The notion that animals are machines, is therefore too abfurd to merit reputation, Though not endowed with mental powers equal to thofe of man, they poffefs in fome degree every faculty of the human mind. Senfation, memory, imagination, the principle of imitation, curiofity, cunning, inge. nuity, devotion, or refpect for fuperiors, gratitude, are all discovered in the brute-creation. Every fpecies too has a language, either of founds or geftures, fufficiat for the individuals to communicate their wants to each other; and tome animals understand in part the language of man. The language of infants is nearly on a par with that of brutes. Brutes without fome portion of reafon, could never make a proper ufe of their fenfes. But many animals are capable of balancing motives, which is a pretty high degree of reafon. Young animals examine all objects they meet with, and in this inveftigation they employ all their or gans. The first periods of their life are dedicated to fludy. When they run about and make frolickfome gambols, it is nature fport ing with them for their inftruction. Thus they gradually improve their faculties, and acquire an intimate knowledge of the objects that furround them. Men who from pecu, liar circumftances, have been prevented from mingling with companions, and engaging in the different amusements and exerciles of youth, are always aukward in their movements, cannot ufe their organs with eafe or dexterity, and often continue, during life, ignorant of the most common objects. Remonftrance of the Parliament of Paris on the subject of the Lettres de Cachet, and the exile of the Duke of Orleans and Mers.

Freteau and Sabatier,

"MAX

AY it pleafe your Majefty to confider that it is the duty of your Parliament to watch over the people's wants, and the rights of the Sovereign: the people may be mifled by factious men, and Kings are too much expofed to dangerous furprifes. Parliament, Sire, will fpeak to Monarchs refpecting liberty, and recommend to fubjects fubmiflion.-1 hey render that fubmiffion honourable by their example, and that authority folid by their principles. In fhort, the moft effential function of your Majefty's Parliament is to fummon the Royal power to the fandard of juftice, and public liberty to the oath of allegiance. Such, Sire, have been in the most hard and turbulent times their patriot views, and the object of their unremitted zeal.

"Still animated by the fame fentiments, and ever zealous to deferve the good will of our gracious Monarch, and infure the liberty of our fellow citizens, we come to point out at the feet of the Throne the moft fatal error that could feduce the heart of a Sove

reign; we come to invoke your Majefty's juftice, wifdom, and humanity, againft the pernicious practice of ufing Lettres de Cachet. At this terrible word all hearts shudder, all ideas are clouded with horror. The individuals, feized with thefe dreadful fymp toms, look with amazement at one another, and afraid of explaining themselves, remain in a ftate of inaction: the people in filence fearce dare to lift their thought to that inconceivable power which difpofes of men without hearing or judging them; that plunges and keeps them, at pleasure, in total darkness, whither the cheerful light of day never enters, no more than the reviving afpect of the law, the cry of nature, or the voice of friendship: to that power that for exiftence depends on mystery, and derives its title from force alone; to a power exer cifed with impunity by the minister of State, their deputies, and the agents of the Police; to a power, in fhort, which, from the head Minifter to the very inferior officers of the Police, lays over our heads an endless chain of formidable oppreffors, before whom remain filent and inactive the facred laws of nature, and thofe of the conftitution. No, Sire, the laws of nature, and the laws of the conftitution, fhall never reproach your Parliament (the living law at the feet of the Throne) with having ftood fhamefully inactive, and with having preferved a guilty filence.

"Man was born free, and his happiness depends on juftice. Liberty is an improfcriptible right. It confifts in the power of living fuitably to the tenor of the laws; juflice is an universal duty, and his duty is anterior it and ought to guide it, but never difpenfe to the laws themfelves, that acknowledge with it in the Monarch or the fubject. Juftice and Liberty-This, Sire, is the principle and end of all fociety, the stable and unmoveable foundation of all power: and fuch is, for the happiness of mankind, the wonderful connection of these two inef timable bleffings, that no reasonable authority, or folid obedience, can ever fubfift without them. The practice of Lettres de Cachet overturns all this fyftem. Juftice, thereby, becomes mere illufion, and liberty retains but the name.

