ffervescent well-intentioned set of Senators; too combustible, where
continual sparks are flying! Their History is a series of sputters and
quarrels; true desire to do their function, fatal impossibility to
do it. Denunciations, reprimandings of King's Ministers, of traitors
supposed and real; hot rage and fulmination against fulminating
Emigrants; terror of Austrian Kaiser, of 'Austrian Committee' in the
Tuileries itself: rage and haunting terror, haste and dim desperate
bewilderment!--Haste, we say; and yet the Constitution had provided
against haste. No Bill can be passed till it have been printed, till
it have been thrice read, with intervals of eight days;--'unless
the Assembly shall beforehand decree that there is urgency.' Which,
accordingly, the Assembly, scrupulous of the Constitution, never omits
to do: Considering this, and also considering that, and then that other,
the Assembly decrees always 'qu'il y a urgence;' and thereupon 'the
Assembly, having decreed that there is urgence,' is free to decree--what
indispensable distracted thing seems best to it. Two thousand and odd
decrees, as men reckon, within Eleven months! (Montgaillard, iii.
1. 237.) The haste of the Constituent seemed great; but this is
treble-quick. For the time itself is rushing treble-quick; and they
have to keep pace with that. Unhappy Seven Hundred and Forty-five:
true-patriotic, but so combustible; being fired, they must needs fling
fire: Senate of touchwood and rockets, in a world of smoke-storm, with
sparks wind-driven continually flying!

Or think, on the other hand, looking forward some months, of that scene
they call Baiser de Lamourette! The dangers of the country are now grown
imminent, immeasurable; National Assembly, hope of France, is divided
against itself. In such extreme circumstances, honey-mouthed Abbe
Lamourette, new Bishop of Lyons, rises, whose name, l'amourette,
signifies the sweetheart, or Delilah doxy,--he rises, and, with pathetic
honied eloquence, calls on all august Senators to forget mutual griefs
and grudges, to swear a new oath, and unite as brothers. Whereupon they
all, with vivats, embrace and swear; Left Side confounding itself with
Right; barren Mountain rushing down to fruitful Plain, Pastoret into the
arms of Condorcet, injured to the breast of injurer, with tears; and all
swearing that whosoever wishes either Feuillant Two-Chamber Monarchy
or Extreme-Jacobin Republic, or any thing but the Constitution and