458 CHAPTER X. French Revolution-Pursuits of Literature-Persecutions on account of Politics-Death of Sir William Jones-Bishop of Cloyne. LIKE his friend Sir William Jones, Of the French Revolution, in its commencement, he entertained a favourable opinion; and, in common with many wise and good men who had not yet discovered the foul principle from which it sprang, wished success to the struggles of that nation for the establishment of a free constitution.* He His sentiments on this most important question will be best understood from his own words. thought That the maladies of France had reached almost the last stages of malignity, and threatened a speedy dissolution of all government, it were folly to controvert. † To the mighty decision of experience (he again says, Sequel, p. 60) I leave the ultimate event: not, indeed, without a fearful sense of the uncertainty which impends over all the judgments and all the affairs of men; nor yet without a high and animating affiance, that partial evils will at last work together for the general good; that the noblest powers of the human mind will be called into action; and that the public stock of human happiness will be secured and enlarged. We have seen the sturdy Tory, Dr. Farmer, ap * Lord Teignmouth's Life, vol. ii. p. 289. † Sequel, p. 63. proving of Parr's opinions on the French Revolution. The moderation of those opinions was, indeed, applauded by all sober and reflecting men. Nor was Parr's sensibility less excited than Lord Teignmouth's, or Mr. Burke's, at the enormities, "the deeds that blotted out the sun," which sprung out of the Revolution. His disgust, nevertheless, was not unspeakable; he vented his wrath in the language of heartfelt indignation on the murder of Louis XVI.; and looked with dismay and with horror on the poisonous maxims of a Marat, a Danton, and a Robespierre, whose dogmas he reprobated, and whose outrages he detested. He had viewed with admiration the monarchy of France, flourishing in the field. For many of the French noblesse "who worshipped," as Mr. Burke most beautifully says, "their country in the person of their king;" and "whose blood," as Shakspeare says not less beautifully, "is fetched from fathers of warproof," he had a sincere veneration. But against the despots who threatened to invade France under the pretence of re-establishing her monarchy, he thus declaimed, If, indeed, the threatened crusade of ruffian despots should be attempted, it will, in my opinion, be an outrageous infringement upon the laws of nations; it will be a savage conspiracy against the written and the unwritten rights of mankind; and, therefore, in the sincerity of my soul, I pray the righteous Governor of the Universe, the Creator of Men, and the King of Kings, I pray HIM to abate the pride, to assuage the malice, and to confound all the devices, of ALL the parties, directly or indirectly leagued in this complicated scene of guilt and horror! this insult upon the dignity of human nature itself! this treason against the majesty of God's own image, rational and immortal man.-Sequel, p. 63. The rabble of barbarous nations* did enter the field, and did give to spoil the innocent and labouring soul, did empty the cities of the world of their ancient inhabitants, and filled them again with many and variable sorts of sorrow; but, in the event, a conqueror arose with the port and bearing of an ancient, who avenged his country, and bowed the dynasties of Europe beneath his sword. During the progress of the awful events above alluded to, Parr was called upon by two attacks to vindicate his character. We have already seen how he answered the charge of Dr. Combe: I pronounce him an atrocious slanderer who would torture any undisguised scruples as to the irresistible necessity of an Anti-Gallican war, into a proof of the slightest propensities towards Gallican theories, Gallican extravagancies, or Gallican enormities.-Remarks, p. 65. The other attack in the Pursuits of Literature I shall consider at greater length. It is now generally acknowledged, that the Pursuits of Literature was a book of proscription, I do not say the book, for it was only one of many in which the names of the intended victims of a cruel policy were inserted. In Anti-Jacobin reviews and magazines, in daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly pamphlets, political rancour emitted its deadly venom; writers sprang up, who raked together the private incidents of life to extract noxious matter wherewith to taint the reputation of all those who went not with the ruling * See Raleigh's Hist, of the World-ad finem. party in opinion; and who assembled in a body all the authors, and all the distinguished persons suspected of favouring the Revolutionary system, to destroy them at a blow: Thus, in effect, imitating the savage cruelty of the Maratists in France, in their massacres, whether by noyade, fusillade, or guillotine. In the Marian, the Syllan, or the Triumvirate proscriptions, the blow instantly followed, or mercy was conceded. But in this Anti-Jacobin proscription, the favour of speedy liberation, either by death or respite, was not granted; the victims were dragged before the public, and not dismissed by a merciful extinction; their good name was exposed to every possible reproach, and the maxim of Caligula was adopted in the prolongation of their torments, "Ita feri ut se mori sentiant." This atrocious principle of wreaking political vengeance by sullying a man's good name, by accusing him of republican principles if he does not support your political idol, or of a tendency to Socinianism if he does not explain the true doctrines of the church exactly according to your own notions, though very greatly abated since the days of Mr. Pitt, yet is not wholly extinct. The favour with which some odious journalists have been received, and the proscription under which some most excellent men are known to labour, even at the present day, are melancholy proofs of what I am asserting. In May 1794, Dialogue the first of the Pursuits of Literature, a political poem, was published. In this poem Dr. Parr is called "a puny whipster,” and is accused of using "unbridled license of language, and of indecent conduct, unmeaning vanity, and silly cruelty." The reader then is referred "to the third part, in which the Doctor makes a more distinguished and public entry." The literary rack thus anticipated and promised was not threatened in vain. The third Dialogue of the Pursuits of Literature was published in 1796, when every preparation had been made for public vengeance against all the victims of political animosity. I copy the following lines: Nares rising paus'd; then gave (the contest done) To Tew, Parr's sermon, and the game of goose, Who now reads Parr? whose title now shall give? From Greeek, or French, or any Roman ground, Quotations dance, and wonder at their place, Parr wisely ponder'd, and his oath forbore. Words upon words, and most against their will, And honied globules dribble through his quill. Mawkish, and thick; earth scarce the tropes supplies, And dotard impotence deform the page, |