[67] The Baron de Senneci, when the estates of the kingdom were compared to three brethren, of which the Tiers Etat was youngest, declared that the Commons of France had no title to arrogate such a relationship with the nobles, to whom they were so far inferior in blood, and in estimation.
[68] Madame de Staël, and Madame de Montmorin, wife of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, beheld from a gallery the spectacle. The former exulted in the boundless prospect of national felicity which seemed to be opening under the auspices of her father. "You are wrong to rejoice," said Madame de Montmorin; "this event forebodes much misery to France and to ourselves." Her presentiment was but too well founded. She herself perished on the scaffold with one of her sons; her husband was murdered on September 2d; her eldest daughter died in the hospital of a prison, and her youngest died of a broken heart.—See M. de Staël, vol. i., p. 187.
[69] Lacretelle, tom. i., p. 32; Rivarol, p. 37.
[70] It was, for example, gravely stated, that a seigneur of a certain province possessed a feudal right to put two of his vassals to death upon his return from hunting, and to rip their bellies open, and plunge his feet into their entrails to warm them.—S.
[71] See Don Quixote, part ii., chap. lxi., (vol. v., p. 296. Lond., 1822.)
[72] "By a majority of 491 to 90."—Lacretelle.
[73] Lacretelle, tom. vii., p. 39.
[74] Lacretelle, tom. vii., p. 41.
[75] The government monopoly of salt, under the name of the gabelle, was maintained over about two-thirds of the kingdom.
[76] Mignet, tom. i., p. 43.