NOTABLES (OF., Fr. notable% from Lat. notabilis, noteworthy, from notary, to note. mark. from note, mark, from noscere, to know: ulti mately connected with Eng. know). The name given in France before the Revolution of 1789 to persons of noble birth, sochtl distinction, or po litical importance, who were summoned to meet in the Assembly of .Notables. The States-Gen eral (q.v.) Was too great a check on the despot ism of the monarchy, and beginning with Charles V., the Drench kings adopted the expedient of calling• in their stead Assemblies of Notables, composed of those who were likely to be in favor of the projects of the Crown. Their whole pro ceedings were guided by the King or his min isters. They showed a particular readiness in granting subsidies, from which they themselves, as belonging to the privileged classes, were ex empt. Au Assembly of Notables, convened in Paris by l'ticheliett in 1626, and presided over by Gaston brother of Louis XIII.. con sisted of only 35 members. In 1878, when the state of the finances threatened the country with bankruptcy, Louis XVI., at the instigation of Calonne had recourse to an Assembly of Notables, which assembled on February 22, 1737. In spite of their readiness to accept cer
tain reforms in the administrative and financial system, they showed themselves jealous of their aneient privileges and were inclined to shift the responsibility for the difficult state of affairs on the Government. Sonic of the Notables even advocated the summoning of the States-General in the expectation, probably, that the latter would devise some way of relieving the dis-, tressed conditions of the country without inter fering• with the prerogatives of the privileged orders. On 25th the Notables were dis missed. Necker, who was later placed at the head of affairs. assembled the Notables for the last time on November 6, 1788, to consult with them concerning the form in which the States General should be convened. The Notables de clared against every innovation which they had sanctioned the year previous. and were especial ly opposed to the double of the Third Estate. This opposition compelled the Court to resort to half measures, winch helped to prepare the way for the Revolution. The Notables were finally dissolved December 12, 1788. See FRANCE ; FRENCH HEVoLUTION.