Propheticwarningandadmirableforesightinonewhomanexcessofevildoesnotblindtotheeviloftheremedy！Enlightenedbyhisfeudalandruralinstincts，theoldmanatoncejudgesboththegovernmentandthephilosophers，theAncientRegimeandtheRevolution。
IV。THEPEASANTBECOMESLANDOWNER。
Howthepeasantbecomesaproprietor。—Heisnobetteroff。—
Increaseoftaxes。—Heisthe\"mule\"oftheAncientRegime。
Miserybegetsbitternessinaman；butownershipcoupledwithmiseryrendershimstillmorebitter。Hemayhavesubmittedtoindigencebutnottospoliation—whichisthesituationofthepeasantin1789，for，duringtheeighteenthcentury，hehadbecomethepossessorofland。Buthowcouldhemaintainhimselfinsuchdestitution？Thefactisalmostincredible，butitisneverthelesstrue。WecanonlyexplainitbythecharacteroftheFrenchpeasant，byhissobriety，histenacity，hisrigorwithhimself，hisdissimulation，hishereditarypassionforpropertyandespeciallyforthatofthesoil。Hehadlivedonprivations，andeconomizedsouaftersou。Everyyearafewpiecesofsilverareaddedtohislittlestoreofcrownsburiedinthemostsecretrecessofhiscellar；Rousseau’speasant，concealinghiswineandbreadinapit，assuredlyhadayetmoresecrethiding—place；alittlemoneyinawoollenstockingorinajugescapes，morereadilythanelsewhere，thesearchoftheclerks。