The wise and just principles by which Turgot aimed to correct the Abuses of the administration, not having been received with favor, he seized the occasion to flatter ignorance and malignity, by publishing his work against the freedom of the corn trade.

He had published, two years before, an eulogy on Colbert.  Both these productions exhibited the limited capacity of a banker, and, in no degree, the enlarged views of a statesman.  Not at all delicate in the choice of his means, he succeeded to his wish in his object, which was the establishing himself in public opinion.  Elevated by a secret cabal to the direction of the finances, he began by refusing the salaries of his office.  He affected a spirit of economy and austerity, which imposed even on foreign nations, and showed the possibility of making war without laying new taxes.  Such at least was his boast; but, in reality, they have been increased under his administration, about twenty millions, partly by a secret augmentation of the bailies and of the poll-tax, partly by some verifications of the twentieths, and partly by the natural progression, which is tested by the amount of taxes on consumption, the necessary result of the successive increase of population, of riches, and of expensive tastes.

All these circumstances reared for him an astonishing reputation, which his fall has consecrated.  People will not reflect, that, in the short period of his ministry, he had more than doubled his fortune.  Not that he had peculated on the public treasury; his good sense and pride forbade a resort to this manoeuvre of weak minds; but by resorting to loans and the costly operations of the bank, to provide the funds of war, and being still connected with the house to which he addressed himself for much the greater part of his negotiations.  They have not remarked that his great principles of economy have nothing more than a false show, and that the loans resorted to, in order to avoid the imposition of taxes, have been the source of the mischief which has reduced the finances to their present alarming condition.

As to his compte rendu; he has been forgiven the nauseous panegyric which he has passed upon himself, and the affectation of introducing his wife into it, for the purpose of praising her; and we are spared the trouble of examining his false calculations.  M. de Calonne has undertaken this investigation.  Without being able to vindicate himself, he has already begun to unmask his antagonist, and he promises to do it effectually.

Necessity has recalled this man to the ministry:  and it must be confessed, that he is beyond comparison a less mischievous minister than his predecessors.  I would compare him to a steward, who, by his management, does not entirely ruin his master, but who enriches himself at his expense.  The desire of glory should inspire him as much as possible with the energy requisite for the public business.  There is every likelihood