WenowcomemoreparticularlytotheaffairsofFrance。Mr。Burke\'sbookhastheappearanceofbeingwrittenasinstructiontotheFrenchnation;
butifImaypermitmyselftheuseofanextravagantmetaphor,suitedtotheextravaganceofthecase,itisdarknessattemptingtoilluminatelight。
WhileIamwritingthisthereareaccidentallybeforemesomeproposalsforadeclarationofrightsbytheMarquisdelaFayette（Iaskhispardonforusinghisformeraddress,anddoitonlyfordistinction\'ssake）totheNationalAssembly,onthe11thofJuly,1789,threedaysbeforethetakingoftheBastille,andIcannotbutremarkwithastonishmenthowoppositethesourcesarefromwhichthatgentlemanandMr。Burkedrawtheirprinciples。
Insteadofreferringtomustyrecordsandmouldyparchmentstoprovethattherightsofthelivingarelost,\"renouncedandabdicatedforever,\"
bythosewhoarenownomore,asMr。Burkehasdone,M。delaFayetteappliestothelivingworld,andemphaticallysays:\"Calltomindthesentimentswhichnaturehasengravedontheheartofeverycitizen,andwhichtakeanewforcewhentheyaresolemnlyrecognisedbyall:—Foranationtoloveliberty,itissufficientthatsheknowsit;andtobefree,itissufficientthatshewillsit。\"Howdry,barren,andobscureisthesourcefromwhichMr。Burkelabors！andhowineffectual,thoughgaywithflowers,areallhisdeclamationandhisargumentscomparedwiththeseclear,concise,andsoul—animatingsentiments！Fewandshortastheyare,theyleadontoavastfieldofgenerousandmanlythinking,anddonotfinish,likeMr。Burke\'speriods,withmusicintheear,andnothingintheheart。