eturned only to renew and intensify his attacks. He remained,
however, only for a short time, for on May 24, 1787, he set out on a
third journey to Prussia, in order to complete his great work on the
"Prussian Monarchy." Returning to France, he reached Paris in September.
Five months had elapsed since the assembling of the notables. The
eloquent Leominie de Brienne, Archbishop of Toulouse, had been the most
brilliant figure in the conclave. The first assembly broke up on July
27, 1787. Though gathered by the privileged orders, patriotism had
raised its voice within it, and the archbishop, as prime minister, had
failed to direct the new current aright.

Mirabeau disapproved of what had taken place in his absence, and
declined to be employed by the administration, but he offered to
undertake any foreign mission in the exercise of the king to which he
might be appointed. The application was unsuccessful. The crisis
approached nearer and nearer. Archbishop Brienne passed rapidly from
violence to weakness. Mirabeau refused to countenance his plans for
contracting a new loan of 420 millions. The king was resisted by an
almost unanimous opposition, headed by the Duke of Orleans, and the loan
was refused at a memorable sitting.

Mirabeau exhorted the government to announce in precise and solemn terms
the convocation of the States-General in 1789, that bankruptcy might be
averted and the national honour saved. Said he: "The year in which the
king assembles the nation will be the finest in his life. Everybody
knows that he has been deceived, and could not help being so, and
everybody will do justice to his intentions. The assembled nation has a
right to vote a tax. In future the nation alone will raise up its
political fortunes."

Mirabeau saw that the nation ought to be trusted. He strenuously
contended for a policy in accordance with this conviction. But he
indefatigably continued his literary labours, sending forth pamphlet
after pamphlet, one against the prison system in vogue, another
demanding the liberty of the Press, in which he extolled the example of
England. He became increasingly impatient with the ineptitude of the
government, for the affairs of the state were lapsing into desperate
disorder, and the public discontent was being steadily aggravated.

The aim of Mirabeau was at one and the same time to support the monarchy
and to subvert the influences by which the throne was environed. He was
solicitous of securin