. &c.

65

the revolution,
I

if it

can be proved (and the proof

difficult), that

think,

would not be

the imbecility

and the ferocity of the energetic party, of the philofiphic,

had

the vices their remote caufes alike in

and

cruelties

of the old defpotifm. ignorant, or does he preIs Mr. Burke really fo of his fellow citifar upon the ignorance

fume fo Englifh zensupon the ftupefaaion of the dull undemanding*," as to pretend that the philofo were the and the Septembrizers of France
pliers

of the hufame perfonsj-that the promulgators

principles mane, the incontrovertible, the glorious declarabreathed through the fpeeches and
that
tions of the National Affembly,

and enlarged, at

philanthropy, once, the boundaries of fcience and horrid maflawere alfo the perpetrators of thofe
cres,
all

and

ftill

more

horrible executions,

by which were
fo

juftice, principles, all humanity, all

outrageoufly violated?
at

Reafon, at once, revolts

But, fortunately,
this

fuch

conclufion.

fo important to the argument, &

human

race, does

no t
fon.

reft

upon

Faft
(fo

reathe conclufiohs of fpeculative incontrovertible -ftrong, ftubbom,

faa

philofophers of the hateful to the juggling openly, that one old feci) ftares us in the face fo confifufficiently to admire the

knows not how

dence of the

man who

could fo grofsly mifrepreSec. p. 63.

* Letter,

fent

66

fent events

and

affairs

of yejierday, or the fupinenefs

and voluntary ignorance of thofe

reprefentations could deceive

whom fuch

mif-

Who

are the philofophers

and metaphyficians
humanity,

of France, whofe

fubtile theories of

and refinements of
been
rity,

univerfal philanthropy, have

fo

mixed and confounded with cold barba-

or favage ferocity, as to juftify this favourite

Claudian figure of rhetoric

" cannibal philofo-

" phy," with which we

cc

are fo frequently indulged?

Which of the metaphyficians of France has been "ready

to declare," either

by word or

a6tion,

" that

" he did not think a prorogation of humanity for " two thoufand years, too long a period for the " good he purfued? or that his imagination was " not fatigued with the contemplation of human " fuffering, through the wild wafte of centuries, " added
I

to centuries of mifery

and defolation*?"
facility, cerall

could point out, with

infinite

tain Englifli metaphyficians^,

this;

who go much beyond

whofe "humanity," (and whofe liberty alfo) may be truely confidered as " at their horizon ; " and like the horizon, always to fly before " them*:" who would put Liberty
Jhe
to

feep, that
it

might

be
to

able

(when
her

they

thought
preferve

convenient)

open

eyes

the

freedom

of

the

Conftitution,
its

by

eftablifhing
their

defpotifm upon

ruins;

{hew
p. 62.

hatred

* Letter, &c.

of

of violence,
coercion
;

by

inceflant appeals

to

military

their love of juftice,

iniquitoufly

by
and

fanguinary
their

perfecutions

legal;

hu-

manity, by a

confpiracy to ftarve twenty-four

:

millions of people

and who,

fo far

from being

" fatigued with the contemplation of human fuf" fering, through the wide wafte of centuries, u added to centuries of mifery and defolation,"
wifh
for eternal

war

eternal

maflacre, pillage,

and defolation ;
that

pronounce,

that peace with reto wifh,

call

gicides never muft be

made*; and feem

can no longer

when

their tongues

for

blood and carnage, " their Jkins

may be made
to

" into drums, " battlef."

It
is

to

animate

Europe

eternal

eafy alfo to point out metaphyficians in

this country,

who anfwer

too well

of Mr. -5/o-^Vdefcriptions

who

fome other " with {their foit is

"
"

phiftical Rights" (not

" of man"

true, but) of

rotten-boroughmongers , " to falfity the account,

and

the fword as a make weight to throw into the " fcale," profefs to have armed one part of their

fellow citizens for the fubjugation of another; and

protect

the

freedom of fenatorian debate, by

threatening to anfwer the arguments of their op-

ponents with the fab res of a

* Letter,
Sec. p. 80.

praetorian cavalry.

f Ibid.

p. 3.

Ibid. p. 54.

See debates on Colonel M'Leod's motion on the fubjeft of the Fencible Cavalry.

K. 2

How

68

How
tue

gracefully appeals to humanity and vir

lips as thefe!

come from fuch

How

fit

and and

appropriate to fuch men, the moral indignation

which

burfts forth in reproaches of Barbariftn

Cannibal Philofophy I
I

wifh not to degenerate from argument to

I truft I

abufe.

have conducted myfelf through-

out thefe ftrictures with a temper and

ration

modeSans

which

will

mew,

at

leaft,

that

Cidottifm, in its true fignification*, is

fiftent
life
;

not incon-

with the urbanity and mildnefs of poliihed

I

and

mould be
utility:

forry,

towards the clofe of

fo eiTential

my
to

labours,

to forfeit a character

public

but

if

hard words

muft be argument,
if

ufed

if our adverfaries, in defect of

will appeal to abufe,

can
?

it

be helped
it

the

ill

directed ball rebounds

miffible,

and may

not be adtheir unci-

fo far, to retort

upon them,

tizen-like (or, in their

own

language, ungentleman-

like) epithets, as to afk

them, whether thefe are

not the real literary

cal
banditti,

afTaiiins

the

real philofophi-

and metaphyseal

bravoes,

from

whofe example they have derived thofe extravagant

and incongruous
definitions

which, by a ftrange

jumble of characters and events, they endeavour,

* "
**

beg leave

to

quote from the

earlieft

works,

my own

definition of a Sans Culotte.

"

of

my An

political

advocate

for the rights

and happinefs of thofe who are languifhing in

Pol, Left. p. 26.

want and nakednefs."

in

in

their

virulent

rhapfodies,

to

apply to the

philofophers

and

literary

men of France?

But

the

jaundiced eye of prejudice fees every thing difcoloured, and knows not that the diftemper exifts in
itfelf.

mean not

to

deny that crimes and exceffes

have been perpetrated in France. Deeds have been done " at which the face of heaven glows

" with horror!" But

deformity of his

let

not Mr. Burke hide the

own

caufe in this black cloud of

indifcriminate abufe.
lifts

Let him bring

forth his

of philofophical banditti and

affaflins;

and

let

us fee this pretended connection between the

metaphyfics

"

of the

new feci ," and the crimes that

principles

have torn that fometime diftra&ed country, or

his

attack

upon French
If the

muft

fall

to

the ground.

exceffes

cannot be proved,

either logically or experimentally, to

have been

connected with the

is

principles,

coincidence of time

nothing to the purpofe, and the one cannot be

faid to

have produced the other.

Now

if

the

principles did not produce the exceffes, the exceffes

elfe:

muft have been produced by fomething

and nothing can be more

fet

illogical

than to

condemn any
It

of principles on account of

confequences that never refulted from them.

matters not,
I

repeat

it,

that the principles

exceffes

were propounded, and the

nearly about the fame time.

committed
and fame inn,
is

If a philofopher

an

affaflin

happen

to take fhelter at the

70

is

the philofopher therefore a cut-throat, and the

afTaffin

a metaphyfician? But Mr. Burke's

is
ftill

way of

arguing

more

inconfiftent

banditti

of ruffians,
I

and unjuft. " or cannibals," if he

pleafes (for

can find no epithet too ftrong for

their crimes) having

broken

in

upon a company

of philofophers,

who were

teaching the principles

of juftice and philanthropy to a throng of newly

emancipated

flaves,

they killed and devoured the

greater part of them,

and then began to and

for

fall

upon
other,

the pupils
(unlefs

and

for this reafon,

no

it

be that the philofophers had

acute logician confounds

affifted the

throng in efcaping from the tyranny

this

of their matters)

together, the devourers and the devoured; and

becaufe one party were philofophers and the

other cannibals,
philofophers.
Is calls

them a
fair

fet

of cannibal

not

this, I

demand, a
I

ftatement of the
fellow citizens,

cafe? Confider,
for the queftion

conjure you,

my

is

well worthy of ferious exami-

nation; and
ties

it is

time

we

laid

afide our animofiit

and our heats, and examined

with temper
that

and moderation.

The

mifreprefentations

have too long inflamed our minds " are not " wholly without an object*!" While we are

waging war with Gallic Liberty, we

our own.

are lofmg

Corruption has been long availing us

* Letter, &c. p.

4,

on

7i

on every

fide;

been fteeped
fmart, the

and though her (hafts may have in anodynes to prevent the prefent

wounds are, for that very reafon, the more dangerous. Defpotifm is now approaching with gigantic ftrides;
and, diftra&ed and
terrors,

alarmed by a thoufand incoherent

we

are

finking, for fhelter, into the vale of abjea fubmiffion. But let us diffipate, in good time, thefe vifionary delufions, thefe

vapours of the

drowfy brain;
obliged

left,

the extreme verge

to

when awakened at laft upon of deftruaion, we mould be

by that uphill path whofe
fo

return

rugged

acclivities

have occafioned

many

ftrains

and bruifes
"

to our

unhappy neighbour.

