7528. REVOLUTION (French), Monarchy waning.—
In the course of three months, the royal authority has lost, and the
rights of the nation gained as much ground by
a revolution of public opinion only, as England
gained in all her civil wars under the Stuarts.
I rather believe, too, they will retain the
ground gained because it is defended by the
young and the middle aged in opposition to the
old only. The first party increases, and the
latter diminishes daily from the course of nature.—
To John Adams. Washington ed. ii, 259.
(P.
1787)