Mr. Necker's was as good as
such a number of details would permit it to be. The picture of their
resources was consoling, and generally plausible. I could have wished
him to have dwelt more on those great constitutional reformations, which
his _Rapport au Roy_ had prepared us to expect. But they observe, that
these points are proper for the speech of the Chancellor. We are in
hopes, therefore, they were in that speech, which, like the Revelations
of St. John, were no revelations at all. The _Noblesse_, on coming
together, show that they are not as much reformed in their principles
as we had hoped they would be. In fact, there is real danger of their
totally refusing to vote by persons. Some found hopes on the lower
clergy, which constitute four-fifths of the deputies of that order. If
they do not turn the balance in favor of the _Tiers-Etat_, there is
real danger of a scission. But I shall not consider even that event
as rendering things desperate. If the King will do business with the
_Tiers-Etat_, which constitutes the nation, it may be well done without
Priests or Nobles.
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