warped by pride, paffion, or prejudice. An attention to these is the peculiar duty of Britons : by studying the French conftitution, they will be enabled to judge of the excellencies and the defects of their own. The main defign of this publication is to engage the attention of that clafs of men, who, like the writer, have neither abilities, leisure, nor inclination for profound refearches or accurate investigation; but who he hopes are unhacknied in the ways and arts of statesmen; who are bleffed with a little plain unfophisticated common fenfe; whose minds are open to conviction, and whofe hearts are warm with love to their country, and to all mankind. To fuch perfons he ventures to address himself with freedom, and to them he can without anxiety fubmit his remarks. Should any one, in perusing them, think that he has been too free in fome of those which relate to the government of this country, he has only to request fuch person to ask himself for a moment, what it is which makes them appear fo? If it is not TRUTH, he will readily acknowledge the justice

of

any cenfures which may be caft upon them. This is all the apology that can be made by the writer for his fentiments on this occafion, and this is fufficient; if they are true, little apology

is neceffary; if they are not, no apology, however fpecious, ought to excufe them.

One thing, however, he begs leave to add; that as he refided at Paris at the time when fome of the principal events of the revolution occured, he has had an opportunity of judging for himself concerning the affairs of the French nation. He has endeavoured to gain what intelligence he could, from different parties, and different writers. The cause in which he has thought proper to engage, is too good to require any mifreprefentation or deceit; he has made ufe of neither. He can, therefore, with the utmost fincerity conclude this addrefs, in the language of a great man on another occafion: "These remarks are

defigned, flight and imperfect as they are, for the fervice of TRUTH, by one who would "be glad to attend, and grace her triumphs: "As her foldier, if he has had the honour to "serve successfully under her banner: or, as her

captive, tied to her chariot wheels, if he has, though undefignedly, committed any offence "against her*.”

LONDON, DEC. 1791.

Dr. Jortin's Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, Vol. I. Preface.

THE

FRENCH CONSTITUTION;

AS FINALLY DECREED

BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY,

AND ACCEPTED BY THE KING.

BEHOLD YE DESPISERS, AND WONDER AND PERISH!

THE

FRENCH CONSTITUTION.

DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAN,

AND OF THE CITIZEN.

T

HE Representatives of the French people, formed into a National Affembly, confidering that ignorance, forgetfulness, or contempt of the Rights of Men, are the fole caufes of public grievances, and of the corruption of government, have refolved to exhibit, in a folemn Declaration, the natural, unalienable, and facred Rights of Man, in order that this Declaration, ever present to all the Members of the SOCIAL BODY, may inceffantly remind them of their rights and of their duties; to the end that the acts of the legislative power, and those of the executive power, being able to be every moment compared with the end of all political inftitutions, may acquire the more refpect; in order alfo that the remonftrances of the citizens, founded henceforward on fimple and incontesti

ble