The Eve of the French Revolution 393 disdains to instruct his subjects, or is afraid of accustoming importance them to reflect and argue. In free countries, on the other ln France hand, such as England, every new law being discussed in the am t>ies to assembly of the representatives of the nation, the people are edicts, well informed, or at least reputed to be so, at the moment these laws are determined on ; and every individual may know the motive for making them, from the collection of parliamentary debates or from the public papers. But in France, where there are no national assemblies, and where nevertheless the laws of the sovereign must be registered by the supreme courts, — in France, where the monarch entertains a certain regard for the national charac- ter, and where the ministers themselves are made sensible every hour that they stand in need of the public approba- tion, — it has been thought essential to explain the motives of the will of the sovereign, when that will manifests itself to the people, whether under the form of edicts or of simple proclamations of the council. BIBLIOGRAPHY The Ancien Regime: Mathews, The French Revolution, pp. 1-30; Lowell, The Eve of the French Revolution, pp. 4-24 ; Ca?nbridge Mod- ern History, Vol. VIII, pp. 36-65. Church and Clergy: Mathews, pp. 42-51; Lowell, pp. 25-69. The Philosophers: Mathews, pp. 52-72; Lowell, pp. 243-273; Cambridge Modern History, Vol. VIII, pp. 1-35. Extracts from the writings of some of the more noted philosophers are given in Transla- tions and Reprints, Vol. VI, No. 1. Turgot and Necker: Mathews, pp. 91-101 ; Cambridge Modern History, Vol. VIII, pp. 66-78. Rousseau: Lowell, pp. 274-321. Early Years of Louis XVPs Reign: Hassall, Balance of Power {European History, 1715-/789), pp. 401-424 ; Cambridge Modern History, Vol. VIII, pp. 79-98. A. Refer- ences. Maclehose, The Last Days of the French Monarchy. Well illus- B. Addi- trated. This and Lowell's Eve of the French Revolution are the best tional read- general accounts to be had in English of the institutions of the old „ .. , monarchy.
