showers upon the earth, then in swelling rivers discharged into the
sea, then drawn up in vapor and finally scattered over the earth again
in rapidly fertilizing showers. He predicted that the members would
be surprised at the astonishing success of this paper money and that
there would be none too much of it.

His theory grew by what it fed upon,--as the paper-money theory has
generally done. Toward the close, in a burst of eloquence, he
suggested that _assignats_ be created to an amount sufficient to cover
the national debt, and that all the national lands be exposed for sale
immediately, predicting that thus prosperity would return to the
nation and that an classes would find this additional issue of paper
money a blessing.[15]

This speech was frequently interrupted by applause; a unanimous vote
ordered it printed, and copies were spread throughout France. The
impulse given by it permeated all subsequent discussion; Gouy arose
and proposed to liquidate the national debt of twenty-four hundred
millions,--to use his own words--"by one single operation, grand,
simple, magnificent."[16] This "operation" was to be the emission of
twenty-four hundred millions in legal tender notes, and a law that
specie should not be accepted in purchasing national lands. His
demagogy bloomed forth magnificently. He advocated an appeal to the
people, who, to use his flattering expression, "ought alone to give
the law in a matter so interesting." The newspapers of the period, in
reporting his speech, noted it with the very significant remark, "This
discourse was loudly applauded."

To him replied Brillat-Savarin. He called attention to the
depreciation of _assignats_ already felt. He tried to make the