first　ideas　would　be　in　relation　to　the　coachmen　and　drivers　who
  bridle　and　whip　it　and　again　in　relation　to　the　good…natured
  travelers　and　sensitive　ladies　who　pity　it；　but　who　to　the　weight　of
  the　vehicle　add　their　own　and　that　of　their　luggage。
  Likewise；　in　the　mind　of　the　peasant；　athwart　his　perplexed
  brooding；　a　new　idea；　slowly；　little　by　little；　is　unfolded：　　that
  of　an　oppressed　multitude　of　which　he　makes　one；　a　vast　herd
  scattered　far　beyond　the　visible　horizon；　everywhere　ill　used；
  starved；　and　fleeced。　　Towards　the　end　of　1788　we　begin　to　detect　in
  the　correspondence　of　the　intendants　and　military　commandants　the
  dull　universal　muttering　of　coming　wrath。　　Men's　characters　seem　to
  change；　they　become　suspicious　and　restive。　　　And　just　at　this
  moment；　the　Government；　dropping　the　reins；　calls　upon　them　to
  direct　themselves。＇11＇。　　In　the　month　of　November　1787；　the　King
  declared　that　he　would　convoke　the　States…General。　　On　the　5th　of
  July　1788；　he　calls　for　memoranda　（des　mémoires）　on　this　subject
  from　every　competent　person　and　body。　　On　the　8th　of　August　he　fixes
  the　date　of　the　session。　　On　the　5th　of　October　he　convokes　the
  notables；　in　order　to　consider　the　subject　with　them。　　On　the　27th
  of　December　he　grants　a　double　representation　to　the　Third…Estate；
  because　〃its　cause　is　allied　with　generous　sentiments；　and　it　will
  always　obtain　the　support　of　public　opinion。〃　The　same　day　he
  introduces　into　the　electoral　assemblies　of　the　clergy　a　majority　of
  curés＇12＇；　〃because　good　and　useful　pastors　are　daily　and　closely
  associated　with　the　indigence　and　relief　of　the　people；〃　from　which
  it　follows　〃that　they　are　much　more　familiar　with　their　sufferings〃
  and　necessities。　　On　the　24th　January　1789；　he　prescribes　the
  procedure　and　method　of　the　meetings。　　After　the　7th　of　February
  writs　of　summons　are　sent　out　one　after　the　other。　　Eight　days
  after；　each　parish　assembly　begins　to　draw　up　its　memorial　of
  grievances；　and　becomes　excited　over　the　detailed　enumeration　of　all
  the　miseries　which　it　sets　down　in　writing。　　　All　these　appeals
  and　all　these　acts　are　so　many　strokes；　which　reverberate；　in　the
  popular　imagination。　　〃It　is　the　desire　of　His　Majesty；〃　says　the
  order　issued；　〃that　every　one；　from　the　extremities　of　his　kingdom；
  and　from　the　most　obscure　of　its　hamlets；　should　be　certain　of　his
  wishes　and　protests　reaching　him。〃　Thus；　it　is　all　quite　true：　there
  can　be　no　mistake　about　it；　the　thing　is　sure。　　The　people　are
  invited　to　speak　out；　they　are　summoned；　and　they　are　consulted。
  There　is　a　disposition　to　relieve　them；　henceforth　their　misery
  shall　be　less；　better　times　are　coming。　　This　is　all　they　know　about
  it。　　A　few　month　after；　in　July；＇13＇　the　only　answer　a　peasant　girl
  can　make　to　Arthur　Young　is；　〃something　was　to　be　done　by　some　great
  folks　for　such　poor　ones；　but　she　did　not　know　who　nor　how。〃　The
  thing　is　too　complicated；　beyond　the　reach　of　a　stupefied　and
