Page:Englishmen in the French Revolution.djvu/40

20. In 1770 the latter published in London an essay comparing French and English manners, while in Paris he issued "La Quinzaine Anglaise," an account of a young lord who in a fortnight runs through £12,000 and is lodged in a debtor's prison. Wealthy young Englishmen undoubtedly at that period fell an easy prey to the tempter at Paris, and Rutledge treated this theme in other works. He also wrote farces and satires, some considered witty, others failures. He assisted Letourneur in translating Shakspere, whom he defended against Voltaire's criticism. "Frenchmen," he exclaimed, "give up your tragedies; they are cold and tedious." In 1778 he started a magazine named, after the Tatler, "Le Babillard" but it was very shortlived. Having charged his notary with fradulently obtaining his inheritance at one-third of its value, he was cast in damages, and in default imprisoned at La Force, where he made acquaintance with Lord Massareene. This restless pamphleteer, who had been a cavalry captain, had been expelled from Poland, and now called himself a banker, was in 1789 the spokesman of the Paris bakers. Subsidised by the municipality to supply the citizens with bread under cost price they were suspected of selling loaves to country people at a higher sum, and then of pretending that the millers had kept them without flour. Rutledge, on their behalf, covered the walls of Paris with