Awake!

arife! or befor ever fallen ! ! /"

Be not deluded by
combinations.

idle rhapfodies

and arbitrary

Exceffes and cruelties are not

forms of government.

Aaions

are not principles

-either old or new. Philofophy is not a cannibal; nor can a cannibal be a philofopher! The new
principles of France, as

they are called, are good in

rights,

themfelves:-the principles of equal

equal laws.
in the

and

They

are, in faft, the oldefl principles

world: the principles upon which the wifeft and happieft governments of antiquity were founded: expanded and improved, it is true, but not fundamentally altered, by the wifdom derived from the improved ftate of human fociety the wider
diffulion

**

diffufionof intelleaual

acquirementand the more

general intercourfe of mankind. ' themfelves are Thefe principles, I repeat it, in
<rood.

are ferioufly of a difIf our antagonifts

ferent opinion,

why do

they not examine them,

the fimple without mifreprefentation or abufe, on Why foundation of their own merits or defeas?
preconfound them with other things? Why of nothing, tend to difcufs principles, and talk
in reality,
Is Is

time
it

men? but the aaions of unprincipled wrong? unfteady, becaufe my watch goes

not noon

when

the fun
is

is

in the meridian,

becaufe the parifh dial

principles,

out of repair?

Can

which are the fun of the intelleaual their nature or their univerfe, be changed in few ruffians ? Prove courfe by the vile aaions of a
the principles me, bydifpaffionate argument, that falfe and pernicious, of the French Revolution are and thank you and I will relinquifh them at once, But while my errors. for delivering me from my
to

reafon
felves

tells

me

that they are confonant

it is

in

them-

with truth and juftice,

is

not calling them

lights

French principles it

not calling them new

it
it

is

is

cannibal philofophers--it

and years not the hoary prejudice of fix thouf calling others not calling me Jacobin, nor the " igis not talking of

norant flippancy*" of a man whom the learned have never been folidityof colleges and confiftories
* Letter, &c. p. 77,

able

73

able to anfwer
ternefs

it

is

not

all

the declamatory bit-

of

Burke,

the

metaphyseal frenzy of
Pitt,

Windham, the fanguinary rage of

long-winded fophilirv of
Scott

nor the

and Mitford, mall

important truths:

compel

no

me

to relinquish thefe
it

not though

could be proved that the

Robefpierre furpafled

crimes of Marat and

the

favage wickednefs of the fiend Zuwarrozv, and the

ferocity of Croats

and Hulans.

Marat and

Robefpierre

were no more

to

be

re-

garded as integral parts of the new

France, than Pitt and
principles of

principles of

Dundas

as parts of the old

fire of

England; or than the

London

as having been

a part of the river

Thames, befloated

caufe

its

waves were blackened by the rubbifh of

and the blazing
rafters

falling

houfes,

along the ftream.

The

rafters

and the rubbifh

were fwept
its

into the fea,

and the Thames regained

Robefpierre are

wonted

clearnefs:
in the

Marat and

fwallowed up

ocean of eternity, and the

;

new

principles of France remain

and

if Pitt

and

Dundas were
dinner,
I

to die of a furfeit, after a Wimbledon

for

do not believe,

my own

part, that

our

liberties

would be

lefs

fecure

As men

are not principles, fo neither are par-

ticular actions.

Mr. Burke might

as well con-

tend, that barracks and fubfidized mercenaries,

and the
life

Jhort

memory

of a minilter on a

trial

of

and death, are the

Britilh conftitution, as that

the

74

the tyranny of Robefpierre

was
it

the

fyftem of philofophy and

ftill

politics.

new French To come

clofer to the point,

were

as rational to

affirm, that the maffacres

of Glencoe were the

principles of our Glorious Revolution, as that the

maffacres of September
the Revolution of France

were the principles of

!

That the revolution has had

as deteftable
as either

its

" harpies *,"

Virgil or

Mr. Burke has

defcribed,

who

feafted

on the general wreck,

and were for leaving " nothing unrent, unrifled,

" unravaged, or unpolluted*," there can be no

doubt
ration
:

nor

is it

neceffary, to account for the gene-

of " thefe foul and

ravenous birds

of

" prey*," to defcend with the poet to the regions

which

fuperftition has
;

peopled with more than

mortal wickednefs
cal declaimer to

or to

mount with

the politi-

the regions of philofophy and

metaphyfics.

What
John

fort

of figure Fauquier Tinnanville would

fide

have made by the

Scott, I

of the metaphyfical
;

Sir

do not pretend to fay

but

who

ever

fufpected either Marat, Robefpierre,

Le

Bon, or an^
fubtilties

of that fanguinary party, of vifionary

and metaphyfical abftraclion?

fine-fpun metaphyfical
perfection
is

Which
whofe

of thofe
abitract
in-

theories,

fo

abhorrent to Mr. Burke's "

thofe

"

ftincts,"

which of

breviaries of funda-

* Letter, &c. p. 21.

mental

75

mental principles which

commanded
either of

the aflent,

and excited the admiration of the philofophical

world,
is

attributed
it is

to

thefe

men?

Robefpierre,

true,

was

member

of the Con-

ftituent

Aflembly; and

we

find him, at

an early

period, in pofTefiion of conliderable popularity:

but
clafs

his

popularity

was not of a

defcription to
literati

him with

thofe fpeculative

againft

whom

the politicians of the old feci have con-

ceived fuch an inveterate abhorrence.

However
dulge
its

this

country
in

may be
The

difpofed to in-

vanity

comparifons, they are not

French Robeffteadi-

always to our advantage.

pierre
nefs

was no

apofiate.

There was a certain

conducl and

and confiftency

in his

character,,

which, (together with fome grand

plicity

traits

of fim-

and difintereflednefs) even

in the midft of

abhorrence, compel us to refpeft him.

I repeat
it,

Again,

comparifons are not always in our

favour: in the character of the French Robefpierre

there

was nothing

to excite

our contempt.
!

He
cor-

had
had

vices

demons of defolation
He

bear witnefs, he

vices: but they

were not the vices of

ruption.

neither maintained himfelf in riot-

ous luxury, nor enriched lethargic brothers, and

imbecile relations with the plunder of his country, difguifed

under the fpecious names of places

and

pcnfions.

He

had cruelty

too, the

thought
of

of which makes one's

flefh

creep: but though

he

iffued a

decree to

give

no quarter

to Bri-

tons or Hanoverians,

found in arms, he never ento

tered into
millions of

a confpiracy

Jlarve twenty-four

men, women, and children!

He
the

had virtues too grand magnificent virtues! for " pure unmixed, dephlegmated, defoecated evil,"
exifts

no where but

in

the inflamed imaginafuperior to

little all

tion of

Mr.

Burke.

He was

fordid temptations that

debauch the

mind

the allurements of luxury, oftentation, and rapacity.

Surrounded by

all

the temptations of un-

limited

power, he lived like a private citizen,

a pauper.

and he died
of blood.
people,

Robefpierre was,

however, from th~

firft

man
them

He was
true
;

for giving every thing to the

it is

but he was for giving

it

not by the cultivation and expanfion of intellect,

but by commotion, and violence, and fanguinary

revenge: and therefore
ary
it

was

that the revolution-

movements of

Robefpierre, perhaps, in defpite

of himfelf, hurried him into the moft infufferable

of

all

tyrannies, inftead of conducting the people

to freedom.

There can be no freedom

its

in the

world but that which has

foundations in the

encreafed knowledge and liberality of mankind.

Tyranny comes by violence,

Liberty
is

or by corruption: but

the gift of Reafon.

Of

77

Of

this

important truth
to

the

Revolutionary

Tyrant feems

and from

this

have been entirely ignorant: defeft, and the want of perfonal

I

courage, proceeded,
all

believe,

all

the errors and

the horrors of his adminiftration.

Nay,

fo far

was he from
places
its

that metaphyfical abftraaion,

which

confidence in fine fpun theories and

conduahas given a report, that he cherifhed almoft as inveterate an abhorrence againft philofophers and
birth
to

bird's-eye fpeculations, that his

as Mr. Burke and his new friends. was he from upholding the dangerous herefy of illimitable inquiry, that he would have
literati,

So

far

roafted an atheift at the flake with as

much

fatis-

faclion as the molt pious bifhop of the church.

During the reign of his defolating tyranny, philofophy was filenced, fcience was profcribed, and daring fpeculation feared no more.
France

was threatened with midnight ignorance; and

the Club of the Cordeliers, at that of the inftruments of his tyranny,
in

time one
a motion
libra-

was even made

ries.

to

confume the public

mallow pretences for degrading the nobleft exercife of human intellea. Away with this idle jargon of cannibal philofophers

Away,

then, with thefe

and

literary

banditti!

