have inflicted upon a minister who spoke of convoking an assembly of notables ?" asked old Marshal Richelieu, ever witty, frivolous, and corrupt.

"The king sends in his resignation," said the young Viscount de Segur.

At Paris curiosity was the prevalent feeling; but the jokes were bitter.

"The comptroller-general has raised a new troop of comedians; the first performance will take place on Monday the 20th instant," said a sham play-bill: "they will give us the principal piece _False Confidences,_ followed by _Forced Consent_ and an allegorical ballot, composed by M.de Calonne, entitled _The Tub of the Danaids_." The convocation of the notables was better received in the provinces: it was the first time for a hundred and sixty years that the nation had been called upon to take a part, even nominally, in the government of its affairs; it already began to feel powerful and proud.

A note had been sent to the _Journal de Paris_ to announce the convocation of the Assembly.