The Revolution was at the bottom only the legitimate rising of political liberty against despotism, and of religious liberty against the legal domination of Catholicism, because a political institution.

The constitution had emancipated the citizens, and it was necessary to emancipate the faithful, and to claim consciences for the state, in order to restore them to themselves, to individual reason, and to God.

This is what philosophy desired, which is only the rational expression of the mind's impulses.
The philosophers of the Constituent Assembly receded before the difficulties of this labour.

Instead of an emancipation, they made a compact with the power of the clergy, the dreaded influences of the court of Rome, and the inveterate habits of the people.

They contented themselves with relaxing the chain which bound the state to the church.
Their duty was to have snapped it asunder.