Contemporary Letters On The French Revolution.

and the jealous fear which the gens de la cour et les families illnstre , entertain of the old and powerful nobility , the contempt of the latter for the former , ancl the absolute separation of both from the poorer ancl lower orders of nobility must be first entirely eradicatedand they must learn to

, have a common interest before they can make head against their present all powerful adversaries . Common danger has not yet taught them unanimity , and the exiles of London , Turin , and Nice are strangers to the views , hopes , or the councils of

each other . One of the first questions I naturally asked them was , if there existed no city over which the Aristocrates had sufficient authority to have been enabled to retire in safety within its walls , and from thence , united in one body , headed by the

princes of the blood , issued out their protestations against the measures adopted by the Democrates ? They answer no , and say that in the meantime their chateaux would have been burnt and their property destroyed . AATiile the fear of private losses prevails over general benefits they can hope but for few advantages . I cannot find that supposing the King had escaped

to Metz , that he would have found that city more disposed to receive him than any other ; it is a general—not a partial inebriation , aud if the frenzy of Democracy is past , the fumes are not yet dissipated . The Aristocrates wish at present to lead

on their opponents to every outrageous act of violence against them , justly conceiving that any moderate condescensions towards them wiil make their resistance disadvantageous , while cruelty ancl injustice must at least occasion compassion , and

indignation is the daughter of pity . I cannot believe that the officers of the army are at all pleased with the present revolution , although prudence in the present moment induces them to submit , but the plan proposed to the Assemblfor

y the government of the army may perhaps induce the soldiers to abide by the decrees of the Assembly . It was at first agitated in the Comit 6 Milifcaire that the sergeants and corporals should be elected by the private soldiers . Although this did not

pass , it was carried in the committee that out of every five officers appointed in a Regiment , one of them should be chosen amongst the sergeants and corporals , and

that m all other promotions a council of officers should elect to the vacant commis . sions . Discontent at this moment reigns in the provinces . A ^ aladier , who was the tutor of my friends , and is much connected with the Marechal Prince de Bauveau and Mens

, de la Fayette , writes from Languedoc , his province , where he went to assist the revolution , that all his endeavours are useless ; that the impost of the quart des revenus is eluded , or not paid , aud that discontent universally prevails . Monsr . de

Castellane , oneof their most violent patriots , allows that the Limosin is in arms , that the peasants have joined the military and that the national troopshave been defeated . I do not conceive the opposition of the Parliament of Brittany to be of any effect

, as the people of the province certainly side with the Assembly , and have in consequence burnt ancl pillaged several chateaux , particularly at Quency , where it was reported that a woman had 30 , 000 livres concealed , she was immediately denounced as an A ri .

tocrate , her house searched , and onthse people finding only a third part of the sum she was burnt by a slow fire ro make her discover where the rest was buried . The

Comte de Antraigues said the Garde de Sceaux assured him the above was a fact . The partition of the provinces has not occasioned those commotions which might have been expected . But although they have consented to be separated from their ancient provinces , it has been with the

hopes of becoming the chief city of the different districts . The great ancl flourishing cities who by the support they had given to the National Assembly , hoped to be recompensed by being placed at the head of the districts , over the towns of note , are in general disappointed . The Committee of Constitution to whom the

distribution of districts is allotted , are ordered to consult the Deputies of the different provinces , but to choose as nearly as possible the most central spot of the respective districts . The Committee determine , as their interests , partialities , or information lead themancl most

, generally according to the two first . When they make their report , the most violent contestations arise between the deputies of the different towns , on the injustice done them , that their pretentions to the rank of