IV. 1789. 1 Mad. de Stael, i. 186. CHAP. pride of aristocratic connexion. His talents universally known, his licentiousness too notorious, his integrity generally suspected, rendered him the object of painful anxiety. Harsh and disagreeable features, a profusion of black hair, an expressive and daring countenance, a commanding air, attracted the curiosity even of those who were unacquainted with his reputation. Many admired, 67, p.79,80. some feared, none despised him. His name was MIRABEAU, future leader of the Assembly.1 Mig. i. 30. Madame de rin's obser vations on the cere mony. Two ladies of rank, from a gallery, with very different Madame de feelings, beheld the spectacle. The one was Madame de Stael's, and Montmorin, wife of the minister of foreign affairs; the Montmo- other the illustrious daughter of M. Necker, Madame de Stael. The latter exulted in the boundless felicity which seemed to be opening under the auspices of her father. "You are wrong to rejoice," said Madame de Montmorin, "this event forebodes much misery to France and to ourselves." Her presentiment turned out too well founded : she herself perished on the scaffold with one of her sons; another was drowned; her husband was massacred in the prisons on September 2d; her eldest daughter was cut off in jail; her youngest died of a broken heart before she had attained the age of thirty years. It soon appeared what was the temper of the Assembly, and how much reason there was for Madame de Montmorin's gloomy forebodings. The Bishop of Nancy preached on the occasion, in the Church of St Louis, and he began with the words, as in ancient days, "Receive, O God! the homage of the clergy, the respects of the noblesse, and the humble supplications of the Tiers Etat." Upon this, loud De Stael, murmurs were heard on all sides. But when, in the course of his sermon, he made an ill-timed allusion to the Prudhom. goodness of the monarch, and the rapacity of the taxgatherers, tumultuous applause burst forth from all quarters, and the sounds of worldly exultation for the first time resounded through these sacred aisles.2 i. 187. Droz, ii. 174. Rév. de Paris, v. No. 67, p. 80. On the following day the Assembly was opened with IV. 1789. 5. Meeting of general. extraordinary pomp. Galleries, disposed in the form of CHAP. an amphitheatre, were filled with a brilliant assembly of spectators, among whom all the rank, talent, and beauty of Paris was to be found. The deputies were introduced and arranged according to the order established in the the Stateslast convocation in 1614. The clergy sat on the right, May5, 1789. the nobles on the left, the commons in front of the throne. Loud applause followed the entry of the popular leaders, especially those who were known to have contributed by their efforts to the convocation of the states. The Duke of Orleans was twice loudly cheered; first on his first appearance, next when he made a curé of the deputation of Crepi in Valois, to which he belonged, pass before him. The deputies of Dauphiné were received with tumultuous applause. Similar approbation was beginning for those of Provence, but it was checked to mark the personal application of the applause to Mirabeau, who was one of them. M. Necker, in particular, was distinguished by the reception which he experienced. After the ministers and deputies had taken their places, the King appeared, followed by the Queen, in simple attire, but radiant with beauty, the princes, and a brilliant suite. The monarch placed himself upon his throne, amidst the loudest applause. He looked happy, and he was so; for he was received by his subjects with sincere. affection. The three orders at the same instant rose and covered themselves. The days were past when the third estate remained uncovered, and spoke only on their knees; that first spontaneous movement was ominous as to the subsequent conduct of that aspiring body. The King, on taking his seat, perceived that the Duke of Orleans was sitting amongst the Tiers Etat, and immediately made a sign to him to take his place among the princes of the Montjoye, blood. The duke replied, "My birth gives me always a D'Orléans, right to be near the throne; but on this occasion I prefer Lab. iii. 10. taking my place among the Tiers Etat of my bailliage." Th. i. 43. It was not difficult to see who aspired to be their head.1 2 E VOL. I. 1 Th. i. 43. Consp. i. 304, 305. "Mig. i. 31. CHAP. IV. 6. Description of the hall of the As sembly. The meeting of the States-general had been appointed to take place in Versailles, and the King had been at great 1789. pains to provide a place of meeting suitable to the august assembly. The hall selected was a very large one in that town, capable of holding two thousand persons, besides the galleries. It was a spacious, handsome room, a hundred and twenty feet long, by fifty-seven feet broad within the columns, which were fluted, of the Ionic order; the entablature being rich, and the roof pierced in the centre by a large oval skylight and this, with two other windows in the sides, by which the light was admitted through azure gauze, threw a pleasing tint over every part of the interior. At one extremity of the room was an elevated dais, magnificently ornamented, and covered with violetcoloured velvet, embroidered with lilies. At the upper end of it, under a superb canopy, adorned