Illusory prosperity of Calonne's "golden age." Failure of Calonne's credit. His financial proposals involve the abolition of privilege. Convocation of the Assembly of Notables. Fall of Calonne.

Administration of Cardinal Loménie de Brienne.

Character of the new controller, and of the situation he had to

face.

His financial proposals. Hostility of the Parlement of Paris. Cry for the States General. General popularity of this demand. De Brienne proposes to suppress the Parlements. His Six Edicts and Cour Plenière.

Failure of the proposed coup d'état. Assembly of the States General resolved upon. Fall of Brienne and recall of Necker.

LECTURE III.

DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION.

The States General.

THE STATES GENERAL.

Origin and composition of this body-causes of its suppression in France. The States General compared with the English Parliament.

The two questions of 1788. (a) The representation of the Commons (tiers état). Demand for double representation of the third estate. Granted by Necker. (b) Was the Assembly to act par tête or par ordre? Meaning of this question. It is left undecided.

General arrangements as to the Elections to the States General. Final Composition of the Assembly.

Meeting of the Assembly, May 5, 1789. Deadlock between the three Estates. The Third Estate declares itself the National

Assembly. The French Revolution begins.

Subsequent proceedings of the Court and of the Estates.

The Tennis Court oath. The Séance royale; Mirabeau defies the Court. The Court gives way. Constitution of the National Assembly.

Fears as to the intentions of the Court give rise to the attack on the Bastile. Position of affairs consequent on the Fall of the Bastile. It means the fall of the old Régime.

Distracted condition of the country. Situation in Paris. Dissatisfaction with the Assembly and its proceedings. Renewed suspicions of the Court.

The "Days of October." Attack on Versailles. The King and the Assembly transferred to Paris.

Effects on the Revolutionary movement.

LECTURE IV.

THE CONSTITUTION.

A new constitution implies: (1) a work of destruction (i. e., abolition of the old régime); (2) a work of construction (i. e., formation of a new system to replace it).

The Session of August 4, 1789.

Hasty and ill-considered action of the Assembly. Protest of Mirabeau.

Principles underlying the new Constitution.

The Rights of Man. Influence of Rousseau and of the American Revolution seen in the Declaration of the Rights of Man. The moment inopportune to discuss these theoretical rights. Examination of the Constitution in its relation—

(a) To the position of the monarch.

The veto question-right of the monarch to declare peace or war.

Anomalous position assumed by Louis XVI under the new Constitution.

(b) To the legislative and executive authority.

Single chamber arrangement. No minister to have a seat in the legislative body.

No member of the States General to have a seat in the next legislative body. Transfer of authority and responsibility from the executive to the legislative.

(c) In relation to Local Government.

Position of Mirabeau towards the new Constitution. His view of the functions of the monarch, and of the executive government in a state.

Unstable foundations of Mirabeau's influence. He is distrusted by the Court and the Assembly. His recommendation to the Court.

Louis XVI takes his own line and attempts to escape from the position by flight.

The Flight to Varennes.

Effects upon the position of the monarchy. Completion of the new Constitution. Louis XVI signifies his adhesion to it. Dissolution of the States General.

LECTURE V.

THE FALL OF THE MONARCHY.

General attitude of Foreign Powers towards the Revolution. Unwillingness to intervene. Causes of this. The Emigrations, and influence of the Emigrés on foreign powers. Their action exposes the King to suspicion in France.

Meeting of the Legislative Assembly, Oct., 1791. State of parties in the Legislative. Aims and ideals of the Girondists. Their attitude towards the monarchy.

Difficulties of the Legislative Assembly, and of the King. Experiments of Louis in executive government. He is thrown back upon the Girondists.

Foreign powers see the cause of monarchy in Europe threat

ened.

The Girondists declare war against Austria. Coalition of Austria and Prussia.

Analysis of the King's position towards the Revolution and the

war.

The Legislative Decrees affecting the Emigrés, the Church, and national defence.

Louis imposes his veto. Deepening suspicion of the King. Intimidation of the monarch, June 20, 1792. Momentary reaction in favor of Louis.

The march of the allies on Paris. The federals-among them the Marseillése-march to Paris. Cry of "la patrie en danger" -revolutionary measures of defence.

Manifesto of the Duke of Brunswick, the allied Commander. Nature of this manifesto. Its fatal effect on the monarchy. Insurrectionary attack on the monarchy, August 10, 1792. Fall of the French monarchy.