第31章

ThedeathofM。deBuffonyouhaveheardlongago。Idonotknowwhetherweshallhaveanythingposthumousofhis。Astopoliticalnews，thiscountryismakingitswaytoagoodconstitution。Theonlydangeris，theymaypresssofastastoproduceanappealtoarms，whichmighthaveanunfavorableissueforthem。Asyet，theappealisnotmade。Perhapsthewarwhichseemstobespreadingfromnationtonation，mayreachthem：thiswouldinsurethecallingoftheStatesGeneral，andthis，asissupposed，theestablishmentofaconstitution。

Ihavethehonortobe，withsentimentsofsincereesteemandrespect，DearSir，yourfriendandservant，”AMONOPOLYOFDESPOTISM”

_ToSt。JohndeCrevecoeur_

_Paris，August9，1788_

DEARSIR，——Whileoursecondrevolutionisjustbroughttoahappyendwithyou，yourshere，isbutcleverlyunderway。Forsomedays，Iwasreallymelancholywiththeapprehension，thatarmswouldbeappealedto，andtheoppositioncrushedinitsfirstefforts。Butthingsseemnowtowearabetteraspect。Whiletheoppositionkeepsatitshighestwholesomepoint，government，unwillingtodrawthesword，isnotforcedtodoit。ThecontesthereisexactlywhatitwasinHolland：acontestbetweenthemonarchicalandaristocraticalpartsofthegovernment，foramonopolyofdespotismoverthepeople。

ThearistocracyinHolland，seeingthattheircommonpreywaslikelytoescapeoutoftheirclutches，choserathertoretainitsformerportion，andthereforecoalescedwiththesinglehead。Thepeopleremainedvictims。Here，Ithink，itwilltakeahappierturn。Theparliamentarypartofthearistocracyisalonefirmlyunited。TheNoblesseandClergy，butespeciallytheformer，aredividedpartlybetweentheparliamentaryandthedespoticparty，andpartlyunitedwiththerealpatriots，whoareendeavoringtogainforthenationwhattheycan，bothfromtheparliamentaryandthesingledespotism。

IthinkIamnotmistakeninbelieving，thattheKingandsomeofhisministersarewellaffectedtothisband；andsurely，thattheywillmakegreatcessionstothepeople，ratherthansmallonestotheparliament。Theyare，accordingly，yieldingdailytothenationalreclamations，andwillprobablyend，inaccordingawelltemperedconstitution。TheypromisetheStatesGeneralforthenextyear，andIhavegoodinformationthatan_Arret_willappearthedayaftertomorrow，announcingthemforMay，1789。Howtheywillbecomposed，andwhattheywilldo，cannotbeforeseen。Theirconvocation，however，willtranquillisethepublicmind，inagreatdegree，tilltheirmeeting。Thereare，however，twointerveningdifficulties。1。

Justicecannottillthencontinuecompletelysuspended，asitnowis。

Theparliamentwillnotresumetheirfunctions，butintheirentirebody。Thebaillagesareafraidtoacceptofthem。Whatwillbedone?2。TherearewellfoundedfearsofabankruptcybeforethemonthofMay。Inthemeantime，thewarisspreadingfromnationtonation。SwedenhascommencedhostilitiesagainstRussia；DenmarkisshewingitsteethagainstSweden；PrussiaagainstDenmark；andEnglandtoodeeplyengagedinplayingthebackgame，toavoidcomingforward，anddraggingthiscountryandSpaininwithher。ButevenwarwillnotpreventtheassemblyoftheStatesGeneral，becauseitcannotbecarriedonwithoutthem。War，however，isnotthemostfavorablemomentfordivestingthemonarchyofpower。Onthecontrary，itisthemomentwhentheenergyofasinglehand，shewsitselfinthemostseducingform。

YourfriendtheCountessd’HoudetothashadalongillnessatSanois。ShewaswellenoughtheotherdaytocometoParis&wassogoodastocallonme，asIdidalsoonher，withoutfindingeachother。TheDutchessDanvilleisinthecountryaltogether。Yoursonsarewell。Theirmasterspeaksveryhighlyofthegenius&

applicationofAly，andmorefavorablyofthegeniusthanapplicationoftheyounger。Theyarebothfinelads，andwillmakeyouveryhappy。IamnotcertainwhethermoreexercisethantherulesoftheschooladmitwouldnotbegoodforAly。IconferredtheotherdayonthissubjectwithM。leMoine，whoseemstobeofthatopinion，&

disposedtogivehimeverypossibleindulgence。

Averyconsiderableportionofthiscountry，hasbeendesolatedbyahail。Iconsideredthenewspaperaccounts，ofhailstonesoftenpoundsweight，asexaggerations。Buti