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the triumph of public liberty over despotism, but as a fright-ful domestic tragedy in which a venerable and pious Servius ■was hurled from his throne by a Tarquin, and crushed underthe chariot wheels -of a Tullia. They cried shame on thetraitorous captains, execrated the unnatural daughters, andregarded William with a mortal loathing, tempered, however,by the respect which valour, capacity, and success seldomfail to inspire. * The Queen, exposed to the night wind andrain, with the infant heir of three crowns clasped to her breast,the King stopped, robbed, and outraged by ruffians, wereobjects of pity and of romantic interest to all France. ButLewis saw with peculiar emotion the calamities of the Houseof Stuart. All the selfish and all the generous parts of hisnature were moved alike. After many years of prosperity hehad at length met with a great check. He had reckoned on thesupport or neutrality of England. He had now nothing toexpect from her but energetic and pertinacious hostility. Afew weeks earlier he might not unreasonably have hoped tosubjugate Flanders and to give law to Germany. At presenthe might think himself fortunate if he should be able to defendhis own frontiers against a confederacy such as Europe hadnot seen during many ages. From this position, so new, soembarrassing, so alarming, nothing but a counterrevolutionor a civil war in the British Islands could extricate him. Hewas therefore impelled by ambition and by fear to espouse thecause of the fallen dynasty. And it is but just to say thatmotives nobler than ambition or fear had a large share indetermining his course. His heart was naturally compas-sionate; and this was an occasion which could not fail to callforth all his compassion. His situation had prevented hisgood feelings from fully developing themselves. Sympathyis rarely strong where there is a great inequality of condition;and he was raisedso high above the massof his fellow creaturesthat their distresses excited in him only a languid pity, suchas that with which we regard the sufferings of the inferior
In the chapter of La Brnyere, entitled “Sur les Jugemens,” is apassage which deserves to be read, as showing in what light our revolu-tion appeared to a Frenchman of distinguished abilities.
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