cause of my incurring debts; not that I owe a farthing to a poor peasant or a tradesman, but all to usurers and rascals, that have lent their money out at an exorbitant interest. You may judge of their conscience. In the last levy of troops, made about two months ago by Ibrahim Pasha, some rich peasants gave 100 per cent, for six months for money to buy off their sons who were conscripts.
I often abuse the English; and for why? because they have nearly lost their national character. The aristocracy is a proud, morose, inactive class of men, having no great fundamental principles to guide them, and not half the power that they give to themselves—very little more worthy of being trusted by their Sovereign than by the people—full of ideas, all egotistical, and full of their own importance and weight in a country, which may differ from an ounce to a pound in twenty-four hours by the wavering political line of conduct that they may observe during that time, and which neither secures the confidence of the people, nor the friendship of their Sovereign. And these columns of state may be reckoned a sort of ministers without responsibility, but who ought to be willing at all times to make every possible sacrifice for the honour of the crown and for the good of the people in cases of emergency and misfortune.
Had I been an English peer, do you suppose I
