nged world since these
Notables were 'organed out,' in May gone a year! They shall see now
whether, under their Seven Princes of the Blood, in their Seven Bureaus,
they can settle the moot-points.

To the surprise of Patriotism, these Notables, once so patriotic, seem
to incline the wrong way; towards the anti-patriotic side. They
stagger at the Double Representation, at the Vote by Head: there is not
affirmative decision; there is mere debating, and that not with the best
aspects. For, indeed, were not these Notables themselves mostly of the
Privileged Classes? They clamoured once; now they have their misgivings;
make their dolorous representations. Let them vanish, ineffectual; and
return no more! They vanish after a month's session, on this 12th of
December, year 1788: the last terrestrial Notables, not to reappear any
other time, in the History of the World.

And so, the clamour still continuing, and the Pamphlets; and nothing
but patriotic Addresses, louder and louder, pouting in on us from all
corners of France,--Necker himself some fortnight after, before the year
is yet done, has to present his Report, (Rapport fait au Roi dans son
Conseil, le 27 Decembre 1788.) recommending at his own risk that same
Double Representation; nay almost enjoining it, so loud is the jargon
and eleutheromania. What dubitating, what circumambulating! These whole
six noisy months (for it began with Brienne in July,) has not Report
followed Report, and one Proclamation flown in the teeth of the other?
(5th July; 8th August; 23rd September, &c. &c.)

However, that first moot-point, as we see, is now settled. As for the
second, that of voting by Head or by Order, it unfortunately is still
left hanging. It hangs there, we may say, between the Privileged Orders
and the Unprivileged; as a ready-made battle-prize, and necessity of
war, from the very first: which battle-prize whosoever seizes it--may
thenceforth bear as battle-flag, with the best omens!

But so, at least, by Royal Edict of the 24th of January, (Reglement du
Roi pour la Convocation des Etats-Generaux a Versailles. (Reprinted,
wrong dated, in Histoire Parlementaire, i. 262.)) does it finally, to
impatient expectant France, become not only indubitable that National
Deputies are to meet, but possible (so far and hardly farther has the
royal Regulation gone) to begin electing them.

Chapter 1.4.II.

The Election.

Up, then, and be doing! The royal signal-word flies thro