IT MAY NOT BE UNNECESSARY toinform the reader that the following Reflections had their origin in acorrespondence between the Author and a very young gentleman at Paris, who didhim the honor of desiring his opinion upon the important transactions whichthen, and ever since, have so much occupied the attention of all men. An answerwas written some time in the month of October 1789, but it was kept back uponprudential considerations. That letter is alluded to in the beginning of thefollowing sheets. It has been since forwarded to the person to whom it wasaddressed. The reasons for the delay in sending it were assigned in a shortletter to the same gentleman. This produced on his part a new and pressingapplication for the Author's sentiments.
The Author began a second and more full discussion on the subject. This hehad some thoughts of publishing early in the last spring; but, the mattergaining upon him, he found that what he had undertaken not only far exceededthe measure of a letter, but that its importance required rather a moredetailed consideration than at that time he had any leisure to bestow upon it.However, having thrown down his first thoughts in the form of a letter, and,indeed, when he sat down to write, having intended it for a private letter, hefound it difficult to change the form of address when his sentiments had growninto a greater extent and had received another direction. A different plan, heis sensible, might be more favorable to a commodious division and distributionof his matter.