So unnatural an
will.

alliance never yet

was formed; nor ever

The

arTaffins

and

ruffians of every clime,

wheth ci-

78
or

in the

pay of
fort

regular

revolutionary

tyrannies,

have a

of universal inftinft whifpering to

them, that knowledge and

thrive together.

oppremon cannot
IFoolfey,

"

If

we do

not filence the prefs," fays

" the
little

prefs will filence us:'

and

Robefpierre

(a

wifer in this refpect than

Eamimd Burke)

prohibited, in the jacobin Club, the publication

of his

own

fpeeches;

left his

intemperance mould
tyranny could not

provoke difcuinons which

afterwards controul.

his

But though the pretences of Mr. Burke for confounding together the philofophy and the crimes
completely refuted, I do not of France are thus is expert that the ground will be abandoned. It confpiracy too important a part of the permanent the liberties of mankind to be readily
againft

given up.

Remove but

this delufion

from the

Corruption eyes of the people, and the reign of The could not laft " no, not for a twelvemonth."
to the geneprinciples of liberty are fo confonant
ral

good the
is fo

ers

caufe of the rotten borough-mongrfitute of all rational fupport, and the

fo artfully ex-

numerous, miferies produced by that fyftem are fo

thatnothingbut thegroundlefs terrors
againft cited nothing but the prejudices infpired

allfpeculationandenquiry,byconfoundingtogether
poilibly prethings that have no conneaion, could from every vent the people of Britain Ihouting
village,

79

village,

town, and

ftreet,

with one unanimous and

omnipotent voice

"REFORM! REFORM! REFORM!!!"

0(
this

the faction in
it is,

power

are iufficiently

aware; and therefore

that their hatred

and

perfection are principally directed, not againft the furious and the violent, but againft the enlightened and

humane. Therefore

it is,

that they

endeavour to confound together, by chains of conneaion flighter than the fpider's web, every
fanguinary expreflion, every intemperate a&ion of the obfcureft individual whofe mind has become diftempered by the calamities of the times,
not with the oppreffions and miferies that provoke them, but with the honeft and virtuous
order

labours of thofe true Jons of moderation and good who with to render their fellow citizens

firm and manly, that they

to be tumultuous
light of reafon,

may have no may

and

occafion

and favage;
that

to fpread the folar

they

extinguifh the

to produce a timely and temperate reform, as the only means of averting an ultimate revolution. Thefe are the men againft whom the bittereft malice of

grofler

fires

of vengeance;

perfection
againft

is

whom
is

direaed. Thefe are the men every engine of abufe and mifre-

prefentation
their

employed;

to calumniate

whom

" Briton," and their " Times," and their dirty Grub-ftreet pamphletteers, are penfioned
out

So

out of the pubKc plunder

and

againft.

whom
alham-

grave fenators from their benches, and

Cicero s

-penfioned

from

their literary retreats, are not

ed

to

pour forth

their meretricious

eloquence,
all

in torrents of defamation,

and to exhauft

the

fury

of inventive (or deluded) malice.

Thefe
and
doc-

are the

men

for

whofe blood they

thirft;

whom
trines,

they endeavour to deftroy by

new

not onlv of accumulative and conftrutlive

:

rreafon, but of treafon by Jecond fight

making them

accountable for actions they were never confult-

ed upon, books they never read, and fentiments

they never heard.
for

Thefe, in

fhort, are the

men
fpies

whofe deftruclion laws are perverted,

are employed,

and perjurers are penfioned: and

when

all

thefe artifices prove inadequate to the

end, thefe are the

men

to ftop

whofe mouths

bills

have been propofed,

in

parliament, fubverfive ot
left

every principle of the conftitution,

at large

the nation

ihould be in time convinced that they

are not

what they have been reprefented: but

I

that the friends of Liberty and Reform, are the true

friends of Humanity and Order

This would be, indeed, a terrible difcovery

for thofe

who

are fupported

by corruption

and
for

in this point of

view one cannot blame them

the feleftion they have

made

of the objects of
let their

their perfecuting hatred.

fall at

To

vengeance
aa

once upon the reallv violent, would be an

Si

act of impolicy, that

would
the

fliew

them "

to

be

" foolith, even

above

weight of privilege

" allowed to wen 1th*" and power.

lupprefled (arguing

Were

the fe

upon

their

own

fuppofition,

that persecution can

fupprefs)

what would be-

come of

thofe pretences by which, alone, they

have rendered the advocates of reform obnoxious

to the fears,

and confequently
if

to the hatred, of the

alarmiils?

But

they could deftroy the real reof reafon, of humanity, of indeftroy the

formers, the
tellect,

men

they

would

magnets

(if

may

fo exprefs myfelf)

around which, whenever

fufficiently

their influence mall

become

diffufed

through the intelligent

atmofphere, the

good

fenfe, the fpirit, the virtue of the country,

muft be

attracted

and when

it is

fo attracted,

and

when

the parts fhall firmly and peacefully cohere, and,

thus brought under the influence of the true laws

of nature,

fhall.

prefs together, with the united

force of attraction

and gravitation,

to

one comcrea-

mon
tion

centre of truth, the feven days

is

work of

complete

the
in

fyftem

is

reftored to order;

and the unruly temped of tyranny and corruption

fhall

endeavour

vain to prolong " the reign of

roll

" chaos and old night:" the planet mall

regardlefs of the ftorm

on,

grace, beauty, fertility,

in
full

happinefs,

lhall

flourifh

luxuriance, and

* Letter, &c. p. 55.

the

8.

the meteors of delufion fhall burft and expire.

But were
powers of
this

this

principle deftroyed

were

thofe

intellect

and virtue by which, alone,

grand harmony can be produced, fuppreflfed

by the timely interference of fuperior power, and

every thing
ignes fatai
left

to

the mifguidance of

thofe

of intemperance and revenge, which,

a
foul corrupted
at-

in the night of ignorance,

mofphere never

fails to

ingender, in the low, rank,

intellect,

marlhy fens of vulgar

liberty

the friends of

would be no longer formidable; but while

any

they floundered about in a thoufand wild directions, deftitute of

common

principle,

and

unconfcious whither they were going, muft prefently be

fwallowed up
their

in the bogs,

and fwamps,

and quagmires of

own

delufion.

In fnnpler language, though commotion and

violence are the watch-words of alarm,
progrefs of reafon
tellect,
it is

the

the

power of

prefiding in-

of which, in reality, the borough-mongerThis, they are juftly

ing oligarchy ftand in dread.

apprehenfive,

mav

in

time diffeminate what they

very

call its infectious influence, fo far as to palfy the

hands of corruption, and caufe the fceptre of their

furreptitious authority to
fall,

by the mere operathey can defpife:

tion of

its

own

weight, from their enfeebled grafp.

But

as for actual violence

this

this,

fome parts of

their conduct,

and many
pecl

of their fentiments, would almoft lead one to fuf-

s3

peel them of being defirous to provoke.

military,

Their

they

may

fuppofe,

would quickly fup-

prefs

any mfurrcction ; the tumult would afford

a convenient opportunity of ridding the country

of obnoxious individuals*; and, while the victorious fvvord

was

yet out of the fcabbard,

if

who

could blame them,

they took the opportunity

of organizing a of
liberty are

military defpotifm ?

But the
their

friends

aware of
little

this;

and

condu6t

has proved

how

they deferve the calumnies

of Mr. Burke, and the minifterial faction.

perate language

Intemufed,

may fometimes have been

and even received with intemperate applaufe;

*
I

underftand that a certain

officer,

of fome rank in the

army, has avowed that inftruclions of this kind have been given:

" If any tumult fliould arife," he is reported to have faid, " we " know our game. We fliould not fpend our fury on the rabble" (fuch is the language they ufe towards thofe ufeful members
of fociety, whofe induftry fupports and feeds them
!)

"we fliould
and make
I fhall

" look out for thofe prating rafcals, " fure of them, wherever they were
infert the

*******,
to

be found." head of

not
lift

names

that

were placed

at the

this

black
it

of profcription, for more reafons than one.

Suffice

to fay,

they were fuch as fully to juftify the above chain of reafoning.

They were

not

men

of blood

not men of violence not men

;

who

yelp for tumult or revenge

who

call

out for rebellion,

characters are
:

or breathe forth flaughter.

fafe (for the prefent).
fants,

No no: fuch
are the neft eggs

They

the hen phea-

whom
frefli

the keen fportfman muft fpare, that they

may
not

breed

game.

