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while the Journeymen； the carters； the cobblers； the masons； the
braziers； and the stone…cutters whom they go to solicit in their
lodgings are just as ignorant as they are。 When irritation has
accumulated； it breaks out haphazardly。
Just at this time the clergy of Paris renounce their privileges in
way of imposts；＇13＇ and the people； taking friends for adversaries；
add in their invectives the name of the clergy to that of Réveillon。
During the whole of the day； and also during the leisure of Sunday；
the fermentation increases； on Monday the 27th； another day of
idleness and drunkenness； the bands begin to move。 Certain
witnesses encounter one of these in the Rue Saint…Sévérin； 〃armed
with clubs；〃 and so numerous as to bar the passage。 〃Shops and
doors are closed on all sides； and the people cry out； 'There's the
revolt！'〃 The seditious crowd belch out curses and invectives
against the clergy； 〃and； catching sight of an abbé； shout
'Priest！'〃 Another band parades an effigy of Réveillon decorated
with the ribbon of the order of St。 Michael； which undergoes the
parody of a sentence and is burnt on the Place de Grève； after which
they threaten his house。 Driven back by the guard； they invade that
of a manufacturer of saltpeter； who is his friend； and burn and
smash his effects and furniture。＇14＇ It is only towards midnight
that the crowd is dispersed and the insurrection is supposed to have
ended。 On the following day it begins again with greater violence；
for； besides the ordinary stimulants of misery＇15＇ and the craving
for license； they have a new stimulant in the idea of a cause to
defend； the conviction that they are fighting 〃for the Third…
Estate。〃 In a cause like this each one should help himself； and all
should help each other。 〃We should be lost；〃 one of them exclaimed；
〃if we did not sustain each other。〃 Strong in this belief； they sent
deputations three times into the Faubourg Saint…Marceau to obtain
recruits； and on their way； with uplifted clubs they enrol；
willingly or unwillingly； all they encounter。 Others； at the gate
of Saint…Antoine； arrest people who are returning from the races；
demanding of them if they are for the nobles or for the Third…
Estate； and force women to descend from their vehicles and to cry
〃Vive le Tiers…Etat 〃＇16＇。 Meanwhile the crowd has increased
before Réveillon's dwelling； the thirty men on guard are unable to
resist； the house is invaded and sacked from top to bottom； the
furniture； provisions； clothing； registers； wagons； even the poultry
in the back…yard； all is cast into blazing bonfires lighted in three
different places； five hundred louis d'or； the ready money； and the
silver plate are stolen。 Several roam through the cellars； drink
liquor or varnish at haphazard until they fall down dead drunk or
expire in convulsions。 Against this howling horde； a corps of the
watch； mounted and on foot； is seen approaching；＇17＇ also a hundred
cavalry of the 〃Royal Croats；〃 the French Guards； and later on the
Swiss Guards。 〃Tiles and chimneys are rained down on the soldiers；〃
who fire back four files at a time。 The rioters； drunk with brandy
and rage； defend themselves desperately for several hours； more than
two hundred are killed； and nearly three hundred are wounded； they
are only put down by cannon； while the mob keeps active until far
into the night。 … Towards eight in the evening； in the rue
Vieille…du…Temple； the Paris Guard continue to make charges in order
to protect the doors which the miscreants try to force。 Two doors
are forced at half…past eleven o'clock in the Rue Saintonge and in
the Rue de Bretagne； that of a pork…dealer and that of a baker。
Even to this last wave of the outbreak which is subsiding we can
distinguish the elements which have produced the insurrection； and
which are about to produce the Revolution。 Starvation is one of
these： in the Rue de Bretagne the band robbing the baker's shop
carries bread off to the women staying at the corner of the Rue
Saintonge。 Brigandage is another： in the middle of the night M。
du Chatelet's spies； gliding alongside of a ditch； 〃see a group of
ruffians〃 assembled beyond the Barrière du Tr？ne； their leader；
mounted on a little knoll； urging them to begin again； and the
following days； on the highways； vagabonds are saying to each other；
〃We can do no more at Paris； because they are too sharp on the look…
