Rightinthepathwayofthecar，andblockingupthepassage，standsalargebuilding，withthreedoors，throughoneofwhichitmustpass，ifitproceedsfurther，andallthecrowdalongwithit。Overthefirstdoorarethewords，“HopitaldesFoux，“overthesecond，“HopitaldesMalades，“andoverthethird，“HopitaldesGueux。“
　　AnothercaricaturerepresentedLawsittinginalargecauldron，boilingovertheflamesofpopularmadness，surroundedbyanimpetuousmultitude，whowerepouringalltheirgoldandsilverintoit，andreceivinggladlyinexchangethebitsofpaperwhichhedistributedamongthembyhandsfull。
　　Whilethisexcitementlasted，Lawtookgoodcarenottoexposehimselfunguardedinthestreets。ShutupintheapartmentsoftheRegent，hewassecurefromallattack，and，wheneverheventuredabroad，itwaseitherincognito，orinoneoftheRoyalcarriages，withapowerfulescort。Anamusinganecdoteisrecordedofthedetestationinwhichhewasheldbythepeople，andtheilltreatmenthewouldhavemet，hadhefallenintotheirhands。Agentleman，ofthenameofBoursel，waspassinginhiscarriagedowntheRueSt。Antoine，whenhisfurtherprogresswasstayedbyahackneycoachthathadblockeduptheroad。M。Boursel’sservantcalledimpatientlytothehackneycoachmantogetoutoftheway，and，onhisrefusal，struckhimablowontheface。Acrowdwassoondrawntogetherbythedisturbance，andM。Bourselgotoutofthecarriagetorestoreorder。
　　Thehackney-coachman，imaginingthathehadnowanotherassailant，bethoughthimofanexpedienttoridhimselfofboth，andcalledoutasloudlyashewasable，“Help！help！murder！murder！HereareLawandhisservantgoingtokillme！Help！help！“Atthiscry，thepeoplecameoutoftheirshops，armedwithsticksandotherweapons，whilethemobgatheredstonestoinflictsummaryvengeanceuponthesupposedfinancier。HappilyforM。Bourselandhisservant，thedoorofthechurchoftheJesuitsstoodwideopen，and，seeingthefearfuloddsagainstthem，theyrushedtowardsitwithallspeed。Theyreachedthealtar，pursuedbythepeople，andwouldhavebeenilltreatedeventhere，if，findingthedooropenleadingtothesacristy，theyhadnotsprangthrough，andcloseditafterthem。Themobwerethenpersuadedtoleavethechurchbythealarmedandindignantpriests；and，findingM。Boursel’scarriagestillinthestreets，theyventedtheirill-willagainstit，anddiditconsiderabledamage。
　　Thetwenty-fivemillionssecuredonthemunicipalrevenuesofthecityofParis，bearingsolowaninterestastwoandahalfpercent。，werenotverypopularamongthelargeholdersofMississippistock。
　　Theconversionofthesecuritieswas，therefore，aworkofconsiderabledifficulty；formanypreferredtoretainthefallingpaperofLaw’sCompany，inthehopethatafavourableturnmighttakeplace。Onthe15thofAugust，withaviewtohastentheconversion，anedictwaspassed，declaringthatallnotesforsumsbetweenonethousandandtenthousandlivres；shouldnotpasscurrent，exceptforthepurchaseofannuitiesandbankaccounts，orforthepaymentofinstalmentsstilldueonthesharesofthecompany。
　　InOctoberfollowinganotheredictwaspassed，deprivingthesenotesofallvaluewhateverafterthemonthofNovembernextensuing。
　　Themanagementofthemint，thefarmingoftherevenue，andalltheotheradvantagesandprivilegesoftheIndia，orMississippiCompany，weretakenfromthem，andtheywerereducedtoamereprivatecompany。
