IT may not be unnecessary to inform the Reader, that the following Reflections had their origin in a correspondence between the Author and a very young gentleman at Paris, who did bim the bonour of defiring his opinion upon the important transactions, which then, and ever since, bave So much occupied the attention of all men. An answer was written some time in the month of October 1789; but it was kept back upon prudential confiderations. That letter is alluded to in the beginning of the following sheets. It has been fince forwarded to the perfan to whom it was addressed. The reasons for the delay in fending it were affigned in a Shart letter to the same gentleman. This produced on his part a new and pressing application for the Author's Sentiments. The Author began a fecond and more full discussion on the Jubject. This be had some thoughts of publishing early in the last spring; but the matter gaining upon him, be found that what he had undertaken not only far exceeded the measure of a letter, but that its importance required rather a more detailed confideration than at that time be bad any leisure to bestow upon it. However, having thrown down bis first thoughts in the form of a letter, and indeed when be fat down to write, baving intended it for a private letter, be found it difficult to change the form of address, when his fentiments had grown into a greater extent, and had received another direction. A different plan, be is sensible, might be more favourable to a commodious division and distribution of his matter. |