National Gazette

Extract of a letter from Paris, Sept. 18.

"The chief Secretary of the order of St. Francis has just published an estimate of the number of Monks, that went to constitute this particular order, previous to the revolution; and has fixed it to three hundred thousand, in Europe. Besides these, there were four hundred thousand Mendicant Monks, exclusive of those with gifted habits. Each of these drones of society were maintained, by the lowest estimation, at the rate of three hundred livres a year; so that according to this estimate, which is certainly moderate, the public of Europe paid an annual tax for the support of the Mendicants only, of about one hundred and twenty millions. A tenth part of these Monks had fallen to the share of France, and consequently a tenth part of this enormous and superfluous expence: But, such were the aids necessary for the support of despotism, —as Milton said,

"White, black, and grey, with all their trumpery."

The people in this capital regard the abolition of the Monish orders as one of the great blessings of the revolution. To keep them from starving, however, they have hitherto received a sort of indirect maintenance from the sale of the effects of the high clergy. Things are now put upon such a footing, that, it is computed, in fifteen years France will be entirely rid of these vermin; and one may foretell without a supernatural gift of prophecy, that within the same period, there will not be a country in Europe but shall have followed the example of France in this particular."