[Footnote 4232: Mercier, IV. 142. "In Auvergne, says M. de Montlosier, I formed for myself a society of priests, men of wit, some of whom were deists and others open atheists, with whom I carried on a contest with my brother." ("Mémoires," I.37).] [Footnote 4233: Lafayette. "Mémoires," III. 58.] [Footnote 4234: "Dict. Phil." article "Wheat."--The most important work of Quesnay is of the year 1758, "Tableau économique."] [Footnote 4235: D'Argenson, "Mémoires," IV. 141; VI. 320, 465; VII. 23; VIII. 153, (1752, 1753, 1754).--Rousseau's discourse on Inequality belongs also to 1753. On this steady march of opinion consult the excellent work of d'Aubertin, "L'Esprit public au dix-huitième siècle."] [Footnote 4236: This seems to be prophetic of the night of August 4, 1789.] [Footnote 4237: "Corresp. de Laurette de Malboissière," published by the Marquise de la Grange. (Sept. 4, 1762, November 8, 1762).] [Footnote 4238: Madame du Deffant in a letter to Madame de Choiseul, (quoted by Geffroy), "Gustave et la cour de France," I. 279.] [Footnote 4239: Geffroy, ibid. I. 232, 241, 245.] [Footnote 4240: Geffroy, ibid. I.267, 281. See letters by Madame de Boufflers (October, 1772, July 1774).] [Footnote 4241: Ibid.. I. 285. The letters of Mme. de la March (1776, 1777, 1779).] [Footnote 4242: A victim of religious rancor against the protestants, whose cause, taken op by Voltaire, excited great indignation.--TR.] [Footnote 4243: Bachaumont, III. 14 (March 28, 1766. Walpole, Oct. 6, 1775).] [Footnote 4244: Geffloy, ibid. (A letter by Mme Staël, 5776).] [Footnote 4245: Collé, "Journal," III. 437 (1770): "Women have got the upper hand with the French to such an extent, they have so subjugated them, that they neither feel nor think except as they do."] [Footnote 4246: "Correspondance," by Métra, III. 200; IV. 131.] [Footnote 4247: "Mémoires du Chancelier Pasquier," _Ed. Plon Paris_ 1893, Vol. I. page 26.] [Footnote 4248: De Vaublanc, "Souvenirs," I. 117, 377.] [Footnote 4249: De Ségur, "Mémoires," I. 17.] [Footnote 4250: Ibid. I. 151. "I saw the entire Court at the theater in the château at Versailles enthusiastically applaud Voltaire's tragedy of 'Brutus,' and especially these lines: Je suis fils de Brutus, et je porte en mon coeur La liberté gravée et les rois en horreur."] [Footnote 4251: De Lauzun, 80 (in relation to his expedition into Corsica).] [Footnote 4252: De Ségur, I. 87.] [Footnote 4253: The assemblies of Berry and Haute-Guyenne began in 1778 and 1779; those of other generalships in 1787. All functioned until 1789. (Cf. Léonce de Lavergne, "Les Assemblées provinciales").] [Footnote 4254: Léonce de Lavergne, ibid. 26, 55, 183. The tax department of the provincial assembly of Tours likewise makes its demands on the privileged class in the matter of taxation.]