　　Thiswasthedeathblowtothewholesystem，whichhadnowgotintothehandsofitsenemies。LawhadlostallinfluenceintheCouncilofFinance，andthecompany，beingdespoiledofitsimmunities，couldnolongerholdouttheshadowofaprospectofbeingabletofulfilitsengagements。Allthosesuspectedofillegalprofitsatthetimethepublicdelusionwasatitsheight，weresoughtoutandamercedinheavyfines。Itwaspreviouslyorderedthatalistoftheoriginalproprietorsshouldbemadeout，andthatsuchpersonsasstillretainedtheirsharesshouldplacethemindepositwiththecompany，andthatthosewhohadneglectedtocompletethesharesforwhichtheyhadputdowntheirnames，shouldnowpurchasethemofthecompany，attherateof13，500livresforeachshareof500livres。Ratherthansubmittopaythisenormoussumforstockwhichwasactuallyatadiscount，theshareholderspackedupalltheirportableeffects，andendeavouredtofindarefugeinforeigncountries。Orderswereimmediatelyissuedtotheauthoritiesattheportsandfrontiers，toapprehendalltravellerswhosoughttoleavethekingdom，andkeepthemincustody，untilitwasascertainedwhethertheyhadanyplateorjewellerywiththem，orwereconcernedinthelatestock-jobbing。
　　Againstsuchfewasescaped，thepunishmentofdeathwasrecorded，whilethemostarbitraryproceedingswereinstitutedagainstthosewhoremained。
　　Lawhimself，inamomentofdespair，determinedtoleaveacountrywherehislifewasnolongersecure。HeatfirstonlydemandedpermissiontoretirefromParistooneofhiscountry-seats；apermissionwhichtheRegentcheerfullygranted。Thelatterwasmuchaffectedattheunhappyturnaffairshadtaken，buthisfaithcontinuedunmovedinthetruthandefficacyofLaw’sfinancialsystem。
　　Hiseyeswereopenedtohisownerrors，andduringthefewremainingyearsofhislife，heconstantlylongedforanopportunityofagainestablishingthesystemuponasecurerbasis。AtLaw’slastinterviewwiththePrince，heisreportedtohavesaid——“IconfessthatIhavecommittedmanyfaults；IcommittedthembecauseIamaman，andallmenareliabletoerror；butIdeclaretoyoumostsolemnlythatnoneofthemproceededfromwickedordishonestmotives，andthatnothingofthekindwillbefoundinthewholecourseofmyconduct。“
　　TwoorthreedaysafterhisdeparturetheRegentsenthimaverykindletter，permittinghimtoleavethekingdomwheneverhepleased，andstatingthathehadorderedhispassportstobemadeready。Heatthesametimeofferedhimanysumofmoneyhemightrequire。Lawrespectfullydeclinedthemoney，andsetoutforBrusselsinapostchaisebelongingtoMadamedePrie，themistressoftheDukeofBourbon，escortedbysixhorse-guards。FromthenceheproceededtoVenice，whereheremainedforsomemonths，theobjectofthegreatestcuriositytothepeople，whobelievedhimtobethepossessorofenormouswealth。Noopinion，however，couldbemoreerroneous。Withmoregenerositythancouldhavebeenexpectedfromamanwhoduringthegreatestpartofhislifehadbeenaprofessedgambler，hehadrefusedtoenrichhimselfattheexpenseofaruinednation。DuringtheheightofthepopularfrenzyforMississippistock，hehadneverdoubtedofthefinalsuccessofhisprojects，inmakingFrancetherichestandmostpowerfulnationofEurope。HeinvestedallhisgainsinthepurchaseoflandedpropertyinFrance-asureproofofhisownbeliefinthestabilityofhisschemes。Hehadhoardednoplateorjewellery，andsentnomoney，likethedishonestjobbers，toforeigncountries。Hisall，withtheexceptionofonediamond，worthaboutfiveorsixthousandpoundssterling，wasinvestedintheFrenchsoil；
　　andwhenheleftthatcountry，heleftitalmostabeggar。Thisfactaloneoughttorescuehismemoryfromthechargeofknavery，sooftenandsounjustlybroughtagainsthim。
　　Assoonashisdeparturewasknown，allhisestatesandhisvaluablelibrarywereconfiscated。Amongtherest，anannuityof200，000livres，8000poundssterling，onthelivesofhiswifeandchildren，whichhadbeenpurchasedforfivemillionsoflivres，wasforfeited，notwithstandingthataspecialedict，drawnupforthepurposeinthedaysofhisprosperity，hadexpresslydeclaredthatitshouldneverbeconfiscatedforanycausewhatever。GreatdiscontentexistedamongthepeoplethatLawhadbeensufferedtoescape。ThemobandtheParliamentwouldhavebeenpleasedtohaveseenhimhanged。
