be said of the miseries which he
brought upon France; but add, "Mais il a battu tout le monde; il a fait
des choses superbes a Paris; il a flatte notre orgeuil national. Ah!
C'est un grand homme. Notre pays n'a jamais ete si grand ni si puissant
que sous lui." The condition of the inhabitants of distant provinces was
nowise improved by his public buildings and decorations at their
capital; but every Frenchman considers a compliment to Paris, to the
Louvre, to the Palais Royal, or the Opera, as a personal compliment to
himself.

At this moment, it is certainly a very general wish in France, to have
a sovereign, who, as they express it, has grown out of the revolution;
but when we enquire into their reason for this, it will often be found,
we believe, to resolve itself into their national vanity. It is not that
they think the Bourbons will break their word, or that the present
Constitution will be altered without their consent; but after five and
twenty years of confusion and bloodshed, they cannot bear the thoughts
of leaving off where they began; and they think, that taking back their
old dynasty without alteration, is practically acknowledging that they
have been in the wrong all the time of their absence. We have often
remarked (but we presume the remark is applicable to all despotic
countries) that the French political conversation, such as is heard at
caffes and tables d'hote, relates more to men, and less to measures, and
appears to be more guided by personal attachments or antipathies, than
that to which we are accustomed in England.

The character that appears to be most wanted in France, is that of
disinterested public-spirited individuals, of high honour and integrity,
and of large possessions and influence, who do not interfere in public
affairs from views of ambition, but from a sense of duty--who have no
wish to dazzle the eyes of the multitude, and do not seek for a more
extensive influence than that to which their observation and experience
entitle them. While this character continues so much more frequent in
our own country than among the French, it is perhaps in military affairs
only that we need entertain any fear of their superiority. Englishmen of
power and influence, generally speaking, have really at heart the _good_
of their country, whereas Frenchmen, in similar situations, are chiefly
interested in the _glory_ of theirs.

It must also be observed, that public affairs occupy much less of the
at