"The philosophers," he said, "have with one hand sought to shake the throne, with the other to upset the altars.

Their purpose was to change public opinion on civil and religious institutions, and the revolution has, so to speak, been effected.

History and poetry, romances and even dictionaries, have been infected with the poison of incredulity.

Their writings are hardly published in the capital before they inundate the provinces like a torrent.

The contagion has spread into workshops and cottages." [Footnote: Rocquain, L'Esprit revolutionnaire avant la Revolution, p.
278.] The contagion spread, but the official who wrote these words did not see that it was successful because it was opportune, and that the minds of men were prepared to receive the seed of revolutionary ideas by the unspeakable corruption of the Government and the Church.