  mechanical　brain。　　…　　One　idea　alone　emerges；　the　hope　of　immediate
  relief。　　The　persuasion　that　one　is　entitled　to　it；　the　resolution
  to　aid　it　with　every　possible　means。　　Consequently；　an　anxious
  waiting；　a　ready　fervor；　a　tension　of　the　will　simply　due　to　the
  waiting　for　the　opportunity　to　let　go　and　take　off　like　a
  irresistible　arrow　towards　the　unknown　end　which　will　reveal　itself
  all　of　a　sudden。　　Hunger　is　to　mark　this　sudden　target　out　for　them。
  The　market　must　be　supplied　with　wheat；　the　farmers　and　land…owners
  must　bring　it；　wholesale　buyers；　whether　the　Government　or
  individuals；　must　not　be　allowed　to　send　it　elsewhere。　　The　wheat
  must　be　sold　at　a　low　price；　the　price　must　be　cut　down　and　fixed；
  so　that　the　baker　can　sell　bread　at　two　sous　the　pound。　　Grain；
  flour；　wine；　salt；　and　provisions　must　pay　no　more　duties。
  Seignorial　dues　and　claims；　ecclesiastical　tithes；　and　royal　or
  municipal　taxes　must　no　longer　exist。　　On　the　strength　of　this　idea
  disturbances　broke　out　on　all　sides　in　March；　April；　and　May。
  Contemporaries　〃　do　not　know　what　to　think　of　such　a　scourge；＇14＇
  they　cannot　comprehend　how　such　a　vast　number　of　criminals；　without
  visible　leaders；　agree　amongst　themselves　everywhere　to　commit　the
  same　excesses　just　at　the　time　when　the　States…General　are　going　to
  begin　their　sittings。〃　The　reason　is　that；　under　the　ancient　régime；
  the　conflagration　was　smoldering　in　a　closed　chamber；　the　great　door
  is　suddenly　opened；　the　air　enters；　and　immediately　the　flame　breaks
  out。
  III。
  The　provinces　during　the　first　six　months　of　1789。　　…　Effects　of　the
  famine。
  At　first　there　are　only　intermittent；　isolated　fires；　which　are
  extinguished　or　go　out　of　themselves；　but；　a　moment　after；　in　the
  same　place；　or　very　near　it；　the　sparks　again　appear。　　Their　number；
  like　their　recurrence；　shows　the　vastness；　depth；　and　heat　of　the
  combustible　matter；　which　is　about　to　explode。　　In　the　four　months；
  which　precede　the　taking　of　the　Bastille；　over　three　hundred
  outbreaks　may　be　counted　in　France。　　They　take　place　from　month　to
  month　and　from　week　to　week；　in　Poitou；　Brittany；　Touraine；
  Orléanais；　Normandy；　Ile…de…France；　Picardy；　Champagne；　Alsace；
  Burgundy；　Nivernais；　Auvergne；　Languedoc；　and　Provence。　　On　the　28th
  of　May　the　parliament　of　Rouen　announces　robberies　of　grain；
  〃violent　and　bloody　tumults；　in　which　men　on　both　sides　have
  fallen；〃　throughout　the　province；　at　Caen；　Saint…L？；　Mortain；
  Granville；　Evreux；　Bernay；　Pont…Andemer；　Elboeuf；　Louviers；　and　in
  other　sections　besides。　　On　the　20th　of　April　Baron　de　Bezenval；
  military　commander　in　the　Central　Provinces；　writes：　〃I　once　more
  lay　before　M。　Necker　a　picture　of　the　frightful　condition　of
  Touraine　and　of　Orléanais。　　Every　letter　I　receive　from　these　two
  provinces　is　the　narrative　of　three　or　four　riots；　which　are　put
  down　with　difficulty　by　the　troops　and　constabulary；〃＇15＇　　and
  throughout　the　whole　extent　of　the　kingdom　a　similar　state　of　things
