ch words, that they who heard them, were almost
led to believe, that he had taken great pains to cull them for the
occasion. But this his ordinary language was the language also of his
letters; and as they show a power of expression, by which the reader may
judge of the character of the eloquence of one, who was then undoubtedly
the greatest orator in France, I have thought it not improper to submit one
of them to his perusal in the annexed note[A]. I could have wished, as far
as it relates to myself, that it had been less complimentary. It must be
observed, however, that I had already written to him more than two hundred
pages with my own hand; and as this was done at no small expense, time and
trouble, and solely to qualify him for the office of doing good, he could
not but set some value upon my labours.

[Footnote A: "Je fais toujours mille remercimens plus empresses et plus
affectueux a Monsieur Clarkson pour la vertueuse profusion de ses lumieres,
de ses reserches, et de ses travaux. Comme ma motion et tous ses
developpemens sont entierement prets, j'attends avec une vive impatience
ses nouvelles lettres, afin d'achever de classer les faits et les
raisonnemens de Monsieur Clarkson, et, cette deduction entierement finie,
de commencer a manoeuvrer en tactique le succes douteux de cette perilleuse
proposition. J'aurai l'honneur de le recevoir Dimanche depuis onze heures,
et meme dix du matin jusqu'a midi, non seulement avec un vif plaisir, mais
avec une sensible reconnoissance.

_25 Decembre, 1789_.

LE COMTE DE MIRABEAU."]

When our correspondence was over, I had some conversation with him relative
to fixing a day for the motion. But he judged it prudent, previously to
this, to sound some of the members of the Assembly on the subject of it.
This he did; but he was greatly disappointed at the result. There was not
one member, out of all those, with whom he conversed, who had not been
canvassed by the planters' committee. And though most of them had been
proof against all its intrigues and artifices, yet many of them hesitated
respecting the abolition at that moment. There was a fear in some that they
should injure the revolution by adopting it; others, who had no such fears,
wished for the concurrence of England in the measure, and suggested the
propriety of a deputation there for that purpose previously to the
discussion of the question in France. While others maintained, that as
England had done nothing, after h