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executed their contracts； the authenticity of which； far better
recorded on the soil than on flimsy parchment； is protected from any
species of revolution whatever。〃
Is it conceivable that the reporter of a law； that is about to exile
or imprison forty thousand priests； should employ in an argument such
silly bombast as the following？＇11＇
〃I have seen in the rural districts the hymeneal torch diffusing only
pale and somber rays； or； transformed into the flambeaux of furies；
the hideous skeleton of superstition seated even on the nuptial couch；
placed between nature and the wedded； and arresting； etc。 。 。 。 Oh
Rome； art thou satisfied？ Art thou then like Saturn； to whom fresh
holocausts were daily imperative？ 。 。 。 Depart； ye creators of
discord！ The soil of liberty is weary of bearing you。 Would ye breathe
the atmosphere of the Aventine mount？ The national ship is already
prepared for you。 I hear on the shore the impatient cries of the
crew； I see the breezes of liberty swelling its sails。 Like
Telemachus； ye will go forth on the waters to seek your father； but
never will you have to dread the Sicilian rocks； nor the seductions of
a Eucharis。〃
Courtesies of pedants； rhetorical personifications； and the invective
of maniacs is the prevailing tone。 The same defect characterizes the
best speeches； namely； an overexcited brain； a passion for high…
sounding terms； the constant use of stilts and an incapacity for
seeing things as they are and of so describing them。 Men of talent；
Isnard； Guadet； Vergniaud himself； are carried away by hollow sonorous
phrases like a ship with too much canvas for its ballast。 Their minds
are stimulated by souvenirs of their school lessons； the modern world
revealing itself to them only through their Latin reminiscences。
Fran？ois de Nantes is exasperated at the pope 〃who holds in servitude
the posterity of Cato and of Sc？vola。〃 Isnard proposes to follow
the example of the Roman senate which； to allay discord at home； got
up an outside war： between old Rome and France of 1792； indeed； there
is a striking resemblance。 Roux insists that the Emperor （of
Austria） should give satisfaction before the 1st of March； 〃in a case
like this the Roman people would have fixed the term of delay； why
shouldn't the French people fix one？ 。 。 。〃 〃The circle of Popilius〃
should be drawn around those petty； hesitating German princes。 When
money is needed to establish camps around Paris and the large towns；
Lasource proposes to dispose of the national forests and is amazed at
any objection to the measure。 〃C？sar's soldiers；〃 he exclaims；
〃believing that an ancient forest in Gaul was sacred； dared not lay
the axe to it； are we to share their superstitious respect？〃＇12＇ …
Add to this collegiate lore the philosophic dregs deposited in all
minds by the great sophist then in vogue。 Larivière reads in the
tribune＇13＇ that page of the 〃Contrat Social；〃 where Rousseau declares
that the sovereign may banish members 〃of an unsocial religion；〃 and
punish with death 〃one who； having publicly recognized the dogmas of
civil religion； acts as if he did not believe in them。〃 On which；
another hissing parrot； M。 Filassier； exclaims； 〃I put J。 J。
Rousseau's proposition into the form of a motion and demand a vote on
it。〃 In like manner it is proposed to grant very young girls the
right of marrying in spite of their parents by stating； according to
the 〃Nouvelle Héloise〃
〃that a girl thirteen or fourteen years old begins to sigh for the
union which nature dictates。 She struggles between passion and duty；
so that； if she triumphs； she becomes a martyr； something that is rare
in nature。 It may happen that a young person prefers the serene shame
of defeat to a wearisome eight year long struggle。〃
Divorce is inaugurated to 〃preserve in matrimony that happy peace of
mind which renders the sentiments livelier。〃＇14＇ Henceforth this will
no longer be a chain but 〃the acquittance of an agreeable debt which
every citizen owes to his country。 。 。 Divorce is the protecting
spirit of marriage。〃＇15＇
On a background of classic pedantry； with only vague and narrow
notions of ordinary instruction； lacking exact and substantial
information； flow obscenities and enlarged commonplaces enveloped in a
mythological gauze； spouting in long tirades as maxims from the
revolutionary manual。 Such is the superficial culture and verbal
argumentation from which vulgar and dangerous ingredients the
intelligence of the new legislators is formed。＇16＇
III。
Aspects of their sessions。 Scenes and display at the club。 Co…
operation of spectators。
From this we can imagine what their sessions were。 〃More in…coherent
and especially more passionate than those of the Constituent
Assembly〃＇17＇ they present the same but intensified characteristics。
The argument is weaker； the invective more violent； and the dogmatism
more intemperate。 Inflexibility degenerates into insolence； prejudice
into fanaticism； and near…sightedness into blindness。 Disorder
becomes a tumult and constant din an uproar。 Suppose； says an eye…
witness；
〃a classroom with hundreds of pupils quarreling and every instant on
the point of seizing each other by the hair。 Their dress neglected；
their attitudes angry； with sudden transitions from shouting to
hooting 。 。 is a sight hard to imagine and to which nothing can be
compared。〃
It lacks nothing for making it a club of the lowest species。 Here； in
advance； we contemplate the ways of the future revolutionary
inquisition。 They welcome burlesque denunciations； enter into petty
police investigations； weigh the tittle…tattle of porters and the
gossip of servant…girls； devote an all…night session to the secrets of
a drunkard。＇18＇ They enter on their official report and without any
disapproval； the petition of M。 Huré； 〃living at Pont…sur…Yonne； who；
over his own signature； offers one hundred francs and his arm to
become a killer of tyrants。〃 Repeated and multiplied hurrahs and
applause with the felicitations of the president is the sanction of
scandalous or ridiculous private misconduct seeking to display itself
under the cover of public authority。 Anacharsis Clootz； 〃a Mascarille
officially stamped；〃 who proposes a general war and who hawks about
maps of Europe cut up in advance into departments beginning with
Savoy； Belgium and Holland 〃and thus onward to the Polar Sea；〃 is
thanked and given a seat on the benches of the Assembly。＇19＇
Compliments are made to the Vicar of Sainte…Marguerite and his wife is
given a seat in the Assembly and who； introducing 〃his new family；〃
thunders against clerical celibacy。＇20＇ Crowds of men and women are
permitted to traverse the hall letting out political cries。 Every sort
of indecent； childish and seditious parade is admitted to the bar of
the house。＇21＇ To…day it consists of 〃citoyennes of Paris；〃 desirous
of being drilled in m