HISTORY .OF EUROPE. 
trines promulgated by the national 
affembly, but, perhaps, {till more, by 
the new and ftrange agar which 
it became fafhionable to ufe in that 
body; the majefty of the people, 
their fupreme authority, their un- 
controllable power, to which all 
things muft bend, and even the 
principles of law, juitice, and right 
give way, being the ufual flowers of 
fpeech which adorned every ha- 
rangue, that pretended to any merit, 
or that hoped for any praife. The 
effe& of tuch language continually 
refounding in the ears of a people 
“already maddened by the very doc- 
trines which it conveyed and con- 
firmed, may be much more eafily 
imagined than expreffed. In faa, _ 
popularity being the idol to whieh 
all the writers and orators, not only 
in the aflembly, but throughout the 
kingdom, paid their conitant and 
dmof fervent devotion, a!) their wri- 
tings and all their fpeeches, were 
directed to flatter the populace, and 
confequently tended t@ cherith and 
- increafe this dangerous phrenzy. 
‘As the defire of rule and fove- 
reignty is inherent in the human 
breaft, and among the ftrongeft of 
all the paffions that infeft it, it can- 
not be wondered at, that the petty 
' but numerous poflefiors of new and 
unexpeéted power, fhould determine, 
at all events, to preferve f6 invalu- 
able a treafure, and fhould tremble 
at every apprehenfion of its lofs, 
_ This coalefced the apparent bulk of 
the nation, or at leaft the acting 
pait of it, to a man, in one common 
intereft, and bond of union, which, 
however fragile all other ties might 
prove, carried in its nature the ap- 
pearance of indiffolubility, as the 
-eaufes which produced it could ne- 
ver ceafe to operate. The moft un- 
informed ef shofe, whe were thus 
<4 
[141 
fuddenly curft, or as they deemed it 
bleft with the poffeffion of power, 
could fcarcely aveid perceiving, 
that no cther fyftem of government 
upon earth, than the prefent, could 
or would have endued them with 
fuch an authority; and every maa 
accordingly found himfelf immedi- 
ately bound, by the moft captivating 
and irrefiftable motives, to fupport 
and defend at all rifques, and in de- 
fiance of all perils, that ftate of things 
which procared him fuch unfpeak- 
able happinefs. 
The real or pretended plots and 
con{piracies, as well as the foreign 
dangers which were uncealingly 
held out, along with the real vague 
and futile induftry of the refllefs and 
ruined royaliits, who were eagerly 
grafping at every fhadow, which 
eemed to indicate in the weakeft 
degree, the mott delufive hopes of 
recovering their rights, excited the 
greateft poflible alarm among thole 
people, who were now in poileflion 
of all the fmaller divifions of power 
and authority, and who were deter- 
mined to maintain what they pol 
fefled. ‘The province of Bretagne. 
was the firft that fet the example of 
aflociating, arming, and forming 
large bodies of men in military ar- 
ray, with an aflumption of the go~ 
vernment and appearance of a: mies, 
for the defence of the new conftitu 
tion againft all its enemies forcign 
or domettic. This example was 
Apeedily fol'owed by its neighbours, 
particularly the provinces on the 
fouthern fide, if in a little time 
became general throughout the 
kingdom. 
‘hus was produced that extraordi- 
nary difplay of the might and great- 
nefs of France, the glories of which, 
even the eloquent hiftorian of the 
revolution, feems at fome lofi to find 
words 