Let us hope, however,

that this

was only
is

gafconade: a military bounce : and that

or accepted.

human

nature

yet fo depraved, that fuch inftructions could be either given

M2

but

34

but the voice of rcafon has always been the com-

manding voice

nor could the grofTeft

infults,

nor the molt methodifed attempts

hirelings, police ruffians j",
(for there are fanatics,
it

of treafury

and

minifterial fanatics,

fhould be remembered,

of

all feels)

ever throw

them

into

confulion, or

provoke them to violence.

But Mr. Burke would be

ill

qualified

for

champion
undertaken

in

behalf of that caufe

he has now-

to fupport, if

he could not confound

diftinctions

together the

clear

and obvious

bevio-

tween
lence

intellectual rirmnefs

and tumultuous

the energies of the mind, and the energies

Ill

of the dagger!

would he be calculated

to

fupport the tottering caufe of oligarchy and corruption,

tion
if

he could not divert popular atten-

from the abufes and violence of his

own
all

party,

by exciting unmerited odium againft

intellect

and enquirv, and throwing upon the

philofopher and the philanthropist the imputation

of thofe crimes

which the enemies and perfecutors

whether

of thofe characters in reality perpetrate,

in

France or Britain.
fophiftries,

The
of

however, and mifreprefentations

my

antagonift end not here.

Not

only has he

confounded together characters and events that

f For a ftrikifflg illnltration of the propriety of this expref" Narrative of Facts,-'' prefixed to " Political Lectures,
I.

fion, fee

vol.

part

i.

p. xii.

and

xiii."

were

85

were

in reality diftint---not only lias

he charged

the crimes of a

few

ferocious ufurpers

upon a

whole people,

and made the

philofophers of

France the authors and promoters of that very

fyftem of cruelty, in refitting which fo

many of

them

loft their

lives;

but he has affigned the

altogether to

excerTes

and crimes of the revolution

a wrong caufe ; and charged upon republicanifm the

guilt of ingendering thofe hideous propenfities

thofe
nefs,

enormous depravities of gigantic wicked-

which nothing but

this

defpotifm ever did, or ever

can produce.
quite in

His talent feems, indeed, to lay way. In his " Reflections," in

defiance of the well-known fact, that the famine,

car city of bread, or great f

was one of

the princi-

pal caufes

of the revolution, he

charged the
I
ftill

revolution with having produced that famine.

am
bal

not,

therefore,

furprifed

to

find
all

him

obftinately perfifting in charging

difpoiitions

thofe canni-

Rights of
all, if

upon the Republic, and the Man, which could not have exifted at
had not generated them
at

the old defpotifm

and which,

any

rate, the revolution

would only

give their proprietors an opportunity of difplayittg

in

deeds of open violence and commotion,

of employing

inftead

them
by

to

perpetrate

the

fecret cruelties

and

afTaiTinations of the court

in devaftations fanclioned

regular

authorities,

and opprellions "

iniqiutoujly

legal7"

That

86

That popular commotions call all the vices, as well as the virtues of the community into aclion,
cannot be denied.
**

That when " the cauldron of

is

civil

contention"

boiling over, the fouleft

ingredients will fometimes be at the top;

and

that, in the general fermentation, combinations

the moil deleterious will fometimes be formed,

no

reflecting

man

has ever yet denied.

It is

an

additional argument

why

the rulers of the earth

mould take care not

to render fuch

commotions

neceffary and inevitable.

Happy, thrice happy mall

and governments,

it

be for thofe princes

who
it

derive a ufeful leffon from

the events that have paffed before us!

thrice

Happy,
and

happy mall
rulers,

be

for

thofe

wife

moderate

who,

in this bufy,

changeful,

and enquiring age, put not

ries

their trufls mjanijja-

or Swifs Guards

but, adopting the falutary

fhall illuftrate

advice of the great Lord Verulam,

by their conduct that profound and falutary maxim, that u the fureft way to prevent fedition " is not by fupprefling complaints with too much
u
feverity,

but to take away the matter of them.*"

In other words, the beft

way

to

manage

the dif-

temper,

is

not to amputate the limb but to remove

the caufe.
* Eflays, Civil and Moral, p. 77. and 80.
Seditions
edition

Of

725.

Title

and

Troubles.

Query,

Why

has Mr. Burke

overlooked

this efTay

But

s7

But whatever vices and

popular commotion

difpofitions the heat

call into action,

of

may

mult

have been generated by former circumftances. Extraordinary exigencies place men in ftrong
lights,

and

mew

them fuch

as they are

but they

do not
facture

create' characters of a fudden; nor

manu-

mankind anew.

Revolutions are touch;

ftoncs for the real difpofitions

like the

but they do not,

whifp of a harlequin's fword, change the dove into a tyger, or the tyger into a dove.
If,

therefore,

we were

to admit that

lutionifts

the whole body of the French people,

in

all

the revo-

were indifcriminately involved

the

guilt of

thofe exceffes fo exultingly quoted, and fo wickedly exaggerated by the foes of libertywhat

would be the conclufion? Where would the blame in reality fall, but upon that old fyftem of
defpotifm,
for

the

reftoration

of which

Mr.

Burke " would animate Europe to eternal battle."

The
fet the

revolution in France, or

more properlv

fpeaking, the philofophers and patriots

who

firft

new

order of things in motion, did not create

their agents.

They

did not fow the earth (like

Cadmus) with dragon's teeth, and reap a harveft of men to carry on their projects. They were
obliged to

make

ufe of the infrruments already

made
foot,

to their hands;

and when the game was on

the bad as well as the good

If,

would have
allufion,

their fliare of the play.

to

refume the

a race

ss

a race of contentious homicides did burit from

the ground, and the feed
alternately deftroy each other,
old defpotifm, not

was fown by the

indeed,

by the

new philofophy

Mr.
againft,

Burke,

himfelf feems confeious,

that the wild and ferocious characters he declaims

could not have been formed by the

re-

volution

he knew that the men whom he Jligmatizes

educated
aiTign,

for projecting and forming the Republic, could not

have been formed and
by the
in

Republic.

Unwilling, therefore, to

plain

terms,

the generation of the monfters he defcribes to the

and tells " revolution harpies, fprung from us, that thefe " night and hell, and from chaotic anarchy,
right caufe, he calls in the aid of poetry,

" which generates equivocally

tc

all

monftrous,
I

all

prodigious things."

True,
The

Mr. Burke,

thank

you for the allufion.

fpring, moft afluredly,

revolution harpies did

claflical
hell,

rrom what with

precifion of
night,

metaphor you have called

and

and

chaotic anarchy.

They

fprung, indeed,,

from that

hell of defpotifm, into the

very abyfs

of which France had for whole centuries been

plunged

They

fprung, indeed, from that night

the beft faculties of the

of ignorance in which

human mind had been fo long enveloped and extinguiihed They fprung, indeed, from that chaotic

anarchy of vice, licentioufnefs, profligate lux-

ury,

and unprincipled debauchery,

into

which
the


s9

the morals of the country had been thrown by

the
influence
it

and example of the court, and

rightly faid, generates equivocally all
!

which,

is

monjlrous, all prodigious things

Thefe were, indeed,

the infernal fources of all the evil: and but for that

M night, that hell, that chaotic anarchy," of the old

defpotic fyftem, fuch " obfeene harpies,"
<k

fuch

foul and ravenous birds of prey," never could have been in exiftence, to " hover over the

" heads, and foufe

revolution ifts,
*'

down upon

the tables," of the

rifle,

and " rend, and

and ravage,
filthy offal,"

and pollute, with the flime of their

the wholefome banquet, which the philofophers

of the revolution had occafioned to be fpread for

the focial enjoyment and fuftenance of mankind.

Such were the monfters generated

nal region of the old tyranny ;

in the

infer-

and
be

in

fuch re-

gions fuch monfters always muft

till

generated,
to their

effects fhall ceafe to

be commenfurate
change.

caufes,

and nature's

felf fhall

Was

it

not time then, think you, that this " great deep"

were broken up

that the chaotic mafs of tyranny

into

and corruption might be thrown

new motion,
noife

by the addition of fome

frefh principle, or ftimulus,

by means of which (through whatever

produced

and

uproar) a more wholefome arrangement might be

" And from confufion bring forth beauteous order?"

N-

It

It is in

vain to
to

tell

me, that thefe harpies were

till

no harpies

mankind

they ihewed thenp

its

felves as fuch.

Defpotifm had always

harpies:

and they were always well banqueted.

banqueted
in filence, indeed,

They

under the old fvftem

they were not garrulous, as under the new order: nor

did the prefs trumpet forth their attrocities.

But

they rent, and ravaged, and

rifled,

and polluted,
and abo-

and devoured, and acted

all

their horrors

minations, with avidity and diligence enough, for

centuries before the revolutionary fyftem

was fet

in
is

motion.

Of this Mr. Burke, and every man who

is

travelled, either in climes or books,

well inform-

ed.