"All lawful fubmiffion is voluntary in its principle. The people's confent to the power of ufing Lettres de Cachet is incompatible with the ufe of reafon; reafon is the natural state of man, as well as of fociety: the practice, therefore, of fuch letters is repugnant to the nature of man, both as a rational and fociable being Will they fay, that this practice is founded on the nature of Monarchical power the anfwer could eafi ly be found. Kings reign either in virtue of conqueft, or by law. If the commeror a

hufes

bufes his conqueft; if he ftrikes at the rights of man if the conqueft is not changed into a capitulation; force, that difpofes of the fruits of victory, does not retain fubjects at the conqueror's feet, but flaves. Whatever reafon forbids the people to confent to, Kings have it not in their power to ordain. It is evident that juftice muft equally hold the fcales between the poor and the rich; and it is evident that fhame and punishment are due to the guilty, and to them alone.

"It is a maxim in our monarchy, that no citizen can become a prifoner without an order from the judge. All the Kings of the two first races have acknowledged it. Hugues Capet found it at his acceffion to the throne. All orders and decrees iffued under the third race have confirmed it. It is this maxim that became the foundation of the only diftinction we find in our laws between the prifoners for crimes and those for debts; and the claufe in the edict of 1670, agreea ble, in this point, to all the preceding ones, has stamped it with the seal of validity, by requiring, that prifoners for crimes fhould be examined within four and twenty hours after imprisonment: but how ineffectual fuch a wife difpofition; how ridiculous fuch a precaution, as long as the practice of Lettres de Cachet fhall fubfift!

"Thus the rights of mankind, the fundamental principles of fociety, the most brilliant lights of reason, the deareft interefts of lawful power, the elementary maxims of morality, the laws of the conftitution-all, in fhort, unanimoufly rife against the practice of Lettres de Cachet. By what fatality, Sire, has it been introduced and continued in your dominions? We are not aftonished to ke that men, jealous of a tranfitory, but perfonal, power, and greedy ambitious courtiers, regardless of time to come, should colour this practice with the fpecious motives of public fafety, or of the tranquillity and honour of many families. The fervile mind follows the train of ambition with avidity: but that there should be citizens, blind enough not to fee, in every letter they folicit or acquiefce in, the dreadful danger that awaits them, fills us really with the greatest aftonifliment, and caufes in our breafts the deepest affliction. It is time to combat an error fet off with the appearance of difintereftedness; it might make an impreffion on the mind and heart of your Majefty.

"Where no perfonal fecurity exifts, pub lic fafety is but an imaginary blifs, and where the practice of Lettres de Cachet fubfifts, perfonal fecurity cannot fubfift. Public afety is then but imaginary blifs, where the practice of Lettres de Cachet fubfifts. If there are circumftances, Sire, that require the fudden excrcife of your authority, there are none that can authorize the fecret detention of a prifoner who folicits his trial

there are none that can prevent his claims to juftice; neither is filence itself, nor even his formal confent to the lofs of his liberty, fufficient to do it.

"Your Majefty's answer in 1777 has given an indelible fanction to these national maxims. You declare, Sire, that you will never fuffer any attacks on the liberty of your fubjects; but that there are circumftances in which public fafety requires that your authority thould appear in fupport of juftice, to prevent a culprit's evafion. How remarkable and how conforming were these words for the cause of juftice! They conciliated liberty with power, and it is thus that your Majefty has fixed upon this point, and with your own words, the principle, the object, and the limits of your power.

"The honour and tranquility of a family is the laft objection to the abolishing the practice of Lettres de Cachet; but they do not recollect that this objection, the grand battery of partifans for arbitrary power, owes all its pretended consequence to the letters themfelves, the practice of which once admitted deceives honour itself, and arms it againft liberty.

"Many facts, pretty well known, can prove to your Majefty, that the nation, more fenfible to their true intereft, even in the moft elevated fpheres, are difpofed to receive from your hand the greateft bleffing a Manarch can bestow on his fubjects, the gift of liberty: It is a bleffing that renders authority more firm, and the laws more endearing. It is this bleffing which nobly rewards virtue, encourages the afpiring genius, and puts a bridle on turbulent licentioufnefs; this your Parliament come to reclaim, Sire, in the name of a generous and faithful nation. They moft refpectfully intreat you to abolish for ever the ufe of Lettres de Cachet. They conjure you effectually to reject all ambitious counfels, and frivolous motives, and that perfidi us intelligence, which is as much difowned by reafon, as it is refuted by facts. How cruel, that your Majefty cannot enter into the minute details of fuch intelligence, generally made up by fubaltern officers, on fome pretenfions always kept fecret, or on informations always clandeftine! Oh, Sire, could you but interrogate thofe victims of arhitrary power, confined, abandoned, and forgotten, in thofe impenetrable dungeons, where filence and injuftice ever dwell, how many of them would you find who never threatened to difturb the tranquility of the ftate, or ever meant to difhonour the refpectable name of their family! Unhappy victims! foon would your Majefty be convincN T É..