by deep gold fringe, was placed the throne. On the left of the throne a large chair was set apart for the Queen, and lesser ones for the princesses; on the right stood richly ornamented seats for the princes: the ministers were seated in front of the throne, round a large table covered with blue lilied velvet. Behind the table on the right were seats for the fifteen councillors of state, and twenty maîtres-des-requêtes; on the left the like number, for the governors and lieutenants-general of provinces. On either side of the hall were arranged the benches for the deputies, all adorned with rich covers: on the right those for the clergy, on the left for the noblesse; in front of the throne, at the opposite end, those for the Tiers Etat. Spacious galleries, capable of holding above two thousand persons, as if inviting the attendance of the public, were arranged behind the seats of the deputies. It would seem as if, in the very disposition of the seats, it had been intended to point to the intended union of the orders, and the fatal influence Grimm, v. of the galleries on their deliberations. Louis had anxiously i. 326, 329. superintended the arrangements, and frequently visited the hall to observe the progress of the operations.1 By de Baron de 124. Weber, IV. such hands, and with such magnificence, was the theatre CHAP. prepared on which was to be enacted the overthrow of the French monarchy. 1789. 7. the King. May 5. "Gentlemen," said the monarch, with emotion, "the day which my heart so long desired is at length arrived; Speech of I find myself surrounded by the representatives of the nation, which it is my first glory to command. A long period has elapsed since the last convocation of the Statesgeneral; and although the meeting of these assemblies was thought to have fallen into desuetude, I have not hesitated to re-establish a usage from which the kingdom may derive new force, and which may open to its inhabitants hitherto unknown sources of prosperity. The debt of the state, already large at my accession to the throne, has increased during my reign: an expensive, though glorious war, has been the cause of this; and the augmentation of taxes, which it compelled, has rendered more perceptible their unequal imposition. A general disquietude, an exaggerated desire of innovation, have taken possession of all minds, and might have led to a total unhinging of opinions, if haste were not made to fix them by a union of those capable of giving the most enlightened and moderate advice. It is in this confidence, gentlemen, that I have called you together; and I understand with pleasure that it has already been justified by the disposition which the two first orders have evinced to renounce their privileges. The hope which I had formed to see all the orders, united in opinion, concur with me in measures for the general good will not be disappointed. 8. gene ments it "I have ordered considerable retrenchments in the expenses; I shall receive with eagerness the sugges- The tions which you make to me in that particular; but rous sentiin spite of all the resources which the most rigid expressed. economy may afford, I fear it will be impossible to relieve my subjects as rapidly as I could desire. I This statement was founded on their Cahiers, which were known, and almost unanimously recommended such a step. IV. 1789. CHAP. shall direct the exact situation of the finances to be laid before you; and, when you have examined them, I feel assured that you will propose to me the most efficacious means to restore their order, and support the public credit. The minds of men are in a state of agitation; but an assembly of the representatives of the nation will listen, without doubt, to nothing but the counsels of wisdom and prudence. You must doubtless have observed, gentlemen, that these counsels have not been always followed on recent occasions; but the ruling spirit of your deliberations will respond to the real wishes of a generous nation, which has always been distinguished by its love for the sovereign. I know the authority and power of a just king, surrounded by a faithful people, attached from the earliest times to the principles of the monarchy: they have given rise to the power and glory of France: I am bound to support them, and I will do so constantly. All that can be expected from the most tender interest in the public good, all that can be asked from a sovereign, the first friend of his people, you may rely on finding in me. May unanimity, gentlemen, prevail among you, and this epoch be for ever memorable in the annals of French prosperity! That is the first prayer of my heart, the most ardent of my wishes, the reward which I expect from the rectitude of my intentions, and my love for my people!" 9. division on sitting down. These generous sentiments excited, as well they might, Incipient universal applause; and the King and Queen, for a few the King's seconds, surrendered themselves to the delicious belief of a blessed regeneration of society springing from the virtue and gratitude of its members. The Queen had stood, like the rest of the assembly, during the royal speech. The grace and modesty of her demeanour, joined to the beauty of a countenance on which a passing smile shone through the settled expression of melancholy which it had already assumed, added to the |