　　Thefewwhohadnotsufferedbythecommercialrevolution，rejoicedthatthequackhadleftthecountry；butallthoseandtheywerebyfarthemostnumerousclasswhosefortuneswereimplicated，regrettedthathisintimateknowledgeofthedistressofthecountry，andofthecausesthathadledtoit，hadnotbeenrenderedmoreavailableindiscoveringaremedy。
　　AtameetingoftheCouncilofFinance，andthegeneralcounciloftheRegency，documentswerelaiduponthetable，fromwhichitappearedthattheamountofnotesincirculationwas2700millions。
　　TheRegentwascalledupontoexplainhowithappenedthattherewasadiscrepancybetweenthedatesatwhichtheseissuesweremade，andthoseoftheedictsbywhichtheywereauthorised。Hemighthavesafelytakenthewholeblameuponhimself，buthepreferredthatanabsentmanshouldbearashareofit，andhethereforestatedthatLaw，uponhisownauthority，hadissued1200millionsofnotesatdifferenttimes，andthathetheRegentseeingthatthethinghadbeenirrevocablydone，hadscreenedLaw，byantedatingthedecreesofthecouncil，whichauthorisedtheaugmentation。Itwouldhavebeenmoretohiscreditifhehadtoldthewholetruthwhilehewasaboutit，andacknowledgedthatitwasmainlythroughhisextravaganceandimpatiencethatLawhadbeeninducedtooversteptheboundsofsafespeculation。Itwasalsoascertainedthatthenationaldebt，onthe1stofJanuary，1721，amountedtoupwardsof$100millionsoflivres，ormorethan124，000，000poundssterling，theinterestuponwhichwas3，196，000pounds。Acommission，orvisa，wasforthwithappointedtoexamineintoallthesecuritiesofthestatecreditors，whoweretobedividedintofiveclasses，thefirstfourcomprisingthosewhohadpurchasedtheirsecuritieswithrealeffects，andthelattercomprisingthosewhocouldgivenoproofsthatthetransactionstheyhadenteredintowererealandbonafide。Thesecuritiesofthelatterwereorderedtobedestroyed，whilethoseofthefirstfourclassesweresubjectedtoamostrigidandjealousscrutiny。Theresultofthelaboursofthevisawasareport，inwhichtheycounselledthereductionoftheinterestuponthesesecuritiestofifty-sixmillionsoflivres。Theyjustifiedthisadvicebyastatementofthevariousactsofpeculationandextortionwhichtheyhaddiscovered，andanedicttothateffectwasaccordinglypublishedanddulyregisteredbytheparliamentsofthekingdom。
　　Anothertribunalwasafterwardsestablished，underthetitleoftheChambredel’Arsenal，whichtookcognizanceofallthemalversationscommittedinthefinancialdepartmentsofthegovernmentduringthelateunhappyperiod。AMasterofRequests，namedFalhonet，togetherwiththeAbbeClement，andtwoclerksintheiremploy，hadbeenconcernedindiversactsofpeculation，totheamountofupwardsofamillionoflivres。Thefirsttwoweresentencedtobebeheaded，andthelattertobehanged；buttheirpunishmentwasafterwardscommutedintoimprisonmentforlifeintheBastile。Numerousotheractsofdishonestywerediscovered，andpunishedbyfineandimprisonment。
　　D’ArgensonsharedwithLawandtheRegenttheunpopularitywhichhadalighteduponallthoseconcernedintheMississippimadness。HewasdismissedfromhispostofChancellor，tomakeroomforD’Aguesseau；butheretainedthetitleofKeeperoftheSeals，andwasallowedtoattendthecouncilswheneverhepleased。Hethoughtitbetter，however，towithdrawfromParis，andliveforatimealifeofseclusionathiscountry-seat。Buthewasnotformedforretirement，andbecomingmoodyanddiscontented，heaggravatedadiseaseunderwhichhehadlonglaboured，anddiedinlessthanatwelvemonth。ThepopulaceofofParissodetestedhim，thattheycarriedtheirhatredeventohisgrave。AshisfuneralprocessionpassedtothechurchofSt。NicholasduChardonneret，theburying-placeofhisfamily，itwasbesetbyariotousmob，andhistwosons，whowerefollowingaschief-mourners，wereobligedtodriveasfastastheywereabledownaby-streettoescapepersonalviolence。