Sufferings and Legends of the Middle Ages

They have the Legends for consolation

The civil world was imitated from the theological dogma

Her struggles with Justice

The Terror of the Middle Ages more cruel than that of the Revolution

-Inquisition

Rome makes use indifferently of two opposite principles-Regal

Tyranny, and Popular Anarchy-Demagogical preparation

for the Saint-Bartholomew Massacre

Clergy in the present day

Fanatical acts of violence against Dumoulin, Ramus, Jean Goujon, &c.

SECTION V.

Freethinkers persecuted by the Church, intrust to the protection of

Kings, the guardianship of human thought

How they have exalted and strengthened the kingly power

26

ib.

29

Royal comedy of the States-General and the Parliament (note)

This god, like the other, has his elect, and governs for them

ib.

38

SECTION II.

Famine in the eighteenth century

Fasting of the armies of Louis XIV.; their resignation.
Difficulty of writing the history of those miseries

1681. Complaint of Colbert

1698. Of the Intendants

1707. Of Boisguillebert

1709. Of Fenelon

Misery, and the augmentation of the debt under the regent

1739. Was there any improvement under Fleury ?

1742. Madame de Châteauroux foresees the crisis.

The land becoming more sterile, the situation will grow worse

and worse

CONTENTS.

SECTION III.

Ancient patronage of the lay and ecclesiastical lord
Does it subsist in the eighteenth century?
Cleverness of the clergy in giving nothing

SECTION IV.

The people are obstinately bent on hoping in the King

1744. Louis XV., surnamed the Well-Beloved

1754. Louis XV. detested, dares no more enter Paris

The dogma of the royal incarnation has perished

The royalty of the mind succeeds

47

The Philosophers had hoped to make the Revolution through

the King

Voltaire, d'Argenson, and Machault are driven from Court. ib.

1746-1755. Death of the King and the death of the people

48

48

49

50

ib.

SECTION V.

The world could only recommence through justice

Obstacles; weak state of moral life

Nature and art: Buffon, Diderot .

The three figures of Right: Montesquieu, Voltaire, and

Rousseau

Montesquieu believes Justice relative

Voltaire, the martyr and apostle of Justice

SECTION VI.

Rousseau recommences Right by the idea of Providence

Where he took his ground in order to arrest the course of ruin

Even God subjected to Justice

That without believing oneself a god no one does anything
Rousseau acts by sentiment and melody as much as by idea
After him, Voltaire resumes victoriously the fight of justice,
and commences the Revolution

SECTION VII.

Everybody wishes for the Revolution, but only as far as such

and such limits

The question about the privileged classes was settled before-

hand; that about royalty remained to be solved

Louis XVI. Intrinsic difficulty of the government of grace

The poor privileged class

PAGE

60

Philanthropy of the Farmers of the revenue; Sensibility of

the Financiers

Injurious good-nature

SECTION IX.

THE BASTILLE.

To be forgotten in the Bastille

The Jesuits directing the Bastille

Clerks directing the Bastille

ib.

61

ib

62

63

64

At last people can hope no longer

ib.

Its spirit extends to all, to the people, to women

Justice is at length found to be identical with Grace

Triumph of Justice

ib.

71

72

BOOK I.

APRIL TO JULY, 1789.

CHAPTER I.

ELECTIONS OF 1789.

The whole people called upon to elect the electors ;-to write

down their complaints and requests

Sureness of the popular instinct

Firmness of the people; their unanimity