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Anglo-Maori Warder, Volume 1, Issue 20, 7 September 1848, Page 1

(From the Times, March 29.) The Abbé Lamennais, the most unstable, unreal, and visionary member of the literary world, has undertaken to describe the impressions made in this country by the recent revolution at Paris. If he is to be believed, the English middle classes, together with the mass oi' the populatiun, applauded the fall of the Throue and the establishment of the Republic; while, on the cootrary, the aristocracy manifested from the first moment a spirit actively and bitterly hoßtile to the French revolution. Laruennais ia one of those writers who can alwuya divide nations Into parlies, and alloc to them their several opinions. Precision and distribution are admirable arts for imparting an authentic oh.ur to a gratuitous fab If, If three animals are introduced iuto the story, of course tbay must be made to speak accordmg to their several natures. There are three personages in the present instance—an aristocracy. Use middle dosses, and the mass of the population. Lamennaii imagines them speaking and reports a-; "tollowa :—The nobility and gentry sympttthi/e with Louis Philippe, and deplore the exiiuction of his policy and power. The middle claso—». e , the merihiuts, tradesmen, pro Visional men, farmers, arid *>uch penple, njoice simply that oue more throne is in the uu3t,aiid one more republic established under Heaven The«e again and the popuh.ee are entirely of mind on the subject. For example, the IW, the Exchange, and the Loudja s-hopk«pcr all fratmwc

with the mob, and shake hands on the glorious announcement that one more nation is free. Lamennais ma; have seen these (lungs in Heaven, or in his Bttic, but he has not Been them in ihis world of substantial existences. The only conclusion we cm draw from his picture is thtt he has never seen England, and is utterly at fault as to the ingredients And composition of its social system. There is no such separation of classes, and partition uf sentiments as he imagines. Our gentry arc not besotted admirers of Louis Philippe, or bigots for his quasi throne. The prominent feeling in the clubs and salons of the West end were astonisbmeot, curiosity, and no little dismay at the passible effect 9 of the revolution on the order and happiness of France. Descending the vast and complirated chtin of English society, we find an infinite variety of sentiment on this, as on every other political qucstiin. An immense proportion, however, of our middle classes, side with the aristocracy even to a fault. Lamennais m*y take our word that half the London shopkeeper* are steadily of opinion that France will miss her and in fact that a King is generally a good thing, whether lie is a pood man nr not. Threefourths of then, are in the hnhit of laughing at the Yankees, and thinking them a set of vulgar dogs, ow« ing chiefly to the want of an aristocracy and a Court. These persons were all amazed, excited, puzzled, amused, and perhaps a little frightened, at the news from Paris, but they certainly did not chuckle, as Lamennais imagines they did, when they heard that a throne had gone to the realmß below. When the fiiat hubbub of their sensations was over, we will venture to say that the bulk of our middle classes began to calculate th«* working and payiug prospects of a republic, and settled that it was likely to be a rather weak, blundering, repudi-» ating sort of thing, for some time at least. They also feared its warlike propensities. So much for the middle classes. As for the mass, we do not hesitate to guy I that they are generally loyal, but did not think genuine : Royalty very much compromised in the fall of Louis Philippe. This superbly imaginative writer proceeds to charge The Times, among other journals, with lending itself to the hostility, wrath, hate, malignancy, and fears of the British aristocracy—with echoing ail sorts of fal?e alarms—and with adding bitter commentaries, hateful •nd malignant insinuations, and a long string of sinister anticipations. The Abbe says all this on the speculation that it is possibly true, and that if it ia not quite true, the bulk of his readers mil never be the wiser on that point. He has described ttio exact contrary of what we have done. Indeed, considering that we have been rather too soft-spoken upon t>ie doings of the Provisional Government, some critics will discover a meet retribution in this ungrateful return. We have always strongly expressed what we have deeply felt,— admiration and respect for the men whom a voice unexpected by all, had suddenly called to the government and re-establishment of France. We have felt for their difficulties as if they were our own. We have viewed them as men discharging the mightiest responsibilities* with innumerable bayonets pointed at their breasts, and the fatal knife jam jam Zapsttra, cadentique assimitis, suspended over their necka. We have rendered warm tributes to their genius, their energy, their courage, and even to their moderation and firmness. We have laboured to strengthen their position, and set them free to use their better reason, not only against the tyranny of an armed and excited population, not only against the fearful exigencies of the cmic, but alao against their own chimerical creeds. As for the sinister anticipations Lamennais charges upon us, we will confess we were not insensible to fear. Hs omits however to say whether those fears have so far proved just. Our anticipations have been even exceeded by the results* The present commercial ruin of France is even more entire than we ventured to predict—and in that commercial ruin how much misery and guilt is implied ! But nothing can be more moderate, more cautious and inoffensive, than the conduct of the 13nu.sk ariS' tocracy on this occasion. For a week the poor old King, whom his own subjects likened to Lrar roaming on the coast, was not to be found, and for some days was almost believed to have perished. When he turned up at last, in a very destitute condition, and came up to Loudon, shaking huuds with a.l the Smiths and Joneses he met on the toad, a few noblemen who had personally experienced his kindness discharged the first duty of humanity by simply caHing on the illustrious refugee. This, with a few similar actentione to his unoffending children, ate all the man! - fe»tation that has been made for Louis Philippe and his throne. He has received no shelter in this island except what he paid for in a public house at Newhavtu, and what be has since received in the private rest* dence of his own son in-law. We shall see, however, how much Lamennais can make out of these scanty materials. He declares hit. pious disgust at tue -' warm reception" which the British aristocracy gave the fallen King-. This haughty aristocracy is now plotting, he turiher says, to conjure what it fears: — ** On the one hand it is preparing alliances on tl e continent. On the ottier it is exciting amongst the people a hatred against Franca and the a> cient spirit of rivalry, and, by proposing a foreign object to its activity and its pissiuns, it is endeavouring to divert the people irora the care of its 111.1st pressing interests, and thus to reader it the uis'rumeat of its own servitude, and of its own grievances indefinitely perp tutted." Lamennais must write and live in a dream, to talk such nonsense aa tins. It is simply one 01 lu» old singsong chants against nobles and king*; .ind, like an old man in his second childhood, he drivels out the obsolete mm whenever the subject is suggc trd. His kings are always bitting on thrones, keep ire J and cruwued, and his aristocracy are always intriguing, oppressing, bulMng-, and cajoling. Hut if LimeonaU were not allotcd U write all this stuff he would ha\o nothing to s<iy, so lie must write it, whehrr true ur fals-. Oihciwisp he would be m body, mid would s-jon be forgotten. Hen u ihiH va»n repetition, We ha?a heard it uli hi*fort-. It b, huwtv.r, a simple fiction from beginning to end. Our ansUx-nry h.u done nothing at all. It U «<j nut movtd wio <-icp in vls matter. It hss imt dreamt of allwiKc-. ii.d only wishes that France may be >blc to protv-1 liT-elf from her uwu iudi-celioin.