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compelled to seek nourishment in the piles of garbage on the corners。〃
* Messidor 1；＇143＇ 〃the said Picard fell through weakness at ten
o'clock in the morning in the rue de la Loi； and was only brought to
at seven o'clock in the evening； he was carried to the hospital on a
hand…barrow。〃
* Messidor 11； 〃There is a report that the number of people trying to
drown themselves is so great that the nets at St。 Cloud scarcely
suffice to drag them out of the water。〃
* Messidor 19； 〃A man was found on the corner of a street just dead
with hunger。〃
* Messidor 27； 〃At four o'clock in the afternoon； Place Maubert； a man
named Marcelin； employed in the Jardin des Plantes； fell down through
starvation and died while assistance was being given to him。〃 On the
previous evening； the anniversary of the taking of the Bastille； a
laborer on the Pont…au…Change； says 〃 I have eaten nothing all day。
''Another replies ： 〃 I have not been home because I have nothing to
give to my wife and children； dying with hunger。〃 About the same date；
a friend of Mallet…Dupan writes to him 〃that he is daily witness to
people amongst the lower classes dying of inanition in the streets；
others； and principally women； have nothing but garbage to live on；
scraps of refuse vegetables and the blood running out of the slaughter
houses。 Laborers； generally； work on short time on account of their
lack of strength and of their exhaustion for want of food。〃＇144＇ …
Thus ends the rule of the Convention。 Well has it looked out for the
interests of the poor！ According to the reports of its own inspectors；
〃famished stomachs on all sides cry vengeance； beat to arms and sound
the tocsin of alarm＇145＇ 。 。 。 。 Those who have to dwell daily on
the sacrifices they make to keep themselves alive declare that there
is no hope except in death。〃 Are they going to be relieved by the new
government which the Convention imposes on them with thunders of
artillery and in which it perpetuates itself？＇146＇ …
* Brumaire 28； 〃 Most of the workmen in the 'Temple' and 'Gravilliers'
sections have done no work for want of bread。〃
* Brumaire 24； 〃Citizens of all classes refuse to mount guard because
they have nothing to eat。〃
* Brumaire 25； 〃In the 'Gravilliers' section the women say that they
have sold all that they possessed； while others； in the 'Faubourg…
Antoine' section； declare that it would be better to be shot down。〃
* Brumaire 30； 〃A woman beside herself came and asked a baker to kill
her children as she had nothing to give them to eat。〃
* Frimaire 1； 2； 3； and 4； 〃In many of the sections bread is given out
only in the evening； in others at one o'clock in the morning； and of
very poor quality。。。。 Several sections yesterday had no bread。〃
* Frimaire 7； the inspectors declare that 〃the hospitals soon will not
be vast enough to hold the sick and the wretched。〃
* Frimaire 14； At the central market a woman nursing her child sunk
down with inanition。〃 A few days before this； 〃a man fell down from
weakness； on his way to Bourg l'Abbé。〃
〃 All our reports；〃 say the district administrators； 〃resound with
shrieks of despair。〃 People are infatuated； 〃it seems to us that a
crazy spirit prevails universally； we often encounter people in the
street who； although alone； gesticulate and talk to themselves aloud。〃
〃How many times；〃 writes a Swiss traveller；＇147＇ who lived in Paris
during the latter half of 1795； 〃how often have I chanced to encounter
men sinking through starvation； scarcely able to stand up against a
post； or else down on the ground and unable to get up for want of
strength ！〃 A journalist states that he saw 〃within ten minutes； along
the street； seven poor creatures fall on account of hunger； a child
die on its mother's breast which was dry of milk； and a woman
struggling with a dog near a sewer to get a bone away from him。〃＇148＇
Meissner never leaves his hotel without filling his pockets with
pieces of the national bread。 〃This bread；〃 he says； 〃which the poor
would formerly have despised； I found accepted with the liveliest
gratitude； and by well educated persons；〃 the lady who contended with
the dog for the bone was a former nun； without either parents or
friends and everywhere repulsed。〃 〃I still hear with a shudder；〃 says
Meissner； 〃the weak； melancholy voice of a well…dressed woman who
stopped me in the rue du Bac； to tell me in accents indicative both of
shame and despair： 'Ah； Sir； do help me！ I am not an outcast。 I have
some talent … you may have seen some of my works in the salon。 I have
had nothing to eat for two days and I am crazy for want of food。'〃
Again； in June； 1796； the inspectors state that despair and
despondency have reached the highest point； only one cry being heard…
misery ！。。 。 。 Our reports all teem with groans and complaints。 。
。 。 Pallor and suffering are stamped on all faces。 。 。 。 Each
day presents a sadder and more melancholy aspect。〃 And
repeatedly；＇149＇ they sum up their scattered observations in a general
statement：
* 〃A mournful silence； the deepest distress on every countenance；
* the most intense hatred of the government in general developed in
all conversations；
* contempt for all existing authority；
* an insolent luxuriousness； insulting to the wretchedness of the poor
rentiers who expire with hunger in their garrets； no longer possessing
the courage to crawl to the Treasury and get the wherewithal to
prolong their misery for a few days；
* the worthy father of a family daily deciding what article of
furniture he will sell to make up for what is lacking in his wages
that he may buy a half…pound of bread；
* every sort of provision increasing in price sixty times an hour；
* the smallest business dependent on the fall of assignats；
* intriguers of all parties overthrowing each other only to get
offices；
* the intoxicated soldier boasting of the services he has rendered and
is to render； and abandoning himself shamelessly to every sort of
debauchery；
* commercial houses transformed into dens of thieves；
* rascals become traders and traders become rascals； the most sordid
cupidity and a mortal egoism…
such is the picture presented by Paris。〃＇150＇
One group is wanting in this picture； that of the governors who
preside over this wretchedness； which group remains in the background；
one might say that it was so designed and composed by some great
artist； a lover of contrasts； an inexorable logician； whose invisible
hand traces human character unvaryingly； and whose mournful irony
unfailingly depicts side by side； in strong relief； the grotesqueness
of folly and the seriousness of death。 How many perished on account
of this misery？ Probably more than a million persons。＇151＇ …
Try to take in at a glance the extraordinary spectacle presented on
twenty…six thousand square leagues of territory：
* The immense multitude of the starving in town and country；