The life of Napoleon Buonaparte, emperor of the French. By Sir Walter Scott.

LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
the innovations of political fanaticism. In La Vend6e There were noble exceptions, but in general the
alcne, the nobles had united their interest and their order, in everything but military courage, had asfoirtune with. those of the peasants who cultivated sumed a trivial and efifemninate character, from which
their estates, and there alone were they found in patriotic sacrifices, or masculine Nwisdom, were
their proper and honourable character of proprietors scarcely to be expected.
residing on their own domains, and discharging the While the nobles of France were engaged in these
duties which are inalienably attached to the owner firivolous pursuits, their procureurs, bailiffs, stewards,
of landed property. And-mark-worthy circunl- intendants, or by whatsoever naime their agents and
stance!-in La Vendde alone nwas any stand nlade lmanagers were designated, enjoyed tile real influence
in belialf of the ancient proprietors, constitution, which their constituents rejected as beneath them,
or religion of France; for there alone the nobles and rose into a degree of authority and credit, which
the cultivators of the soil held towards each other eclipsed recollection of the dlistant and regardless
their natural and proper relations of patron and proprietor, and fornied a rank in the state not very
client, faithful dependents. and generous and affec- different fromn that of the middle-men in Ireland.4
tionate superliors. In the other provinces of France, These agents were necessarily of plebeian birth, and
the nobility, speaking generally, possessed neither their profession required that they should be fiamipower nor inifluence amnong the peasantry, while tile liar with tile details of public business, which they
population aroundl them was guided and influenced administered in the name of their seigteurs. Many
by men belonging to the church, to the law, or to of this condition gained power and wealth in the
business; classes which were in general better edu- course of the Revolutition, thus succeeding, like an
cated, better informed, and possessed of niore talent able and intelligent vizier, to tile power which was
anrd kniowledge of the world, than the poor noblesse fol-feited by the idle and voluptuous sultan. 01' the
caenprgnsadcle, wvho seemed as mnch limited, caged, high noblesse it might with truth be said, that they
and imprisoned, within the restraints of their rank, still formed the grace of tile court of France, ttougll
as if thley had been shuit up within the dungeons of they had ceased to be its (defence. They were actheir ruinouis chateaux; and who had only their complished, brave, fill of honour, and in many
titles atnd dcsty parchments to oppose to the real instances endowed with talent. But the commtanisupeliority of wealth and information so generally cation was broken off betwixt them and the suborto be found in the class -which they affected to dinate orders, over whvllo, in just degree, they ought
despise. Hence, S6gur describes tile cotinitry gentle-. to have possessed a natural influence. The chain of
imen of his younger days as punctilious, ignorant, gradual and insensible connexion was rusted by
and quarrelsome, shunned by the hetter iniformed of time, in almost all its dependencies; forcibly disthe middle classes, idle and dissipated, and wasting torted, and contenmptuously wrenched asunder, in
their leisure hours in coffee-houses, theatres, and many. The noble had neglected and flung ifrom him
billiard-rooms. the most precious jewel in his coronet-the love and
The more wealthb families, and the high noblesse, respect of the country gentleman, the farmter, and the
as they were called, saw this degradation of the peasant, an advantage so natural to his condition in
inferior part of their order without pity, or rather a well-constituted society, and founded upon prinwith pleasure. Thliese last had risen as mutchl abote ciples so estimable, tlat lie who contemnns or destroys
their natural duties, as the rural nobility had stink it is guilty of little less than bigh tieason, both to
beneath themlu. They hal;d too well fbllowed the his own ratlk, and to thie commiunity in general. Such
course shluich Richelieu hIad contrived to recommenld a chance, however, had taken place ill France, so
to their fathers, and, instead of acting as the natural that thie noblesse mighit be compared to a courtchiefs and leaders of tile nobility and gentry of tihe sword, the hilt carved, orRramented and gildedr, such
provilnces, they were continiually engaged in in- as utight grace a day of parade, but the blade gone,
triguing for charges round the king's person, for or cuunposed of thle most worthless naterials..
peosts in the administration, for additionlal titles and It only renmains to be nmeutioned, that thiere suhbdecorations-for all and everything which could sisted, besides all the distinctions we have noticed,
make the successfil corn'tier, and distiniguish hima an essential dilffereulce in political opinions among
from the independent noble. Thleir edtcation and the noblesse themselves considered as a body.
habits also were totally uunfavorablle to grave or There were nmany of the order, who, looking to the
serious thought and exertion. If' thie'trmpet had exigencies of the kingdrlom, were patriotically dissounded, it would have fontd a ready echo in their posed to sacrifice their own exclusiv'e privileges, in
bosoms; bit light literature at best, and umuch more order to atbord a chance of its regeneration. These
frequently silly and frivolous amlutsements, a constant of' course N-ere disposed to favour an alteration or
puisuit of pleasure, and a perpetual succession of refourm ini the original constitution of France; but
intrigumes, either of love or petty politics, made their besides these enlightened inidividuals, thle nobility
character,in time ofpeace, approaci ininsignificance had the inisfolrt(lne to include many disappoinrted
to thiat of tile woumsen of thie colurt, whoin it was the and desperate men, ungratified by nany of thle ahdbusiness of thleir lives to captivate and amuse.~ vanltages whiich their rank made thein capable of
receisving, and whose advantages of birth au(l educa-' See, foir a curious picture of the life of the French tion onny rteldered them mnore deeply dangerous, or
nobles of fifty years sinc, tile first volume of Madame de
Geulis' Memoirs. HIad there been any miore solid pumsuits | A class of persons int Ireland who have ob7tained the
in society titan the gav trifles she so pleasantly discribes, name of u3iddle-mnen froet their holiing an interest in lands
they could u>t have escaped sto intelligent asn observer. between the proprietor and the terre-tenant.