This thought fell into the hands of the people, who framed of it a weapon against the _noblesse_, the throne, and religion.

The philosophy of the saloons became revolt in the streets: nevertheless all the great houses of the kingdom had given apostles to the first dogmata of the Revolution: the States General, the ancient theatre of the importance and triumphs of the higher nobility, had tempted the ambition of their heirs, and they had marched in the van of the reformers.

_Esprit de corps_ could not restrain them when the question of uniting with the Tiers Etat had been invoked.

The Montmorencies, Noailles, La Rochefoucaulds, Clermont Tonnerres, Lally Tollendals, Virieux, d'Aiguillons, Lauzans, Montesquieus, Lameths, Mirabeaus, the Duc d'Orleans, first prince of the blood, the Count de Provence, brother of the king, king himself afterwards as Louis XVIII., had given an impulse to the boldest innovations.

They had each borrowed their momentary popularity from principles easier to enunciate than restrain, and that popularity had nearly forsaken them all.