Henry Morse Stephens and James Thomson Shotwell

“ Both partners became very rich by loans to the treasury and speculations in grain. In 1763 Necker fell in love with Madame de Verménou, the widow of a French officer. But while on a visit to Geneva, Madame de Verménou met Suzanne Curchod, the daughter of a pastor near Lausanne, to whom Gibbon had been engaged, and brought her back as her companion to Paris in 1764. There Necker, transferring his love from the widow to the poor Swiss girl, married Suzanne before the end of the year. She encouraged her husband to try and make himself a public position. ”

“ He caused the king’s acceptance of the suspensive veto, by which he sacrificed his chief prerogative in September, and destroyed all chance of a strong executive by contriving the decree of November 7, by which the ministry might not be chosen from the assembly. ”

“ Compte rendu au roi (1781) ; De l’administration des finances de la France (3 vols., 1784) ; Mémoire en réponse au discours prononcé par M. de Calonne (1787) ; De l’importance des opinions religieuses (1788) ; Sur l’administration de M. Necker, par lui-même (1791) ; Du pouvoir exécutif dans les grands états (2 vols., 1792) ; Réflexions sur le procès de Louis XVI. (1792) ; De la révolution française, several editions, the last in 4 vols. (1797) ; Cours de la morale religieuse (1800) ; Dernières vues de politique et de finance (1802) ; Manuscrits de M. Necker, published by his daughter (1804) ”