Contemporary Letters On The French Revolution.

lans ; they complain that the Aristocratie gains ground dail y , and unless they find means to lessen the general distress , it will make a rapid progress , yet such is their determination to preserve their power , that they declare loudl on the first

^ y , movement of the Aristocratic party or the first appearance of a counter-reA'olution , they will give the ' signal ' for a general massacre .

The opinion of the higher ranks of Bourgeoisie , is certainl y fast Availing . They , have represented , and with success , aux Italiens , a play called le District du Village , Avhere the Seigneur still maintains his power and consideration , aud the asembled villagers are collected to debate . The manners of the National Assembly arc truly ridiculed .

The aristocrates at this moment exclaim violentl y against a sentence passed by the Chatclet , on a man found quiet ] ) ' of a design , Avhich he manifested , declared , and attempted of assassinating the Queen , and _ dethroning the' King , aud thus des'

troying theconstitution as bylaw established ; all this they ' recite in their sentence , and add , that the niaii declared he Avas paid ancl commissioned by the Duke of Orleans . His ' , punishment is the pillory and the galleysThey ( les Aristocrates )

. ' compare the crimes' of which Favras Avas accused and found guilty ¦ with those . of this man , and naturall y ask / why is the punishment different ?

. It is reported for certain that the Contesse D'Astors and her children returned immediatel y . I have never written you any account of the effects of the abolition of the feudal rights , because I have begun , and had hoped to have finished a little treatise vfh

'H ' . . } the principles of the abolition Avere examined , and the different ri ghts explained , but the difficulties I find of gaining . information on the Subject , have only alio AA'ed . ineto form a beginning , whiclil hope to send you . next week , ' suffice it to say that numbers

are totall y ruined , that many AVIIO were till now possessed of SO , or 60 , 000 liv . per annum , are reduced to 10 , or 15 , 000 A new commandant of the troops in Brittany is appointed ; ' he makes a joli debut by declaring he will allow no troops to . obey ' any orders of the municipalities Avhich they do not receive through him , '

Contemporary Letters On The French Revolution.

The A ' icomte de Caraman told me that a friend of his is just arrived from America , AA'here he has been three years ; that they are already tired of their IIOAV constitution and demand a King with extensive authority . The number of Mecontents are increased by the reformation of the royal

households . It is immense IIOAV many are reduced to povert y ; Monsieur ' s famil y alone is reduced one half , and that of Madame entirely abolished .

The New Year.

THE NEW YEAR .

Another NeAV Year ' s day-dawn , we ' ve liv'd so long to greet , Another Old Year ' s parting we ' ve seen ; our Aveary feet Are stumbling on the threshold , aud twilight ' s hour is here , ..

As we hail anew , and bid fareAvell to another parted year . How swiftly time has left us all in life ' s allotted' way ; HOAV rapidly the years have flown , as Ave look back to-day , '

And see how prattling childhood ancl the strong grace of youth Have yielded to matAvrev forms of ripened trust and truth . .

HOAV that old age with tottering strength litis seemed to' linger still , As with bent form ancl Avavering step it climbs the upward' hill . What shall the New Year bring us ? What shall its hours show As yet all dim and misty , of happiness or Avoe ?

Amid our peaceful dwelling ? Amid O ' . ir home abode ? Along the rougher pathway ? Along the croAA'ded road ? Shall joy and gladness , jest and glee , hover around the scene ? Or shall Ave list to the colder A'oice ? - Or note the altered mien ? Shall ours be health and happiness , alike hi hut and hall 1

Or heavy griefs afflict us ; a darker , face appal ? Is memory full of gracious hours , ancl loving hopes ancl trust ? - Or are the haunting shadows of our evererring dust - .