136 Travels in France 



little ceremony that his vanity was wounded to the quick. The 

 number of subscribers to the journal was such that I have 

 heard the profit to Monsieur Mirabeau calculated at 80.000 livres 

 (£3500) a year. Since its suppression he publishes once or twice 

 a week a small pamphlet to answer the same purpose of giving 

 an account of the debates, or rather observations on them, 

 entitled one, two, three, etc. Lettre des Comte de Mirabeau a 

 ses Commettans, which, though violent, sarcastic, and severe, 

 the court has not thought proper to stop, respecting, I suppose, 

 its title. It is a weak and miserable conduct to single out any 

 particular publication for prohibition while the press groans 

 with innumerable productions whose tendency is absolutely 

 to overturn the present government ; to permit such pamphlets 

 to be circulated all over the kingdom, even by the posts and 

 diligences in the hands of government, is a blindness and folly, 

 from which there are no effects that may not be expected. In 

 the evening to the comic opera; Italian music, Italian words, 

 and Italian performers; and the applause so incessant and 

 rapturous that the ears of the French must be changing apace. 

 What could Jean Jacques have said, could he have been a witness 

 to such a spectacle at Paris ! 



18/A. Yesterday the commons decreed themselves, in con- 

 sequence of the Abbe Syeyes's amended motion, the title of 

 AssembUe Nationale; and also, considering themselves then in 

 activity, the illegality of all taxes ; but granted them during the 

 session, declaring that they would, without delay, deliberate on 

 the consolidating of the debt; and on the relief of the misery of 

 the people. These steps give great spirits to the violent partisans 

 of a new constitution, but amongst more sober minds I see 

 evidently an apprehension that it will prove a precipitate 

 measure. It is a violent step, which may be taken hold of by 

 the court and converted very much to the people's disadvantage. 

 The reasoning of Monsieur de Mirabeau against it was forcible 

 and just — Si je voulois employer centre les autres motions les armes 

 dont on se sert pour attaquer la miemie, ne poiirrois-je pas dire a 

 moniour : de quelque mnniere que vous-vous qualifiez que vous 

 soyez les representans connus et verisies de la nation, les repre- 

 senfans de 25,000,000 d'hommes, les representans de la majorite du 

 peuple, dussiez-vous meme vous appeller V Assemblee Nationale, 

 les etats generaux, empecherez-vous les classes privilegiees de con- 

 tinuer des assemblees que sa majeste a reconnues ? Les em- 

 pecherez-vous de prendre des deliberationes ? Les empecherez-vous 

 de pretendre au veto ? Empecherez-vous le Roi de les recevoir ? 



