#2] 
from the capital through every 
part of the kingdom, and the un- 
known fund by which the vaft ex- 
pences of the diftribution were {up- 
ported; the great body of the peo- 
ple being fupplied with them gra- 
ul 
de 
While thefe poured forth an un- 
cealing torrent of abufe- upon go- 
vernment, and were continually dif- 
feminating principles which went 
equally to the overthrow of the mo- 
narchy, and to the utter annihila- 
tion of the two firft orders of the 
ftate, the three parties whofe ex- 
’ Fftence were at ftake, the court, the 
nobles, and the clergy, feemed as if 
they had been involved ina general 
ftupor, without action, feeling, or 
life. Not a fingle writer of ability 
or eminence was engaged to refute 
the doétrines which were thus af- 
fiduoufly {pread, or to counteract the 
poifon which they fo widely diffufed. 
‘Phe few folitary volunteer pam- 
phlets which appeared on that fide, 
being written by men without parts 
or information, poffefled no intereft 
or fpirit to allure readers, and could 
have produced no effect if they had. 
That written by the bifhop of Meaux, 
and perhaps fome one or two more 
of character, being too few to be 
confidered as an exception. 
The famine, which was forely 
felt, though in a lefs or greater de- 
gree, in every part of the kingdom, 
may be confidered as a main ipring 
in accelerating all the movements 
ef this fingular revolution, Men 
in want of bread, neceflarily exe- 
erate and abhor that flate of things 
which produces their mifery. They. 
are little difpofed to enquire into.na- 
tural, or to trace remote caufes, as 
the fource of their diftrefs; they 
find lefs trouble in charging it di- 
~~ 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1790. 
rectly upon their rulers, and fancy 
fome alleviation to their mifery in 
venting their indignation and male- 
volence againft them, even in words. 
The prefent ftate of things in the 
other countries in Europe having 
prevented thofe fupplies from with- 
out, which would, in other cafes, 
have been procurable, and the in- 
ternal ftock of provifion ‘being 
deemed infufficient for the fubfilt- 
ence of the inhabitants, the moft 
alert and wileft government, fup- © 
pofing it to be otherwife at eafe, 
and entirely unembarraffed by fac- 
tion or danger, would have found 
it a matter of great difficulty to ap- 
ply any effectual remedy to the evil, 
But as things ftood, the hafty ill- 
judged regulations, founded upon 
error, and ignorance of a fubjeé ge~ 
nerally ill underftood, which were 
adopted, inftead of good, produced 
the moft unfortunate effects. Thefe, 
however, might have been palliated, 
if the ungovernable violence of the 
people, in obftructing the free fale 
of the markets, and compelling the 
proprietors to fell their grain at 
whatever prices they pleafed to 
give, had not completed the evil, 
and produced an artificial famine 
while plenty ftill fubfifted. It has 
‘been even afferted, that the ftock of 
corn produced this year in the king- 
dom would have been fufficient, 
under due regulation, management, 
and diftribution, if not to afford ab- 
folute plenty, at leaft to have pre- 
vented any great and pinching 
want. . 
In the general ill-temper of the 
people, continually goaded and ir- 
ritated by the .moft urgent and in- 
{upportable cf all wants, it will be 
eafily feen what advantages the 
emiflaries af the factions pofleffed in 
working 