  is　seen。　　The　women；　as　is　natural；　are　generally　at　the　head　of
  these　outbreaks。　　It　is　they　who；　at　Montlhéry；　rip　open　the　sacks
  of　grain　with　their　scissors。　　On　learning　each　week；　on　market　day
  that　the　price　of　a　loaf　of　bread　advances　three；　four；　or　seven
  sous；　they　break　out　into　shrieks　of　rage：　at　this　rate　for　bread；
  with　the　small　salaries　of　the　men；　and　when　work　fails；＇16＇　how　can
  a　family　be　fed？　Crowds　gather　around　the　sacks　of　flour　and　the
  doors　of　the　bakers。　　Amidst　outcries　and　reproaches　some　one　in　the
  crowd　makes　a　push；　the　proprietor　or　dealer　is　hustled　and　knocked
  down。　　The　shop　is　invaded；　the　commodity　is　in　the　hands　of　the
  buyers　and　of　the　famished；　each　one　grabbing　for　himself；　pay　or　no
  pay；　and　running　away　with　the　booty。　　　Sometimes　a　party　is　made
  up　beforehand＇17＇　At　Bray…sur…Seine；　on　the　1st　of　May；　the
  villagers　for　four　leagues　around；　armed　with　stones；　knives；　and
  cudgels；　to　the　number　of　four　thousand；　compel　the　metayers　and
  farmers；　who　have　brought　grain　with　them；　to　sell　it　at　3　livres；
  instead　of　4　livres　10　sous　the　bushel。　　They　threaten　to　do　the
  same　thing　on　the　following　market…day：　but　the　farmers　do　not
  return；　the　storehouse　remains　empty。　　Now　soldiers　must　be　at　hand；
  or　the　inhabitants　of　Bray　will　be　pillaged。　　At　Bagnols；　in
  Languedoc；　on　the　1st　and　2nd　of　April；　the　peasants；　armed　with
  cudgels　and　assembled　by　tap　of　drum；　〃traverse　the　town；
  threatening　to　burn　and　destroy　everything　if　flour　and　money　are
  not　given　to　them。〃　They　go　to　private　houses　for　grain；　divide　it
  amongst　themselves　at　a　reduced　price；　〃promising　to　pay　when　the
  next　crop　comes　round；〃　and　force　the　Consuls　to　put　bread　at　two
  sous　the　pound；　and　to　increase　the　day's　wages　four　sous。
  Indeed　this　is　now　the　regular　thing；　it　is　not　the　people　who　obey
  the　authorities；　but　the　authorities　who　obey　the　people。　　Consuls；
  sheriffs；　mayors；　municipal　officers；　town…clerks；　become　confused
  and　hesitating　in　the　face　of　this　huge　clamor；　they　feel　that　they
  are　likely　to　be　trodden　under　foot　or　thrown　out　of　the　windows。
  Others；　with　more　firmness；　being　aware　that　a　riotous　crowd　is　mad；
  and　having　scruples　to　spill　blood；　yield　for　the　time　being；　hoping
  that　at　the　next　market…day　there　will　be　more　soldiers　and　better
  precautions　taken。　　At　Amiens；　〃after　a　very　violent　outbreak；〃＇18＇
  they　decide　to　take　the　wheat　belonging　to　the　Jacobin　monks；　and；
  protected　by　the　troops；　to　sell　it　to　the　people　at　a　third　below
  its　value。　　At　Nantes；　where　the　town　hall　is　attacked；　they　are
  forced　to　lower　the　price　of　bread　one　sou　per　pound。　　At　Angoulême；
  to　avoid　a　recourse　to　arms；　they　request　the　Comte　d'Artois　to
  renounce　his　dues　on　flour　for　two　months；　reduce　the　price　of
  bread；　and　compensate　the　bakers。　　At　Cette　they　are　so　maltreated
  they　let　everything　take　its　course；　the　people　sack　their　dwellings
  and　get　the　upper　hand；　they　announce　by　sound　of　trumpet　that　all
  their