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of which one alone incurs a debt of 14；000 livres for wine and
sausages furnished to them； 〃they accustom themselves to greater
expense；〃 to greater license； and are followed by their companions。
〃During the night of the 31st of July the French Guards on duty at
Versailles abandon the custody of the King and betake themselves to
Paris； without their officers； but with their arms and baggage；〃
that 〃they may take part in the cheer which the city of Paris
extends to their regiment。〃 At the beginning of September； 16；000
deserters of this stamp are counted。＇16＇ Now； among those who
commit murder these are in the first rank； and this is not
surprising when we take the least account of their antecedents；
education； and habits。 It was a soldier of the 〃Royal Croat〃 who
tore out the heart of Berthier。 They were three soldiers of the
regiment of Provence who forced the house of Chatel at Saint…Denis；
and dragged his head through the streets。 It is Swiss soldiers who；
at Passy； knock down the commissioners of police with their guns。
Their headquarters are at the Palais…Royal； amongst women whose
instruments they are； and amongst agitators from whom they receive
the word of command。 Henceforth； all depends on this word； and we
have only to contemplate the new popular leaders to know what it
will be。
III。
The new popular leaders。… Their ascendancy 。… Their education。 …
Their sentiments。… Their situation。 … Their councils。 … Their
denunciations。 …
Administrators and members of district assemblies； agitators of
barracks； coffee…houses； clubs and public thoroughfares； writers of
pamphlets； penny…a…liners are multiplying as fast as buzzing insects
are hatched on a sultry night。 After the 14th of July thousands of
jobs have become available for released ambitions； 〃attorneys；
notaries' clerks； artists； merchants； shopkeepers； comedians and
especially advocates；＇17＇ each wants to be either an officer； a
director； a councillor； or a minister of the new reign； while
journals； which are established by dozens；＇18＇ form a permanent
tribune； where speakers come to court the people to their personal
advantage。〃 Philosophy； fallen into such hands； seems to parody
itself； and nothing equals its emptiness； unless it be its
mischievousness and success。 Lawyers； in the sixty assembly
districts； roll out the high…sounding dogmas of the revolutionary
catechism。 This or that one； passing from the question of a party
wall to the constitution of empires； becomes the improvised
legislator； so much the more inexhaustible and the more applauded as
his flow of words； showered upon his hearers； proves to them that
every capacity and every right are naturally and legitimately
theirs。
〃When that man opened his mouth；〃 says a cold…blooded witness； 〃we
were sure of being inundated with quotations and maxims； often
apropos of street lamp posts； or of the stall of a herb…dealer。 His
stentorian voice made the vaults ring； and after he had spoken for
two hours； and his breath was completely exhausted； the admiring and
enthusiastic shouts which greeted him amounted almost to frenzy。
Thus the orator fancied himself a Mirabeau； while the spectators
imagined themselves the Constituent Assembly； deciding the fate of
France。〃
The journals and pamphlets are written in the same style。 Every
brain is filled with the fumes of conceit and of big words； the
leader of the crowd is he who raves the most； and he guides the wild
enthusiasm which he increases。
Let us consider the most popular of these chiefs ； they are the
green or the dry fruit of literature； and of the bar。 The newspaper
is the stall which every morning offers them for sale； and if they
suit the overexcited public it is simply owing to their acid or
bitter flavor。 Their empty； unpracticed minds are wholly void of
political conceptions； they have no capacity or practical
experience。 Desmoulins is twenty…nine years of age； Loustalot
twenty…seven； and their intellectual ballast consists of college
reminiscences； souvenirs of the law schools； and the common…places
picked up in the houses of Raynal and his associates。 As to Brissot
and Marat； who are ostentatious humanitarians； their knowledge of
France and of foreign countries consists in what they have seen
through the dormer windows of their garrets； and through utopian
spectacles。 In minds like these； empty or led astray； the Contrat…
Social could not fail to become a gospel； for it reduces political
science to a strict application of an elementary axiom which
relieves them of all study； and hands society over to the caprice of
the people； or； in other words； delivers it into their own hands。 …
… Hence they demolish all that remains of social institutions； and
push on equalization until everything is brought down to the same
level。
〃With my principles；〃 writes Desmoulins；＇19＇ 〃is associated the
satisfaction of putting myself where I belong； of showing my
strength to those who have despised me； of lowering to my level all
whom fortune has placed above me： my motto is that of all honest
people： 'No superiors！'〃
Thus； under the great name of Liberty； each vain spirit seeks its
revenge and finds its nourishment。 What is sweeter and more natural
than to justify passion by theory； to be factious in the belief that
this is patriotism； and to cloak the interests of ambition with the
interests of humanity？
Let us picture to ourselves these directors of public opinion as
they were three months earlier： Desmoulins； a briefless barrister；
living in furnished lodgings with petty debts； and on a few louis
extracted from his relations。 Loustalot； still more unknown； was
admitted the previous year to the Parliament of Bordeaux； and has
landed at Paris in search of a career。 Danton； another second…rate
lawyer； coming out of a hovel in Champagne； borrowed the money to
pay his expenses； while his stinted household is kept up only by
means of a louis which is given to him weekly by his father…in…law；
who is a coffee…house keeper。 Brissot； a strolling Bohemian；
formerly employee of literary pirates； has roamed over the world for
fifteen years； without bringing back with him either from England or
America anything but a coat out at elbows and false ideas； and；
finally； Marat； a writer that has been hissed； an abortive scholar
and philosopher； a misrepresenter of his own experiences； caught by
the natural philosopher Charles in the act of committing a
scientific fraud； and fallen from the top of his inordinate ambition
to the subordinate post of doctor in the stables of the Comte
d'Artois。 At the present time； Danton； President of the
Cordeliers； can arrest any one he pleases in his district； and his
violent gestures and thundering voice secure to him； till something
better turns up； the government of his section of the city。 A word
of Marat's has just caused Major Belzunce at Caen to be
assassinated。 Desmoulins announces； with a smile of triumph； that
〃a large section of the capital regards him as one among the
principal instigators of the Revolution； and that many even go so
far as to say that he is the author of it。〃 Is it to be supposed
that； borne so high by such a sudden jerk of fortune； they wish to
put on the drag and again descend？ and is it not clear that they
will aid with all their might the revolt which hoists them towards
the loftiest summits？ Moreover； the brain reels at a height like
this ； suddenly launched in the air and feeling as if everything was
tottering around them； they utter exclamations of indignation and
terror； they see plots on all sides； imagine invisible cords pulling
in an opposite direction； and they call upon the people to cut them。
With the full weight of their inexperience； incapacity； and
improvidence； of their fears； credulity； and dogmatic obstinacy；
they urge on popular attacks； and their newspaper articles or
discourses are all summed up in the following phrases：
〃Fellow…citizens； you； the people of the lower class； you who listen
to me； you have enemies in the Court and the aristocracy。 The
H？tel…de…Ville and the National Assembly are your servants。 Seize
your enemies with a strong hand； and hang them； and let your
servants know that they must quicken their steps！〃
Desmoulins styles himself 〃District…attorney of the gallows；〃＇20＇
and if he at all regrets the murders of Foulon and Berthier； it is
because this too expeditious judgment has allowed the proofs of
conspiracy to perish； thereby saving a number of traitors： he
himself mentions twenty of them haphazard； and little does he care
whether he makes mistakes。
〃We are in the dark； and it is well that faithful dogs should bark；
even at all who pass by； so that there may be no fear of robbers。〃
》From this time forth Marat＇21＇ denounces the King； the ministers；
the administration； the bench； the bar； the f