They had

their public

theatres, in

which

they tore the quivering limbs of their prey, for

the

amufement of courtly
their cages

fpectators

and they

had
<c

their

cells

their Baftiles, or, as

Mr. Burke, more

caftles *,"
riot

delicately calls them, " king's

in filence,

where they might banquet

all

and

undiilurbed in

the horrid luxuries of

cruelty.

The
:

revolution gave

them nothing but

and the

a voice
ficial
:

and

this attribute

was ultimately beneyells,

for their

hideous fhrieks and

audacious publicity of their cruel ravages, concentrated, at

laft,

the general hatred of the coun-

try they infefted.

caverns

and the

They were hunted to race has become extinft.

their

* Refleaions, &c.

do

9'

do

not,

however, mean

to affirm

that the

harpies of the

new

fyftem were the fame indivi-

duals as would have been the harpies of the old:

though, in
cafe.
it

many
is

inftances,

it

was probably the

Fermier General,
tribunal,
in,

Cruelty

cruelty,

under whatever fyftem

acts;

and an

inquiiitor, a

and the prefident of the revolutionary

turn round, and change pofitions ad

the reel of political mutation, might join hands,

infinitum,

with-

out ever appearing out of place.

But
rates

this is

not

all.

Inhuman
T

oppreflion gene-

inhuman revenge.
effects.

All ftrong impreffions

produce ftrong
ately deteft,

That w hich we

paffion-

we

are fometimes in as

much danger

of imitating, as that which we paffionately admire.

How

often does the hatred of cruelty degenerate

into the very thing

we

abhor?

How

often does

the hatred of tyranny render

men

moft tyrannical?

for the hatred of tyranny

of liberty
is

is

one thing the love

is

another.
is

The former

common
is,

inftin&j the latter

reafon.

the nobleft attainment of

that lex talionis

Add

to which,

with

the

generality

aftion.

of mankind, the law of moral " Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth," is

inculcated as the mandate of Deity.

nobility

But the

and clergy of France, had not eyes and

to

teeth

enough
at

anfwer
?

this

account.

Can we
It

wonder

what enfued

N?

9*

It

would have been well

for France,

if

the

influence of the old tyranny

upon

the moral cha-

racter of the people, had terminated with the evils

here enumerated.
blifhed oppreliion
ferocious,

If the

cruelty of long-eftairritable

had only made the

ignorant

and

the

revengeful,

thefe

deftructive

paffions

might have been controul-

ed by the
till

energy of more cultivated minds,

they had been foftened and humanized by the

influence of

more

favourable, circumltances.

But

tyranny had not

bility

left to

the revolution the pofli-

of the crime with which Mr. Burke has

it

charged

in a former

pamphlet.

It

had "

flain

" the mind* of the country" long before that

revolution took place.
Literature,
it is

true,

had

been highly cultivated.

rally patronized, in the

Science had been

libe-

upper

circles;

and even

that republican
rilhed with a

talent,

eloquence,

had been chein

its

diligence molt
to

important,

ultimate

confequences,

mankind.

But

the

jealous nature of the

government the
birth

terrors

of

the

Baftile -the ihackles of an imprimatur

the

homage exacled by
all,

and fortune, and,

chaa profligate,

above
racter

the frivolity and effeminacy ot

impofed on the nation by

thoughtlefs, and

luxurious court, which, having

* Reflexions, &c.

nothing

93

nothing manly in
tolerate

itfelf,

could not be expected to

manhood

in

its

dependants, " dwarfed

" the growth" of that mental energy which thefe

taftes

and

ftudies could not otherwife

have

failed

of producing.

Hence

originated

the

circum-

ftance of which the female citizen Roland complains, that the revolution produced no men. The

courfe of ftudy had been perverted by the

fluence of the government.

in-r

The

clofet of the

philofopher was infected by the contagion of the

court.
Solidity

was

facrificed to

ornament

the

virtues to the graces.

In acutenefs, fubtility, peneliterati

tration, and even profundity, their

were not

deficient: but they

active

energy

wanted that boldnefs

collected,

that

that

unembarrafled,

firmnefs and

prefence of mind, which nothing

but the aclual enjoyment of liberty,

and an unre-

ftrained intercourfe with a bold, refolute, buftling,

and difputatious race of men can

fible,

poilibly confer.
it

This energy of mind, without which

in

is

impof-

any ufeful and important fenfe of the

word, to be a man of bufinefs, muft be fought among " thronged and promifcuous audiences," " in theatres and halls of affembly;" for there
only
it

is

to

be found.

The

philofophers of

France, however, from the neceffities under which

they were placed by the government and
inftitu-

tions of the country, either mingled with the gay

pircles

of the diffolute and great, and became

in-

fected

94

fecled with fervile effeminacy, or indulged their

fpeculations in a fort of fullen retirement,

where

the mafculine boldnefs of the true philofophic

character

was

chilled

by

folitary abftraclion.

Thus
flroy,

did the genius of the old defpotifm dealike, the

humanity of the bold, and the

energy of the humane and enlightened.

thus
it

And

was

that, the philofophers

being feeble,

and the men of

republic

intrepidity being ferocious, the

was torn and diftracled by the crimes which the defpotifm had prepared. If it were neceffary to flrengthen this argument
with
hiftorical

evidence

if

it

were neceffary

to

prove by particular records, that the difpofition

to thefe

inhuman crimes

did not originate in the

nature and influences of republican government,

we

might appeal
to the

to the majjacres of St,

Bartholomew,

barbarous oppreifions and wanton cruelties

nrft edition

defer ibed by Arthur Young, in the

of his
lation

travels,

as

fpreading
lordfliips

mifery

and defoof

through the

and

feigniories of

what Mr. Burke

nifhments

calls

" the
all,

virtuous nobility

" France *" and, above

to the

inhuman pucruelty,

the favage protraction of lingering, but

which inventive
appe-

exquifite tortures, with

in
tite

fome

notorious inftances, gratified the

of royal vengeance.

Nay, whatever might

* Letter, &c. p. 49.

be

95

be the conduct of particular

cruel at
firft

leaders, rendered

by

their intolerant zeal,

fo

and

after-

wards,
it

Hill

more

by

their

dread of retribution,
prove, that the chainin-

would not be

difficult to

rafter of the people

was humanized and improved,

ftead of being rendered

more
I

ferocious

by the

fluence of the revolution.

appeal, in particular,

even to the very circumftance of the decree, that

no quarter mould be given

Hanoverians.

to

the

Britijh or

What was
it,

the confequence of that

decree

The

brave foldiers of the

republic
in-

refufed to execute
ftance
;

even

in

an individual

and the dictator was obliged

to recal a

mandate which he found himfelf unable

force.

to en-

Would

the foldiers of the old defpotifm,

St.

who

perpetrated the horrors of the night of

fo refufed
ally,
?

Bartholomew, have
ilaves of our

Did
frill

the military

good

the Emprefs, difplay the

to a

fame obfiinate repugnance

order
?

more inhuman

Let the ghofts of murdered babes and

(till

fucking mothers, that

hover unappeafed over

the captive towers of Ifmael and Warjaw, anfwer

the folemn queftion

Having thus

replied to the arguments, or rather

to the abufe, of

Mr. Burke,

againft the revolution-

ary philofophers of France ;

in the
firft

and having Ihewn,

place, that the cannibals

and the phiof

lofophers were not only diftincl, but oppofite, fets

96

of men;

and, in the next, that the cannibalifm

proceeded not from the revolution but from the

old defpotifm;
it

is

not neceffary to examine,

very elaborately, the truth of his affertion, that

Cf

every thing in this revolution

iuft

is

new."

If

my

arguments are

(and they are advanced in the

heart)
it
is

very fmcerity of

my

matter of
is

little

confequence whether every thing

new, or every
All that

thing derived from ancient precedent.

I (hall

do, therefore,

is

to quote

from Machiavel,
re-

his brief abftraft of the caufes

and progrefs of
fee

volutions, that the reader

may

how

far the

obfervations of that fine hiftorian and acute politician will

countenance this bold affertion. " At the beginning of the world," fays

this

author, " the inhabitants being few, they lived

" difperfed after the manner of beafts. After" wards, as they multiplied, they began to unite,
" and, for their better fecurity, to look out for

" fuch as were more ftrong, robuft, and valiant, " that they might choofe one out of them to make

" him

their head,

and pay him obedience*."

the people having

He
in

then briefly iketches the progrefs of fociety

to another ftage,

when

emerged
to

fome degree from barbarifm, " being

election

" an

of their prince, they did not fo

decade of Livy, Book

make much

* Difcourfes on

firft

I.

chap. 2.

" refpect

97

" refpecl the ability of his body, as the qualiflca*-*

tion of his mind, choofing

juft.

him

that

was moft

f prudent and
*.'

