CHAP. I.--Review of the state of Europe after the Peace of Versailles--England--France--Spain--Prussia--Imprudent Innovations of the Emperor Joseph--Disturbances in his Dominions--Russia--France--Her ancient System of Monarchy--how organised--Causes of its Decay--Decay of the Nobility as a body--The new Nobles--The Country Nobles--The Nobles of the highest Order--The Church--The higher Orders of the Clergy--The lower Orders--The Commons--Their increase in Power and Importance--Their Claims opposed to those of the Privileged Classes, 1 CHAP. II.--State of France continued--State of Public Opinion--Men of Letters encouraged by the Great--Disadvantages attending this Patronage--Licentious tendency of the French Literature--Their Irreligious and Infidel Opinions--Free Opinions on Politics permitted to be expressed in an abstract and speculative, but not in a practical Form--Disadvantages arising from the Suppression of Free Discussion--Anglomania--Share of France in the American War--Disposition of the Troops who returned from America, 22 CHAP. III.--Proximate Cause of the Revolution--Deranged State of the Finances--Reforms in the Royal Household--System of Turgot and Necker--Necker's Exposition of the State of the Public Revenue--The Red-Book--Necker displaced--Succeeded by Calonne--General State of the Revenue--Assembly of the Notables--Calonne dismissed--Archbishop of Sens Administrator of the Finances--The King's Contest with the Parliament--Bed of Justice--Resistance of the Parliament and general Disorder in the Kingdom--Vacillating Policy of the Minister--Royal Sitting--Scheme of forming a Cour Plénière--It proves ineffectual--Archbishop of Sens retires, and is succeeded by Necker--He resolves to convoke the States-General--Second Assembly of Notables previous to Convocation of the States--Questions as to the Numbers of which the Tiers Etat should consist, and the Mode in which the Estates should deliberate, 39 CHAP. IV.--Meeting of the States-General--Predominant Influence of the Tiers Etat--Property not represented sufficiently in that Body--General character of the Members--Disposition of the Estate of the Nobles--And of the Clergy--Plan of forming the Three Estates into two Houses--Its advantages--It fails--The Clergy unite with the Tiers Etat, which assumes the title of the National Assembly--They assume the task of Legislation, and declare all former Fiscal Regulations illegal--They assert their determination to continue their Sessions--Royal Sitting--Terminates in the Triumph of the Assembly--Parties in that Body--Mounier--Constitutionalists-- Republicans--Jacobins--Orleans, 58