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conceived how flat this mode of debate renders the transactions 

 of the Assembly. Who would be in the gallery of the English 

 House of Commons if Mr. Pitt were to bring a written speech to 

 be delivered on a subject on which Mr. Fox was to speak before 

 him ? And in proportion to its being uninteresting to the hearer 

 is another evil, that of lengthening their sittings, since there are 

 ten persons who will read their opinions to one that is able to 

 deliver an impromptu. The want of order, and every kind of 

 confusion, prevails now almost as much as when the Assembly 

 sat at Versailles. The interruptions given are frequent and 

 long ; and speakers, who have no right by the rules to speak, will 

 attempt it. The Count de Mirabeau pressed to deliver his 

 opinion after the Abbe Maury; the president put it to the vote, 

 whether he should be allowed to speak a second time, and the 

 whole house rose up to negative it; so that the first orator of 

 the Assembly has not the influence even to be heard to explain — 

 we have no conception of such rules ; and yet their great number 

 must make this necessary. I forgot to observe that there is a 

 gallery at each end of the saloon which is open to all the world; 

 and side ones for admission of the friends of the members by 

 tickets : the audience in these galleries are very noisy: they clap 

 when anything pleases them, and they have been known to hiss; 

 an indecorum which is utterly destructive of freedom of debate. 

 I left the house before the whole was finished and repaired to the 

 Duke of Liancourt's apartments in the Tuileries, to dine with 

 his customary party of deputies; Messieurs Chapellier and 

 Demeusniers were there, who had both been presidents and are 

 still members of considerable distinction; M. Volney, the 

 celebrated traveller, also was present; the Prince de Poix, the 

 Count de Montmorency, etc. Waiting for the Duke of Lian- 

 court, who did not arrive till half after seven, with the greatest 

 partof the company, the conversation almost entirely turned upon 

 a strong suspicion entertained of the English having made a 

 remittance for the purpose of embroiling matters in the kingdom. 

 The Count de Thiard, cordon bleu, who commands in Bretagne, 

 simply stated the fact that some regiments at Brest had been 

 regular in their conduct, and as much to be depended on as any 

 in the service ; but that of a sudden money had found its way 

 among the men in considerable sums, and from that time their 

 behaviour was changed. One of the deputies demanding at 

 what period, he was answered;^ on which he immediately 

 observed that it followed the remittance of 1,100,000 livres 

 ^ It was a late transaction. — Author's note. 



