se frock, tricolor sash, sword and jack-boots,' these men are
powerfuller than King or Kaiser. They say to whomso they meet, Do; and
he must do it: all men's goods are at their disposal; for France is as
one huge City in Siege. They smite with Requisitions, and Forced-loan;
they have the power of life and death. Saint-Just and Lebas order the
rich classes of Strasburg to 'strip off their shoes,' and send them to
the Armies where as many as 'ten thousand pairs' are needed. Also, that
within four and twenty hours, 'a thousand beds' are to be got ready;
(Moniteur, du 27 Novembre 1793.) wrapt in matting, and sent under way.
For the time presses!--Like swift bolts, issuing from the fuliginous
Olympus of Salut Public rush these men, oftenest in pairs; scatter
your thunder-orders over France; make France one enormous Revolutionary
thunder-cloud.

Chapter 3.5.VI.

Do thy Duty.

Accordingly alongside of these bonfires of Church balustrades, and
sounds of fusillading and noyading, there rise quite another sort of
fires and sounds: Smithy-fires and Proof-volleys for the manufacture of
arms.

Cut off from Sweden and the world, the Republic must learn to make steel
for itself; and, by aid of Chemists, she has learnt it. Towns that
knew only iron, now know steel: from their new dungeons at Chantilly,
Aristocrats may hear the rustle of our new steel furnace there. Do
not bells transmute themselves into cannon; iron stancheons into the
white-weapon (arme blanche), by sword-cutlery? The wheels of Langres
scream, amid their sputtering fire halo; grinding mere swords. The
stithies of Charleville ring with gun-making. What say we, Charleville?
Two hundred and fifty-eight Forges stand in the open spaces of Paris
itself; a hundred and forty of them in the Esplanade of the Invalides,
fifty-four in the Luxembourg Garden: so many Forges stand; grim Smiths
beating and forging at lock and barrel there. The Clockmakers have come,
requisitioned, to do the touch-holes, the hard-solder and filework. Five
great Barges swing at anchor on the Seine Stream, loud with boring; the
great press-drills grating harsh thunder to the general ear and heart.
And deft Stock-makers do gouge and rasp; and all men bestir themselves,
according to their cunning:--in the language of hope, it is reckoned
that a 'thousand finished muskets can be delivered daily.' (Choix des
Rapports, xiii. 189.) Chemists of the Republic have taught us
miracles of swift tanning; (I