Odds And Ends Of Wit And Humour.

Willie , contemptuously , " the man is crack't . " Dunlop patted him on the shoulder Avith a quiet remark , " Willie , ye'il often see a light peeping through a crack !" ( To be continued . )

Contemporary Letters On The French Revolution.

CONTEMPORARY LETTERS ON THE FRENCH REVOLUTION .

[ Wo beg to note that a little confusion has arisen in the dates of the letters , owing to the fact that with some no dates are given . ] Paris , Feb . 26 th , 1790 . THE death of the M . de Favras is the conversation and admiration of all Paris .

His execution is looked upon with horror by every one , let their political tenets be Avhat they may . The Chatelet , tojustif y their sentence , have promised to publish the evidence on Avhich thoy formed their judgment .

The Grand Seigneur whom he mentions is the Prince de Luxembourg , brother to the Duke . You may be assured that the Avife of M . de Favras told one of the confidential servants of Monsieur that her husband Avas offered his

11 / b and 100 , 000 livres if he Avould accuse the Queen and Monsieur . The King is Much discontented and displeased . His Ministers had endeavoured to persuade him , and he nad constantly refused to go

to the . National Assembly since the 13 th November , ' 89 . He at last consented in the hopes that the Executive Power would be re-established . He finds himself disappointed , and he UOAV refuses to quit his prison . The violent Aristocrates declare

that Avhile he resides in the Thuilleries shall look on every act as null . If ever the King is restored to freedom , or obtains any share ot poAver , Neckar is ruihed . The engaging the King to go to the Assembly has entirel y lost him the

King ' s good opinion . The Democrates despise him and the Aristocrates accuse his weakness , and the delush'e hopes he gaA'e the King as the cause of their ruin . One of the resources of the Ministers Avho were appointed at the tims of Neckar ' s

disgrace , was to have instituted a commission for the enquiry into the malvei sations of the revenue , as slso to have rehnboursed the anticipations , at the same sum as was paid into the Eoyal Treasury . The same

step was taken by the Regent , and is de tailed in the memoirs you have . It then occasioned a compromise amongst the capitalists , who , to avoid retrospective enquiries , subscribed the enormous sum of 400 million livres ( about J 16 , 000 , 000 sterling ) . They calculated it Avould now

have produced 600 millions . I Avas at the Assembly on Monday and Tuesday , the tAVO great days on Avhich the Laws relative to the publick tranquility were debated . Monsieur de la Fayette took a decided

part against the people , or rather for the establishment of some laAv to restore good order . The Galleries at each end of the Assembly , Avhich are filled with the loAvest orders of the people exprest a dissatisfaction , he is not accustomed to meet Avith . Willinsr

to manage both parties , he sided with neither as to the law to be adopted . It Avas hinted to him that his popularity might suffer by the part he had already taken . He therefore absented himself from the Assembly on Tuesday , as did Monsr . Baillie . I believe I have before remarked to you

, that the leaders of the Democrates ( who govern the Assembly Avith absolute SAvay Avhen any law is proposed Avhich affects the Regal Authority or the ri ghts of the nobles and the church ) exert themselves in vain Avhen they find it necessary to propose or

support any decree Avhich may touch the middle orders or re-establish the perception of the taxes . The majority of the Assembly is composed of IOAV ignorant , violent , and I may almost add blackguard tradesmen , but of that- insolent race Avhich you meet

with only in France , and which to those AVIIO are unacquainted Avith the manners of the people I should in vain attempt to describe . When any doctrine is advanced by their leaders Avhich seems favourable to the

cause , or rather the licentiousness of the peojfie , they begin clapping and make signs to the Galleries above them , AVIIO join in applauding as they are commanded . When any of the Aristocrates mount the Tribune , at least of those whose eloquence they fear , tbey immediately vote for closing the

debate or interrupt them so often Avith exclamations and murmurs that they cannot be heard . I can only give you r proof how difficult it is either to forsee , oa argue on the probability of the event of s debate . The whole of the Aristocratea embraced the Loi Provisoire proposed by