Manoeuvrers in politics, they are paid from day to day--they are urged onwards, compromised, and then disavowed, and sometimes even imprisoned.

They suffer all, even captivity and dishonour, for money.

Such men are things to buy and sell, and their talent and utility stamp their price.

Of this class were Linguet, Brissot, even Mirabeau in his youth.

Such at this period was one Favier.
This man, employed in turns by the duc de Choiseul and M.d'Argenson, to draw up diplomatic memoranda, had an infinite knowledge of Europe; he was the vigilant spy of every cabinet, knew their back-games, guessed their intrigues, and kept them in play by counter-mines, of which the minister for foreign affairs did not always know the secret.