I was so forcibly struck by the coincidence of Buonarroti's ideas with my own, that I immediately resolved to trans- late the book, and thereby present to the English reader the doctrines of the " Poor Man's Guardian" under a new form and dress, which, if I mistake not, will add greatly to their popularity, in consequence of the superior abilities and practical experience of the author* $uch, then, is my first and chief motive in sending forth this work.
2d. Because it contains what to me appears the. m$st luminous and correct estimate, to be found in any lan- guage, of the leading men and events of the great French. Revolution. In this respect , I deem the repub- lication of Buonarroti's work an imperative duty.
In no other book have I seen te frauds of history so effectually exposed. It is impossible to read it without being convinced that nearly all the books that have ap- peared on the French Revolution are masses of fabrica- tion and misrepresentation, artfully designed to reconcile - mankind to aristocratic tyranny. To believe these im- postors, one would suppose that the Royalists and Girondists included all the public virtue in France at that epoch, and that Robespierre and his party were a band of illiterate and blood-thirsty monsters, whp, under pretence of serving the public, sought only to aggrandize, themselves, and who, to gain their selfish and , criminal ends, would cover France with scaffolds and dead bodies. How different the reality ! How utterly at variance wjfeb facts and reason are these representations! The then Royalists of France were exactly the same description, of persons that now support Louis Philippe's despotism; that is to say, Aristocrats and rich usurers, who, caring only for themselves, would sacrifice hftlf th p JmM " m ^' H> f/ ? jftakp slav e s and b r u te s of the othe r ha lf. The Girond- isfe-e onsisted o flaw yeia, banke r s, and babplmgT fterati» qu i of th e nobility and privileged .orders, sought to^Han3Ie^flie r: ^ der
_ k . ___nto their ownTumds; Sonle^g^Pinen __£§S£> n °. doubt, amongst mem; but^ taken as a bole, theJGiron dists were the worst factionin_Fraoce, exogpt. perha palfie^ham-Radftsd-^ ^ Moiin-
tain_party, that conspired with the committees of