But by degrees their goto

vernment coming

be hereditary, and not by

thefe

" election, according to their former way,

" who
-*

inherited degenerated from their ancejiors, and,

neglecling all virtuous actions, began to believe that

<e

princes

were exalted for no other end but

to difcrimi-

"
"

nate themf elves

luxury,

from

their fubjeSls

by their pomp,
>

and

other

effeminate

qualities

by which

" means
cc

they fell into the hatred uf the people, and,

;

by confequence, became afraid of them

and that

" fear encreafmg, they began to meditate revenge, " oppreiling fome and difobliging others, ////
infenfibly the government altered, and fell into ty" ranny. And thefe were the firft grounds of " ruin, the firfl occafion of conjuration and con/piracy " againfl princes not fo much in the pufillanimous
;

"

" and poor, as in thofe whofe generofity,

fpirit,

" and riches wouJd not fuffer them to fubmit " to fuch difhonourable administrations. The
" multitude following the example of the nobi" lity, took up arms againft their prince; and

" having conquered and extirpated that govern" ment, they fubjected themfelves to the nobility,

" which had freed them.

" name of
<c

Thefe detefting the

took the government
firft

a fingle perfon,

upon themfelves; and,

late tyranny)

at

(reflecting

upon

" the

governed according to new " laws, O

" laws, devifed by themfelves, poftponmg

parti-

" cular profit to public advantage ; fo that both " the one and the other were preferved and " managed with great diligence and exattnefs.
" But
**

their

authority

afterwards dejc ending

upon

their Jons,

who, being ignorant of the variations of

as not

" fortune,

having experienced her inconwith a

civil

"
<f

ftancy,

and

not contenting themfelves

equality, but falling into rapine, opprefjion, ambition,

" and adulteries, they changed the government M again, and brought it from an Optimacy to be

" governed by a few, without any refpecl or confidera" tion to jujlice or civility: fo that in a fhort time it
" happened to them " being weary of
as to the tyrant
their
:

for the multitude

to

government, were ready

" a Mft any body that would attempt to remove it. " By thefe means, in a fhort time, it was extin-

" guifhed: and forafmuch

"
"
prince
their

as the tyranny of their

and

the infolence of their nobles werefrefli in

to reflore neither one

memory, they refolved

nor

"

the other,

but concluded upon a popular

is

ftate."

Such then
terly

the brief abftrat,

drawn by the mafand

pen of Machiavel, of the

origin, progrefs,

revolutions of political fociety: and though fome

particular inftances
varieties in
is

may be marked with

which the

partial

one feature, and fome in another, fuch

hiftories of the

the general picture

revolutions of the moft celebrated nations of the

ancient and

modern world

exhibit.

The

leffon

it

teaches

99

teaches

is

mod

important.

the rulers of the earth,

Well would it be for if they would lay the inftruc-

tionto their hearts j and inftead of producing by one

fort

of revolution the neceflity of another, would

refpeft to

pay that

the liberties of their refpeftive

are
fo

countries,

which they

anxious to

exa&
It is

towards their

own
is

perfons and authority.

true, that in the ftyle

and language of

hiftory, in

general, there
fpecifically

but one fpecies of revolution,

as fuch

marked

the revolutions
but
if

by

which governments
hiftories of the

are overthrown:

we
a

ferioufly attend either to this abftracl:, or to the

nations, of

which

it

is

fo juft

fummary,

we

mail find that thefe have uniformly

been preceded by revolutions of another kind

the revolutions by which governments become
tyrannical.

In one refpecl then, at

leaft,

and that the molt

its

important of all in refpecl to

caufes, there

-was nothing like novelty in the French Revolution

:

nothing that could furprife or aftonifh us.

pomp, luxury, and effeminacy of the court had

The

been long notorious.

The

extravagant and pro-

fligate diffipation of the princes, their neglecl of

all virtuous atlions,

and

their indulgence in every

vice,

was a common theme of reproach

all

againft

them, through
fanguinary

the nations of Europe.

fpirit

The
the

and vinditlive

of the laws,

rapine, oppreffion,

and jealous tyranny of the government,

ioo

menty

and the confequent mifery and deftruction

(in this

of the people,

country at

leaft)

were be-

come

proverbial; and Jlavery and wooden /hoes

was

the logic by which

we

juftified

our hatred of the

French nation*.

Surely thefe were caufes enough

to juftify a revolution

caufes enough to probe, that

duce one.
it

did not

The only aftoniflnnent muft come before.

The

only novelty in this event, as far as relates

to caufation, confifts in the circumftance of the

nobility

and

the
this

monarchy being overthrown

very circumftance fhews the

together.

But

profundity of Mackiavel, and the accuracy of his

reafoning; and expofes the " flippancy", of Mr.
Burke.
It is

novelty of combination in the hiftory

of facts; but not novelty of combination in the

hiftory of caufe

and

effect.

It

is

an additional
popular

argument

in fupport of the aflertion, that

revolutions are confequences of the revolutions of

tyranny and oppreffion.

In France,

twof

revo-

lutions took place at the

fame time; becaufe

twof

kinds of tyranny domineered together, and

therefore

two
yet,

j-

revolutions were neceflary.

The
their

* And
I

now we
wooden
fall

are to hate

them for throwing

! !

flavery and their

Ihoes

away

might fay three.

it

But

omit the

ecclefiaftical tyranny,

becaufe

does not

immediately in the way of

my

argu-

ment; and becaufe

the

fame reafoning

will evidently apply in

this inftance as in the others.

nobility,

ioi

nobility,

" lence,

and ftill wanton

by " their natural ignorance, their indoand contempt of all civil government *;" more by their unbounded rapacity, their
infolence, their barbarous exactions,

and

all-defolating pride

or,

in the

language of

my
and

quotation,
adulteries,

by

the rapine, opprejjion, ambition,

which they indulged

without refpecl or

conjideration of jujiice or civility,

had brought them-

felves into

general abhorrence and deteftation,

conjurations

even before any

the prince

and

con/piracies againjl

had

arifen.

They had made themfelves

Inftead of

partners in the guilt, and were therefore partners

in the puniihment of the tyranny.

being a bulwark between the prince and the

people, to preferve the latter from the oppreffion

of the former, they were indeed the chief battery

from which the definitive engines of Gallic

tyranny fpread ruin and defolation through the
land.

And

are thefe the perfons

whom

Mr. Burke

pretends " are fo like the nobility of this country,

" that nothing but the latter, probably not fpeak" ing quite fuch good French, could enable us " to find out any difference f?" I would not for the whole penfion of this " defender of the order,"
* Montefq. f
Spir.

Laws,

b.

ii.

c. 4.

Letter, &c. p. 59. Mr. B. it is true, applies the comparifon only to the Duke of Bedford; but it applies either to all

or none.

that

ioz

that this

companion mould be

true

for if

it

were

if

the titled great of Britain were

what thofe
exclaim, in

of France have been, then

the bitternefs of
their oppreihons

mould

my

foul,

that their crimes

and

ought no longer to be endured

infti-

no
ment.

longer protected by the laws and

tutions of the land; but that they, alfo, in their

turn, ought to

be driven into ignominious banifhus hope) will our nobility

realize the fimile

Never

never

(let

and great proprietors

has fo imprudently

Mr. Burke
(let

made

Never

never

us hope) will the vices, the profligacy, the infolent oppreffion,

and immeafureable rapacity of

mould, not

the French ariftocracy, ravage and depopulate

this country: for if they
all

the rhap-

fodies of penfioned eloquence

not

all

the treafon

and fedition

bills

of Pitt and Grenville, can avert

the terrible cataftrophe.

But the danger

another quarter.

to
It is

this

country comes from

not from the ariftocracy,

properly fo called, that

is

we have

moft to dread.

It

not even from the prerogatives of the executive

It
is

power.

from the oligarchy of the rotten

It is

borough-mongers.
that

from the corruption of

which ought
legiflature.

to

be the reprefentative branch

it is

of the
(I

This

that

is

undermining

muft not fay has undermined) the conftitution

it is

and liberties of Britain. This

that

is

realizing,

with

*3

with

fatal rapidity, the

prophefy of Montefquieu
ftate
It

" As all human things have an end, the " are fpeaking of will lofe its liberty.
"
not Rome, Sparta,

we

will

and Carthage Have perifh. " perifhed? It will perifh, when the legiflative " power mail be more corrupted than the exe" cutive*!"
Such, at
leaft,

are the apprehenfions that have

crowded upon my mind.

which, during the
laft five

Such are the dangers

years, I have endea-

voured, with the moft laborious diligence, to avert,

by the only means through which they can be averted

by provoking popular enquiry

had power
but determined
intellect;

by roufing, as

far as I
ful

to roufe, the energies of peace-

and by endeavour-

ing,

with

all

the

little

perfuafion I could mufter,

to

wean my
to

fellow citizens

from the prejudices

all

and delufions of party

tachment
their hearts

from
upon

idolatrous at-

names and

individuals,

and

to

fix

and

affections

principle

alone
all

the principle the fource and fountain of equal laws, juft government of equal
the great principle of philanthropy

of univerfal good

rights,

reci-

procal refpecl,

and reciprocal protection.