* A Lettre de Cachet, for inftance, can fereen a fubject from a corporal or capital punishment.

ed,

I have met with: there are others who, with great birth and fortune, are equally adorned with thofe graces which, in my opinion, rank him equal with them, and entitle him to my esteem; and I wifh, Sir, you would learn to diftinguifh the different degrees of affection by which we may be influenced, and not attribute to the impulfe of the heart, a difcretion of the head. Such characters as Mr. C are by no means fo common as might be wifred; and I thould be very ridiculous if, in this retirement, I were not to avail myfelf of fo much elegant information; left thofe who have no difcernment, fhould attribute my attentions to a miftaken motive. I wish, Sir, you would have the goodness to believe that I shall ne ver conceive any paffion of which I ought to be afhamed; and that, therefore, I fhould he candid enough to inform you, were I fo much prepoffeffed in favour of Mr. C-as you imagine; the infinuation of which, and the contemptuous manner in which you mention his name, induce me to affure you, that he will never find a fuccefsful rival in you." I mention this, my dear madam, to give you an idea of my fifter's character and understanding, which I have always loved and admired. By this addrefs Mr. Hwas ftill more chagrined, and notwithflanding the franknels of Anna's declaration, in timated to my father his idea respecting my fifter's attachment to Mr C-. My father not lefs exafperated than his informer was chagrined, inftantly wrote to Mr. C's father, declaiming againft the prefumption of his fon, whom he requested might not repeat his vilt to →→ Lodge. The elder Mr. C, who was confined to his room, was much amazed at his conduct, and cenfured his fon for his imprudence. His reproaches, however, were the reproaches of paternal milanefs." I did not with, my fon," said the venerable pastor," that you fhould be blind to the beauties, or infenfible of the graces of Mils B-; but you ought to have known the character and temper of her father too well, to have declared your heart poffeffed by any fentiments, higher than those of the most profound admiration and respect. Sir Henry H-'s fon feems to have obtained the good opinion of Mr. B-, and I well know that what he has once adopted as a plan, he will not readily relinquifh; and that every obftruction to his views will always be treated with the utmoft Severity. This unfortunate circunftance mufl have totally ruined us, in that quarter, with respect to all church preferment. It is alfo evident, from the contents of is letter that Mifs B- must have revealed your prefumption to her father; for had the entertained any idea in your favour, the would certainly have kept your declaration a ret from him."

Such was the reafoning of the elder Mr." C-. While his fon, who had other ideas of my fifter, and fufpected the infinuations of Mr. H-, replied only by expreffing his forrow that any part of his conduct should fruftrate the views of fo beloved a parent in his behalf. He was determined to be fatisfied; and, though he could not deny having declared him!elf to my filter, he prevailed on his father to answer the letter he had received, by requefting Mr. B-- not to condemn the conduct of his fon, 'till he had learned froin Anna, whether he was juftly accufed.

This anfwer pre biced the defired effect. My father fent for Anna, and, without any preface, in a peremptory manner inlifted on her informing him, whether young C had not afpired to folicit an alliance with the family? To this my fifter replied, that he had made no fuch folicitation to her: that he had always treated her with the utmost refpect: and that-she did not think him capable of forming any improper ideas on that, or any other fubject The violence of my father's anger having fubfided, this teftimony of my fifter in favour of young C induced him to write again, to requeft that the elder Mr. C would not mention the affair to his fon; and that, to prevent any fufpicion, they would both, as foon as convenient, visit Lodge.

This invitation was not thrown away, The elder Mr. C- having in fome degree. recovered his health, repaired with his fon to

Lodge, before the departure of Mr. H ---- who had announced his intention of returning home in a few days.

And now, my dear madam, I am again obliged in truth to confefs my weakness; the return of Mr. C gave my bolom new fenfations. I could not but admire and love him; and I could not hut know that his heart was my fifter's. To be in his com. pany was fome confolation to counterbalance the pain I felt at obferving all his fecret attentions directed to Anna.

Mr. H, whofe departure was now purpofely poftponed 'till that of Mr. C→→ and his fon, was very circumspect. I obferved him narrowly watch the looks of Mr. C— and my fister: I could perceive the fpirit of jealoufy rankling in his bofom; and at length it fhewed itfelf in a manner which had nearly proved fatal to the peace of Anna, and the tranquillity of the family.

