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satisfied with his own system； and to submit to a leader to whom he
would entrust his political conscience； to make of him what three
out of four of these deputies should be； a voting machine； would
require an apprehension of danger； some painful experience； an
enforced surrender which he is far from realizing。＇4＇ For this
reason； save in the violent party； each acts as his own chief；
according to the impulse of the moment； and the confusion may be
imagined。 Strangers who witness it； lift their hands in pity and
astonishment。 〃They discuss nothing in their Assembly；〃 writes
Gouverneur Morris；＇5＇ 〃One large half of the time is spent in
hallowing and bawling。。。。 Each Man permitted to speak delivers the
Result of his Lubrications；〃 amidst this noise； taking his turn as
inscribed； without replying to his predecessor； or being replied to
by his successor； without ever meeting argument by argument； so
that while the firing is interminable； 〃all their shots are fired in
the air。〃 Before this 〃frightful clatter〃 can be reported； the
papers of the day are obliged to make all sorts of excisions； to
prune away 〃nonsense；〃 and reduce the 〃inflated and bombastic
style。〃 Chatter and clamor； that is the whole substance of most of
these famous sittings。
〃You would hear；〃 says a journalist； 〃more yells than speeches； the
sittings seemed more likely to end in fights than in decrees。 。 。 。
Twenty times I said to myself； on leaving； that if anything could
arrest and turn the tide of the Revolution； it would be a picture of
these meetings traced without caution or adaptation。 。 。 All my
efforts were therefore directed to represent the truth； without
rendering it repulsive。 Out of what had been merely a row； I
concocted a scene。 。 。 I gave all the sentiments； but not always in
the same words。 I translated their yells into words； their furious
gestures into attitudes； and when I could not inspire esteem； I
endeavored to rouse the emotions。〃
There is no remedy for this evil； for； besides the absence of
discipline； there is an inward and fundamental cause for the
disorder。 These people are too susceptible。 They are Frenchmen；
and Frenchmen of the eighteenth century； brought up in the amenities
of the utmost refinement； accustomed to deferential manners； to
constant kind attentions and mutual obligations； so thoroughly
imbued with the instinct of good breeding that their conversation
seems almost insipid to strangers。＇6＇ And suddenly they find
themselves on the thorny soil of politics； exposed to insulting
debates； flat contradictions； venomous denunciation； constant
detraction and open invective； engaged in a battle in which every
species of weapon peculiar to a parliamentary life is employed； and
in which the hardiest veterans are scarcely able to keep cool。
Judge of the effect of all this on inexperienced； highly strung
nerves； on men of the world accustomed to the accommodations and
amiabilities of universal urbanity。 They are at once beside
themselves。 … And all the more so because they never anticipated a
battle； but； on the contrary； a festival； a grand and charming
idyll； in which everybody； hand in hand； would assemble in tears
around the throne and save the country amid mutual embraces。
Necker himself arranges； like a theater； the chamber in which the
sessions of the Assembly are to be held。＇7＇ 〃He was not disposed to
regard the Assemblies of the States…General as anything but a
peaceful； imposing； solemn； august spectacle； which the people would
enjoy；〃 and when the idyll suddenly changes into a drama； he is so
frightened that it seems to him as if a landslide had occurred that
threatened； during the night； to break down the framework of the
building。 … At the time of the meeting of the States…General；
everybody is delighted； all imagine that they are about to enter the
promised land。 During the procession of the 4thof May；
〃tears of joy；〃 says the Marquis de Ferrières； 〃filled my eyes。 。 。
。 In a state of sweet rapture I beheld France supported by
Religion〃 exhorting us all to concord。 〃The sacred ceremonies； the
music； the incense； the priests in their sacrificial robes； that
dais； that orb radiant with precious stones。 。。 I called to my
mind the words of the prophet。 。 。 。 My God； my country； and my
countrymen； all were one with myself！ 〃
Such emotions repeatedly explode in the course of the session； and
