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〃tears of joy；〃 says the Marquis de Ferrières； 〃filled my eyes。 。 。
。 In a state of sweet rapture I beheld France supported by
Religion〃 exhorting us all to concord。 〃The sacred ceremonies； the
music； the incense； the priests in their sacrificial robes； that
dais； that orb radiant with precious stones。 。。 I called to my
mind the words of the prophet。 。 。 。 My God； my country； and my
countrymen； all were one with myself！ 〃
Such emotions repeatedly explode in the course of the session； and
resulted in the passage of laws which no one could have imagined。
〃Sometimes；〃＇8＇ writes the American ambassador； 〃a speaker gets up
in the midst of a deliberation； makes a fine discourse on a
different subject； and closes with a nice little resolution which is
carried with a hurrah。 Thus； in considering the plan of a national
bank proposed by M。 Necker； one of them took it into his head to
move that every member should give his silver buckles； which was
agreed to at once； and the honorable mover laid his upon the table；
after which the business went on again。〃
Thus； over…excited； they do not know in the morning what they will
do in the afternoon； and they are at the mercy of every surprise。
When they are seized with these fits of enthusiasm； infatuation
spreads over all the benches； prudence gives way； all foresight
disappears and every objection is stifled。 During the night of the
4th of August；＇9＇ 〃nobody is master of himself 。 The Assembly
presents the spectacle of an inebriated crowd in a shop of valuable
furniture； breaking and smashing at will whatever they can lay their
hands on。〃
〃That which would have required a year of care and reflection；〃
says a competent foreigner； 〃was proposed； deliberated over； and
passed by general acclamation。 The abolition of feudal rights； of
titles； of the privileges of the provinces； three articles which
alone embraced a whole system of jurisprudence and statesmanship；
were decided with ten or twelve other measures in less time than is
required in the English Parliament for the first reading of an
important bill。〃
〃Such are our Frenchmen；〃 says Mirabeau again； 〃they spend a month
in disputes about syllables； and overthrow； in a single night； the
whole established system of the Monarchy ！〃＇10＇
The truth is； they display the nervousness of women； and； from one
end of the Revolution to the other； this excitability keeps on
increasing。
Not only are they excited； but the pitch of excitement must be
maintained； and； like the drunkard who； once stimulated； has
recourse again to strong waters； one would say that they carefully
try to expel the last remnants of calmness and common sense from
their brains。 They delight in pompous phrases； in high…sounding
rhetoric； in declamatory sentimental strokes of eloquence： this is
the style of nearly all their speeches； and so strong is their
taste； they are not satisfied with the orations made amongst
themselves。 Lally and Necker； having made 〃affecting and sublime〃
speeches at the H？tel…de…Ville； the Assembly wish them to be
repeated before them：＇11＇ this being the heart of France； it is
proper for it to answer to the noble emotions of all Frenchmen。
Let this heart throb on； and as strongly as possible； for that is
its office； and day by day it receives fresh impulses。 Almost all
sittings begin with the reading of flattering addresses or of
threatening denunciations。 The petitioners frequently appear in
person； and read their enthusiastic effusions； their imperious
advice； their doctrines of dissolution。 To…day it is Danton； in
the name of Paris； with his bull visage and his voice that seems a
tocsin of insurrection； to…morrow； the vanquishers of the Bastille；
or some other troop； with a band of music which continues playing
even into the hall。 The meeting is not a conference for business；
but a patriotic opera； where the eclogue； the melodrama； and
sometimes the masquerade； mingle with the cheers and the clapping of
hands。＇12＇ A serf of the Jura is brought to the bar of the
Assembly aged one hundred and twenty years； and one of the members
of the cortège； 〃 M。 Bourbon de la Crosnière； director of a
patriotic school； asks permission to take charge of an honorable old
man； that he may be waited on by the young people of all ranks； and
especially by the children of those whose fathers were killed in the
attack on the Bastille。〃 ＇13＇ Great is the hubbub and excitement。
The scene seems to be in imitation of Berquin；＇14＇ with the
additional complication of a mercenary consideration。
But small matters are not closely looked into； and the Assembly；
under the pressure of the galleries； stoops to shows； such as are
held at fairs。 Sixty vagabonds who are paid twelve francs a head；
in the costumes of Spaniards； Dutchmen； Turks； Arabs； Tripolitans；
Persians； Hindus； Mongols； and Chinese； conducted by the Prussian
Anacharsis Clootz； enter； under the title of Ambassadors of the
Human Race； to declaim against tyrants； and they are admitted to the
honors of the sitting。 On this occasion the masquerade is a stroke
devised to hasten and extort the abolition of nobility。＇15＇ At other
times； there is little or no object in it； its ridiculousness is
inexpressible； for the farce is played out as seriously and
earnestly as in a village award of prizes。 For three days； the
children who have taken their first communion before the
constitutional bishop have been promenaded through the streets of
Paris； at the Jacobin club they recite the nonsense they have
committed to memory； and； on the fourth day； admitted to the bar of
the Assembly； their spokesman； a poor little thing of twelve years；
repeats the parrot…like tirade。 He winds up with the accustomed
oath； upon which all the others cry out in their piping； shrill
voices； 〃 We swear ！ 〃 As a climax； the President； Trejlhard； a
sober lawyer； replies to the little gamins with perfect gravity in a
similar strain； employing metaphors； personifications； and
everything else belonging to the stock…in…trade of a pedant on his
platform：
〃You merit a share in the glory of the founders of liberty；
prepared as you are to shed your blood in her behalf。〃
Immense applause from the 〃left〃 and the galleries； and a decree
ordering the speeches of both president and children to be printed。
The children； probably； would rather have gone out to play； but；
willingly or unwillingly； they receive or endure the honors of the
sitting。＇16＇
Such are the tricks of the stage and of the platform by which the
managers here move their political puppets。 Emotional
susceptibility； once recognized as a legitimate force； thus becomes
an instrument of intrigue and constraint。 The Assembly； having
accepted theatrical exhibitions when these were sincere and earnest；
is obliged to tolerate them when they become mere sham and
buffoonery。