of the opposition party who took views very favorable to America. With
such corroboration of Lee's statements, Beaumarchais, never moderate in
any sentiment, leaped to the conclusion that the colonies "must be
invincible," and that England was "upon the brink of ruin, if her
neighbors and rivals were but in a state to think seriously of it." At
once the lively and ambitious fancy of the impetuous Frenchman spread an
extravagant panorama of the possibilities thus opened to England's
"natural enemy." He became frenzied in the American cause. In long and
ardent letters he opened upon King Louis and his ministers a rattling
fire of arguments sound and unsound, statements true and untrue,
inducements reasonable and unreasonable, forecastings probable and
improbable, policies wise and unwise, all designed to show that it was
the bounden duty of France to adopt the colonial cause. The king, with
no very able brain at any time, was very young and wholly inexperienced.
He gazed bewildered at the brilliant pageantry of Beaumarchais's
wonderful and audacious statecraft, and sensibly sought the advice of
his ministers.

De Vergennes set out his views, in agreement with Beaumarchais. He
declared that France now had her opportunity to reduce her dangerous
rival to the place of a second-rate power. To this end it was desirable
that the rebellion should endure at least one year. The sufferings of
the colonists in that period would so embitter them that, even if they
should finally be subdued, they would ever remain a restless, dangerous
thorn in the side of England, a bond with a heavy penalty effectually
binding her to keep the peace. To make sure that neither side should
move for peace before this one valuable year of warfare should have been
secured, it was the policy of France to maintain a pacific front towards
Great Britain, thus relieving her from any fear that the colonies would
obtain a French alliance, but clandestinely to furnish the insurgents
with munitions of war and money sufficient to enable and encourage them
to hold out.

The wise Turgot, in a state paper marked by great ability, opposed
French intervention, and proved his case. Colonial independence was sure
to come, a little sooner or later. Yet the reduction of the colonies
would be the best possible assurance that England would not break the
peace with France, since the colonists, being mutinous and discontented,
would give her concern enough. On the other hand,