resulted in the passage of laws which no one could have imagined。
〃Sometimes；〃＇8＇ writes the American ambassador； 〃a speaker gets up
in the midst of a deliberation； makes a fine discourse on a
different subject； and closes with a nice little resolution which is
carried with a hurrah。 Thus； in considering the plan of a national
bank proposed by M。 Necker； one of them took it into his head to
move that every member should give his silver buckles； which was
agreed to at once； and the honorable mover laid his upon the table；
after which the business went on again。〃
Thus； over…excited； they do not know in the morning what they will
do in the afternoon； and they are at the mercy of every surprise。
When they are seized with these fits of enthusiasm； infatuation
spreads over all the benches； prudence gives way； all foresight
disappears and every objection is stifled。 During the night of the
4th of August；＇9＇ 〃nobody is master of himself 。 The Assembly
presents the spectacle of an inebriated crowd in a shop of valuable
furniture； breaking and smashing at will whatever they can lay their
hands on。〃
〃That which would have required a year of care and reflection；〃
says a competent foreigner； 〃was proposed； deliberated over； and
passed by general acclamation。 The abolition of feudal rights； of
titles； of the privileges of the provinces； three articles which
alone embraced a whole system of jurisprudence and statesmanship；
were decided with ten or twelve other measures in less time than is
required in the English Parliament for the first reading of an
important bill。〃
〃Such are our Frenchmen；〃 says Mirabeau again； 〃they spend a month
in disputes about syllables； and overthrow； in a single night； the
whole established system of the Monarchy ！〃＇10＇
The truth is； they display the nervousness of women； and； from one
end of the Revolution to the other； this excitability keeps on
increasing。
Not only are they excited； but the pitch of excitement must be
maintained； and； like the drunkard who； once stimulated； has
recourse again to strong waters； one would say that they carefully
try to expel the last remnants of calmness and common sense from
their brains。 They delight in pompous phrases； in high…sounding
rhetoric； in declamatory sentimental strokes of eloquence： this is
the style of nearly all their speeches； and so strong is their
taste； they are not satisfied with the orations made amongst
themselves。 Lally and Necker； having made 〃affecting and sublime〃
speeches at the H？tel…de…Ville； the Assembly wish them to be
repeated before them：＇11＇ this being the heart of France； it is
proper for it to answer to the noble emotions of all Frenchmen。
Let this heart throb on； and as strongly as possible； for that is
its office； and day by day it receives fresh impulses。 Almost all
sittings begin with the reading of flattering addresses or of
threatening denunciations。 The petitioners frequently appear in
person； and read their enthusiastic effusions； their imperious
advice； their doctrines of dissolution。 To…day it is Danton； in
the name of Paris； with his bull visage and his voice that seems a
tocsin of insurrection； to…morrow； the vanquishers of the Bastille；
or some other troop； with a band of music which continues playing
even into the hall。 The meeting is not a conference for business；
but a patriotic opera； where the eclogue； the melodrama； and
sometimes the masquerade； mingle with the cheers and the clapping of
hands。＇12＇ A serf of the Jura is brought to the bar of the
Assembly aged one hundred and twenty years； and one of the members
of the cortège； 〃 M。 Bourbon de la Crosnière； director of a
patriotic school； asks permission to take charge of an honorable old
man； that he may be waited on by the young people of all ranks； and
especially by the children of those whose fathers were killed in the
attack on the Bastille。〃 ＇13＇ Great is the hubbub and excitement。
The scene seems to be in imitation of Berquin；＇14＇ with the
additional complication of a mercenary consideration。
But small matters are not closely looked into； and the Assembly；
under the pressure of the galleries； stoops to shows； such as are
held at fairs。 Sixty vagabonds who are paid twelve francs a head；
in the costumes of Spaniards； Dutchmen； Turks； Arabs； Tripolitans；
Persians； Hindus； Mongols； and Chinese； conducted by the Prussian
Anacharsis Clootz； en