The father of Mr. C was not inattentive to the filent conduct of his fon. He carefully obferved the fpeechless correfpon dence of his eyes with those of Anna. He was not difpleafed at it; not fo much on ac count of any advancement his fon might procure from alliance with our family, as from the eflcem and-respect he had for my fifter,

whom

whom he was afraid my father had doomed to the arms of Mr. H—; of whom Mr. C-entertained a contemptible, and but too juft an opinion; and in this opinion he was confirmed by the manner in which Mr. H-treated all religion, and those whole duty it is to inculcate its doctrines; and Mr. C-confequently did not escape his ridiculous irony.

Having laid before our Readers in p. 462 and 470, of our laft year's Magazine, the Feftivals and Military Difcipline of the Chinefe, we now add the Internal Police of that county...

On the internal Police of the Cities of China; and on the general Police of the Country. Great many things may be remarked A in the government of China, which

establish some similarity between it and that of France. This fimilarity may be perceived even in the internal police of their cities. Paris is divided into different quarters, fo is every city in China. An officer or magif trate is appointed for each quarter, who has a certain number of houfes under his infpection; he is answerable for every thing that paffes in them contrary to good order; and if he neglects to make proper inquiry into any irregularity, or to inform the mandarin governor, he is fubjected to the fame punishment as those who are refractory.

Every father of a family is an infpector of different kind. Each is obliged to anfwer for the conduct of his children and domefties; and for this reafon, because he has every kind of authority over them.

Neighbours are even obliged to anfwer for neighbours; they must give every help and affiftance in their power to one another, in cafe of robbery and fire, especially if these accidents happen in the night-time.

commences.

Every city is furnished with gates, and all the ftreets are barricadoed as ioon as night Centinels are posted at certain intervals, who ftop all those who walk abroad in the night time, and a certain number of horfemen are generally ftationed on the ramparts, who go the rounds for the fame purpole. The citizen of diftinction, the lowest mechanic, and the malefactor, who hopes by favour of the darkness to elude their vigilance, and escape examination, are all arreft ed without diftin&ion. Seldom do people of any character, however low their rank may be, expofe themfelves to the danger of fal ling into the hands of the police. Night, fay the Chinese magißrates, is designed for repafe, and the day for labour.

Strict watch is kept in the day-time at every city to obferve thofe who enter; for this purpose, a ftrong guard is pofted at each gate; the air, looks, and physiognomy Gent. Mag. July, 1788.

of the paffengers are carefully examined; if, on being queftioned, their accent betrays them, and difcovers them to be ftrangers, they are immediately carried before a mandarin; they are even often detained until the will of the governor be known.

This precaution is founded on an ancient maxim of the Chinese, not to admit frangers among them. They fuppofe that in procefs of time, an alteration of manners, cuftoms, and ceremonies might refult from fuch an intercourse, and give birth to quarrels, party difputes, and fedition, and at length overturn the conftitution.

We have already faid, that murder is punished with death at China, even when it

happens in confequence of a fudden quarrel ;

but rencounters of this kind are feldom attended with a fatal iffue, especially among the lower claffes of people. When two chath

pions are defirous of coming to blows to revenge an infult, each throws away the stick, or whatever other weapon he may have in his hand, and they decide the quarrel with their fifts only; but they oftener go before a mandarin, and beg him to fettle their difpute. The magiftrate hears them with much gravity, and after having examined into the me rits of the cafe, orders the most culpable to receive a found baftinading, and fometimes even both.

None but military people are permitted to wear arms in public; and this privilege is extended even to them only during an actual war: at other times, they muft appear like plain citizens, except when they attend a review, mount guard, or accompany a man darin. This has been at all times a prevailing cuftom among the eastern nations, and fill fubfifts among the Turks. Proftitutes are not fuffered to remain within the walls of any city, but they may refide in the fuburbs, provided they do not keep a house of their own. On the other hand, fome indivi dual is exprefsly authorised to afford them lodging; he must watch over and obferve their conduct; and if there arifes any noise or quarrel in his houfe, he alone is refponfible, and punished for it.

Every city of China, and fometimes even an ordinary town, enjoys the advantage of an eftablishment which has been introduced only of late years into Paris. It is an office called by the Chinese Tangpou, and answers to our Mont de Piété; its regulations are almoft the fame, and money may be immedi ately borrowed there upon pledges. No preliminaries are neceffary, the tranfaction is concealed as an inviolable fecret, and the borrower may remain unknown. If he chu fes to tell his name, it is written down; if he does not, no further queftions are asked him. Those who belong to this office are contented with taking an exact defcription, when 2 z

the