thatis,ithasgonetoofarforthem。Itstarescorruptionintheface,andthevenaltribeareallalarmed。Theirfeardiscoversitselfintheiroutrage,andtheyarebutpublishingthegroansofawoundedvice。ButfromsuchoppositiontheFrenchRevolution,insteadofsuffering,receivesanhomage。Themoreitisstruckthemoresparksitwillemit;andthefearisitwillnotbestruckenough。Ithasnothingtodreadfromattacks;
truthhasgivenitanestablishment,andtimewillrecorditwithanameaslastingashisown。
HavingnowtracedtheprogressoftheFrenchRevolutionthroughmostofitsprincipalstages,fromitscommencementtothetakingoftheBastille,anditsestablishmentbytheDeclarationofRights,IwillclosethesubjectwiththeenergeticapostropheofM。delaFayette—
\"Maythisgreatmonument,raisedtoLiberty,serveasalessontotheoppressor,andanexampletotheoppressed！\"*[11]MiscellaneousChapterTopreventinterruptingtheargumentintheprecedingpartofthiswork,orthenarrativethatfollowsit,IreservedsomeobservationstobethrowntogetherinaMiscellaneousChapter;bywhichvarietymightnotbecensuredforconfusion。Mr。Burke\'sbookisallMiscellany。HisintentionwastomakeanattackontheFrenchRevolution;butinsteadofproceedingwithanorderlyarrangement,hehasstormeditwithamobofideastumblingoveranddestroyingoneanother。
ButthisconfusionandcontradictioninMr。Burke\'sBookiseasilyaccountedfor。—Whenamaninawrongcauseattemptstosteerhiscoursebyanythingelsethansomepolartruthorprinciple,heissuretobelost。Itisbeyondthecompassofhiscapacitytokeepallthepartsofanargumenttogether,andmakethemuniteinoneissue,byanyothermeansthanhavingthisguidealwaysinview。Neithermemorynorinventionwillsupplythewantofit。