Letters from Paris, on the Causes and Consequences of the French Revolution

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the twenty-third day of April, in the forty-seventh year of the Independence of the United States of America, William C. Somerville, of the said District, hath deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, to wit:

"Letters from Paris, on the causes and consequences of the French revolution. By William C. Somerville.-'Indeed the whole world may be said to be like a house full of smoke, which, in such manner blinds the eyes, as it suffers not those within it, to see things as they are. Jeremy Taylor's Contemplations To live by one man's wil:, became the cause of all men's misery.' Hooker.-'None cal Jove freedom heartily but good men; the rest love not freedom but license, which never hath more scope or indulgence than under tyrants. Milton-Yet freedom-yet thy banner, torn, but flying streams like a thunder storm against the wind.' Byron."

In conformity with the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned;" and also to the Act, entitled, "An Act Supplementary to the Act, entitled, an Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching, historical and other prints."

PHILIP MOORE,

Clerk of the District of Maryland.

Contents.

LETTER I.

On the Condition of France, from 1450, to the death of Louis

XIII. 1642,

LETTER II.

page

On the Reign of Louis XIV. from 1642 to 1715,

LETTER III.

On the Regency of Orleans, and the reign of Louis XV.

1715 to 1774,

LETTERS IV. V. VI.

On the Reign of Louis XVI. from 1774 until the assembling

of the States General, 5th May, 1789,

LETTER VII.

100

112, 121, 130

On the Conduct of the National or Constituent Assembly,

1789 and 1790,

LETTER VIII.

On the Conduct of the Legislative Assembly in 1791 and
1792,

LETTER IX.

On the National Convention-the Reign of Terror-the Reign

of Anarchy-the Republic and First Directory-Character

of Carnot, Sept. 1792 to 1797,

LETTER X.

On the Second Directory, and the Consular Government-

Character of Bonaparte, 1797 to 1804,

141

155

172

185

On the Fall of Napoleon and the Restoration of the Bourbons

in 1814. The Charter. Errors of the Royal Govern-

ment,

LETTER XIII.

On the Character of Louis XVIII's Ministry. Congress of

Vienna, Return of Napoleon,

LETTER XIV..

On the Character of the New Imperial Government of the

hundred days-Battle of Waterloo, and second Abdica-

tion of the Emperor,

LETTER XV.

On the second Invasion of France-conduct of Allies-severity

of the New Government, from the second Restoration in

July, 1815, until the 5th of Sept. 1816,

LETTER XVI.

On the first Law of Elections, and Law of Recruitment; Cha-

racter of Richelieu's Administration in 1817 and 1818-

Congress of Aix la Chapelle-dissolution of the Minis-

try, and fall of the Duc de Richelieu,

LETTER XVII.

On the Administration of Decazes in 1819. Abolition of the

Censorship of the Press, &c. Impolitic Opposition of the

Liberals to this Ministry,

LETTER XVIII.

On the Prosperous Condition of France at the close of 1819-

unfortunate election and expulsion of Gregoire-division of

the Cabinet-Decazes' new Ministry-Death of the Duc

de Berri-Fall of Decazes-Restoration of Richelieu-Re-

lapse of the Government into arbitrary measures,

LETTER XIX.

On the Prerogatives of the Crown-Abolition of the Liberty

of the Press and of Personal Liberty-Change in the Law

of Election-partial union of Richelieu with the Ultras,

CONTENTS.

On the Character of the Ultra-Royalist Party-their Reasons

in support of the Doctrine of Legitimacy,

LETTER XXI.

On the Municipal System of France-Roads, Canals, &c.—
Progress of Agriculture since 1789, and Agricultural Pro-
duce of the Kingdom-Scotch Husbandry, and the Drill
System of Mr. Coke in England,

LETTER XXII.

On the Progress of Manufactures since 1789-Exhibition of

the Products of French Industry in the Louvre in 1819.

Comparison of the Manufactures of France and England,

INTRODUCTORY LETTER, OR RÉSUMÉ.

On the Effects or Advantages of the Revolution on the

Morals, Religion, and Internal Condition of France-Er-

rors of the first Revolutionists-Monarchical Predilections

of the French-Imperial Regime-Royal Regime-Char-

ter and Contravening Laws-Effects of the Revolution on

Education, Literature, and Science. Consequences of the

English Revolution. Remarks on the present state of