I

Thefe are the principles

inculcate,

have endeavoured to
meet-

in political focieties, at public

ings ; in

my

pamphlets, in

my

converfations,

and
in

* Sp. Laws, bookxi.

c. 6.

io4

in that leture-room, (that fchool of vice, as

Mr.

Burke

is

pleafed to call

anxious to diffuade the

it) at which he is fo "grown gentlemen and

" noblemen of our time from thinking of fmifhing

f whatever may have been left incomplete " old univerfities of this country *."
diligence and perfeverance
at the

If to have inculcated thefe principles with a

which no

difficulties

could check, no threats nor perfecutions could

controul

if to

have been equally anxious to pre-

ferve the fpirit of the people, and the tranquillity

of fociety

to

diffeminate the information that

might conduct to reform, and to check the intemperance that might lead to tumult

if

thefe are
(late,

crimes dangerous to the exiftence of the

minifter did right to place
:

the

me at

the bar of the Old

Bailey and, if perfeverance in thefe principles is perfeverance in crime,

to place
peril.
it

may be

neceflary once

more
and

me

in the

fame

fituation of difgrace

If to aifemble

my

fellow citizens for the

purpofe of political difcuffion

if

to ftrip off the

mafk from

ftate

hypocrify and ufurpation

if

to

expofe apoftacy, confute the fophifms of court

jugglers and minifterial hirelings, and drag forth
to

public notice the facls that demonftrate the

enormity and rapid progrefs of that corruption

under which

we

groan, and by means

of which

the rick are tottering on the verge of bankruptcy,

and

* Letter, &c. p. 35.

the

o 5

the poor areJinking into the abyfs

offamine

if this is

to

keep a public jchool of

it

vice

and

licentioiifnefs

*,

then was

right in minifters to endeavour to feal

up the doors of that fchool with an act of parliament j then was it right that I fhould be held up to public odium and public terror, by the inflammatory declamations of the Powifes and Windhams, the tedious fophiftries of the Scotts and Mitfords, the virulent

pamphlets of the Burkes and

Reevefes, and the conjectural defamations of

Godwin f

But upon what

fort

of pretence, even the inflamed

and prejudiced mind of Mr. Burke, can regard me as " a wicked pander to avarice and ambition J,"
I

am

totally at a lofs to conje6lure.

have

at-

* Letter, &c. f
It is

p.

36.

painful to fee fuch a name, in fuch a

lift.

But

if

men

of great powers, however fincerely attached to liberty,

voluntarily,
off/iirit,

by cold abftraclion and retirement, cherifh afeeblenefs

which fhrinks from the creations of its own fancy, and a folitary vanity, which regards every thing as vice, and mifchief,
and
its own moft Angular under thefe impreflions, and regardlefs of an ifolated individual, aflailed already by all

and inflammation, but what accords with

ipeculations
;

if,

the confequences to

the malice and perfecutions of powerful corruption, they will fend

fuch
firft

bitter defamations into the world, as are contained in the 22 pages of " Confiderations on Lord Grenville's and Mr.

"
ill

Pitt's Bills," they

muft expect to be
of

clafled with other

calum-

niators.
as this

The

bittereft

my

enemies has never ufed

of candour.

me

fo

friend has done.

as the

But nothing on earth renders a

affettntion

man
J

fo

uncandid

extreme

Letter,

&c.

p. 47.

tached

io6

tached myfelf to no party.

have entered into

none of the and

little

paltry fquabbles of

placemen

oppofitionifts,

by which, alone,

profit or proit is

motion can be expected.

true,

My heart and foul,

and

believe the

heart and foul of every

man who
rights

entertains one grain of refpect for the

liberties

and

of mankind, was with the

Whigs

in their

conduct and fentiments relative to

two

bills,
I

to which, as they are

epithet.

now

paffed into

laws,

mail give no

I truft

they have an

epithet, fufficiently defcriptive, engraved

upon the
think,

heart of every Briton.

that the

thought, and

I ftill

man muft be extravagant, indeed, in his expectations, who was not fatisfied with their
this refpecl
;

behaviour in
the firm and

and particularly with

Erjkine,
I

manly opposition of Fox,

:

and Lauderdale
fefs, I

from the

firft

of

whom,

con-

did not expect a conduct fo bold and unIf

equivocal.

any thing can preferve the party

its
it is

from that perdition into which, by

meafures,
it

cold,

half

has fo long been falling,

fpirit,

perfeverthat

ing in the temper,

oppofition.

and fentiments of

So long as they do perfevere

fpirit, I

in that

temper and
So long

hope, and

truft,

that the hearts

and fouls of Britons

as they

will continue to
fo

be with them.

do

perfevere,

my

heart and

foul, for one, will

ly:

be with them, moft undoubtedfor that

I

not as a partizan,

abhor

but

as

one who, coinciding with them

in a particular

principle,

io 7

principle,

is

anxious to neglect no opportunity

by which

that principle

can be promoted. be the

But

if

ever, which, I truft, will not

lliould

cafe, they

be again

weighed down by the pondrous

millftone of that fort of ariftocracy already de-

which fo long hung round their necks, and prevented them from foaring to the heights of confiftent principle, Inns and Outs, Whigs
fcribed*,

and Tories, will become once

alike of indifference

more

objects

of contempt!
other fubI

Thus, then,
lar point, jects, I

have. coincided, upon a particu-

with

men from whom, upon

it

have widely dilTented; and

thofe

have even

perfuaded myfelf, that

men

perfevere in

the fentiments and conduct: difplayed on that occafion,

the introduction of

Mr.

Pitt's

and Lord

Grenvilles bills will ultimately prove to have been

proud days
I

for Britain.

But amidft thefe

I

feelings,

have forfeited no confiftency.

from no principle. I " der to avarice and ambition:" nor have

have fhrunk have become no " panI

courted the patronage of wealth or greatnefs, by

relinquifhing any particle of that independance,

which does, indeed, render me " prouder by

than
all

far"

that frippery " of the Herald's College,"

fo fcientificallv,

which Mr. Burke,

as

details f;
is

in
fu-

much

as the

pride of manly principle

Letter, &rc. p. 39.

* P. 24 to 27.

-j

perior

io8

perior to the

infantile vanity of the

age of toys

and baubles.
Neither have
avarice,
I facrificed

to intereft nor gratified

by

my

particular purfuits:

whatever the

narrow-minded and the envious may fuppofe.

I

What

have received from the public, as the voluntary

price of

my labours,

has been fpent in the public

caufe

in

redeeming myfelf from the incum-

brances produced

by

inceffant perfecutions

in

alleviating (where I could) the fufferings of other

victims j and in the expences with which

tions

have been attended.

may

fay of

my exermy pofo."

litics as

Goldfmith of his mufe,

ftill

" They found me poor, and

have kept

me

But though

murmur
had
really

not

at

this,

neither

mould

hold myfelf a " pander to avarice and

if I

" ambition,"
lectures.

been enriched by
I

my

Whatever emolument
I alfo

reaped, furely

might have
I

faid,

might have " I have not

" received more than

every

deferve*:" for afiuredly

that he can get

man

deferves

all

by the

honeft exercife of his faculties, whether of

or body.

mind

To

increafe the burthens of an almoft

ftarving people,

by receiving pennons from the

producl of public taxes,

may be

bafe.

To extort

money, under pretence of propagating doctrines

which thofe who

mvji pay are neither defirous to

* Letter,

&:c. p. 10.

promote

promote nor willing to hear, may be a fpecies

of

public robbery: but to derive fupport, however

liberal,

from a courfe of public inftru6tion, to which

the only per Jons

who pay are the voluntary pupils, Mr. Burke, if he had fucceeded to that profeffor's chair, of which, it is faid, he was once ambitious, would
certainly have

been ready

to prove, not

only blamelefs, but honourable.

If avarice

and ambition had been

is

my

ruling

paffions,
<c

it

furely admiffible for me, " thus

attacked," to fay, that with

fpeaking,
I

my

talent for

pub-

lic

mould not have abandoned, from

fo fair a field for the gratification
felfifh

fcruples of principle, the profeffion of the law

which

lays

open

both of the one and the other. If

actuated

principles

my conduct,

needed not the infinuating

in a learned

meflage of a
profeffion

man (whofe eminence

lifted

ought to have

him above the

for

fliameful office of a go-between to male projlitution)

that, " if I chofe,
I

might do fomething better

" myfelf than delivering public lectures."

