216 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
The letter now brought to light by Mr Small, the most interest- 
ing of the series, so far as it is known to have been preserved, is 
dated 2d July 1789, and is distinctly connected with that already 
printed, of date 27th June. In the latter the writer says: — “ My 
Dear Archy — I had begun a very long letter for you, which I find 
I cannot possibly get ready for you till next post. I must there- 
fore content myself at present with mentioning to you, that the 
day before yesterday, i. e. 25th June, the king sent a letter to the 
clergy and noblesse, desiring them by every consideration of regard 
for his person, and of attachment to their country, to unite them- 
selves instantly with the Tiers Etat, which they did that very day.” 
That the document now before us is the very long letter” thus 
referred to, becomes obvious from the facts, that it takes up the 
narrative of events at the 22d of the month, and that, towards the 
close, it mentions the union of the clergy and noblesse with the 
Tiers Etat, in nearly the precise words quoted above. 
On the 17th of June, the Tiers Etat had declared themselves a 
National Assembly,” in consequence of which bold step, it was 
determined by the Court party to close the hall of the said Tiers 
Etat till June 23. On the 20th, proclamation to this effect was 
made by the Herald-at-Arms ; but the ‘‘ Assembly,” excluded from 
their own hall, met in the Tennis-Court, and then took the famous 
Tennis-Court oath — with only one dissentient. On the 22d, no 
fewer than 148 of the clergy joined the Commons or Tiers Etat, 
now assuming to itself the unusual name and the boundless powers 
of L’Assemblee Nationale.” On the next day, the 23d, came the 
Seance Eoyale, according to previous proclamation ; and here the 
letter of Mr Stewart takes up the narrative. 
My Dear Archy, — My last letter, if I recollect right, was dated 
on Sunday, 21st June, at which time everything here was in the 
utmost confusion. On Monday morning, notice was given in Paris 
that the Seance Eoyale would not take place till Tuesday ; and in 
the meantime copies were distributed of a letter from M. Necker 
to M. De Crosne (who has the charge of the police in Paris), tend- 
ing to quiet the apprehensions of the people about the dissolution 
of the States Gfeneral, and assuring them that the K. was doing 
everything in his power to conciliate the different orders. On 
