225-30.
70.

_French Revolution_, 1830.
LETTERS TO G.HUNTLY GORDON, ESQ.
MY DEAR MR.

GORDON, * * * * * I cannot but deeply regret that the late King of France and his ministers should have been so infatuated.

Their stupidity, not to say their crimes, has given an impulse to the revolutionary and democratic spirit throughout Europe which is premature, and from which much immediate evil may be apprehended, whatever things may settle into at last.

Whereas had the Government conformed to the increasing knowledge of the people, and not surrendered itself to the counsels of the priests and the bigoted Royalists, things might have been kept in an even course, to the mutual improvement and benefit of both governed and governors.
In France incompatible things are aimed at--a monarchy and democracy to be united without an intervening aristocracy to constitute a graduated scale of power and influence.