Paris 3 i 3 



to have the least appearance of success, it would undoubtedly 

 cost the king his life; and so changed is the national character, 

 not only in point of affection for the person of their prince, but 

 also in that softness and humanity for which it has been so much 

 admired, that the supposition is made without horror or com- 

 punction. In a word, the present devotion to liberty is a sort 

 of rage; it absorbs every other passion and permits no other 

 object to remain in view than what promises to confirm it. 

 Dine with a large party at the Duke de la Rochefoucauld's; 

 ladies and gentlemen, and all equally politicians; but I may 

 remark another effect of this revolution, by no means unnatural, 

 which is that of lessening, or rather reducing to nothing, the 

 enormous influence of the sex: they mixed themselves before in 

 everything, in order to govern everything: I think I see an end 

 to it very clearly. The men in this kindgom were puppets 

 moved by their wires, who, instead of giving the ton in questions 

 of national debate, must now receive it, and must be content to 

 move in the political sphere of some celebrated leader, — that is 

 to say, they are in fact sinking into what nature intended them 

 for; they will become more amiable and the nation better 

 governed. 



ii/A. The riots at Versailles are said to be serious; a plot is 

 talked of for eight hundred men to march, armed, to Paris, at 

 the instigation of somebody, to join somebody; the intention 

 to murder La Fayette, Bailly, and Necker; and very wild and 

 improbable reports are propagated every moment. They have 

 been sufficient to induce ]\Ionsieur La Fayette to issue yesterday 

 an order concerning the mode of assembling the militia, in case 

 of any sudden alarm. Two pieces of cannon and eight hundred 

 men mount guard at the Tuileries every day. See some 

 royalists this morning who assert that the public opinion in the 

 kingdom in changing apace ; that pity for the king and disgust 

 at some proceedings of the Assembly have lately done much: 

 they say that any attempt at present to rescue the king would 

 be absurd, for his present situation is doing more for him than 

 force could effect at this moment, as the general feelings of the 

 nation are in his favour. They have no scruple in declaring that 

 a well concerted vigorous effort would place him at the head of a 

 powerful army, which could not fail of being joined by a great, 

 disgusted, and injured body. I remarked that every honest man 

 must hope no such event would take place; for if a counter- 

 revolution should be effected it would establish a despotism 

 much heavier than ever France experienced. This they would 



