so detested and exclaimed against, by a Public impatient of the
work itself, there is no knowing what their degree of scoundrelism
was, nor even, within amazingly wide limits, what the arithmetical
number of them was. About 500 in the whole of Prussia, says a quiet
Prussian, who has made some inquiry; ["Beguelin, ACCISE- UND ZOLL-
VERFASSUNG, s. 138" (Preuss, iii, 18).] 1,500 says Mirabeau;
3,000 say other exaggerative persons, or even 5,000; De Launay's
account is, Not at any time above 200. But we can all imagine how
vexatious they and their business were. Nobody now is privileged
with exemption: from one and all of you, Nobles, Clergy, People,
strict account is required, about your beers and liquors;
your coffee, salt; your consumptions and your purchases of all
excisable articles:--nay, I think in coffee and salt, in salt for
certain, what you will require, according to your station and
domestic numbers, is computed for you, to save trouble; such and
such quantities you will please to buy in our presence, or to pay
duty for, whether you buy them or not. Into all houses, at any hour
of the day or of the night, these cellar-rats had liberty,--(on
warrant from some higher rat of their own type, I know not how much
higher; and no sure appeal for you, except to the King; tolerably
sure there, if you be INNOCENT, but evidently perilous if you be
only NOT-CONVICTED!)--had liberty, I say, to search for contraband;
all your presses, drawers, repositories, you must open to these
beautiful creatures; watch in nightcap, and candle in hand, while
your things get all tumbled hither and thither, in the search for
what perhaps is not there; nay, it was said and suspected, but I
never knew it for certain, that these poisonous French are capable
of slipping in something contraband, on purpose to have you fined
whether or not.