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from 'La Pucelle；' another bringing forward certain philosophical
stanzas by Diderot。 。 。 。 and with unbounded applause。 。 。 。 The
conversation becomes more serious； admiration is expressed at the
revolution accomplished by Voltaire； and all agree in its being the
first title to his fame。 'He gave the tone to his century； finding
readers in the antechambers as well as in the drawing…room。' One of
the guests narrates； bursting with laughter； what a hairdresser said
to him while powdering his hair： 'You see； sir； although I am a
miserable scrub； I have no more religion than any one else。' They
conclude that the Revolution will soon be consummated； that
superstition and fanaticism must wholly give way to philosophy； and
they thus calculate the probabilities of the epoch and those of the
future society which will see the reign of reason。 The most aged
lament not being able to flatter themselves that they will see it； the
young rejoice in a reasonable prospect of seeing it； and especially do
they congratulate the Academy on having paved the way for the great
work； and on having been the headquarters； the center； the inspirer of
freedom of thought。
One of the guests had taken no part in this gay conversation a
person named Cazotte； an amiable and original man； but； unfortunately；
infatuated with the delusions of the visionary。 In the most serious
tone he begins： 'Gentlemen；' says he； 'be content； you will witness
this great revolution that you so much desire。 You know that I am
something of a prophet； and I repeat it； you will witness it。 。 。 。 Do
you know the result of this revolution； for all of you； so long as you
remain here？' … 'Ah！' exclaims Condorcet with his shrewd； simple air
and smile； 'let us see； a philosopher is not sorry to encounter a
prophet。' … 'You； Monsieur de Condorcet； will expire stretched on
the floor of a dungeon； you will die of the poison you take to escape
the executioner； of the poison which the felicity of that era will
compel you always to carry about your person！' … At first； great
astonishment； and then came an outburst of laughter。 'What has all
this in common with philosophy and the reign of reason？' …
'Precisely what I have just remarked to you； in the name of
philosophy； of humanity； of freedom； under the reign of reason； you
will thus reach your end； and； evidently； the reign of reason will
arrive； for there will be temples of reason； and； in those days； in
all France； the temples will be those alone of reason。 。 。 。 You；
Monsieur de Champfort； you will sever your veins with twenty…two
strokes of a razor and yet you will not die for months afterwards。
You； Monsieur Vicq…d'Azir； you will not open your own veins but you
will have them opened six times in one day； in the agonies of gout； so
as to be more certain of success； and you will die that night。 You；
Monsieur de Nicolai； on the scaffold； you； Monsieur Bailly； on the
scaffold； you； Monsieur de Malesherbes； on the scaffold； 。 。 。 you；
Monsieur Roucher； also on the scaffold。' … 'But then we shall have
been overcome by Turks or Tartars？' … 'By no means； you will be
governed； as I have already told you； solely by philosophy and reason。
Those who are to treat you in this manner will all be philosophers；
will all； at every moment； have on their lips the phrases you have
uttered within the hour； will repeat your maxims； will quote； like
yourselves； the stanzas of Diderot and of 〃La Pucelle。〃' … 'And when
will all this happen？' … 'Six years will not pass before what I tell
you will be accomplished。' … 'Well； these are miracles；' exclaims La
Harpe； 'and you leave me out？' … 'You will be no less a miracle； for
you will then be a Christian。' … 'Ah；' interposes Champfort； I
breathe again； if we are to die only when La Harpe becomes a Christian
we are immortals。' … 'As to that； we women；' says the Duchesse de
Gramont； 'are extremely fortunate in being of no consequence in
revolutions。 It is understood that we are not to blame； and our sex 。
。 ' … 'Your sex； ladies； will not protect you this time。 。 。 。 You
will be treated precisely as men； with no difference whatever。 。 。 。
You； Madame la Duchesse； will be led to the scaffold； you and many
ladies besides yourself in a cart with your hands tied behind your
back。' … 'Ah； in that event； I hope to have at least a carriage
