Paris 125 



that have merit enough to be known. Is it not wonderful, that 

 while the press teems with the most levelling and even seditious 

 principles, that if put in execution would over-turn the monarchy^ 

 nothing in reply appears, and not the least step is taken by the 

 court to restrain this extreme licentiousness of publication? It 

 is easy to conceive the spirit that must thus be raised among the 

 people. But the coffee-houses in the Palais Royal present yet 

 more singular and astonishing spectacles; they are not only 

 crowded within, but other expectant crowds are at the doors and 

 windows, listening a gorge deploye to certain orators, who from 

 chairs or tables harangue each his little audience: the eagerness 

 with which they are heard, and the thunder of applause they 

 receive for every sentiment of more than common hardiness or 

 violence against the present government, cannot easily be 

 imagined. I am all amazement at the ministry permitting such 

 nests and hot-beds of sedition and revolt which disseminate 

 amongst the people every hour principles that by and by must 

 be opposed with vigour, and therefore it seems little short of 

 madness to allow the propagation at present. 



loih. Everything conspires to render the present period in 

 France critical: the want of bread is terrible: accounts arrive 

 every moment from the provinces of riots and disturbances, and 

 calling in the military to preserve the peace of the markets. 

 The prices reported are the same as I found at Abbeville and 

 Amiens, 5S0US (2id.)a pound for white bread, and 3I sous to 4 sous 

 for the common sort eaten by the poor : these rates are beyond 

 their faculties and occasion great misery. At Meudon, the 

 police, that is to say the intendant, ordered that no wheat should 

 be sold on the market without the person taking at the same 

 time an equal quantity of barley. What a stupid and ridiculous 

 regulation to lay obstacles on the supply in order to be better 

 supplied; and to show the people the fears and apprehensions 

 of government, creating thereby an alarm, and raising the price 

 at the very moment they wish to sink it. I have had some con- 

 versation on this topic with well-informed persons, who have 

 assured me that the price is, as usual, much higher than the pro- 

 portion of the crop demanded, and there would have been no 

 real scarcity if ]\Ir. Necker would have let the corn-trade alone; 

 but his edicts of restriction, which have been mere comments on 

 his book on the legislation of corn, have operated more to raise 

 the price than all other causes together. It appears plain to me 

 that the violent friends of the commons are not displeased at the 

 high price of corn, which seconds their views greatly, and'makes 



