ng how it welters; what notable
phases and occurrences it will successively throw up.

One general superficial circumstance we remark with praise: the force of
Politeness. To such depth has the sense of civilisation penetrated man's
life; no Drouet, no Legendre, in the maddest tug of war, can altogether
shake it off. Debates of Senates dreadfully in earnest are seldom given
frankly to the world; else perhaps they would surprise it. Did not the
Grand Monarque himself once chase his Louvois with a pair of brandished
tongs? But reading long volumes of these Convention Debates, all in a
foam with furious earnestness, earnest many times to the extent of
life and death, one is struck rather with the degree of continence they
manifest in speech; and how in such wild ebullition, there is still a
kind of polite rule struggling for mastery, and the forms of social life
never altogether disappear. These men, though they menace with clenched
right-hands, do not clench one another by the collar; they draw no
daggers, except for oratorical purposes, and this not often: profane
swearing is almost unknown, though the Reports are frank enough; we find
only one or two oaths, oaths by Marat, reported in all.

For the rest, that there is 'effervescence' who doubts? Effervescence
enough; Decrees passed by acclamation to-day, repealed by vociferation
to-morrow; temper fitful, most rotatory changeful, always headlong! The
'voice of the orator is covered with rumours;' a hundred 'honourable
Members rush with menaces towards the Left side of the Hall;' President
has 'broken three bells in succession,'--claps on his hat, as signal
that the country is near ruined. A fiercely effervescent Old-Gallic
Assemblage!--Ah, how the loud sick sounds of Debate, and of Life, which
is a debate, sink silent one after another: so loud now, and in a little
while so low! Brennus, and those antique Gael Captains, in their way
to Rome, to Galatia, and such places, whither they were in the habit of
marching in the most fiery manner, had Debates as effervescent, doubt it
not; though no Moniteur has reported them. They scolded in Celtic Welsh,
those Brennuses; neither were they Sansculotte; nay rather breeches
(braccae, say of felt or rough-leather) were the only thing they had;
being, as Livy testifies, naked down to the haunches:--and, see, it is
the same sort of work and of men still, now when they have got coats,
and speak nasally a kind of broken Latin! But on th