against a man who happens to unite the useful chance of birth with the essential qualities of the mind.

"But what are we really to expect from Amène in the States-General? Nothing, if he is inspired with the spirit of class; much, if he acts after his own conceptions, and remembers that a national assembly only contains citizens."

VIII.

Few who read the above sketch will deny to the author of the "Liaisons Dangereuses," the merit of discernment. Indeed, to describe M. de Talleyrand at this time seems to have been more appropriate to the pen of the novelist than to that of the historian. Let us picture to ourselves a man of about thirty-five, and appearing somewhat older; his countenance of a long oval; his eyes blue, with an expression at once deep and variable; his lips usually impressed with a smile, which was that of mockery, but not of ill-nature; his nose slightly turned up, but delicate, and remarkable for a constant play in the clearly chiseled nostrils. "He dressed," says one of his many biographers, "like a coxcomb, he thought like a deist, he preached like a saint." At once active and irregular, he found time for everything: the church, the court, the opera. In bed one day from indolence or debauch, up the whole of the following night to prepare a memoir or a speech. Gentle with the humble, haughty with the high; not very exact in paying his debts, but very scrupulous with respect to giving promises to pay them.

A droll story is related with respect to this last peculiarity. The new Bishop had ordered and received

Pond, and, in 15 DAY CEN

Sica vw de Tierra de 18, smad jag u atmet de diy wi de frily, the daan paly i sacío é a large pirate of is class.

wwwrx # the Atte Siepes, and of Kalmart: a protigate the rendezan, a sabry note wery thinker: azi, above all things, the in qe mos tanament of that gay and graceful society, ** AN, KANWIAA with towers, was about to be the first *** P* ww poophy. As yet, however, the **y, high troubled, gave no evidence of storm; and * "AIR WIN was you, my friend?"

"I am your coachmaker, my ** RAM MY Mehmaker; and what do you want, my coach"1 www boy by paid, my lord." "Ah! you are my coachmaker, kit pe www95 pm, you shall be paid, my coachmaker." WH, HY WAY" **You Bay very inquisitive!"

"And

never, perhaps, did a great assembly meet with less gloomy anticipations than that which in the pomp and gallantry of feudal show, swept, on the 1st of May, through the royal city of Versailles.

Still, there was even at that moment visible the sign and symbol of the approaching crisis; for dark behind the waving plumes and violet robes of the great dignitaries of Church and State, moved on the black mass, in sable cloak and garb, of the Commons, or tiers-état, the body which had, as yet, been nothing, but which had just been told by one of its most illustrious members,* that it ought to be everything.

The history of the mighty revolution which at this moment was commencing, is still so stirring amongst us, the breath of the tempest which then struck down tower and temple, is still so frequently fancied to be rustling about our own dwellings, that when the mind even now wanders back, around and about this time, it is always with a certain interest and curiosity, and we pause once again to muse, even though we have often before meditated, upon that memorable event which opened a new chapter in the history of the world. And the more we reflect, the more does it seem surprising that in so civilised an age, and under so well-meaning a sovereign, an august throne and a great society should have been wholly swept away; nor does it appear less astonishing that a monarch with arbitrary sway, that a magistracy with extraordinary privileges, each wishing to retain their authority, should have voluntarily invoked another power, long slumbering in an almost forgotten constitution,

* Sieyes, in a celebrated pamphlet published at this period.

I

The urine of Lot's M. 3 reims any dough I is not sementer vies is infy, mi dearly Ac ra mmmmencement. te nfuence of we voniom was omnified a de Tray mi cavine-DOM The modem móns té buscuam Day ni poisex my Teen amnes ma i ljecers, and Samsonable amongst men if the vidil, bad not been prodowed by men ʼn pover, and were ocasequently 1 y de large dass, with wishes in ail wweroa v pam for the practical prota of the com‐ malay. At this time, a did minister, Limself a onrior, zá jalous les other courtiers should acquire .*, inkvence over his master which he possessed, kardash ven affairs a set of persons hitherto unknown at court, the most eminent of whom were Turya, Malaierbes, and Necker; and no sooner had these three eminent reformers obtained a serious political position, than their views acquired a political consideration which had not before belonged to them, and the idea that some great and general reform was shortly to take place entered seriously into the public mind. Each of these ministers would have wished to make the reforma that were most necessary with the aid of the royal authority; and, had they been able to do so, it in probable that they would have preserved the heart and strength of the old monarchy, which was yet only superficially decayed. But the moderate changes which

they desired to introduce with the assent of all parties, were opposed by all parties, in spite of or, perhaps, on account of their very moderation: for losers are rarely satisfied because their losses are small, and winners are never contented but when their gains are great.

In the meantime, Maurepas, who would have supported the policy of his colleagues, if it had brought him popularity, was by no means disposed to do so when it gave him trouble. Thus, Malesherbes, Turgot, and Necker were successively forced to resign their offices, without having done anything to establish their own policy, but much to render any other discreditable and difficult.

M.

The publication of the famous "Compte Rendu," or balance-sheet of state expenses and receipts, more especially, rendered it impossible to continue to govern as heretofore. And now Maurepas died, and a youthful queen inherited the influence of an old favourite. de Calonne, a plausible, clever, but superficial gentleman, was the first minister of any importance chosen by the influence of Marie-Antoinette's friends. He saw that the expenses and receipts of the government must bear some proportion to each other. He trembled at suddenly reducing old charges; new taxes were the only alternative; and yet it was almost impossible to get such taxes from the lower and middle classes, if the clergy and nobility, who conjointly possessed about two-thirds of the soil, were exempted from all contributions to the public wants. The minister, nevertheless, shrunk from despoiling the privileged classes of their immunities, without some authorization from themselves. He called together, therefore, the considerable

Historical Characters. I.

3