gy has strength, the Clergy has craft and indignation. It is a
most fatal business this of the Clergy. A weltering hydra-coil, which
the National Assembly has stirred up about its ears; hissing, stinging;
which cannot be appeased, alive; which cannot be trampled dead! Fatal,
from first to last! Scarcely after fifteen months' debating, can a Civil
Constitution of the Clergy be so much as got to paper; and then for
getting it into reality? Alas, such Civil Constitution is but an
agreement to disagree. It divides France from end to end, with a new
split, infinitely complicating all the other splits;--Catholicism, what
of it there is left, with the Cant of Catholicism, raging on the one
side, and sceptic Heathenism on the other; both, by contradiction ,
waxing fanatic. What endless jarring, of Refractory hated Priests, and
Constitutional despised ones; of tender consciences, like the King's,
and consciences hot-seared, like certain of his People's: the whole
to end in Feasts of Reason and a War of La Vendee! So deep-seated is
Religion in the heart of man, and holds of all infinite passions. If the
dead echo of it still did so much, what could not the living voice of it
once do?

Finance and Constitution, Law and Gospel: this surely were work enough;
yet this is not all. In fact, the Ministry, and Necker himself whom
a brass inscription 'fastened by the people over his door-lintel'
testifies to be the 'Ministre adore,' are dwindling into clearer and
clearer nullity. Execution or legislation, arrangement or detail, from
their nerveless fingers all drops undone; all lights at last on the
toiled shoulders of an august Representative Body. Heavy-laden
National Assembly! It has to hear of innumerable fresh revolts, Brigand
expeditions; of Chateaus in the West, especially of Charter-chests,
Chartiers, set on fire; for there too the overloaded Ass frightfully
recalcitrates. Of Cities in the South full of heats and jealousies;
which will end in crossed sabres, Marseilles against Toulon, and
Carpentras beleaguered by Avignon;--such Royalist collision in a career
of Freedom; nay Patriot collision, which a mere difference of velocity
will bring about! Of a Jourdan Coup-tete, who has skulked
thitherward, from the claws of the Chatelet; and will raise whole
scoundrel-regiments.

Also it has to hear of Royalist Camp of Jales: Jales mountain-girdled
Plain, amid the rocks of the Cevennes; whence Royalism, as is feared
and hoped, may dash