out； let us go to Lyons！〃 There are； finally； the patriots： on the
evening of the insurrection； between the Pont…au…Change and the
Pont…Marie； the half…naked ragamuffins； besmeared with dirt； bearing
along their hand…barrows； are fully alive to their cause； they beg
alms in a loud tone of voice； and stretch out their hats to the
passers； saying； 〃Take pity on this poor Third…Estate！〃 The
starving； the ruffians； and the patriots； all form one body； and
henceforth misery； crime； and public spirit unite to provide an
ever…ready insurrection for the agitators who desire to raise one。
IV。 The Palais…Royal。
But the agitators are already in permanent session。 The Palais…
Royal is an open…air club where； all day and even far into the
night； one excites the other and urges on the crowd to blows。 In
this enclosure； protected by the privileges of the House of Orleans；
the police dare not enter。 Speech is free； and the public who avail
themselves of this freedom seem purposely chosen to abuse it。
The public and the place are adapted to each other。＇18＇ The Palais…
Royal； the center of prostitution； of play； of idleness； and of
pamphlets； attracts the whole of that uprooted population which
floats about in a great city； and which； without occupation or home；
lives only for curiosity or for pleasure the frequenters of the
coffee…houses； the runners for gambling halls； adventurers； and
social outcasts； the runaway children or forlorn hopefuls of
literature； arts； and the bar； attorneys' clerks； students of the
institutions of higher learning； the curious； loungers； strangers；
and the occupants of furnished lodgings； these amounting； it is
said； to forty thousand in Paris。 They fill the garden and the
galleries； 〃one would hardly find here one of what were called the
〃Six Bodies；〃＇19＇ a bourgeois settled down and occupied with his own
affairs； a man whom business and family cares render serious and
influential。 There is no place here for industrious and orderly
bees； it is the rendezvous of political and literary drones。 They
flock into it from every quarter of Paris； and the tumultuous；
buzzing swarm covers the ground like an overturned hive。 〃Ten
thousand people；〃 writes Arthur Young；＇20＇ 〃have been all this day
in the Palais…Royal；〃 the press is so great that an apple thrown
from a balcony on the moving floor of heads would not reach the
ground。 The condition of these heads may be imagined； they are
emptier of ballast than any in France； the most inflated with
speculative ideas； the most excitable and the most excited。 In this
pell…mell of improvised politicians no one knows who is speaking；
nobody is responsible for what he says。 Each is there as in the
theater； unknown among the unknown； requiring sensational
impressions and strong emotions； a prey to the contagion of the
passions around him； borne along in the whirl of sounding phrases；
of ready…made news； growing rumors； and other exaggerations by which
fanatics keep outdoing each other。 There are shouting； tears；
applause； stamping and clapping； as at the performance of a tragedy；
one or another individual becomes so inflamed and hoarse that he
dies on the spot with fever and exhaustion。 In vain has Arthur
Young been accustomed to the tumult of political liberty； he is
dumb…founded at what he sees。＇21＇ According to him； the excitement
is 〃incredible。 。 。 。 We think sometimes that Debrett's or
Stockdale's shops at London are crowded； but they are mere deserts
compared to Desenne's and some others here； in which one can
scarcely squeeze from the door to the counter 。 。 。 。Every hour
produces its pamphlet； 13 came out to…day； 16 yesterday； and 92 last
week。 95％ of these productions are in favor of liberty；〃 and by
liberty is meant the extinction of privileges； numerical
sovereignty； the application of the Contrat…Social； 〃The Republic〃；
and even more besides； a universal leveling； permanent anarchy； and
even the jacquerie。 Camille Desmoulins； one of the orators；
commonly there； announces it and urges it in precise terms：
〃Now that the animal is in the trap； let him be battered to
death。。。 Never will the victors have a richer prey。 Forty thousand
palaces； mansions； and chateaux； two…fifth of the property of
France； will be the recompense of valor。 Those who pretend to be
the conquerors will be conquered in turn。 The nation shall be
purged。〃
Here； in advance； is the program of the Reign of Terror。
Now all this is