Even

without adopting thefe words in a fenfe which,

coming from fuch a

convey

quarter,

fuppofe them to

even without becoming what my calumniator has called me " a pander to avarice and
" ambition;"
refources
;

have fome confidence

I

in

and

perfuade myfelf, that

my own with my
from

habits of induftry, and with

putation,
I

my

little

flock of re-

could derive a better fubfiftence

fome

tip

fome of the

profitable branches of literature, than

my

politics ever
I

brought me, or ever will bring.

intereft, I de-

If

have any motives of perfonal

ceive myfelf, and

am

a fool.

If I

were

to regard

myfelf alone,

believe no act of parliament could

affect myinterefts: and certainly no intereft

no
upon

reward can compenfate

me

for the ravages

my

conftitution,

and the

Sacrifices

of focial enjoy-

ment (which,

as a

hufband and a

father, conftitute

the deareft gratifications of my foul), occafioned by

thofe exertions in

which

have been

fo inceflantly

and laborioufly employed.

But how fweet and

enjoyment of cur own
out the thorns from

alluring foever the bloffoms of domeftic felicity,

we
gay

muft not, in the

felflfh

partierre, neglect to root

the road of the way-faring traveller,

heavily laden
himfelf.
I

who

is

tod
for

to

ftoop and

remove them

have, therefore, renewed

my

exertions

and,

although an act of parliament has prohibited lectures " on the laws, conftitution, government,
<c

and policy of

thefe

realms" have opened

my
at

fchool again, and ihall continue to

open

it,

fuch intervals as health will permit, to give lectures

on the laws,

conftitutions,
it

government, and
is

policy of other realms, which

bited to difcufs
political fcience,
;

not yet prohielements

to inveftigate the
canjes

of

and trace the

and

confeqnences

of the various revolutions which the tyranny and opprefJions

"II

fious of various governments

have

in different ages pro-

duced

and though

profefs

no

infallibility

no
or

patent of exemption from occaiional

rather fiounderings , of verbofe nonfenfe,

flights,
I

think I

"

may venture to promife that " no grown gentleman or nobleman," who lliall be defirous " of
at the old uni-

" finilhing," at Beaufort-buildings, " anything that

" may have been left incomplete " verfities*," will lofe his time
cxpofition of which

in liftening to

fuch jargon as the following pafTage, with the

I fhall

clofe this

pamphlet.

"

conceived nothing arbitrarily, nor propofed

any thing to be done by the will and pleafure

of others, or
reafon only.
firft

my own
I

but by

reafon,

and by

'

have ever abhorred, fmce the

underflanding, to this
its

'

dawn of my
all

ob-

'

fcure twilight,
inclination,

the operations of opinion, fancy,

in

'

and

will,

the

affairs

of govern-

'

ment, where only afovereigu

to
all

reafon,

paramount
for the

'

forms of legiflation and adminiftration,

fliould dictate.

Government
in

is

made

very purpofe of oppoiing that reafon to will,

'

and to caprice,

the reformers, or in the re-

'

formed; in the governors, or in the governed;

in kings, in fenates, or in

'

people f !"
fenfe

In the

name

of

common

how many

gods
this

has Mr. Burke in his mythology?

* Letter, &c.

Who

is

p. 35.

Ibid. p. 24.

Sovereign

II*

Sovereign Reafon? In

which of the feven heavens

that in this does fhe refide? For he has told us At be found! blind world fhe is no where to
firft,

indeed,

fufpeaed

my

antagonift (for

whom

glaring) of no incongruity, no contradiftion is too rank democracy having flipped unawares, into

and of defcribing, by

this

new Gallicifm Sovereign

of the Reafon, the collective reafon

SOVEREIGN

PEOPLE;

or, in

other words, the concentrated

looking a little opinion of mankind: but upon be his meaning, further, I find that this cannot
for

he exprefsly

fays, that

government

is

made

"

for the

very purpofe of oppofing this [Sovereign]

it is)

Reafon (whatever

to will,

and

to caprice,

in

the

reformers or in the reformed, in the

governors or in the governed, in kings, in fenates, or in people :"-that is to fay in all Now that which is to oppofe

human

beings.

human beings (or even the will and caprice of all to all human beings, to decide, in oppofition
what
cious)
is

reafonable,

and what

is

wilful

and

capri-

muft be either

pofitive, exifting

injlitution,

than human. muft be fome being who is more inftitution, That it cannot be pofitive, exifting
or
it

which
dent;

is

to

be regarded

as the ftandard,

is

evi-

reformers becaufe Mr. Burke talks of

if pofitive
exifting
inftitu-

and reformed;" and,

tion is

the ftandard of Sovereign

Reafon, there can

is,

every attempt to reform be no reform at all; for

upon

"3

upon this hypothefis, an opposition of the and caprice of the reformers

folates,

will

or

people)

to

this

which was not the operation of the opinions either of others or his own, but without confulting which he neither conceived any of his reforms, nor propofed any thing to be done?does he thus bewilder

What was

(whether kin-, Sovereign Reafon'

this reafon, then,

Why

our judgment, without uniting our imagination? Why leave us benighted in thofe cold fo<r S of myfticifm? If he is inclined to impofe upon us a belief in fomething more than mere

fome grand flight of inventive fancy, that we may at leaf! have fomething pleafurable and amufive
in

and the all-perfca wifdora of government, are to controul the will and caprice of the human race, why not ftrike us at once with

human

vulgar

faculty,

by which

his reforms,

exchange
Egeria?

for the

not

common fenfe we are to furrender. Could Numa Pompillius have lent him his Damon*
or St. Dunjian his

red hot tongs, to lead the devil about the country, for the amufement of gaping
ruftics?

or Socrates his

the fiaions, romances, and impofitions, that bewilder mankind, the moft infipid, as well as the moft abfurd, are thefe dull, canting, metaphyfical rhapfodies

Of all

The reader will judge between us; but own part, I have ever confidered

for

my

reafon. as no-

thing

H4

operations of the thing more than one of the comparifon, and mind, employed in the refearch,
digeftion, of that

knowledge by which

folid

and

ufeful

undemanding can alone be

fanity

produced.

For the

have always
teft

or perfection of' this faculty, I confidered that there is no pofitive

or ftandard;

and that the

mod

confident
is

deduaion of the moft cultivated reafon an opinion" ftill; except in as much as

to that onefcience,

but

relates

which

is

known

to

admit of
that
all

Confidering, therefore, demembration. ultimately be dequeftions of government, muft

(or as Mr. cided either by the aggregated reafon or caprice) of Burke may call it, the aggregate will the cafe, by the is more commonly

fociety, or, as

the governors; and, reafon, will, or caprice of can have no confidering, alfo, that the multitude mtereft in reafoning wrong;
I

have thought

it

of

the higheft
citizens,
in

importance to awaken my fellow affliaion, to this time of peril and

queftions of the the exercife of their faculties on and to inculcate, greateft importance to us all; of dogmatical opinion, but of

not as matter

ufeful enquiry, fuch fentiments

to

and doarines as

me appeared

This,

conducive to public happinefs. notwithftanding the calumny and perfec-

tion with

which

may be
I

affailed,

mall

ftill

continue to do, not raihly,

hope I am

fure not
fearfully:

"5

fearfully j

varying

my

means, according to the

circumftances under which

new impediments

and new reflections may place me. other things, I have thought it my duty

Among
to

make

fome reply
libel

to

this

feditious

and inflammatory
it

of Mr. Burke

(for fo to

me

appears in the
it,

moft eminent and alarming degree;) making

at the

fame time, a vehicle

for the inculcation

I

of

principles favourable at once,

believe, to the

Rights of

Man

and the

inter efts

of humanity

for

they are indeed body and foul, and can only

exift together.
I

would
it

fain

hope that

this

pamphlet, and the

anfwers
roufe,

has provoked, and will provoke, may

fpirit

once more, that general

of enquiry,

fo effential at this time 3

and that notwithftand-

ing the temporary panic produced by the

treafon and fedition acls,

new

we

mall return once

more

to the

manly and vigorous exercife of thofe

ftill

innumerable means, which

forcing

lay

open

for en-

the

bold enquiries of reafon,

and the
if

facred love of humanity and juftice; that thus,

the wild and defperate projects of the minifter

iliould

unhinge the fyftem he profeffes to fupport,

diffolution of all focial bonds,

and produce that

which he

profeffes

fuch anxiety
ftill

to avert,

the

principle of order

may

remain, indeftructible, in

the hearts, feelings, and pailions of

my

fellow

citizens;

"6

citizens

and

(as

Dr. Darwin

fo beautifully fays

of Nature, from the rude mafs, in which he fuppofes Death, and Night, and Chaos, will fome-

time or other mingle the whole planetary fyftem

" High
o'er the wreck,

emerging from the ftorm,

" Immortal Freedom lift her changeful form; ** Mount from the funeral pyre on wings of fame,
" And
foar

and

ftiir.e,

another and the fame!"

FINIS.

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