covered with black。' … 'No； Madame； greater ladies than yourself
will go； like yourself in a cart and with their hands tied like
yours。' … 'Greater ladies！ What！ Princesses of the blood！' …
'Still greater ladies than those 。 。 。'They began to think the jest
carried too far。 Madame de Gramont； to dispel the gloom； did not
insist on a reply to her last exclamation； contenting herself by
saying in the lightest tone； 'And they will not even leave one a
confessor！' … 'No； Madame； neither you nor any other person will be
allowed a confessor； the last of the condemned that will have one； as
an act of grace； will be 。 。 。' He stopped a moment。 'Tell me； now；
who is the fortunate mortal enjoying this prerogative？' … 'It is the
last that will remain to him； and it will be the King of France。'〃
_____________________________________________________________________
Note：
＇1＇ Laharpe； or La Harpe； Jean Fran？ois。 （Paris 1739…1803）。 Author
and critic； made a member of the Academy in 1776。 （SR）。
END OF VOLUME NOTES：
NOTE 1。
ON THE NUMBER OF ECCLESIASTICS AND NOBLES。
These approximate estimates are arrived at in the following manner：
1。 The number of nobles in 1789 was unknown。 The genealogist
Chérin； in his 〃Abrégé chronologique des Edits； etc。〃 （1789）； states
that he is ignorant of the number。 Moheau； to whom Lavoisier refers in
his report； 1791； is equally ignorant in this respect。 （〃Recherches
sur la population de la France；〃 1778； p。 105）； Lavoisier states the
number as 83；000； while the Marquis de Bouillé （〃Mémoires；〃 p。50）；
states 80；000 families； neither of these authorities advancing proofs
of their statements。 … I find in the 〃Catalogue nominatif des
gentilhommes en 1789；〃 by Laroque and De Barthélemy； the number of
nobles voting； directly or by proxy； in the elections of 1789； in
Provence； Languedoc； Lyonnais； Forez； Beaujolais； Touraine； Normandy；
and Ile…de…France； as 9；167。 … According to the census of 1790；
given by Arthur Young in his 〃Travels in France；〃 the population of
these provinces was 7；757；000； which gives a proportion of 30；000
nobles voting in a population of 26；000；000。 … On examining the law
and on summing up the lists； we find that each noble represents
somewhat less than a family； inasmuch as the son of the owner of a
fief votes if he is twenty…five years of age； I think； accordingly；
that we are not far out of the way in estimating the number of noble
families at 26；000 or 28；000； which number； at five individuals to the
family； gives 130；000 or 140；000 nobles。 … The territory of France
in 1789 being 27；000 square leagues；＇1＇ and the population 26；000；000；
we may assign one noble family to every square league of territory and
to every 1；000 inhabitants。
2。 Concerning the clergy I find in the National Archives； among the
ecclesiastical records； the following enumeration of monks belonging
to 28 orders： Grand Augustins 694； Petits…Pères 250；
Barnabites 90； English Bénédictines 52； Bénédictines of Cluny 298； of
Saint…Vanne 612； of Saint…Maur 1；672； Citeaux 1；806； Récollets 2；238；
Prémontrés 399； Prémontrés Réformés 394； Capucins 3；720； Carmes
déchaussés 555； Grands…Carmes 853； Hospitaliers de Saint…Jean de Dieu
218； Chartreux 1；144； Cordeliers 2；018； Dominicans 1；172； Feuillants
148； Genovéfains 570； Mathurins 310； Minimes 684； Notre…Dame de la
Merci 31； Notre…Saveur 203； Tiers…Ordre de St。 Fran？ois 365； Saint…
Jean des Vignes de Soissons 31； Théatins 25； abbaye de Saint…Victor
21； Maisons soumises à l'ordinaire 305。 Total 20；745 monks in 2；489
convents。 To this must be added the Pères de 1'Oratoire； de la
Mission； de la Doctrine chrétienne and some others； the total of monks
being about 23；000。 … As to nuns； I have a catalogue from the
National Archives of twelve dioceses； comprising according to 〃France
ecclésiastique〃 1788； 5；576 parishes： the diocèses respectively of
Perpignan； Tulle； Marseilles； Rhodez； Saint…Flour； Toulouse； le Mans；
Limoges； Lisieux； Rouen； Reims； and Noyon； in all； 5；394 nuns in 198
establishments。 The proportion is 37；000 nuns in 1；500 establishments
for the 38；000 parishes of France。 … The total of regular clergy
thus amounts to 60；000 persons。 … The secular clergy may be
estimated at 70；000： curates and vicars 60；000 （〃Histoire de l'Eglise
de France；〃 XII。 142； by the Abbé Guettée）； prelates； vicars…general；
canons of chapters； 2；800； collegiate canons； 5；600； ecclésiastics
withou