NEC 
public credit, though, as his cenfurers aflert, at the ex- 
penfe of improvident loans, which left a great additional 
burden. Whether his meafures were wife and folid, or 
fpecious and illufory, may be difputed; but it is gene¬ 
rally admitted that his intentions were pure, and his 
condudt difinterefted. He refufed all emolument for his 
fervices, and advanced a large fum to government from 
his private property, which he never drew out from the 
funds.' His adminiftration was popular, but his faving- 
plans could not fail of making him many enemies at 
court; and, upon his applying to be admitted to a feat 
in the council, for the putpole of increafing his confe- 
quence, he received no anl'wer. Regarding this as a pur- 
pofed indignity, he refigned, after having been five years 
in office. Some time before his refignation, he publifhed 
his “ Compte Rendu,” which was a llatement of what he 
had done in the financial department, and what were his 
views in this important branch of policy. It was artfully 
compofed, and had a great effect upon the public mind. 
He followed it by a work, “ De FAdminiftration des 
Finances,” which treated the fame fubjeft more largely, 
and was read with great avidity. Its details were accu¬ 
rate, and its fpeculations ingenious; and it had a powerful 
influence in exciting the popular attention to matters of 
government. 
When M. de Calonne was appointed to the office which 
Neckerliad refigned, he made an attack, before the aflem- 
bly of Notables, upon the veracity of Necker’s ftatements 
in the Compte Rendu. The latter drew up a memoir in 
reply, which he lent to the king; and his majefty inti¬ 
mated that, if he would forbear making it public, he fhould 
fhortly be reftored to his place. Necker, however, in 
whom a regard for reputation was a predominant feeling, 
thought proper to make an appeal to the nation by pub- 
lifhing his defence;'and this difobedience to the royal 
pleafure was puniflied by exile to his feat of St. Ouen, 
forty leagues from Paris. It was during his retreat from 
bufinefs that he wrote his work “ De I’lrnportance des 
Opinions Religieufes,” a performance of great eloquence, 
in which he fpeaks of the influence of religion like one 
who had felt it, and who was fully convinced of its im¬ 
portance both to individuals and to fociety. When the 
prevalence of oppolite opinions in France, at that time is 
confidered, it can fcarcely be fuppofed by the mofl un- 
candid eftimator of his motives that he had in this in- 
ltance any other than thenioft purely philanthropic views. 
When the dazzling operations of Calonne had only 
augmented the deficiencies of revenue, and the incapacity 
of Brienne had become notorious, nothing was left to the 
court but to recall a man whcfe difmiffion had rendered 
him more popular, and whofe virtues had confirmed the 
confidence which his talents had infpired. It was in 
Auguft 1788, that Necker was reinftated in his former 
poll, to the apparent latisfaftion as well of the court as 
the people. It was, however, a period of extreme diffi¬ 
culty ; and the miniller who could venture to aflume the 
helm in fuch circumftances, may be prefumed to have felt 
as much confidence in his abilities as in his good inten¬ 
tions. His firft Heps were to recall the banifhed members 
of the parliament of Paris, and to rellore that body to its 
functions ; to replenilh the treafury, which he found al- 
molt empty: and to relieve the fcarcity of corn under 
which the kingdom and capital then laboured. His next 
great concern was, the convocation of the States-Gene- 
ral, which had been already promifed by the king. He 
has been blamed for his forwardnefs in promoting this 
meafure, which proved the immediate forerunner of the 
revolution ; and efpecially for having confented that the 
number of members of the tiers etat fhould be equal to 
that of the nobles and clergy united. With refpedl to, 
the firft point, there is no reafon to luppole that any mi- 
nillerial artifices could have counteracted the ftrong will 
of the nation, which looked to fuch an afi'embly as the 
only remedy, for the public diforders. The proportion 
K E R. 663 
given to the tiers etat he aflerts to have been fo generally 
expeCted, that it could not fafely have been refufed. In 
fa Cl, however Necker’s own political principles were in 
favour of a limited monarchy; and he certainly did not 
with to render the aflembly of the States a mere pageantry, 
that fhould leave the defeCts of the conftitution as it found 
them. His error lay in thinking too well of the temper of 
the nation, and in fuppofing it was in his own power to 
guide and moderate that fpirit which had rendered the 
convocation of the States necetfiiry, and was continually 
betraying itfelf by violences* His own ftrong moral prin¬ 
ciples, joined with vanity and felf-confidence, feem to 
have blinded him to the probable confequences of his 
plans. If the impending evils were to have been averted 
by fincerity and moderation, his counfels would have been 
falutary; if the ftrong arm of power ought to have been 
employed, he was in no refpeCt the man to wield it. 
Necker delivered an elaborate fpeech at the opening of 
the States, the ideas.in which were too moderate topleafe 
any party. He afterwards propofed a royal fitting, and 
drew up a plan of government to be recommended by the 
king in a fpeech, which underwent feveral alterations in 
the council. His abfence at the time of its delivery was 
much cenfured, as indicative of his difpleafure at thefe 
alterations, and prejudicing the people againft the court. 
That he fhould feem to approve what in reality he difap- 
proved, and had oppofed with all his power, was hardly 
to be expeCled; but his diffent fhould rather have been 
fliown by an open refignation than by an infinuated difia- 
tisfaClion. This refignation, indeed, according to his own 
aflertion, he had from this time refolved upon : but the 
rumour of it excited great commotion among the people, 
and ferved to difplay his popularity. When, in the pro- 
grefs of events, the king was perfuaded to fhow a fpirit of 
refiftance to the increafing claims of the popular party, 
and had determined upon the afiembling of troops round 
Paris and Verfailles, the difmiffion of Necker, who deci¬ 
dedly oppofed thefe meafures, was a matter of courfe. I11 
July 1789, a fudden order was brought to him, while 
fitting at table with company, that he fhould quit the 
kingdom within twenty-four hours. The manner in 
which he fubmitted to it fully acquits him of any wifh to 
raife a difturbance on his own account. Pretending a head¬ 
ache, he retired from the company after dinner, threw 
liimfelf into a chaife with his wife, and drove incognito 
firft to his country-feat, and then to Bruffels, with all 
pofiible fpeed. As foon as his difmiffion was known, all 
Paris was in a flame. The deftrudlion of the Baftille focn 
followed; and fuch fymptoms of popular fury appeared, 
that the king found it neceflary immediately to fend a 
meflage inviting his return. This overtook him at Bafii, 
where he had been firft apprifed of the events at Paris by 
his enemy the duchefs de Poiignac, who was herfielf now 
become a fugitive. He determined upon compliance with 
the invitation ; and his return was a ficene of triumph,, 
fimilar to that of Cicero from his banifhment. On his 
approach to Paris, he learnt the danger of the baron de 
Bezenval, who was on the point of falling a lacrifice to 
popular rage. He fuccefsfully interfered in his favour; 
and alfo exerted his influence to calm the fury which was 
let loofe againft the perfons and properties of the whole 
ariftocratic and royal party. 
But his popularity had now reached a fummit from 
which it was thenceforth to decline. As minifter of 
finance, it was neceflary for him to propofe expedients 
which could not but be ungrateful to the mafs of the 
people. His moderate fentiments with refpeeft to govern¬ 
ment left him far behind the advanced principles which 
now began to be avowed by the popular leaders. Above 
all, the intrigues of his rival Mirabeau, a man of no 
fcruples, and much better qualified than himfelf for di- 
refting the torrent of public opinion, undermined the 
foundation of his favour with the people. Of the part he 
took in the debates refpefting a new conftitution, the 
molt 
