tled them to implicit credit; by endeavouring to satisfy
myself as to the real sentiments of the peasantry, and by a perusal of
those documents regarding the state of the country, which were believed
the most authentic, to acquire upon this subject something like
satisfactory information. As to the sentiments entertained at present by
the generality of the French people upon this subject, I cannot speak,
but with regard to the period which I passed in France, which began in
November 1814, and ended at the time of the landing of Napoleon from
Elba, I have no hesitation in declaring, that it appeared to me, that
the majority of the French nation were at that time hostile to the
interests of the Bourbons. On the other hand, in consulting the same
sources of information as I have above enumerated, it was as evident
that they are not generally favourable to the restoration of the
Imperial Government under Napoleon. What appeared at that period to be
the general desire of the nation, was the establishment of a new
constitution, formed upon those principles, embracing those new
interests, and compatible with that new state of things which had been
created by the revolution. It was on this account that they favoured
Napoleon.

The situation of France then exhibited perhaps one of the most singular
pictures ever presented to view by a civilized nation; a people without
exterior commerce, and whose interior trade and manufactures, except in
some favourite spots, was almost annihilated; whose youth was yearly
drained off to supply the army, but whose agriculture has been
constantly improving, which, for the last twelve years, had been
subjected to all the complicated horrors of a state of war, but which,
after all this, could yet earnestly desire a continuance of this state.
A nation where there was scarcely to be found an intermediate rank
between the Sovereign and the peasantry--for since the destruction of
the _ancienne noblesse_, and more particularly, since all ranks have
been admitted to a participation in the dignities conferred on the
military, all have become equally aspiring, and all consider themselves
upon the same level:--A nation where, notwithstanding the division into
parties, possessing the most opposite interests and opinions, and
pulling every different way, the greater part certainly desired a
government similar to Napoleon's, and would even unite to obtain it:--A
nation who talked of nothing but liberty, and y